{"id":1214,"date":"2018-12-26T17:48:45","date_gmt":"2018-12-26T17:48:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/?p=1214"},"modified":"2018-12-26T18:56:27","modified_gmt":"2018-12-26T18:56:27","slug":"euro-christmas-markets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/?p=1214","title":{"rendered":"Euro Christmas Markets"},"content":{"rendered":"After a trip to the States in November for quality family and friend time, and still without a “home” (thank you generous cousins Paul and Susan for “housing the homeless”), ’twas a timely season to visit a few European Christmas markets.\u00a0Brussels, Belgium had standby available seats, so that’s where I landed.\r\n\r\n
\"\"

Place de la Bourse<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

\"\"

Light show on
\u00a0Sainte Catherine<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

\"\"

Grand-Place<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\nThere are multiple Christmas markets in Brussels and each were astounding (as is the city). Light shows were over the top, and moved me from awe to squeals of delight. Hundreds of revelers mill about…holding food in one hand, drinking mulled wine (gl\u00fchwein) in the other, and enthusiastically shopping at booths offering everything imaginable. I’m not a shopper, no room in my suitcase, but my peripheral vision glimpsed all sorts of crafts, apparel, chocolates, ornaments, and items without purpose or description. VIDEO\u00a0IMG_4480<\/a>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n

\"\"

Rathausplatz<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

\"\"

Friendly merchant Sylvia<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

\"\"

Weinachtsmarkt<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\nThe town of Freiburg, Germany is quaint and its market reflects its village feel. It wasn’t about the lights and show…the festive mood made the market glisten. People gathered in circles, held their beverages, laughed together, and munched on \u00a0bratwurst and spaetzle.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n

\"\"

Barf\u00fcssergasse<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

\"\"

It’s you!<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

\"\"

M\u00fcnsterplatz<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nBasel, Switzerland promoted two markets: M\u00fcnsterplatz was rather subdued, so I moseyed to the Barf\u00fcsserasse, its winding streets bustled with joviality. Folks sang carols with the Salvation Army band. Lit contraptions with moving parts made for a carnival atmosphere. People waited merrily in line for raclette, fondue, the sweet and savory. Cheeses and pastries are European staples, yet people don’t appear overweight. How do they do it?!\r\n\r\nThis day, I am in Zermatt, Switzerland. It doesn’t need a Christmas market…every day is a holiday in this alpine village with a postcard view of the mighty Matterhorn. It is Mother Nature’s Poetry.\r\n\r\n

\"\"

Christmas Eve<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

\"\"

Matterhorn<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

\"\"

Village scene

<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

\"\"

Remembering our Loves

<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

\"\"

Dawn’s
early mountain light<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

\"\"

White Christmas<\/p><\/div>\r\n

<\/figure>\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n
\"\"<\/figure>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nAll right. With this “pictorial post”, we’re all caught up and writings will be in “real time.” Touch again in two weeks…from?\r\n\r\nSo much Gratitude.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nIn the lane, snow is glistening\r\nA beautiful sight…\r\nWalking in a winter wonderland. \u00a0– Bernard and Smith\r\n\r\n \r\n
<\/figure>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After a trip to the States in November for quality family and friend time, and still without a “home” (thank you generous cousins …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32,31],"tags":[36,35,37,38],"class_list":["post-1214","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-2018-2019","category-europe","tag-belgium","tag-euro-christmas-markets","tag-germany","tag-switzerland"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1214","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1214"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1214\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1288,"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1214\/revisions\/1288"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1214"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1214"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travelbeing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1214"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}