The Aachen Christmas Market

My friends and I headed out to Aachen, Germany, this morning to check out their Christmas Market. It was a little chilly and overcast, so we made a quick pit stop at the local Starbucks. Mmmmmm. Toffee Nut Lattes. It's hard to tell from this picture, but the mugs were HUGE! All warmed up and boosted by caffeine, we headed out to explore the market. It was a blast! They had little wooden stalls all around the city center, and each one contained a different surprise. They sold everything from jewelry and clothing, to candles and Christmas decorations.

There were lots of food booths all over the Market. This one had sausages that were at least 2 feet long! The window of the Nobis Bakery is always bright and cheerful. This is the place that I bought those Hedgehog Gingerbread cookies on my last trip to Aachen. I didn't pick up any on this trip. It will give me an excuse to return soon.

This booth had some beautiful little houses. I can see why lots of people collect these. They were VERY tempting!This is a large pancake, filled with fresh apple slices. It was fantastic! We also had some delicious deep fried potato patties that were served with different sauces. We chose one that tasted a lot like Ranch dip. YUM! Here are the ladies from Team Van! Erika, Melissa and I are totally rocking the red (cranberry) hat look! Denise couldn't make this trip, so that is her honorary hat. This way, she is still included in the fun. Yes, we did get some funny looks as we strolled around the market, styling our new matching hats. I'm good with that.

I think one of the things that made this market so much fun, was the backdrop of beautiful and historic buildings. This is a beautiful city, no matter what time of year you visit. Too soon, it was time to head back to Belgium and greet the kids as they got off their buses.

I did pick up a few fun Christmas items. Here are a couple of things that I got...I couldn't resist the Hoody Santa's. Erika picked up some of these from this market on her last trip, and this was one of the reasons I wanted to visit there. I think he is just too cute. I couldn't resist the owl either. I figured he was great, because he could hang out long after Christmas is gone. I picked up Mr. and Mrs. Clause at a little shop in Belgium on the way home. They were too cute to resist as well. I got a few more items, but they are Christmas surprises, so you'll just have to imagine how cute they are. Another fun day on my European vacation, um...I mean...another day supporting my hard working husband as he fulfills his duties...aw, heck. These are your tax dollars at work, people. Such is life. I do appreciate it.