Strasbourg Xmas markets

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Yesterday, Katelyn who is still in Freiburg, came for the day to see the xmas market. Niki, our local Christmas cheerleader, was forced by us to lead the way through the markets since she had already scouted them last week and was now in the purchase mode. But it was Saturday which meant crowds were insane...and because it was Pere noel day, the germans (visible due to their insistence on wearing santa hats) were here in full force. We got stuck, not moving even a little, for 15 minutes in the middle of the cathedral market. It took us almost 30 minutes to get out. I thought we would never make it out of the crowd. I’ve never NOT moved in a crowd before. This, of course, was due to a tour group that decided that they needed to go against the crowd with arms linked as to not lose each other. So smart.

Anyway, lots of cool things in the market. The vin chaud, or gluhwein, or mulled wine was ubiquitous. And depending on where you go, can range from 1.50 E to 3 E. We found the 1.5 one as soon as we got there to keep us warm. We then wandered through the "sharing" market. This is where different charities have their own cabin and sell wares for their causes. It was there that we found the telethon tents. There was a 24h telethon going on in the city, that happens every year, where different groups raise money for research. It's really cool because everyone does different things and they are all over the city. Katelyn and I saw crepes being sold for it in Petite France, and Ax and I saw a brass band the night before playing music for money. Anyway, in the sharing market, we found some neurology students raising money for neurology research. And it was a quiz you had to take. For 1 euro, you get to spin a wheel and answer a question. I had to do it because the prize was a neuron cookie, complete with a chocolate dot for the nucleus and sprinkles as neurotransmitters (which ended up being the answer to the question I got).

Place Broglie, normally the site for the Wednesday and Friday downtown market, has been transformed into the best part of the strasbourg markets. It's all of the traditional alsatian trinkets. And beer nuts.

I have seen the Colmar and Reims markets and they pale in comparison to Strasbourg. So if you get a chance to see this, do. There is a rumour that next year, the market will be on the water!