It’s Cold, It’s Grey and no White Christmas

Gloomy Frankfurt - December 2011

Yes, it is the time of the year, everything is grey and no sunshine except just a few days that sun did showed up and gives the sky its a true blue colour. It’s is the time of the year where everything is gloom. The day catch its first light at 8.00am and get a total dark by 4.30pm and to make thing worst, it rains everyday.

Christmas is around the corner and it yet to snow. Perhaps no white christmas this year.

Last night i went out with my wife (as a part of Saturday outing routine) except this time we got out late to visit the Christmas market. We went out at 5.00pm and its a total dark, feels like 8.00pm and at 2 degree Celsius it is freezing cold. It’s just a 7 minutes walk from home to it’s starting point at Hauptwache and stroll along Neue Kräme until Römerberg (Röme Square) which took another 7 in a usual day. But during weekend especially a week before christmas, the whole journey took almost 30 minutes due to the crowd.

Too crowded. You can only walk half step at a time

What’s so special about Christmas market here?

The Frankfurt Christmas Market

The Frankfurt Christmas Market has been around for over 600 years and is steeped in history and tradition. By far one of Germany’s oldest and most popular markets in terms of the number of visitors and sheer size makes it one of the most important markets in Germany.

A testament to the popularity of the Market can be seen in the ‘tribute festivals’ that have sprouted all over the UK. There are Frankfurt Christmas Market in Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Edinburgh.

The Market is situated across the Romerberg square, Neue Kramer and Hauptwache surrounded by the stunning architecture and scenery of Frankfurt itself. The market features over 200 stalls selling arts, crafts and Christmas foods and drinks. There is also a variety of entertainment centred around a 30-metre high Christmas tree at the market’s centre.

for the sweet tooth

Lantern anyone?

ho ho ho

Food at Frankfurt Christmas Market

The first thing to greet you as you enter the market is the cacophony of seasonal scents from the traditional German food on offer: baked apples, roasted nuts and gingerbread among others. The culinary delights on offer in the market are quintessentially German and unashamedly Christmas in nature. Accompanying the ever present German sausage offering is German Christmas goose as well as “Brenten”, “Bethmaennchen” and “Quetschemaennchen” which are miniature marzipan-filled treats and a staple in Frankfurt at Christmas.

Due to a food restriction for a “vegetarian” like us, we did try a few varieties mostly sweets and potatoes.

For the sweet tooth

For the sweet tooth - fancy any colour?

Normally bought by couples

For the sweet tooth.

Heisse Maroni - Hot Chestnut (Roasted Chestnut). We got exactly what we paid for - 13pcs for 3 Euro no less no more.

Heisse Maroni - Hot Chestnut. It's very good.

Schweizer Karamel - Swiss Caramel with walnut, vanilla and many other choices

Schweizer Karamel - Swiss Caramel

Kartoffelpuffer - Potato Pancake

Kartoffelpuffer - Potato Pancake been "shallow" fried as the sign suggested

Kartoffelpuffer - Potato Pancake

Main attractions at the Frankfurt Christmas Market

Without a doubt the chief attraction of the market is the 30m high Swiss Christmas tree around which the market is based, an easy meeting point should you lose your companions because it’s visible from nearly every part of the market and everyone knows where it is. I am happened to be there last month when the tree were arrived with a trailer and stood up using cranes and handful of skillful manpower.

Romeberg during daylight on a weekdays. Note the 30m tall christmas tree. Its was planted there a few weeks ago.

Christmas Tree at Romerberg Square - it's a 30 metre height.

Too crowded. You can only walk half step at a time

Orchestra playing on the rooftop of Steinernes Haus ('Stone Building') which is an Art Museum.

Christmas Market - View from atop of Steinener Haus (Stone Building) Image from Google

It took us most likely an hour or so doing our quick- touring around the market and it is 6.30pm when we decided to go for a coffee and heading home afterwards.

Next week will be a holiday season until new year. I still hope that there will be a “White Christmas” this year.

“Snow oh snow..where are you?”