Christmas Market in Dresden

On our way back from Prague we passed by in Dresden and visited the Christmas Market (Dresdener Striezelmarkt). If you come by car, the easiest way is to follow the sings and park in the Parkhaus Altmarkt.

We've been there during the week. I can imagine that weekends are very crowded like in most places.
The Christmas market is very beautiful! Very cute and one of the prettiest we've seen. Each stall has many details and pretty decoration. The stalls offer some common christmas market items and some special ones. You can see how the famous Dresdner Stollen is made.Also food items all looked yummy and of course Gluehwein shouldn't be missing. I actually drank a Feuerzangenbowle which is slightly different. You might know it from the famous German movie.

Fairy tale figures are around and telling stories...

More about Prague

Ok like promised here some more of the stuff we did in Prague.

First of all, a specialty called TRDELNIK. It's a sweet pastry and being sold on the markets and some stalls on the road. The dough is wrapped around a mold and then fried on open fire. Brushed with sugar and spices. Then outside it gets crispy and soft inside. It's quite yummy though very sweet.

Walking through Prague it's one of the things you have to eat. Ok. Here finally I am enjoying it....Hmmmmmmm!!!!! Yummy!!!!!











Another major tourist attraction is the  Prague Castle. It's a large medieval (unique architectural) complex with courtyards, palaces, cathedral, convent and the popular Golden Lane. For sure you have a beautiful view once you're up there.

We headed towards the famous Golden Lane. Be prepared the entrance fee is hefty. It's not possible to only buy a ticket for the Golden Lane but you have to buy one for the small tour and then it's Krona 250. (around 10 Euro). In No 22 Franz Kafka lived for about a year and wrote "A country doctor".
The Golden Lane is a sort of museum and souvenirs are sold.

Then we went down and towards Karlov Bridge. You can't miss it. Everybody is walking in that direction. From the bridge you have a beautiful view over the Moldau. It seems especially the sunset is magnificent although on that day it was cloudy. On the bridge between many tourists, you find painters, caricaturists, musicians.

Trip to Prague - Christmas Market opens

I am sorry for my long silence.... somehow life is busy and the days go by without me having the peace of mind to write in my blog. Anyhow, today I have a good occasion as my husband and me just came back from a short trip to Prague -Czech Republic, I would like to show you some pictures. It was the first advent weekend and there have been many tourist in Prague.  Especially we also wanted to see the traditional opening of the market when the Christmas tree is lighted and the market officially opened. This is at the Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměst). 

But OMG there were so many people, I never expected it to be so crowded. However we still managed to get in. They had closed it off but we went around like others and got in at the third entrance. Then it was just pushing and being stuck. At exactly 5 pm the tree was lighted. There was music and a light show. But I din't see too much. Just before a very tall person came right in front of me. We then quickly started to push our way out again. We just had enough of so many people. We rather went back the next day to the market when it was a bit quieter and more pleasant.

Then at the Old Town Square you'll find the Astronomical Clock. It was first installed in 1410 and the oldest one still working. Therefore it is a big  tourist attraction and before a full hour many people collect in front of it because at each hour you can see some figures in motion. The two small blue doors above open and out they come. We followed the advice of my German travel book and went into the Grand Cafe Praha opposite. It seemed that this information is only in the German book because we met only Germans in the cafe. Unfortunately the cake was not too great but the view good. However it's not really that spectacular.

Grand Cafe Praha, Cafe Mozart

Basically you could start at Wenceslas Square and walk down towards the Old Town Square and then further to Karlov Bridge and then the Castle.

More about it in my next post. :-)

Christmas Markets

I had intended to write about the Weihnachtsmaerkte earlier ... also didn't post anything on St. Nikolaus. 6 December. Somehow the week has been too busy, days just speeding by and YES it SNOWED. Big white snowflakes. Especially on Nikolaus Day on 6th of December it was very beautiful and magical.
The prediction from the weather forecast have been right and also this weekend the streets are covered with snow. It's cold, today minus 4 degree C.

There are so many Christmas Markets in Berlin that it will be hard to tell you about all of them. I guess there are so many different markets in Berlin as there are different people in the city. We made it only to Charlottenburger Schloss so far. sorry pics are only from my mobile.

Some of the "normal" markets would be:

Gerndarmenmarkt,
Am Potsdamer Platz,
Unter den Linden,
Spandauer Altstadt,
Am Roten Rathaus
Am Alexanderplatz
An der Gedaechniskirche

Here you can read about them (sorry in German)
http://www.weihnachteninberlin.de/weihnachtsmaerkte/

Then there are somewhat funky Christmas Markets, The Designer Markets like:

Trend Mafia (Karl-Liebknecht Str. 11)
Holy Shit Shopping (Postbahnhof am Ostbahnhof)
Nowkoelln Weihnachtsflowmarkt (Umspannwerk Kreuzberg in der Ohlauer Strasse 43)
handmade supermarket: x-mas edition (Markthalle in Kreuzberg)
Weihnachtsrodeo (Stadtbad Odeberger Strasse)

And don't miss a cup of mulled wine and Rostbratwurst. It's a must on a Christmas Market. For the cup normally you pay a "Pfand" (deposit) and get the refund when returning the empty cup.

And enjoy It's such a great time to pass the advent (Adventszeit) and prepares us for Chrsitmas, enjoy the Gemuetlichkeit. And the Markets are more fun when it's cold anyway, isn't it.