christmas.market

two christmas markets in a week and a sick you (haha, self-laugh)!
currently all traveling plans in suspense, pending on doctor's verdict tomorrow. last week you bump into this surprise anglo-saxon christmas market in edinburgh during your business trip and on the saturday, you went of a day trip to oberhausen, a german border city for a real german weichnachtsmarkt. this is probably not the best choice for christmas market but considering that you have been traveling every week and didn't want to have a overnight trip to places like koln, dusseldorf, or aachen.

almost all dutch flood to oberhausen for the christmas market especially there is an huge shopping mall centrO. city wise is boring an industrialized area, shopping is boring with all the dutch high street brands, what made the trip interesting was you have an appointment with a family whom you are meeting here.

you met in mid afternoon starting with a buffet lunch at the one and only chinese restaurant in the area, the food was not great but it's a relief to be able to escape the crowds at centrO and at the christmas market when the wind was at its full force. so you took your time to eat before adventure out to the market.

the traditional christmas biscuit, he bought one a few years ago and it's really hard and sweet.

german sausage and how the smoked saussages are processed in the tower...

you hop in and out different stalls, checking out the mangers and the different characters Jesus, joseph, mary, wise men and shepherds. it's sad that how often the true meaning of Christmas is being ignored or not made aware to the people. Christmas is about the love of God and that He has sent His son Jesus Christ to born on earth, Christmas is about love and Gospel.

wooden christmas trees in different formats, and christmas trees have no part in the Gospel but a germanic tradition, in fact a pagan one where like in the lowland christmas trees are burned just before the new year.

some nutcrackers sort of characters that he fancied...

 some of the merchandised that caught your attention although in reality you didn't spent a penny on any item...

you kinda like this series of display here...

and choir boys singing the corals... charming and heart warming ^^

whilst the temperature was really mild, not cold at all and he was at all his enthusiasm to hunt for a gluhwein  (more for the mug that with the city and year print on it).

and after a glass of this, you literally feel warm and wanted to strip off your jacket. that's just how mild the november and december has been so far.

your (well, both of you) share a portion of giant german roasted pork knuckle before bidding good bye to your friends and embark on a two hour journey home. it's definitely fun and christmas spirit is high especially the original plan was this is probably the only european christmas activity for you will be back to your other "home" for christmas. but now all plans are pending on doctor's discretion tomorrow.  let's see what came out from the consultation. if you are not fit for travel then you might as well stay back and enjoy a european christmas. may be another christmas market, who knows ^^, starting with christmas baking just looking at the positive side of things....