Roll Call - Christmas Markets 2010 - all lines...

[RET P3 FE]

Here's another link you might find useful

http://www.germany-christmas-market.org.uk/index.htm

[robthens]

Here's another link you might find useful

http://www.germany-christmas-market.org.uk/index.htm

 

Great link....thanks!

[franski]

Just wanted to post to bring this forward... Just a bit over 4 months away now - I am sure that the time will go fast.

[txladycruiser]

Just wanted to post to bring this forward... Just a bit over 4 months away now - I am sure that the time will go fast.

 

 

We leave Nov. 26 so just under 4 months for us. We can't wait! 4 months seems like a long time, though!

 

 

Karen

[cruisingmimi]

Hi all,

 

I have been looking for some "bargain" river cruises but not found anything yet. Seems like prices are still way up there. We would like to do another Christmas Markets but may have to wait til last minutes prices are out there.

 

We have another couple who would like to do a river cruise as we have talked so much about our first one. So we need to book 2 cabins. Anyone got any websites they use for good pricing, other than the cruise lines? Do you book your own through cruise line or use an agent?

 

We did Nurnberg to Vienna our first cruise so would like a different itinerary. I have been wanting to visit Prague or Budapest.

 

Mary

[RET P3 FE]

Hi all,

 

I have been looking for some "bargain" river cruises but not found anything yet. Seems like prices are still way up there. We would like to do another Christmas Markets but may have to wait til last minutes prices are out there.

 

We have another couple who would like to do a river cruise as we have talked so much about our first one. So we need to book 2 cabins. Anyone got any websites they use for good pricing, other than the cruise lines? Do you book your own through cruise line or use an agent?

 

We did Nurnberg to Vienna our first cruise so would like a different itinerary. I have been wanting to visit Prague or Budapest.

 

Mary

 

 

We're doing Nurenberg to Vienna with GCT, Sonata deck (big window),twin beds, with additional air from Orlando and it comes out to $2350 per person(that also includes taxes).There are only 3 optionals on the trip that I know of,documentation center in Nurenberg,Salzburg,concert in Vienna.

We were holding out for better prices as this years price is about $400 higher than last year but the boats were filling up fast.

[cruisingmimi]

Thanks for the info. Maybe I'll call GCT to see if they have anything for specials. They called me about a month ago w/ some specials but we were heading off on our Alaskan cruise so I was not interested at that time.

 

Mary

[germanyboy]

Here are a couple pictures of souvenir Gluhwein cups from our 2005 trip. Love the boot/stocking shaped ones.

[germanyboy]

When we booked our GCT Christmas markets River Cruise trip for Dec 22, 2005, we jumped in at the last minute, at least to me, on a spur of the moment deal, maybe October. We added on 3 day pre trip extension to Heidelberg. Trip, airfare, extension, and insurance were very reasonable from a last minute flyer.

[caviargal]

We added on 3 day pre trip extension to Heidelberg.

 

How was Heidelberg for the holidays? We are trying to decide between Cologne, Heidelberg and Garmisch for a few days and having a tough time making a decision. We'll be traveling in December.

[cruisingmimi]

love those gluhwein boot mugs also. They didn't have anything like those this past Dec.

 

Mary

[germanyboy]

We flew into Frankfurt Dec 19, and a GCT guide met us and put us in a cab for ride to Heidelberg. We stayed at Crown Plaza just 2 blocks from shopping area. 20 in our precruise group with a GCT guide.

 

Had a walking tour one morning to old University and student jail and cathedral. Turned loose downtown to shop and tour on our own. Christmas market stands everywhere, and ice skating rink set up for kids.

 

Next day they took us on a bus tour around town and up to the old castle tour. Saw the 40,000 gallon wine barrel that has a dance floor on top. Just outside castle, we paid and rode the tram down in stead of taking the bus back.

 

Walked thru the shopping areas, bought food, wine, souvenirs. All be sure to go to Karhoff's Dept store--great grocery store on lower 2 levels. Bought kinder eggs, little chocolate eggs that have toys inside. Bought 4 doz back for my students.

 

Bus took us to Frankfurt to meet up with ship, had afternoon to walk half mile to downtown plaza for Market. Karhoffs is there too. Had a bus tour next am and then bus left us off at markets. We could walk back to ship when we wanted or ride bus back.

 

Left that night and had morning of 24th in Mainz.

 

Most marklet stalls were tearing down by then. But be sure to go to any farmer's markets you can find. Great veggies to see, breads and sweets to buy.

 

Stops in Cologne, Dusseldorf, Nijmegen and Amsterdam followed.

[franski]

germanyyboy - did you buy the kindereggs because they were really inexpensive, or because they were unique?? kindereggs are common in our area - so wouldn't buy them unless they were *really* cheap.

[germanyboy]

germanyyboy - did you buy the kindereggs because they were really inexpensive, or because they were unique?? kindereggs are common in our area - so wouldn't buy them unless they were *really* cheap.

 

Never saw them before in New Mexico, or anywhere else.

 

It was my first trip back to Germany in 50 years--I was born in Weisbaden, orphaned and adopted by Americans in the military, we drove to Weisbaden one day from Heidelberg and got original my birth certificate for my original name--Gustav Alexander Lindenberg. After adoption, my parents changed my name to Jerald Cross, and that name is on my Certificate of Birth, which I use.

 

Look at my signature

 

I don't remember how much Kindereggs were, they were an item I had to have, no matter the cost. Might have paid .50 or .99 euro for them.

 

But my students and family loved them when I got back.

[franski]

kinder eggs (or, kinder surprise as they go by in this area...) are really neat. My kids loved them when they were young (the youngest turned 20 this week...). I guess I didn't realize that they weren't available everywhere.

 

It is wonderful that you were able to go back to Germany and get your original birth certificate... Thank you for sharing that!!!

[robthens]

Love the Kinder eggs. On our first trip to Germany, we bought the Kinder eggs. Didn't know what was inside until we got home and passed them out.

 

Critical question for the LADIES.........when do I decorate my house for Christmas if I'm going on a Christmas market tour in early December??????

[franski]

It is an easy question for me... We always get a real tree - so can't really do too much until mid-December. That was one of the draws to the date we chose - we will be back in lots of time to decorate (fly back on December 7th...)

 

The biggest challenge for me will be to hold off on some of my shopping. I am hoping that I will be able to get a lot of it done while on the cruise. But, this will be late for me - as I often start picking up small items starting after Labour Day!!!

[caviargal]

 

The biggest challenge for me will be to hold off on some of my shopping. I am hoping that I will be able to get a lot of it done while on the cruise. But, this will be late for me - as I often start picking up small items starting after Labour Day!!!

 

I always have my shopping completed by Halloween so I can relax and enjoy the holiday season. As for the tree, we return on the 11th so will put the tree up the weekend before Christmas.

 

It's not so far off now - we'll be leaving for Germany in just 15 weeks!:)

[tonyd285]

For those taking GCT on the Rhine I strongly recommend the Technology Museum in Speyer. Last year my friend and I went to the museum while our better halves went shopping. If you like planes, trains and automobiles this is definitely the museum for you. It is just a short walk from the GCT docking location.

[txladycruiser]

Love the Kinder eggs. On our first trip to Germany, we bought the Kinder eggs. Didn't know what was inside until we got home and passed them out.

 

Critical question for the LADIES.........when do I decorate my house for Christmas if I'm going on a Christmas market tour in early December??????

 

We leave the Friday after Thanksgiving and return on 12/7. We'll be cooking Thanksgiving dinner for 25 but I will have the whole house decorated for Christmas including the tree (artificial). I have too much going on after we get back - including a Christmas Cookie Exchange at my house on the 9th.

[germanyboy]

For those taking GCT on the Rhine I strongly recommend the Technology Museum in Speyer. Last year my friend and I went to the museum while our better halves went shopping. If you like planes, trains and automobiles this is definitely the museum for you. It is just a short walk from the GCT docking location.

 

If you stop at Mainz, on the south side of river from Weisbaden, go to the Gutenberg Museum. It was closed on Christmas Eve when we went, but the gift shop was open next door

[ktwrigley]

Hi, all,

 

This wonderful article was published in the July-August issue of the AAA Highroads magazine. It made me even more excited about our trip from Danube to Nuremberg in December:

 

http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/AAA-ACA/highroads_july_august_10/2010062401/?page=42&et_cid=13842273&et_rid=386997137&linkid=Highroads+-+European+Christmas+Markets&cmp=13842273&med=email&grp=eupdate_az_2010_08

 

You will need to enlarge it to print.

[impcinder]

Ok, what are kindereggs? At .50 - .99 Euros, it could make an inexpensive souvenier.

What is the suprise? And are the kindereggs available most places?

 

Thanks!

[robthens]

Ok, what are kindereggs? At .50 - .99 Euros, it could make an inexpensive souvenier.

What is the suprise? And are the kindereggs available most places?

 

Thanks!

 

Milk chocolate hollow egg with a "toy"" on the inside. They are fairly fragile and melt easily. Available in most stores that sell candy. About the size of an actual egg.

 

 

[germanyboy]

Kinder means children. The toy is inside a plastic egg under the chocolate. A tiny car, figure, etc. Sometimes something you assemble with a tiny instruction sheet in German.

 

Can find in grocery stores, and in Karhof's dept stores. Just look for the green sign for store