Our Fukuoka Christmas 1 - A Marche de Noel, Hakata Style

I have always loved the marche de noel or Christmas markets in Europe.  During the yuletide season, you can find them in various cities --  festive booths sell crafts, pastries, and of course food and wine from different regions.    They're delightful places where you can really feel the magic of a European Christmas.  My favourite is the Strasbourg Christmas Market, widely acclaimed as the oldest and most popular of them all. 

I did not know until I read about it that Hakata Station in Fukuoka has held a Christmas Market annually for the past four years.  So of course it was our very first destination when we arrived in Fukuoka.  The station was a fifteen minute walk from the apartment and we arrived just as the lights were being turned on.

The Japanese are known for their technical wizardry and this is evident in the illuminations that each city puts up during the holidays.  Dazzling and sophisticated -- these are amazing displays that

draw thousands of crowds. 

The brilliant blue and white illumination in Hakata Station turned the Christmas Market into a glorious winter forest.  It was beautiful and so unique.

Perhaps because it was a Sunday evening, the market was so crowded.  You could barely get past the people to go near the various booths -- selling European specialties like charcuterie, cheese, mulled wine and of course European beer.

Traditional European houses of different kinds, enough to build your own miniature village, were the bestsellers in the crafts section of the market. 

Even if we wanted to sit down and have dinner at the Christmas Market,  there was not a single empty table.  A band was playing so people were  sitting around, enjoying the music and the cool, mild winter weather.

We smelled before we saw this booth selling sausages -- there was a queue at this popular kiosk.

I had a mug of the hot wine -- infused with spices and harkening back memories of

the mulled wine from the marche de noel by the Notre Dame.  That was in a plastic cup and this 

came in a reusable ceramic mug.  But both gave me that warm glow of Christmas.  

Here's to a Joyeux Noel here in Fukuoka!

Paris 3rd Time Around - Day 5, Strasbourg, Capital of Christmas

Our excursion to Lyon was successful -- we didn't get lost, our train journey was smooth and went without a hitch!  We both felt like seasoned SNCF commuters! 

Our second foray out of Paris was to Strasbourg -- a bit farther out at 490 kilometers from the capital.  This time, we left through Gare de l'Est.  Our train was due to leave just before 7 am and it was still dark when we got to the station.

What is it about french trains and the color blue? Is it because inherent romantics that they are, the french associate train travel with leaving, departures, good byes and sadness?

I  feel train journeys are opportunities for adventure!  I find trains rides exciting, and definitely more relaxing  and pleasant than taking the plane.   This huge mural right above the station doors perfectly captured the joyous, busy aspects of train travel for me.

We got to Strasbourg a little after 9 am, after a  two and a half hour  journey -- gliding through the north of France.  Strasbourg is in the Alsace district and is very close to Germany -- you could say it is more German than French.
First stop was the tourist information office, conveniently located in the Gare Centrale of Strasbourg.  We picked up our maps, brochures and got a day pass for riding around in the city trams and buses.

The tram was sleek, efficient and a great way to get around this smallish city.  There are a number of lines that effectively criss cross through Strasbourg's streets.

This is the reason why I booked train tickets to Strasbourg.  Known as the "Capital of Christmas", Strasbourg has a long tradition of Christmas markets or marches noel.  Quaint, picturesque, colorful and oozing Christmas spirit from every pore -- this lovely little city truly typifies everything beautiful and joyous about Christmas!

There are over 12 different markets spread out throughout the center of Strasbourg.  Each market has  booths and kiosks selling all sorts of specialties from Strasbourg, the Alsace region and  the whole of  France.  Little houses that show typical Alsatian architecture are popular items.

Many of the booths had local delicacies such as this kugelhopf, a bundt cake that is originally from Germany.

Gingerbread in various shapes make for cheerful  gift ideas.

This booth sold candles and soap handmade from beeswax and honey -- the fragrance wafted throughout the marche.

Many booths sold Christmas decor and Christmas toys -- of course, not all were made locally -- sadly, China has penetrated the Christmas market.

Strasbourg's tourism office was decorated with this awesomely gigantic gingerbread man.  It looked real enough to eat!

Most of the old buildings in Strasbourg follow this very typical Alsatian style of narrow, tall structures with many windows.  They added to the overall charm and unique appeal of the place.

We enjoyed walking through the many narrow streets of Strasbourg, delighting in the different Christmas markets we stumbled on.  As we were wondering if it would be a good time to eat lunch, we came upon this pig mounted on a wall -- just the sign we were looking for to head off for some typical Alsatian choucroute garnie!

We rounded the corner of rue de Chaudron, and came upon this restaurant called Winstub le Clou. 

The door was shut, we had no reservations.  But when we timidly pushed the door open, a very gracious and smiling lady welcomed us in.  

Voila, she could speak English!  

And why not, Strasbourg aside from being the Capital of Christmas and therefore a tourist draw, is also the site of the European Parliament.  Definitely English as the language of business would be spoken here.

We had no reservations but we came at an opportune time -- there was one table left for 2 and it was ours!

To celebrate, I deviated from my usual beer and ordered a glass of riesling -- this being Alsace after all, why not indulge in a typical German wine.  It came in a pretty little glass and was just perfect.

Winstub le Clou has dark paneled walls hung with paintings of old Strasbourg.  It seemed like a restaurant right out of another era.   The tables, covered with colorful red printed tablecloths,  are set closely together, to maximize the smallish space.

 We ordered the Alsatian specialty -- choucroute garnie or assorted sausages and boiled meats traditionally served with sauerkraut and a boiled potato.
A plate had two types of boiled sausage and three slices of cured pork.
What can I say -- I fell off the vegetarian wagon in Strasbourg!
Pork in road was back ... and with a vengeance.
The choucroute garnie was excellent and well worth falling off the wagon for.

After lunch, we walked through the various streets enjoying the elaborate Christmas decor on the buildings.  Everything was Christmassy and bright -- perfect for children and for kids at heart!

 Strasbourg's beautiful cathedral, built with pink and white stone, stands imposingly at the center of town -- it's one of the most beautiful churches I have seen in Europe and really worth a visit.

We walked further away from the Cathedral and come upon the little river Ill.  I don't want to say that an Ill river runs through this lovely little city -- but that's what it's called.
The buildings, the river, the bridges -- Strasbourg reminds me a lot of Amsterdam.

 The houses stand cheek to cheek with each other and add to the Amsterdam effect.
If Lyon felt Italian, definitely Strasbourg felt Dutch to me!

It is mid afternoon and time to head back to Strasbourg's seemingly out of place ultra modern Gare Centrale.  Our train back to Paris is due to leave just before 4 pm.
We have spent the better part of six hours enjoying this aptly called Capital of Christmas -- and may
I add, I will now also forever think of Strasbourg as the Capital of Choucroute Garni!

Day 5 : Of Point Zero, a Marche de Noel, hot mulled wine and a Cafe named Panis

It isn't the Eiffel Tower that is my iconic Parisian landmark -- it's the Gothic cathedral

Notre Dame that is my most favorite sight in this beautiful city.

I love to take walks along the area, looking at it from all angles -- from the front where I can see the two towers, to the sides where the gargoyles and chimeras leer down at me, to the back where I can see its flying buttresses.

The detailed carvings on the walls and doors are so intricate and complete -- it's like reading the story of Catholicism just by looking at the Cathedral's exteriors.

This morning, we decided to spend the day -- bitingly cold but sunny - once again walking around the area of Notre Dame.

There were lines of people waiting to get into the Cathedral. Last year, we heard Christmas Day mass here, celebrated by no less than the Archbishop of Paris himself. It was quite an experience.

Many people walk past this marker on the ground in front of Notre Dame's main doors without realizing that this is Point Zero -- all distances in France are measured from this point.

After more than an hour of walking around and enjoying the cold day, we decide it's time for lunch. Right across Notre Dame, at the corner of Quai Montebello is a typical French bistro called Cafe Panis -- it's been there for ages and is probably the most convenient place to sit, have a bite and continue to gaze at the view of the Cathedral.

Cafe Panis, with its enviable location, is really a good choice for a meal -- the food is dependable, servings are generous, prices are reasonable and very surprisingly -- the waiters are all cheerfully friendly.

The interiors are very warm and cozy. Tables are set up very close to each other since space is a premium and it's always full -- both of tourists and locals. If you sit at the bar, you can still order a sandwich -- but the nice thing is that you'll only have to pay 1 euro for your coffee. How cheap is that!

The minute you sit down, the waiter brings a menu AND a small dish of home made potato chips -- gratis! They're thinly sliced, salty and very tasty -- best of all, they're free!

To ward off the chill, we split an order of the classic soupe a la oignon gratinee. It comes piping hot with stringy melted cheese on top of slices of baguette.

Since I am continuing not to eat meat on this trip, I order a croque provencal which is really mozzarella cheese melted on top of tomato slices. It comes with a mountain of frittes and a cold green salad.

After lunch, we see that the little park across, the Square Viviane has a small marche de noel going on. A marche de noel is a Christmas market, set up for the holidays -- they pop up in public squares, street corners, church plazas. They sell food, arts and crafts -- all sorts of things!

Ranging from small ones like this one near the Notre Dame to large scale ones like the marche de Noel lining Champs Elysee where you have more than 150 vendors at one time!

One stall run by two smiling ladies is selling vin chaud or hot mulled wine. I have been seeing this in many other marches across Paris so it's time to give it a try!

Vin chaud is ordinary (some say, cheap) red wine with added sugar, spices and fruit flavors.

It's always served hot or at the very least, warm.

A small plastic cup is 3 euros and after I pay for my vin chaud, it is ladled it out from a soup pot.

I take a sip and it's very good!

Halfway through the cup, a warm glow sets in. It lasts with me throughout the rest of the chilly afternoon, walking by the banks of the Seine!