Nuremberg Weinachtsmarkt

Since we weren't venturing too far with our 2-month-old, Christmas 2009 found us falling in love with the Munich Weinachtsmarkts. It was a year ago we made ourselves the promise to visit the mother of all Weinachtsmarkts in Nuremberg in 2010.
So without further ado . . . .
(drumroll please!)
. . . . I present to you The 2010 Zabel Pilgrimage to Nuremberg!




After an easy train ride and short walk to city center (all the while balancing a Pack 'n' Play on our kinderwagon), we found ourselves in the town square, surrounded by snow-covered stalls.

My parents' Christmas gift to us was paying for our stay in an apartment just a few blocks from the city center. It was a perfect location allowing William to nap longer than in his kinderwagon, but more importantly a great location to just bop back to and warm up after a few hours in the cold. And, boy, was it cold!

* Hotel Lucas -- Mini-apartments over Cafe Lucas where a fabulous breakfast is served to you every morning. *



One of the best parts about our apartment's location was the ability to be at the Weinachtsmarkt before the hordes of tourists (Yes, I realize we were tourists too!) descended on the market for the day. Above a vendor un-tents his stand in the early morning.
Below are more photos Jeff took as the Weinahtsmarkt began to awaken for the day.

Our Lebkuchen ladies (They recognized us before the weekend was over!) poised and ready to serve. Yes, one Lebkuchen costs 1.70 Euro, but let me tell you, it is worth every penny!

A menagerie of ornaments

A shopkeeper ready to sell

Attention!

The horse and carriage on its way to transport people around this snowy, fairytale village.

Sausage anyone? There were so many of these stands selling the famous Nuremberger sausages. Yummy! Jeff and I ate plenty of wurst in der semmels for lunches. But of course we washed them down with . . . .

a little Gluhwein!

Another smaller square of the city hosted the Children's Weinachtsmarkt. Here Will and I are in front of the krippe.

Only in Germany . . . .
would they have a mini ferris wheel at a children's fair where the children
AREN'T STRAPPED IN?????
AAAAGGGHHHHH!!!!!

On top of every stand were motorized characters in motion. All the snow made them look even more surreal.

Jeff and Will on the merry-go-round.

We also had fun wandering the town, discovering other beautiful parts of this Medieval city.
(No, my teeth aren't purple from Gluhwein. Well, maybe a little.)

This was by far one of my favorite sights in town. How adorable is this dog??? Poor thing must have (luckily?) been deaf in his left ear listening to that accordion play day in and day out.

In yet another square in town, Nuremberg's sister cities each hosted a booth. Atlanta embarrassed us by selling Oreos, Butterfingers, and Gluhwein spiked with Jack Daniels just to name a few wares. We didn't stop, but continued to stroll by trying to look Canadian.

William helping his dad get geared up before heading back out into the cold.

It snowed our last day in Nuremberg. Thank you, Mother Nature, could we have ordered anything more festive?
Alas, William didn't quite master catching snowflakes on his tongue. He was too busy laughing at his silly mom.

The Zabel family

Father and son in front of the entrance

The town square at dusk

Nuremberg was definitely a magical place to be during one of my favorite times of the year. As for why it is the most famous weinachtsmarkt? We're still not so sure . . . perhaps because the town square is bigger than Munich's and, therefore, able to hold more stalls? Regardless, we love that we were able to visit and celebrate the Christmas Season and celebrate Nuremberg's 175th year of hosting its Weinachtsmarkt.