Augsburg Weihnachtsmarkt

Augsburg Market with the Perlachturm (Perlach Tower) in the Background

After wishing Frau Ballwein a Merry Christmas and thanking her for our stay, we set the GPS for Augsburg which is about 40 km west of Munich. This is our last day in Germany and we would like to visit a few more markets before checking into the Best Western Parkhotel in Erding.  It is raining but there are clear skies ahead.  We stop at a grocery market in Grodig and make a few last purchases of items we don't have in the States such as Mohnfuelle which is poppyseed for kolach.  After pre-packing our luggage last night, we still have room for last-minute purchases.  Another advantage of traveling by auto instead of train. 

Once again, Melissa and our GPS gets us into Stadmitte and straight to the market.  It's a Saturday and the market is very crowded.  Reminds me of the days that Steve and I would visit the Nuremberg market in the 1970s.  We would shuffle through the market and alert each other if we wanted to make our way to a stall. 

A Bit of Autobahn Anxiety?

Augsburg Laser Cut Ornament

  
The aromas are intense and I'm reminded to enjoy the ambiance of the market because we are leaving tomorrow.  As we shuffle through the market, there are booths with Advent stars, smokers, spinners and ornaments.  

German Advent Christmas Stars

The Advent stars are very unique and beautiful.  They come in a variety of colors, designs and number of points.  The light that makes the star glow is not conducive to the States electrical outlet, so we purchase one without the electrical cord.  This way they are a lot less expensive.

The stalls that stir up candy coated nuts always have a strong, sweet aroma. This gentleman seems to enjoy his job.  There are several styles of gluhwein mugs at this market and we enjoy our holiday brew in a frosted mug with scenes of Augsburg imprinted on it. 

Rathaus and Perlach Tower in the Background of Market

Along with the large wooden spinner towering above a gluhwein stand, there are several beautiful buildings in amongst some modern ones.  The 17th century Rathaus and the 258 foot tall bell tower with foundations dating back to the 11th century, is a beautiful backdrop for this market.  The nearby pedestrian zone has several upscale stores.  

There are many stalls with traditional German decorations.  We can't pass up the lebkuchen hearts, one each for the kids, or the German candy. 

Melissa with Rathaus in Background

As the town's bell tower rings in the hour, we are reminded that we still want to visit the Munich market--zoom, zoom.