OT -Food Centric European Christmas Market Tour -OT

Sea2Ski

We landed in Zurich Switzerland yesterday.  In an utterly packed flight over I was able to get a few hours of sleep.  We got to out hotel, took a good one hour nap and then headed out for our fondue fix.  Of course we could not decide what to get, so we got two different types.


From there we went to to our first Christmas market. This one was small, but it had a singing Christmas tree.  Not that that tree sings, but a different group on it sings every night. When we were there a children's choir sang. The singing, the full belly, the sipping of warm gluhwein -mulled wine - and the scent of roasting chestnuts and almonds was magical. It was a great start to get us in the Christmas spirit. 


As as we moved on, we got tired, but there is always room for a snack right before bed - raclette. Raclette is small baked potatos cut to bite sized pieces then hot bubbling cheese poured on top then sprinkled with paprika. Traditionally it is served with pickles and pickled onions. It did not suck. 


Off to bed we went. 

This morning we walked around the city some before the market opened. They present everything perfectly here. Some random pictures:


We went to the main Christmas market at the train station as soon as it opened. Or so we thought. It was already busy:




A few food goodies were to be had:

Bread that was impaled by a hot rod, so it was toasted from the inside, then melted cheese poured in it for a "To-Go" version of fondue:


Some Onion soup:


My first sausage. No idea what kind:


How about some waffle dough cooked 50% then rolled on a hot stainless roll and rolled in your topping of choice and finish cooking while rotated.  Let me tell you that brown sugar, cinnamon, and bacon bits, then drizzled with syrup was heavenly!! 


We walked around some more and it got dark:




So before we headed back to our hotel, there was room for one more sausage.  This grill had some serious square footage on the grid. I was feeling like the girl in the picture. "Which one do I choose?!?!"


Tomorrow we leave Zurich and take a train ride to Munich. I am excited to see some of the countryside.

northGAcock

You guys are living large Mark. My best to Valerie. 

Sea2Ski

A bit of breakfast


Breakfast was not enough, so I needed some more food.

This was not so bad:

There were other goodies to be had:

Goodbye Zurich, we are off to Munich!

YEMTrey

Looks like an amazing time.  Thanks for sharing the pics!

Sea2Ski

In Munich now. Was starving after the train ride so off we went to get some food. As we were walking there, almost on queue, it started  flurrying and then it turned a a light snow. Another magical time was had!!

sausage 1

Sausage 2

Potato pancake

And we had a dessert or three...

The scenery was great as well:



And the surrounding scenery was not so shabby!

thetrim

Enjoy!  We'll all be jealous of you for the next several days or however long you're over there.  Thank you for sharing!

bgebrent

Great times and eats!  Y'all have fun.

g8golfer

Wow that’s great. Keep the pics coming. 

DMW

Marc, that is just awesome, enjoy your time.

SciAggie

There are so many good things going on in this post it is difficult to comment. It looks like y’all had a great time. Thanks for sharing with us. 

WeberWho

Thanks for the pics! How fun

Sea2Ski

Yesterday we drove 2 hrs to the German town that time forgot: Rothenburg.  Walking around town was like stepping back in time.  

Sea2Ski

My wife wanted a sit down dinner, so I had a Pork Knuckle, dumplings and sauerkraut.

Apple strudle for dessert. 

Nightime was again a magical experience:


Had to keep eating though:


Finally, we took the night watchman tour. If you come here, it is a must-do. 

BizGreenEgg

Awesome.  Rothenburg is a lot of fun.  I enjoyed the Nightwatchmen's tour and walking part of the wall.

JRWhitee

 Looks like a great time Mark, love the pics. Have fun.

Sea2Ski

Took a break from the Christmas markets and drove the Autobahn to Dachau.  What a moving experience. 

Sea2Ski

Then we made another move and we were off to Salzburg


We checked in on to our Hotel. We are staying in the “Villa von Trapp” where the Von Trapp family lived while in Austria. 


Then we went to the Christmas market and got some food. One sausage was a smoked one with a with a good amount of cheese in it. 



The the second one was a narrow diameter one (actually two) and served with whole mustard.

Sea2Ski

Then it was time for dessert. This one was a waffle then a very very firm flavored whipped cream on top, and a quick cooling chocolate poured on top. This was insane. 

Sea2Ski

Then it was something like a apple strudel (and raisins, walnuts) which which was “tossed” in a big bowl, like a 10 gallon bowl and when served they drizzled a rum on top. Then sprinkled sugar on top of that just because.

bgebrent

Great pictures and eats Mark!  Dachau's museum is truly moving.  Keep the good stuff coming.

tarheelmatt

Love the story telling!  I want more! 

Sea2Ski

Today I think I lost a bit of my man card. I went on the sound of music tour. We saw all the places in Salzburg that the movie was filmed with the exception of the hillside scene because it was covered in snow. But I have to admit, it was pretty cool. Here is the the gazebo they danced in:

The church where they got married:




Then we walked around town and saw where Mozart was raised:
 
And even ate a few things along the way:

I forget what this is called, but I have it written down. Hotdog texture which was the size of a loaf of bread, and you sliced it off and put it on a roll. They had hot and mild, so I had them put a slice of both on my sandwich.



For dinner I had a beef stew with noodles.  That picture is on my wife’s phone. Above was dessert. Lots of warm Meringue over warm  pomegranates 

After going to yet another Christmas market, we came home  to eat some cheese and drink wine in the Trapp Villa. . 



Tomorrow we drive on the northern fringe of the Austrian alps. We will stop in Melk for a few hours before moving onto Vienna. 

Sea2Ski

bgebrent said:

Great pictures and eats Mark!  Dachau's museum is truly moving.  Keep the good stuff coming.

tarheelmatt said:

Love the story telling!  I want more! 

YEMTrey said:

Looks like an amazing time.  Thanks for sharing the pics!

g8golfer said:

Wow that’s great. Keep the pics coming. 

DMW said:

Marc, that is just awesome, enjoy your time.

This is a great trip; however the best part of everything are the people, smells and sounds which can not be caught in pictures. Example: Salzburg has 43 churches.  At 6:00 PM they all start ringing their bells. So there you are in the shadow of a castle that took 400 years to build, the smell of mulled wine, sausages,  schnitzel and slow roasted nuts permeating the air, everything is decorated for Christmas, and now dozens of church bells ringing and echoing off the cliffs. Simply an amazing experience which can not be described well enough to have the feeling when you experience it yourself. 

I will do my best to keep the pictures coming. We have a bit more to go!

g8golfer

I have shown my wife the pictures and now she wanting me to plan a trip so we can go eat. It’s really amazing to look at. 

northGAcock

Wow....eating and getting into the Xmas Spirit. What a great trip this time of year. 

theyolksonyou

Added to bucket list. 

Sea2Ski

Yesterday we drove across Austria along the northern foothills of the alps.  I was surprised it was not colder than it was.  I know we were not high in elevation, but I still thought it would be colder.
Nice views along the way. 


For a portion of the trip we drove along the Danube river and Oberarnsdorf - a major wine making region of the country. 

Sea2Ski

Also stopped in Melk Abby which is nothing more than a shack on a hill. 


Their courtyard was bigger than a football field. 

The church was incredible, but there was strong enforcement of no pictures. One lady took a few and they made her review/delete them from her camera. They were serious about no pictures.  

Sea2Ski

Then there was the Christmas market. 

Sea2Ski

They had a ice skating rink that was like a walking path that was long  and snaked around one half the market. I would guess maybe 1/2-3/4 mile? 

Sea2Ski