texasbookworm

<b>Almost a Week of <i> Weihnachtsmärktes </i>: Five Frankfurt-Area Christmas Markets (in Six Days)</b>

While my husband M has probably lost count of how many times he’s been in Germany on business since 1988, I know how many times I’ve been there—four times. I visited in 1988, 2012, 2014, and 2015 (and with students), once in March and the rest of the time in summer. So when M found he’d be returning to Frankfurt to work for a couple weeks in mid-December, we looked into the possibility of my meeting him there the second week, after my teaching responsibilities wound up for the semester. He’d always wanted to be there at Christmas Market time—<i>Weihnachtsmärktes</i>-- and hoped I might be able to join him if that ever happened, so we explored our options. He found out that traveling on Friday, Dec. 16, was almost $1000 less than flying on the next day. That Friday was a work day (finishing grades, etc.) at school for me, so I got approval to miss that day as long as I got my grades all posted, and we made the reservations for my flight. He also tried to use some of his American Airlines upgrades for me; right before I left, I learned I’d been upgraded to Business on the return flight. He’s traveled a lot in the last few years, and he’s been able to use his upgrades several times to put me (or him and me a couple times) in Business Class.

My plans for my week in Frankfurt would be flexible but centered on “visiting-Christmas-markets;” which ones and how many would depend on the weather, M’s work schedule, and a few other factors. I had stayed in contact with Mainhattengirl from this Forum since we’d met during my trips in ’12 and ’14; I asked her which markets she’d most recommend and invited her to meet up with me if possible. We arranged for her to accompany me, M, and his colleague G on Sunday to Michelstadt, which she’d never been to; to meet Monday night in Frankfurt for a climb up to the balcony of Alte Justinkirche to see the market lights; and to go to another market, perhaps Marburg, on Wednesday if her schedule allowed. On arrival M and G and I would go into the Frankfurt market. The other days I’d fill with a trip or two to nearby markets.

So M departed for Frankfurt for his business trip a week before I left; I had plenty of end-of-semester stuff (reviews, exams, grading, etc.) and Christmas preparations to do or finish during that week. But I got it all done, plus got all packed, by Thursday mid-afternoon, leaving me time to accompany grown son, daughter, and some students to see <i>Rogue One</i>!

<b>Friday--Flight Day</b>

I drove myself to the airport so we’d have a car there when we returned. My 10:45 flight to DFW was on time and event-less; I had time for a leisurely lunch and went to my gate about 3 for the 4:05 flight. When they began to board, I started to get in line with the masses, as my boarding pass said Group 4; oh, well, I didn’t need an overhead bin and we’d paid the bit extra for a preferred seat to have a little extra room. Then I heard my name being called—surprise! A last minute upgrade to Business! I said thanks and walked on immediately; by the next afternoon we’d been issued a refund for the Preferred Seat charge. Anyway, Business Class certainly has more perks and more comforts, so I was pleasantly surprised and grateful to M. That flight was also event-less; I slept 3-4 hours so arrived in decent shape.

<b>Saturday—Arrival and Frankfurt <i>Weihnachtsmärkte </i></b>

We were 35 minutes late, about 9am , but all passport control stuff went quickly, and at the baggage claim, M was waiting for me; my bag arrived safely soon, and we were off.

We drove to the hotel, the <b>Lindner Congress Hotel on Bolongarostraße in Höchst</b>. It is a nice hotel and proved very convenient for M’s drive to work as well as to public transport. More about that later. In the room were fresh flowers; getting them was unexpectedly complicated for M, but it was certainly a sweet welcome! I got a bit unpacked, and we rested until a little before noon when M, G, and I went into Frankfurt. This was G’s second trip to Germany, both with M; he’d not seen much either time except the areas where they worked and restaurants; and he’d never ridden public transport of any sort in Europe. So he was ready for an adventure!

I had used the train station at Höchst many times on two previous trips but always by being dropped off by M in a car; this time, as the Lindner is less than a mile walk from the station, we walked there several times. On the way, I noticed several <i>stolpersteins </i>or “stumbling stones” in the sidewalks 3 or 4 places. Dave of <b>Frankfurt on Foot (highly recommended 3-4 hour English walking tour of Frankfurt)</b> had taught me about these memorials—small brass plaques in the pavement to commemorate the last known address of victims of the Holocaust. At the station, I bought 2 tickets from an agent, having done some research and also getting advice from Mainhattengirl. I got the weekly ticket for Frankfurt transport for about $25. (Oh, the exchange rate was very good while we were there, nearing 1:1). I probably didn’t save that much in the end, but I did save a little and I only had to buy the ticket one time. M traveled “on” it on the weekend, too. Then I also bought a Hessenticket for the next day for about $36. We also got a day ticket for about $8 for G; that ended up not being a bargain as 2 singles were all we needed, but it was also convenient to have the ticket and we didn’t know exactly what we were going to do, so might have needed a 3rd ticket for him. Tickets in hand, we hopped on the S-Bahn and then changed to the U-Bahn at Konstablerwache to the Dom/Römer.

So here we were at our first <i>Weihnachtsmärkte</i>! It was damp and grey and cold to us Texans, but there were lots of people braving the day; it wasn’t packed to the point of not being able to move, but it was busy. The St. Nicholas (Alte Nikolaikirche) carillon bells were ringing when we arrived. Nice! Dominating the Römer is the spectacularly tall tree in front of the City Hall. Wow!

We were hungry, so after a quick look, we decided we wanted a sit-down lunch, and M picked <b>Jamy’s Burgers on Paulsplatz</b>; those were terrific burgers! (They didn’t take credit cards, which we were surprised at. I totally expected to pay cash for any and everything in all the <i>Weihnachtsmarktes,</i> but usually regular restaurants in Frankfurt take cards. So…?)

Then we went back across the street to the Römer, where we spent a couple hours wandering the many stalls; it seemed a vast majority of them were food or drink—all sorts of pastry, nuts, crepes, candy, gingerbread, brats, sandwiches, fish dishes, Frankfurt’s traditional Bethmännchen—and many, many <i>glühwein</i> choices! (That’s the mulled wine, served hot.) The Römer looked especially festive; it’s a lovely area to begin with, and all the lights, aromas, sounds, colors, and people made it wonderful. There’s a carousel, and a life-sized creche, and plenty of choices for sweets and beverages! There were many booths with trinkets and ornaments and such; there were many less hand-crafted items than I had hoped for. (I think there may be some venues I didn’t go to with more art, but I wasn’t really looking for pictures/etc.) I had seen an ornament on-line that looked nice, with a bembel design on it (the traditional blue and white pottery, mostly used for <i>apfelwein</i; I found it, but it was small and not as nice as I’d thought, so I gave it a pass for now, knowing I could return later in the week. M and I shared <i>glühwein</i>; we were surprised at how potent the fumes were wafting up from the warm drink. It was ok; I liked the warmth, but the best thing was that for at most €4, we got a drink AND a mug as a souvenir. Many markets (all the ones I went to) have a unique mug designed for their town/city with the name on it; there’s like a €2 deposit for the mug; you can keep it to get it refilled for just the cost of a drink, or take it home as a keepsake, or turn it in for the deposit back. Ah, cheap and useful and meaningful souvenir! I resisted all the sweet offerings, except for one <i>Schokokuss</i> which was more cream than chocolate! It was pretty, though.

The market fills the Römer, but it also overflows a little along the Mankai street bordering the Main River, and it extends to the Zeil shopping area. So we meandered up toward that area; at the Zeil, the stalls ended, and the “regular” stores were just as busy with holiday shoppers. At the MyZeil, the reindeer of lights were jumping into the glass vortex—ok, you really have to be there to understand! But it’s the coolest Christmas light display I’ve seen in a long time. It was only about 3, but we decided we couldn’t wait until it got really dark (which it did quite early all week, between 3:30 and 4:30), so we caught the S-Bahn at Hauptwache and walked back from the Höchst station.

For dinner, we drove to an Italian restaurant in Bad Soden we’d been to several times together, and to which M returns at least once every trip (so he’s on a first-name-basis with the owner!). But La Cucina was booked up for the evening. We went to a nearby Italian restaurant also in Bad Soden, the <b>Mendelssohn House</b> (where Felix M. spent some time when visiting the spa in Bad Soden) and had a most pleasant meal, although I don’t recall what! We stopped at the Rewe grocery store in Bad Soden for my breakfast foods of yogurt and granola. I had a good sleep that night.

Next up: Weihnachtsmärktes in Michelstadt and Limburg (and back to Frankfurt)

marvelousmouse

Loving the report!

I don't know about Frankfurt, but I found that many places in Germany don't want to take cards. Ate at plenty of places that were cash only and they were nice sit down restaurants. Got to the point that I'd always check first.

Hope you got to Nuremberg- that was the best market I went to for handcrafts. But also in the cities I found that the main market shopping is not all that interesting- it's the tiny specialized markets that have the neatest stuff.

I loved the mugs too but sadly had no room in my luggage or I'd probably be packing around about a dozen

texasbookworm

Thanks, mouse; now that we're home, I had time to skim through your live report; you have covered some ground! Hope you are continuing to be well.

I heard good things about Nuremberg's market, but I didn't want to spend that long on a train in my short visit. I'd been to Nuremberg in 2012. It was a good but not great visit; I'm glad I chose closer markets for my time this December.

Next two markets:

<b>Sunday—Michelstadt <i>Weihnachtsmärkte</i></b>

After breakfast in the hotel, we (M, G, and I) walked to the station and rode the S-Bahn to the Frankfurt Hbf (main station) where we met Mainhattengirl at the Tourist Information office at 10:15 and got on the train for Michelstadt. It was already boarding and left exactly on time at 10:38. It was great to catch up with Mainhattengirl and hear both a bit about her family and about herself since I’d last seen her in March of ’14 and also to hear her news of Frankfurt events.

We all visited the whole way, in a very uncrowded train, and got to Michelstadt on time before 12. From the station it was a short, easy, and pretty obvious walk to the market. It was quite nippy and not very bright, but it wasn’t going to rain and it stayed above freezing. I was glad I’d brought the only wool blazer I own as a layer under my Goretex! I’d borrowed a beanie from my daughter, but I ended up wearing a little knit headband which worked great, fitting tightly over my ears.

This was a great<i> Weihnachtsmärkte.</i> It actually ended up being my favorite. Having companions for the day has some bearing on that opinion, but mostly it was just a great market.

First, it had everything every other market I saw that week had—plenty of eats and drinks of a huge variety with <i>glühwein</i> every few yards; stuff for the kids like a carousel and a train and a crèche (and in a small museum, a model train and slot car display, fun for kids of all ages!); decorations from snowflakes to stars to Santas to elves to the Christ child; Christmas trees large and small everywhere; booths and stalls packed tightly in all the streets and open market areas with a wide variety of stuff for a big range of prices across a large spectrum of …. kitsch-ness. Second, there was much more in the way of hand-made items here of all sorts—pottery, tools and utensils, clothing, decorations, Christmas ornaments, etc. This was more what I’d imagined a <i>Weihnachtsmärkte </i>would be like. And third, the town itself was absolutely charming. Its first mention is from the year 741. That’s older than Frankfurt! Winding lanes. <i>Fachwerk </i>(half-timbered) houses, but also a lot with sides made of overlapping wooden slats in a style I think Mainhattengirl called “beaver tail.” Many tiled roofs also with beaver tail design. A town hall dating from 1484 (Mainhattengirl taught us how to read the numbers—the 4’s look like incomplete 8’s). Lots of lovely iron work on signs and doors.

This was the market’s last day, so it was extremely crowded. There were places and times when it was literally shoulder to shoulder, and the narrow lanes were impossible to navigate with any speed. But everyone was pleasant and having a good time, so it was great.

We didn’t try to see all the “sights” we might have on a normal day, but we did go into the synagogue, whose interior was damaged heavily in 1938’s <i>Reichskristallnacht</i>. Today there is a tiny Russian Jewish congregation which meets in the building restored in 1979.

I restricted myself (ha!) to two purchases. One is an egg ornament with designs from straw. Mainhattengirl said they are quite popular at the Easter markets, too; I purchased it from the man who made it, so I like that! She said it was at a good price. For my daughter, whose favorite Christmas decorations are anything with trees, I got a ceramic tree ornament made by a local potter.

For food we got different tasty things at different stalls. Mainhattengirl pointed out some especially crispy potato pancakes—quite yummy. We all had different meat/bread things; my pork sandwich was tender and flavorful, and M and G had some kind of grilled pork steak. I got some <i>“kinderpunch”</i> instead of <i>glühwein</i>—non-alcoholic warm spiced drink. I liked this drink. Again, I kept the mug! About 3 we took a break for tea and cakes. And to warm up and rest our legs. We took our time, and then as it was about 4, we decided to stay until it was dark enough to see the town lit up. The mostly clear sky now was that lovely dark blue of dusk, and the lights strung across the lanes and on the buildings were charming. Ah, Michelstadt’s <i>Weihnachtsmärkte</i> in the dark! We’re glad we waited.

It was time to go, now, so we headed generally back to the station, with one small wrong turn. We didn’t have to wait long, and the ride back went quickly and smoothly. Mainhattengirl and I confirmed our plans for Monday night, and the guys bid her farewell. Back at the hotel, M and I ate salads in the restaurant,<b> Höchst Bayrisch,</b> which he had found to be a good option.

<b>Monday—Limburg <i>Weihnachtsmärkte </i> and Frankfurt at Night</b>

Today I was going to Limburg by myself and then meeting Mainhattengirl for early supper and a climb up Alte Nikolaikirche’s tower for pictures of the Römer at night. M and G would be having dinner with their German colleagues and then going to the <i>Weihnachtsmärkte,</i>, but I wasn’t going to try to meet up with them there.

Both Mainhattengirl and some German colleagues of M’s had recommended Limburg’s market. In 1988 M and I had spent a very brief time in the city, but all I remembered was a lovely cathedral I didn’t go inside and tilting half-timbered houses. So I’d put Limburg on my short list and Sunday confirmed I’d go there by myself this day. We didn’t sleep well (phone call we didn’t answer at 2 am woke us), but M had to leave at 6:30 as always, and I got up then, too. I had trouble using the DBahn website on the devices I had (phone and tablet), so I wasn’t positive of train times, but I knew I just needed to get a ticket at Höchst (Mainhattengirl advised two one-way tickets would be less than a Hessenticket). I arrived at the station at 8:30 and got a ticket for the 8:55. It was nearly empty and got there about 10. It was a very cold but partly cloudy day, and it was an easy walk from the train station toward the dom/cathedral. I walked through a couple market areas where the stalls were, but many were not quite open yet. It was very unbusy. On the way at the TI I got a map, but it wasn’t really very helpful. The streets and lanes of Limburg are those typically medieval winding ones, but the old town area is pretty compact and easy to walk around in.

I just generally headed toward the dom, where the bells were ringing. I love that sound! St. George’s Cathedral of Limburg sits on a cliff high above the Lahn River, and its colorful plasterwork (restored in the early 1970’s to close to the original colors used during the Middle Ages) makes it unique and striking; most if not all other cathedrals I’ve been in have had stonework facades. Its founding was in 910 by Count Konrad Kurzbold, on top of older remains, on the grounds of his castle; today’s church was consecrated in 1235. It has a Romanesque style, seen in its massive pillars, with some Gothic elements, seen in some pointed arches. An interesting monument to the Count has 11th c columns and a 13th c tombstone, although the bones beneath date from 948. (The Count was important in the history of this area and of Limburg, besides being the founder of this church.)

After a most pleasant (and warm) visit, I wandered back to, in, and around the market areas where the Christmas stalls were. There weren’t many at all, and by my third market, I was beginning to see the same things over and over again—same toys, same beanies and scarves, same ornaments, same candles, same gingerbreads and nuts, and same food stalls. Which was fine, there just wasn’t much to attract me. After my dom look, I got a ham and cheese crepe which was filling, and before I left, I got some <i>kinderpunch</i> in a clear mug.

There was much to charm me about Limburg, even though the <i>Weihnachtsmärkte</i> wasn’t very big. The houses in Limburg are absolutely amazing; the colors and variety are great. Mainhattengirl had told us the day before a bit about the construction of half-timbered houses, how they were pre-cut off-site and the pieces numbered for construction later—so I looked for the Roman numerals on the wooden beams. (She said it was sorta like a Medieval Ikea.) I’d never have noticed that if she hadn’t told us. Also there are gouges in much of the wood; she said those were made to hold plaster, as originally these homes would have had smooth plaster finishes. But at some point the vogue demanded the beams be exposed, so the plaster was taken off, but the gouges remained. Now, many half-timbered houses are authentic reproductions, not original—but to be faithful to the past, the beams have numbers and gouges.

There are also tons of cute shops in Limberg; I went in and out of a few, just looking. Many had Christmas trees outside their doors; many set up displays on the steps into the shops or under their windows outside. It was all quite pretty. And, yes, just as I remembered, Limburg is hilly and many of the buildings lean! I went out on the Lahnbrücke from which there is a great view of the dom on its perch. After much browsing and meandering, about 1pm I found a place to have hot chocolate and a piece of dessert and warm up, as it was very cold with some wind chill this day. I sat there several minutes, trying to decide if I wanted to wait around for a 2:20 train, then I wandered back toward the dom and went into the schloss area next door. The brochure calls it “the castle of the founding of the seminary, convent, charitable institution of St. Georg 910” by Count Konrad. There’s an interesting 3-storied tower which is the keep, built in the early 1200’s. It’s a pretty little set of buildings from which you can get a different perspective of the dom. (The best view of the castle on its high crag can be seen be seen from the train; I got a brief glimpse as I traveled home.) I went on toward the Hbf about 1:15 and got a ticket for a 1:55 train, arriving in Frankfurt about 3.

I went into the DBahn office to ask a couple questions and then sat for a while to keep warm and walked around the station a bit. I picked up a DBahn brochure on Christmas markets; it was in German, but it listed all the markets in the general Frankfurt area, and, as I was still looking for ideas for Thursday, I sat and noted all the possibilities. Mainhattengirl arrived at 4:30, and we had some salads at an Indian place in the food court area.

Then it was on to the Alte Nikolaikirche where Mainhattengirl helps with the supervision of people going up to the balcony to get great views of the market at night. They let folks with tripods up first, then they let a few up at a time. She took me up before the crowds started. Wow, it is quite a sight! It would be great day or night, but with the market lights all glowing on this cold but clear evening, it was really special. There was a steady stream wanting to ascend, so I didn’t want to abuse the privilege of being there, and, after taking quite a few photos, I left after maybe 20 minutes. M, having dinner at the <b>Buffalo Steakhouse</b>(excellent dinner, he said), was going to be awhile, he texted, so I headed back to the hotel. I went by the reindeer lights on the Zeil on my way to Hauptwache station and then took the S-bahn and a walk back to our room.

Before M got there, about 9 pm I got a text from my sister-in-law in Tennessee asking if we were ok, if there was any danger or problem stemming from the attack in Berlin. What attack? So after assuring her all was well, I checked the tv and heard the awful news.

Next market: Wiesbaden

texasbookworm

<b>Tuesday—Wiesbaden <i>Weihnachtsmärkte</i></b>

I had asked Mainhattengirl to recommend nearby markets for this day when I would head out again on my own—Speyer, Mainz, and Wiesbaden were possibilities. I’d been to each of those cities on previous visits (and loved them). She said I could actually visit the markets of Mainz and Wiesbaden on the same day. But after much self-debate, I decided to just go to Wiesbaden. And M and I decided the Berlin attack should not deter my travel. At least not my determination TO travel. At the station, I was charged a €9 supplement to my weekly ticket, which seemed high, but anyway…I also got the Hessenticket for a trip tomorrow.

Today it was beautiful—a blue and clear sky. But the “real feel” temperature at 6:30 was 22, and it was still bitter when I arrived in Wiesbaden about 10am after about 30 minutes on the S-Bahn. After picking up some maps and brochures at the TI in front of the station, I walked directly toward the market area which is set up around the Market Church. Wiesbaden is a beautiful city with lovely architecture (always look up in European cities—you never know what details await!) and parks and gardens. Today I just walked straight down Bahnhofstrasse which leads directly to the Market Church. First I got a feel for the market—it was fairly big but looked fairly typical of what I’d seen. I got a potato brat for an early lunch, and then at 11, I think, the church opened and I went in (and enjoyed the warm). It’s nice but not as pretty inside as out; I think it’s a lovely, graceful structure with its tall thin spires and golden red stone. Afterwards, I found the WC (I found at all the markets that there are public facilities set up, but they probably cost a little). I strolled the stalls for about 90 minutes; I didn’t see any unusual items, but the market was well-presented and well-spaced, so it was fun to just look. Except it was clearly cold! This was the only day I experienced blue skies, and they were bright blue. Time for some <i>kinderpunch</i> in a nice Wiesbaden mug. I think this is probably a marvelous market in the evening, because I could see evidence of lots of lights everywhere.

Outside the train station I’d noticed a sign saying “museum” and “Caravaggio,” so I decided to use my map and find my way to the art museum, which was sorta on my way back to the station. I found it and for €10 I entered. Well, it wasn’t an exhibit of Caravaggio works but of some artists influenced by him, his “heirs.” I’m not a great student of art, but I’ve developed an appreciation of Caravaggio after seeing a few of his stunning works in Rome and other museums; but these works did not grab me much. The museum seemed a bit empty, of works and of people, but it was not confusing and was warm, so I’m glad to have supported Wiesbaden’s art a little.

At the Hbf, I happened to arrive 5 minutes before a train, so I jumped on and headed back. On my walk back to the hotel, I took a few Höchst pictures, including some of the Bolongaro Palace right across the street from the hotel. Built in the late 1700’s by a family that got rich from the snuff business, the palace was where Napoleon slept one night in 1813; it now houses government offices and is a lovely venue for events with a garden area that looks out on the Main River. It was too cold to linger, though, but the late afternoon light was pretty. I collapsed in the room about 4; M was exhausted when he arrived about 5:30, and we just ate dinner in the hotel; it was a great meal, actually, with tender pork medallions with great mushroom sauce and the best potato cakes (like hash-browns, not like soft pancakes) I had.

Later as we rested, Mainhattengirl emailed she would not be able to travel with me. I considered going to Marburg as she and I had discussed, but I had been there before. One of the places I’d noted in the DBahn booklet was Fulda; via email I asked Mainhattengirl about it; she said it was supposed to be a good market. I decided to go to a new-to-me place.

Next market: Fulda

texasbookworm

<b>Wednesday—Fulda <i>Weihnachtsmärkte</i></b>

This was the winter solstice, with sun-up not until 8:23; it was foggy and grey and only 30°. I could use my Hessenticket after 9:00, so I came to the station by 9:05 for the 9:26 train and boarded early. It left right on time and arrived on schedule at 10:49. My experience with German trains after using them on 3 trips for about 5 weeks is that they are very reliably on time—not 100% but reliable. At first there was almost no one else on the train, but it picked up quite a few on its several stops.

At Fulda it was—COLD! It never got above 30° all day and felt colder. I had very little info about the town or the market, but I knew to walk straight on the Bahnhoffstrasse, so I did. There’s a large shopping area between the station and the Universitatsplatz which this day was mobbed with adolescents. I think the average age was about 14. There were adolescents everywhere, acting like…adolescents. Pretty well-behaved adolescents, but they do tend to travel in herds, squeal, and run. I teach 13-18 year olds and have for umpteen years; these kids were fine; it’s just there were so many of them in a small space!

Anyway, I got some pomme frites for a snack and went in a church, then wandered the market area, which was also full of mobs of kids. In the market, I saw many of the same booths and items. I decided I didn’t need any more market time and walked on toward the cathedral. When I got away from the <i>Weihnachtsmärkte </i>area, there was no crowd at all. On the way, I found the TI where a lady said that St. Michael’s church (9th C.) next to the cathedral would close in 30 minutes for a couple hours. So I rushed on; it was just maybe 5 minutes away. I’m glad I got to go into that Carolingian site; nice. Lovely grounds. The whole area there with its pollarded trees, wide sidewalks, stone walls, and a pretty arch had a French feel somehow.

Then I went in the beautiful Baroque cathedral. I prefer the massiveness and austerity of the Romanesque or the gracefulness and soaring aspirations of the Gothic, but there’s a beauty to the ornateness and complexity here, too. It’s light and bright and gold. In front is a big open plaza which gives little ones plenty of room to run and yell—which they did. Across the street is a beautiful garden with a pond which had some ice on it. And frozen pansies. And frosty grass. Did I mention it was cold this day!? There’s also a schloss which may have been open, but I didn’t go in.

I walked back toward the market and admired many <i>fachwerk</i> houses. Back at the market area, in the courtyard of the Vonderau museum, there was a different market run by Medieval re-enactment participants and craftsman —leather work, jewelry, blacksmith, weaponry. These vendors were dressed in Medieval costuming; it was a unique little side-market. I then got some warm punch (and my mug, of course!) but decided it was still too crowded with the students (and quite a few adults and families, too) to try to eat. So I went back to the station, got a sandwich and a coke and waited for a 2:08 train.

Fulda surprised me with its abundance of shopping, its lovely Baroque area, and its size. I honestly had never heard of it; I’m sure I’ve seen it on maps, but I’d never considered visiting. Well, although it was way too cold to be pleasant and it was thronged by teenagers, I still really enjoyed it. I imagine in warmer non-<i>Weihnachtsmärkte</i> times this would make a very pleasant long day visit.

That night M had made reservations for us at<b> La Cocina</b> where we had an excellent dinner.

Next: Revisiting Frankfurt and trip home

texasbookworm

OK, so here's the last bit of the Trip Report and some overall rankings:

<b>Thursday—Back to the Frankfurt <i>Weihnachtsmärkte</i></b>

I had decided not to take a trip this day; there were some sights in Höchst and Frankfurt to revisit, I was tired, it was cold, and we had dinner reservations at 5:30 so would have to leave the hotel about 4:30.

It was 32° –all day. It was dark and gloomy and I just wasn’t much motivated to go anywhere! I kept watching the temperature, telling myself I’d leave when it got above freezing and go into Frankfurt to the market for a last look. But the temperature didn’t budge. And it started a bit of precipitation. However, I knew if I didn’t make myself go out a little, I’d regret it. So about 11, when I was getting hungry, I left.

I’d decided to try the tram, which I’d ridden a couple times in 2014. There was a stop at the hotel, but M had not been interested in using it. But today I tried it; it took me less than a minute to walk across the street, one came in 2 minutes (they run about every 7-8 minutes), and less than 30 minutes later I was at the Römer. To use the S-Bahn would have taken about the same time but would have involved a 10-12 minute walk, a 10 minute ride, then a transfer/wait to a U-Bahn or another 10 minute walk. This was much warmer and less tiring. The clientele on the tram is different; there are more people who just did their shopping so have huge bags or carts; moms drag their strollers on; people in wheelchairs have access to the tram which I guess they don’t as easily to other modes. Anyway, it worked well!

At the Römer, despite the weather, there was quite the bustle. I wanted something light to eat and ended up with a ham and cheese crepe again; this one was really good. I was looking for a small Christmas pyramid; I’d seen a couple at other fairs that I liked but didn’t get; now I wished I’d bought one I liked, because all the ones in the stalls were either too big or were painted (and I wanted an unpainted one). I went to the shop on Berliner Strasse where we’d bought a cuckoo clock in ‘12, but they didn’t have one that suited, either. Then I noticed a stall with some pottery; there were big mugs that would make good soup bowls. I talked with the lady, who said the potter was from near Marburg. So I got a brown one and a blue one and left happy. I started to make another pass around the market, but then it started sleeting or something—white frozen pellets on my coat. So I said, I’m done, and caught a tram in about 3 minutes and went to the hotel for some hot chocolate and some packing up.

That night we went to <b>The Lodge,</b> a terrific steakhouse at the Opel Zoo where we’d been before (but not G) and had a great last meal in Germany together.

<b>Friday—Flight home</b>

Because of the extra security we knew might be in place after the Berlin attack, and because Frankfurt airport is a big and busy place, we left the hotel before 7 for our 10:45 flight. Traffic was unusually light, and we had the car turned in and were headed to the check-in desk by 7:30. The flight was in general non-eventful. We left 30 minutes late but made up the time, so we landed at DFW on time; our connection was about 90 minutes which is tight, but we made it. Since M has Executive Platinum/ Concierge Key status and both of us have Global Entry cards, we avoided long lines; we couldn’t dawdle, but we had time. G, however, had to hustle and just made it to the gate as the plane was boarding. But we were home tired but safe.

<b>Overall rankings?</b>

I’d recommend any of the <i>Weihnachtsmärktes</i> I got to see. I’d also recommend all of these cities/towns as destinations at anytime. (I’ll say again I think Frankfurt is under appreciated!)

1.Michelstadt—It’s what I pictured. Lots of food and drink. Lots of crafts and gifts. A setting like out of a Grimm’s tale. Crowds having fun. Picture perfect, and easily accessed by public transportation.

2.Frankfurt—It seems to be more about the food and drink—especially the drink!—than the items for sale. Definitely a place for friends and family to meet. Great setting, nice lights, big tree—what’s not to like!

3.--Tie. Fulda and Wiesbaden—Both had what seemed like pretty standard <i>Weihnachtsmärkte </i>fare in great settings. I’d love to re-visit Fulda more fully; and Wiesbaden has tons of marvelous sites. Fulda seemed to attract a much younger crowd, but maybe that was just on the day I was there.

5.Limberg—I thoroughly enjoyed Limberg outside of the market, so I’m completely glad I went. The market itself, though, seemed rather small, and, while it had all the “requirements,” nothing at all stands out. But it’s just last on this list because I’m making a ranked list; it was a fun market, too.