Frankfurter Weihnachtsmarkt

In December we went to Frankfurt, Germany to bring a friend to the airport. Since Frankfurt is a bit of a drive we decided to make it a day trip and check out the Christmas market there. We ended up getting to the market about an hour before it opened so we walked around the area for a bit to scope out the market and we grabbed some Starbucks so we could use the bathroom. In Germany you have to pay to use public bathrooms except for inside restaurants.

 The Frankfurt Christmas market is one of the oldest Christmas markets in Germany. Its origins date back to 1393. The market is huge. It spans over four sections of the area.

 For lunch I got a frankfurter which is a hotdog. Hotdogs originated in Germany and then were popularized in the United States. It is a little bit different then a hotdog you would find in the states. You can get the frankfurter on rye bread or on a traditional hotdog bun. I decided on the bun. I also got gluhwein or mulled wine to go with it.

After lunch we decided to head back we had been there about 3 hours and we had about a 2 1/2 hour drive home. The market was great and had a ton of vendors and we had a great time.

Trierer Weihnachtsmarkt

A Weihnachtsmarkt or Christmas Market start in Germany at the end of November. We decided to check out the one in Trier since it was the closest one that started in November and we had already been to Trier so we knew the area.

 We went Thanksgiving weekend on Sunday. They had beautiful stands filled with Christmas ornament, candy, treats and other odds and ends. Christmas originally were used to purchase things that would be needed before winter started.

 We walked around the market area and looked at all the things for sale. For lunch we each got a bratwurst and gluhwein which is mulled wine a red wine heated and spices are added. It is a popular drink sold at Christmas markets.

Stores are usually closed on Sundays but this was a open Sunday in Trier so this means the stores in the area that were participating would open up at 1:00pm. So we hung around till then and did some shopping.

Trier, Germany

October of 2014 we took the train to the city of Trier. Trier is one of the oldest cities in Germany and actually might be the oldest but that is debated. Trier was founded around 16 BC. When we arrived at the train station we had a short walk to the walkplatz which is the shopping center and where the touristy stuff is. 

The first thing we saw was the Porta Nigra which is latin for black gate. The Porta Nigra is a large Roman city gate and the largest Roman city gate north of the Alps. It was built between 186 and 200 AD. During the Roman times the Porta Nigra was part of a four gate system which surrounded the city. The Porta Nigra is the only one still standing today. You can go into the Porta Nigra and climb to the second floor to view the city. Inside there are markings on the walls and stone carvings. It was great to be able to see Trier from that view.

Next we visited the Basilica of Constantine. It is a Roman palace basilica built by the emperor Constantine at the beginning of the fourth century. We Were unable to go inside but it was a beautiful building with gold accents and there was a garden with statues.

We then went to the Kaiserthermen or Imperial Baths. They are ancient ruins that were never completed for their originally planned function. Part of the structure was completed but was used as a reception hall and the baths were never installed. We got to go through the tunnels of the structure it was dark cold and wet and I could only imagine using the space to take a bath would not be so pleasant.

The Liebfrauenkirche which is German for Church of Our Lady is the earliest Gothic church in Germany. It is unclear when the building was constructed but it is speculated that it was started in 1230 and finished in 1260. Inside the church there was huge organ chimes hanging from the ceiling.

By this time we were ready for lunch and where else do you eat when in Germany but McDonalds. I really wanted to try out some German food but Bill wanted McDonalds so that is what we had. After lunch we walked around the walkplatz and did some shopping.

Our last stop for the day was the Karl Marx House which is the house where Karl Marx, the father of modern socialism and communism was born in 1818. The museum was opened in 1947 to show the life and works of Karl Marx. The museum now includes the history of communism in the Soviet Union, China, Central and Eastern Europe. It was an interesting place to see, but the exhibits are in German which we are in Germany and they give you a translator device but it would take forever to listen to the entire exhibit so we listened to a few of them and mostly looked at the photographs and artifacts.

We then made our way back to the train station for our journey home. It was a great first trip and we learned a lot about the history of Germany.

Introduction

Hey Everyone!

My name is Jennifer and my husband Bill and I are Americans currently living in Germany. Ive decided to start documenting the places we go while we are here. I'll be back tracking in the beginning to get us caught up to the present time. Some places might be long trips or just a new restaurant we found. We've been living here for a little bit now and we haven't traveled very much outside of our surrounding area. I'm looking forward to doing more traveling in 2015 and I hope you'll travel with us through my blog.