Day 9a - Dresdener Streizelmarkt

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I awoke an hour before room service arrived, showered and was ready for coffee when the doorbell rang. Yes, a doorbell on my hotel room. Though I was prepared to pay full charge for my room service breakfast, I learned that the "breakfast included with your room", meant also in your room. So, I ate my breakfast and caught up on the day's news - CNN International again is my only English choice, but that's OK. In an hour I hear everything I need to know about world events and then it repeats just in case I missed something the first time.

My mood is so much brighter this morning. Amazing what a good night's sleep and room service will do to improve your day. So I wrap up and get ready for my exploring out and about in Dresden. My main plan of the day is the Streizelmarkt - the oldest Christmas market in Germany, and home of the Dresdener Stollen. Stollen has been documented during the middle ages, but more interestingly, the Catholic Church prohibited the use of butter and milk during Christmas during the medievel period. The Electoral Prince and his brother sent a letter to the Pope, begging to use these "richer" ingredients. The Pope agreed, provided the bakers pay higher taxes, which in turn was used to build the Freiberg Cathedral, in Freiberg. Now that is a lot of Stollen sold. Anyway, it is a heavy bread with fruit and nuts, and after coming out of the oven, drenched in melted butter, then covered in powered sugar. It supposedly resembles the Christ Child in swaddling clothes. Each Advent season there is a huge celebration, procession and festivities around the Stollen, with a contest to see if the weight of the giant Stollen can exceed that of earlier year's entries (the first was in 1730, and it weighed 1.8 tons).

So off I go. I wasn't sure how far away it would be, but according to my map, it should be far. My map again did not let me down, and just about 3 blocks away I see the sign announcing the Streizelmarkt - and just behind it I see Kreuzkirche (Cross Church) and in the distance I can see the dome of the Frauenkirche. This is turning into a tour of churches as much as it is a tour of Christmas markets.

I saw the huge reproductions of those things famous in the region's markets, as I had learned in my pre-trip research. Huge "pyramids", or the spinning wooden structures which spin by being propelled by the heat from candles. A giant "pruneman" - prunes strung together to form a "human" form, then dressed in miniature clothing. The market stalls were much more ornate than those I had seen in Salzburg. No only did the tops of the stalls have lights and garland, but also figurines. Several stalls sold beautiful lacework - from tree ornaments to tablescarfs and doilies. Many more handcrafted items I think than I had seen in other markets. Evidently many of the Erzegebirge craftsmen come to Dresden with their wares - many more than I had seen in Bavaria. I took my time strolling, looking and making some purchases - and yes, grazing, sampling more of those spiced almonds and hot drinks.

When I got to the end of the first row, I saw what appeared to be a small amusement area and fairytale village for the children. A Ferris wheel, a small train that made it's way through a fairytale village, and a village of animated characters. There is something truly for every age at this market.

I decided that I would wait to purchase the Stollen until I was ready to leave. Stollen is heavy, and I really didn't want to lug it around for the rest of the day. I spent another hour or so exploring the market, and then headed to explore the historic architecture of Dresden.

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Photos

Dresdener Streizelmarkt
The oldest Christmas Market in Germany, the Dresdener Streizelmarkt.

Children's Village with Train
A child's train gently rolls through the make-believe village within the Streizelmarkt

Miniature Village
Another shot of the Miniature Village within the Streizelmarkt

Fun for Young and Old
The Dresden Streizelmarkt has something for all ages

Streizelmarket Bounties
Stalls are decorated to the fullest at the Streizelmarkt

Surreal Surroundings
The visions of the decades....the old Kreuzkirche, still carrying reminders of a horrid inferno, with the children's carousel and handmade candle stall in front, and the communist-era apartment building in the background. Dresdeners are transforming their city, incorporating all of their heritage into its framework.