Sternschnuppenmarkt, Wiesbaden.

Wiesbaden is the state capital of Hessen, and in a close vicinity to Frankfurt. Its advantageous site on the upper Rhine means that the site has been continuously occupied since the Neolithic, but there are currently extant Roman parts that date from 6AD.

Two of my coworkers, a friend of one of said coworkers, and I all loaded up and made the hour-ish drive up to Wiesbaden from Landstuhl about midday today. The autobahn between Kaiserslautern and Frankfurt are flanked by gorgeous green fields, rolling forests, and wind turbines here and there adding modern flair to the classic landscapes.

This market is a lot larger than the one I visited a couple weeks ago at Kaiserslautern, with several streets surrounding the cathedral taken up with rows of booths full of various wares, including Christmas decor, handmade soaps, wooden bowls and spoons, and many different types of tempting food offerings.

We wandered around for a bit just taking in the sights and smells. on every row was a booth for various types of Glühwein, several booths with Wurst and soups… I was glad I skipped breakfast. Once we got our bearings, we hit a Glühwein vendor in the middle square, and I found a flatbread vendor that smelled so good I could not resist. I also got the opportunity to try Currywurst and it was extremely tasty; the tangy sauce played well with the curry seasoning on top of a fine-textured sausage.

I got a bag of roasted chestnuts as well, a delectable treat I haven’t indulged in since the late 90’s in Madrid, Spain. They were well roasted and hit a spot I didn’t realize needed hitting til I found myself in Europe in Winter once more.

As we wandered around more, the crowds began growing and slow-moving lanes formed down the aisles of booths. At some point a live band started playing on a stage that had been covered when we first arrived, our slow progress was made pleasant by brass tunes accompanying out march.

I accomplished some gift shopping to send back home for the holiday, and am very excited about the things I found. I will have to make a future post after Christmas so I don’t spoil any surprises.