Salzburg Christkindlmarkt

Upon arrival at Haus Ballwein on Moosestrasse, Salzburg, Frau Ballwein shows us our room in the old farmhouse and we catch bus #21 into the city of Salzburg.  Our guys back home have asked us to stand in front of the Mozart Geburthaus and an area at the market so that they can see us on the webcam.  

I am next to Melissa who is in the White Coat

This will be proof that we are indeed in Salzburg, lol.  We wave and stand there, shivering, for a while until we get a text that we have indeed been recorded.

Egg Ornament Store

Down the main pedestrian zone, we visit a shop that makes very beautiful and unique ornaments using eggs.  It is open year round.  There are so many we have a hard time choosing.  Our eggs are carefully packed in an egg carton--no worries about breakage.

Egg Ornament on My Tree

 






Back in the market we walk around the many booths.  The olive oil booth that I visited last year is here again and we enjoy some samples.  Prices seem a bit higher here for the typical German/Austrian decorations.  

Traditional Austrian Straw Ornaments

The very simple, but lovely and delicate, Austrian straw ornaments are sold here at this market.  You can buy them individually or in an assortment package.  

Last Year's Market Entrance

The above picture was taken in 2011.  Unfortunately, this year this area was under construction and didn't have this beautiful entrance.


Most every evening at the market, a choir performs in front of the Dom at 5 p.m.  Unfortunately, we arrive too late.  However, we enjoy a mug of gluhwein along with another treat at this market--Kaiserschmappil.  We order ours drenched with Nutella, yum.

Many varieties of pretzels are also at this market including puffed pastry pretzels. 

St. Peterstiftskeller Restaurant

We haven't eaten today, so I take Melissa to the St. Peterstiftskeller restaurant which is next to St. Peter's Cathedral.  Dining in this restaurant is a wonderful experience. 

St. Peterstiftskeller is a restaurant within the monastery walls of St. Peter's Archabbey.  It is claimed to be the oldest inn in Central Europe because of a document mentioning it in 803 AD.  St. Peter Stiftskeller is believed to be one of the oldest continuously operating restaurants in the world, and the oldest in Europe.  To think that we are dining in the same restaurant as Mozart and his family.

Nativity Outside of St. Peterstiftskeller

We walk through the now closed market back to the bus stop on the river.  Once back in our pension, I take a late night walk down Moosestrasse.  Other than a few bicyclists, there is no one out except for me.  I have to be careful walking on the snow avoiding patches of ice.  After my hour long stroll, I snuggle under my down comforter for a short winter's nap.  

Haus Ballwein