Strasbourg, France
In the winter time I had the pleasure to visit Strasbourg’s famous weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas Market in German). All around Germany there are tons of Christmas markets that begin around the end of November and traditionally end right at Christmas. Now what is a little different about Germany is that the time around Christmas is also a holiday. So this means that all businesses are closed from the 24 of December through the 26th of December. For those of us relying on last minute shopping on Christmas Eve, this might pose a problem Except for these Christmas markets.
Now Strasbourg is unique in the fact that the Christmas market continued through the 31st of December and is known as one of the largest Christmas markets in Europe. The markets are made up of stands. Sellers from around Europe setup to display their wares. If you ever wanted to find a unique handmade or antique gift this is the place to get it.
Strasbourg as a city is filled with many beautiful sights. Most notably is the Strasbourg Cathedral de Notre-Dam. This was the highlight of our trip. Such a beautiful piece of architectural. Plus there are many museums to visit if you have the time. We were able to visit the Musees de la Ville de Strasbourg. We purchased the 1 jour (day) pass for €10 which included entry to 4 different exhibits throughout the museum.
Strasbourg had a great mixture of foods and drinks because it is a border town between France and Germany. The combination of French and German street food was a nice experience of the culture. Just like in Germany you can find a bratwurst and some fries as typical street food, we found something different that is native to Bavaria. Kaesespaetzle. Now when I first saw it, it took me by surprise. I did not expect to find a pasta dish served as a common street food.
The downtown area is definitely a walking only type of place. Though there are roads that cut through the city it is all single lane and with heavy foot traffic, the cars do get really backed up. Now of course with many European cites public transportation is very accessible. So accessible in fact that if you don’t look both ways before you cross a street you could end up a hood ornament on a train. They do not have guardrails or really many signs or notification that a train is coming.
Communicating with the locals was easy if you know either German or French. Many french people, from what I have experienced, are not willing to speak English with you. Its kind of weird but I have had better luck speaking Spanish or German to get some help. But since this is an international market, these vendors are very competent in English, French, German, and probably many other languages in the region.
At night the city really livens up. With restaurants that offer outdoor seating and street musicians; it is really a pleasure to walk around. All in all it was a great trip to have taken a part of. Such beautiful sights, wonderful sounds, great food, and awesome people. This is a place I would like to visit again.
