Only in Holland

We have had a great weekend. Yesterday, we had our church Thanksgiving dinner, which was a lot of fun. We got home just in time to watch the Sooners beat the Cowboys (Boomer Sooner!) on our new TV (our not-so-older TV was injured in the move).

Today we decided that we would begin Christmas market season. Oh, how I love Christmas markets - and everything else related to Christmas, mind you. I remember a year ago, being in Montgomery, AL, and so bummed because I was missing this time of year in Europe. I had no idea we would get to stay!

Anyways, the first of the markets I wanted to visit this year was in a town about a half-hour from here called Valkenburg, in Holland. I had seen this thing advertised everywhere. You see, the town has a hilltop castle ruin dating from the 11th century. There are caves in the hilltop beneath the castle, and the Christmas market is in the caves. Very cool, right?

So, we got out the GPS, and I got out my Holland guidebook. Plugged in the address to the caves listed in my guidebook. We got there, parked WAY up at the top of a hill, hiked down, waited in line, finally got in. Had a really great time. This was, in fact, worth it.

There were not only decent Christmas decoration vendors throughout the market, but there were also great gifts to buy. There was a restaurant/bar constructed into the caves for this, and it was just a really fantastic time. We were really interested in the caves themselves, and decided that we needed to head back eventually for a tour.

So, on the way out of town, I started to look back through the advertisement I had and my guidebook and noticed something interesting. They were called different things. One (the one we went to, the "oldest and largest subterranean Christmas market in Europe") was Gemeentegrot (Cauberg Caves) and the one on the advertisement ("the most popular indoor Christmas event" in Holland) is Fluweelengrot (Velvet Caves).

So, we went to the wrong one. There are, in fact, TWO cave Christmas markets in Valkenburg, Holland. I was actually wondering, because the one I wanted to go to had been talked up in regard to their theme - Charles Dickens Christmas village. The one we went to had some Christmas trees and fake polar bears everywhere, and I was thinking, "How lame, this is not a great Charles Dickens theme" the entire time we were there. I mean, it was a nice market, but not as Christmas-y as I had been hoping for.

And, I had remembered seeing the castle ruins, but then got turned around and didn't think we were under the castle at all. And, we weren't.

I have to interject here that I love Holland. I really do. But, their language scares the heck out of me. Good thing that most speak English amazingly well. And, I love foreign languages! I'm pretty good at learning them! But, I can't decipher or understand a word that comes out of the mouth of a Dutch person, and I don't think I ever will. So, it's no small wonder that I got completely confused.

But, Valkenburg looked so great, that we are thinking about going back. To the OTHER cave Christmas market. And to walk around the town.

Just an FYI, though, if for some reason you are reading this and want to go to one of these things. Be prepared for crowds and pushy pushy people.

On the way home, we decided to stop in to the Nikolaus Markt in Geilenkirchen, as today was the last day. It was OK. It had more of a festival feel to it, and it was fun to be back at a German fest. It reminded me of my childhood - the little amusement park rides for children, the candy stalls, gluhwein, bratwurst. In the end, we decided to support the Canadian NATO booth and got caribou burgers and moose milk. Nothing says Germany like that, right?

My favorite purchases today were the pretty Advent wreath I bought in GK and the gorgeous Delftware (blue and white porcelain) ornaments I bought in Valkenburg. Good shopping today. Oh, and if you are a family member, you will be getting some sweet treats in your Christmas packages from the markets.

I love Christmas in Europe!