Our 4 hour trip to Nurnberg ended up taking closer to 6 hours thanks to snowy weather. We were on the Autobahn most of the way, but could never take advantage of unlimited speed limit. We arrived just in time to check into our hotel. We bundled up to brave the frigid temps and set off for the oldest Christmas market in the world!
It was so unbelievably cold this weekend! It was minus 15 degrees Celsius (around 0 Fahrenheit) and according to one lady working a booth, this was the coldest weekend in 30 years. Typical that we'd pick that weekend to go! Even with multiple layers of clothes, boots, hats, mittens and scarves we were freezing. At one point, I really thought my fingertips were going to freeze off. I pictured myself in an ER having each fingertip amputated due to frostbite. I was this close to a full on panic attack when we found a cafe to go in to warm up. Crisis and amputation averted!
Aside from the cold, we had a wonderful time wandering the various stalls selling everything from toys, to Nurnberger sausages, to Christmas ornaments and decorations, to hats and scarves. My personal favorite booths were those selling Gluhwein. Gluhwein is a hot spiced wine drink that they serve all over German-speaking Europe. I didn't acquire a taste for it last year, but I retried it this year and fell in LOVE! It is perfect on frigid days. It warms your hands as you hold the mug and warms you up from the inside out as you drink it. Plus, as an added bonus, if you drink enough of it, you just forget how bloody cold it is! Around Zurich, they serve you the wine in a sytrofoam cup, but in Germany at the markets they have collectable mugs! You "rent" a mug for a 1.50 Euro deposit, then pay only 2 Euros to have it refilled at any stand. You can keep the mug or return it for your deposit back. I kept mugs from both Nurnberg and Rothenburg. Where else can you get a cool souvenir for only 1.50?
Despite the cold the kids had fun in the Kinder Markt area riding a mini-ferris wheel and double-decker carousel. My mom, aunt, Jason and I poked into the stalls and bought ornaments and other stuff. Jason is happy to have found a wooden Christmas carousel thing that spins around by heat from candles. (if you've ever seen National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, you know what I mean. The thing with candles that cousin Eddie knocks over while drinking eggnog from moose mugs) Jason has wanted one of those forever and now he has one from Germany where they originated!
On Sunday, we left Nurnberg for Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a mideval walled city an hour northwest of Nurnberg. We had heard this was a city not to be missed and it didn't disappoint. It was still crazy cold, but again we toughed it out. This village was cuter than big Nurnberg, and I'd love to go back during warm weather without the hoards of people there for Christmas Markets. The funny thing in Rothenburg is that I'm pretty sure I heard more American English there than I have anywhere in the last year! It's obviously a stopping point on all guided tours, and for good reason.
We finally made it home last night around 10pm after an excrutiatingly long and slow drive through an almost blizzard. Poor Jason had to go to work today. After 2 long days in a car and freezing cold, I'm hoping to stay in my pajamas today as long as possible!
"Zum Christkindlesmarkt" means "to the Christmas Market"
Aidan and Lainey on the double-decker carousel
One thing Nurnberg is famous for is their "Zwetschgermannli" or "prune people". They make these little figures out of walnut shells and dried prunes. They were cute, but we didn't feel the need to buy one.
Poor Lainey was so cold she could barely move. Poor Jason had to carry her on his shoulders the whole time. We couldn't fit a stroller into the car to bring it with us!
"Lebkuchen" is a thick gingerbread-like cake that the area is famous for.
In the kids market area, yes I really am in that coat somewhere! It was COLD!!!
A quick side trip to the Imperal Castle of Nurnberg on Sunday morning
Entering the castle walls
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Rothenburg's Weihnachtsmarkt-Gluhwein stand on the corner!
3 comments:
It was cousin Eddie not Randy, come on, what kind of Griswald fan are you.
Oh, duh! It's Randy Quaid that plays Eddie! That's what I get for typing before my first cup of coffee this morning!
OK, I fixed it! Thanks (whoever "anonymous" is).
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