Christmas Market Battle: Vienna/Salzburg/Munich
 

Normally I do not start trip reports until I am actually ON a trip. I have no desire, or need, for anyone to chime in with the "Have a great trip" posts which some people who report, "I am leaving soon" seem to require. I'll resurrect the thread as time passes but the thread about the Manchester Christmas Market prompted me to start this thing now.

We are not doing this trip because of Christmas markets. In fact, Christmas markets are about the last thing we would go all to Europe to see. However, it appears that by simple happenstance there will be these extravaganzas set up in all three of the cities we will visit in ten days (gee, I hope we aren't going to be told we are traveling "too fast" to get the proper depth (LOL), but we've been to these places before although in the case of Vienna, more than 40 years ago!!).

We are packed and ready to leave this Thursday and being "ready" more than a few hours prior is unusual for us! We have decided to do the whole thing with carry-on luggage only for a (big) change. Have the cold weather gear at the ready (mainly very compressible/packable down jackets and added scarves, knit caps, and gloves just in case it gets really cold inside the taxi).

The Christmas Market thing should be interesting and I will endeavor to report in some sort of objective way on the ones thrown up into our path. Thus far I am most familiar with the ones in Berlin where I saw everything from illuminated salt crystals to straw ornaments for sale along with those carnival-style "huts" serving numerous drinkable concoctions; everything embellished with fir trees, colored lights, etc.

For now I have to finish the necessity of housework, get the guestroom ready for the pet sitter, and wait out this Thursday; I'll be up around 2:00 AM that morning to print out our European airline segment boarding passes and looking forward to reporting.

See you later.

Have a great trip....sorry, couldn't help myself.

Have a great trip but hope you don't get hurt in the fall!

So, DUKEY, do you have any specific plans/reservations for concerts, museums, exhibits or the like in Vienna/Salzburg/Munich?

I love the churches in Salzburg.

I smell chestnuts roasting. Have you had the Glühwein? I can only say it did warm us up. I am sure someone will tell you it is just to much to do in ten days and does that include your travel days which you know you can't count.

Love that you have a dog sitter. Ours do so much better with one than going to the kennel.

Smart wool socks for the feet.

The forecast for "Thanksgiving Day" in Vienna is rather holiday like--a 25% chance of snow! And, should your wandering take you to Hofburg, there is now a very small Christmas market in Michaelerplatz; pretty white huts dressed with twinkle lights amidst the fiakers, with the beautiful palace in the background. We were there Sunday evening at dusk and it was magical, even without the snow. Safe travels!

I have been biting my tongue in order to strengthen my resolve <B>not</B> to continue this <B>until</B> we are underway but out of respect for those of you who have kindly commented I must say, "Thank you" for doing so and answer the question(s).

Judy, thank you for your kind comment as it is appreciated.

Pal, will do my/our best to "struggle through" this trip which comes on the heels of our very recent return from London/Berlin/Venice. Returning to Europe after only three weeks at home is not the usual thing in our household.

Lateday, for this trip we looked at the possibility of a concert, an opera, etc. Tickets for an opera we would have liked to see in Vienna were not very good ones; there were more available for a different work but it is not one which appeals to us. We have made absolutely no reservations for anything other than hotels, and getting into the hotel we prefer in Munich required a direct e-mail to them because of the Christmas Market; we got lucky and they had a room available whereas their website kept saying they were full.

We would like to have seen a marionette performance in Salzburg but nothing on apparently; we've done those Mozart concerts in the past and enjoyed them but no plans for this trip.

Will almost undoubtedly do the Kunst in Vienna and probably go back to the Schoenbrunn at the very least. Churches we will definitely "do."

Flpab, yes the "dog thing" is very, VERY major for us! Ours is a little rescue muttnik who may very well have been confined and even abused somewhat in his former life; we are not certain about the abuse but for the longest time he would not venture into rooms with tile floors (confined to a bathroom at some point????) and does not like being in confined spaces although we have created a "den-like" space for him in the bedroom which he likes.

We do not think (perhaps incorrectly) he would do well in a kennel; we have a totally reliable and long-time personal friend whom we fly in for these times away; I never worry about the dog or the property when he is "in residence." Sometimes, peace of mind comes at a price but it is worth it to us.

Fourfortravel, thank you for that report/recommendation. Obviously these market things are as part of the "local culture" as anything(s) else so we need to experience that aspect of these locations.

Again, thank you all for your kind comments.

well, I will forbear from wishing you a good trip given your comments but i certainly don't wish you a bad one. We too have a dog [more than one in fact] and prefer to use a house-sitter when we go away. This started when we had donkeys too, but even now with just dogs, budgies, hens and the odd snake, it's easier to have a sitter than to find a pet hotel for that lot. In return we accommodate our sitter's dog when she goes away, which suits us all fine.

short and rushed or not, your trip should be most interesting and I look forward to reading about it.

Been to and love all three although I am partial to the main one in Vienna in front of the Rathaus.
You will find the booths are very similar in all three. Go for the atmosphere.

I will be following you with great interest! It is a dream of mine to visit Vienna in early December; to see the Christmas markets; to attend a concert; and take in all that the city has to offer at this time of the year.

Have a wonderful time!

There's an article in today's Telegraph - "Why I Hate Christmas Markets.". Gives the interesting historical background of them.

"Nobody ever buys anything." Hysterical and cannot wait.

I will follow

To abide by your wishes...."no wishing of a good trip and No I am not going soon."!!

Always appreciate it when people show understanding, Percy.

Just mind your step on the cobblestones while carrying a hot drink. Remember, '...you're not a young spring chicken anymore'... :) lol !

Mathieu, I shall inform my personal assistant who will be "tasked" to burden himself with any and all purchases and shall trail behind me the appropriate number of paces. After all, I wouldn't want to overtax the local healthcare system with an emergency room case resulting from a fall.

Reviving this for later. The travel day has finally dawned. Our water will be shut off between 10 AM this morning and 2 PM this afternoon and we have to be at the airport around noon.

Have been watching reports of all the snow around Buffalo; our own "chill" has lightened up a bit; is in the high 60's this morning already but the usual rain squalls.

Read a report on TripAdvisor about one of our reserved hotels, this one in Salzburg. The traveler was disappointed with the decor...in the bathroom!!! I guess perhaps the tile was the wrong color or something.

Hopefully I will be able to report as soon as we arrive in Vienna or perhaps from some layover airport along the way and there will be several in this case.

Hope everyone is keeping warm and safe.

Ah, the joys of airline travel. We are sitting in Charlotte and have just been told that our aircraft, which is at the gate, is being towed to a hangar "for maintenance." A replacement aircraft will be taking us to London. Unfortunately, this replacement is smaller than the original. Smaller as in about 10 or so fewer rows in Economy.

Currently all of those folks who were in those now-missing rows are being re-assigned to new seats. The old aircraft remains at the gate.

We have been told this whole thing will delay us about 30 minutes; we have a connection at Heathrow. Glad we did the carry-on only thing for this trip; wondering when we will get to Vienna.

oh no, Dukey.

hoping you get to Vienna before you are due to leave!

Hope you still got a decent seat. They did that to us one trip to Dublin. Changed planes on us. I jumped in line and snagged exit rows for hubby and myself. Everyone that had planned for decent seats lost them in a matter of seconds.

Glad you are just doing carry on.