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 | Vienna X-mas / Weihnachten Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 17 |  |
 | |  |  | X-mas / Weihnachten: WHAT BAD BOYS AND GIRLS GET FOR CHRISTMAS! | Tip Rating:   |  |  | |  |
Yes, I know some of you will be terribly disappointed to read that this is bit of genuine cultural info rather than an advert for fetish shops but it really is rather interesting! For if you travel to Vienna during the Advent season you will see amazed to see shop windows full of Father Christmas's and, 'er, devils! Fear not though, for these are simply chocolate/sugar/china/glass representations of the same chap - Krampus, devilish associate of St Nicholas and the berator of bad boys and girls. On St Nikolaus Day (Dec 6th), Nicholas (or dad dressed up) visits Viennese households to find out what the children have been up to over the past year. Good chaps and chapesses are duly rewarded with fruit, nuts and other small treats whilst the others get a jolly good talking to! Well actually, Krampus is almost always depicted carrying a rather hefty broom which I doubt he's going to use for sweeping up. So be warned you blighters! Oh, and if you come to Vienna after the 6th December, all signs of him will have deftly disappeared from view. So pop over around the last week of November and you'll see him and the major Christmas markets. However, be warned that if you see figures dressed as Krampus wandering the streets of the city bearing birches, you might want to stroll swiftly in the other direction lest you end up sampling a whack or two. Of course, some might find that an added attraction...'er, but let's not dwell on it! Leave a Comment
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| | | | X-mas / Weihnachten: Gluwein | Tip Rating: | | | | |
Pronounced "Glue wine", or something close to that, this drink was my favorite beverage of Europe. Its basically hot, spiced wine, with a little brandy thrown in to boot. Served from big wooden barrels or large metal vats, around town during the cold weather, it defined my time in Vienna, along with the Christmas Market. It is extremely tasty, and warms you up quickly. Here is a recipe I found from the net: Ingredients: 4 qts. dry red wine (such as zinfandel, pinot, burgundy, etc.) 1 qt. dry white wine 1 pt. Marc (or heavy brandy) 1 c. white sugar (more to taste) 6 sticks cinnamon 12 whole cloves 1/8 tsp. allspice 1/8 tsp. mace 2 oranges 1 lemon Directions: Pour 6 ounces red wine from the first bottle into an appropriate glass for later quality control checks. This may need to be repeated from another bottle, at the cook's discretion. Pour the remaining wine from the first bottle into a 3 gallon pot (or larger) and begin gentle heating. As it begins to warm, add sugar and spices. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add Marc (or brandy) and all remaining wine. (Note: if there are too many quality control checks, it is frequently necessary to purchase more wine.) Heat thoroughly but do not allow to boil! Add thinly sliced lemon and 1 orange and allow mix to steep for about 1 hour over low heat. Add more sugar during this time if desired, but do it slowly and ensure it dissolves. Frequent samples are usually required during this time, again for the sake of quality control. Serve hot and garnish with orange slices. A stick cinnamon could also be used. Serve about 12-15 folks, or two quality control inspectors. Leave a Comment
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| | | | X-mas / Weihnachten: Christkindlmärkte | Tip Rating: | | | | |
In the six weeks leading up to Christmas, Vienna and many other towns and cities have a Christkindlmarkt - an Advent Market. They sell a lot of traditional products - such as wooden toys, christmas decorations, sweets and cakes, as well as hand-crafted ornaments and nick-nacks. There are always stands to get food and drink - usually you pay a cover charge for a mug when you buy Punsch or mulled wine and can then walk around the Christmas market with your warm (potent alcoholic) drink in your hand, and enjoy the atmosphere. For younger visitors there are often fairground style-carousels, and there are various such markets all around the city. In city, the main ones are usually at: The Rathaus (the biggest one), the Altes AKH complex, The Freyung, Karlsplatz / Resselpark, Schönbrunn and in the Spittelberg area. The link is for the Rathausplatz Christkindlmarkt Leave a Comment Website: www.christkindlmarkt.at
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| | | | X-mas / Weihnachten: Wiener Christkindlmarkt - Rathauspark | Tip Rating:  | | | | |
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on July 10, 2005
Vienna
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on January 26, 2003
