DW guests enjoy Cologne's Christmas market
Ellen H. and her husband still can't believe their luck. Along with 5,690 users worldwide she took part in the DW Travel prize draw and answered the question: Which federal state in Germany is your favorite? For the 37-year-old Canadian it was the southern state of Baden-Württemberg, which this year came in fourth place in the ranking. When she was informed that she had won it came as quite a surprise. "At first I thought it was a hoax," she said. And despite traveling all the way from Canada with her husband as part of her winning trip to Germany she is still in a state of disbelief — albeit happy disbelief. Still suffering from jet lag but very excited to finally be in Germany they set off for the market in Cologne.
In the shadow of Cologne cathedral
Stepping out of Cologne central station Ellen and her husband Jean-Simon were given their first impression of Cologne's imposing cathedral. Right in front of them on a festively lit square they took some time to admire this UNESCO World Heritage Site reaching some 150 meters (490 ft) into the winter sky. As one of the towers is currently clad in scaffolding for repair work, it was a great opportunity to explain that since construction began at the beginning of the 13th century the cathedral has never been without some building work being done — leading to the belief in Cologne that the day it no longer needs work done will mark the end of the world.
Having seen the exterior of this Cologne landmark, Ellen and Jean-Simon were very eager to have a look inside. As we ambled through the vaulted interior I told them that this grand Gothic structure was constructed to house the relics of the Three Kings, also known as the Biblical Magi or Three Wise Men. The newest addition to the cathedral was a renowned stained glass window created by German artist Gerhard Richter in 2007. Though the cathedral seemed reasonably empty, just small groups of people moving around, the midnight mass on Christmas Eve sees the church packed full of worshippers.
Christmas market fun
Emerging back into the dark evening it was time to stroll to Cologne's main Christmas market, located right next to the cathedral. Regarded as one of Germany's most popular markets, it attracts some 4 million visitors every year. Both the vibrant market stalls and the stage performances help to spread festive cheer. Having taken a quick souvenir photo at the entrance area to the market, it was time to find some local seasonal delicacies to enjoy.
After walking past several stalls selling everything from woolen socks to handcrafted Christmas decorations we found ourselves in the middle of the market under a canopy of lights suspended from a very large Christmas tree — the Rhineland's largest Christmas tree in fact. The Nordmann fir towers about 25 meters (82 ft) high and next to the imposing cathedral, it appears quite small. This shining heart of the market, lit up with 50,000 LED lights, is a bright landmark in Cologne during the Advent season.
It was here that we stopped to enjoy some "Glühwein", an original Christmas mulled wine — but our winners got to drink it from their own DW cups rather than the festively decorated Christmas market mugs. While sipping the spiced drink Ellen said: "I'm so impressed with the sheer size of this market. The German community in my Canadian hometown organizes a Christmas market every year, but it really can't compare to this!" Nicely warmed from the Glühwein it was time to find some comforting food. While searching we stopped at a stall selling "Spekulatius" — a form of spiced shortcrust biscuit — which here came in the shape of the Cologne cathedral. With a tin of these purchased to take home, it was time to introduce Ellen and Jean-Simon to "Reibekuchen" — a Rhineland version of a German potato fritter which here are served with organic apple sauce. While eating, Ellen and Jean-Simon said how pleased they were that the rain had stopped in time for the Christmas market visit. "Coming from Canada," Ellen told me, "we're used to the cold but not cold rain." And Jean-Simon told me: "It's very different from our last trip to Germany. We visited Berlin and Hamburg it was August and Germany was sweating under a heatwave." The couple have visited Germany several times taking them to cities including Munich and Dresden, but this was their first trip to Cologne. The jet lag seemed all but forgotten at this stage.
The next thing on their to-do-list was to go looking for gifts and Christmas decorations to take home — and without wanting to spoil the surprise for their family and friends they did stop by stalls selling candy, as well as the one offering cookie-cutters in every shape. It also gave Ellen the perfect opportunity to practice the German she has been learning for years with DW's German courses.
The next stop on their Germany trip will be Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Located in the far west of Bavaria, this small town seems to have emerged from a fairy tale book. Boasting a pristinely preserved medieval town, with half-timbered houses, winding alleys, fortified towers, a continuous city wall, it's popular among tourists and especially busy during the Christmas season.
Here Ellen and Jean-Simon will not only get to enjoy the Christmas market in this medieval picture book town setting but there will be an added surprise: They will meet the Check-in team and take part in the filming of an episode of DW's travel TV show.
