Frosty with a touch of snow

The temperature in Cologne is struggling to get over freezing point this December night yet the Christmas Market near Cologne Cathedral is packed with children and adults.

The grown-ups are queuing up for a glass of Gluehwein – the spicy mulled warm wine that comes both with alcohol and without. The fruity drink, rich in berries, tastes almost the same to me despite the difference in alcohol levels. And alcohol content aside, the Gluehwein is warming, perfect for the traditional German cold.

Rosy-cheeked kids are jostling each other at the toy booths erected specifically for this seasonal selling period while the adults, glasses in hand, keep a watchful eye and simultaneously check out the hot food. Pizza and sausages abound and I eventually settle on barbecued pork on a skewer, tucking into the hot and tender meat as I take a seat, occasionally shivering as the wind sends another icy blast into my face.

Located just metres from the central railway station, the night market at Cathedral market is the centre of attention every winter. Yet Cologne, which is home to about 1 million people, boasts six other night markets this year according to the map handed out by the city’s hotels.

Residents and visitors flock to the markets to cherish the local flavour. Aside from local food, you can enjoy local products – mostly small home decorative products. The vendors are in a festive mood too, happy to pose for photos though probably happier when you snap up their products.

The markets, which run from November through December 23, fit well with the Christmas spirit exhibited by the town. Restaurants are lit with green and red decorative lights with glittering stars hanging alongside. On the streets, people are clad in warm coats, caps and gloves ready to face the chill. Rain is forecast followed by snow, but no one seems to care.

“Have you been to the Christmas market?” I overhear a ground officer at Dusseldorft airport asking a Finnair flight attendant as I prepare to fly back to the warm..

“Do you have a Christmas market like this in Finland?”

She shakes her head and it dawns on me that if the market in Germany can be painfully cold in December, one in Finland would be intolerable.

Yet they are fun, especially if you have an hour to spare and want to pick up some unusual gifts for the folks back home.

Just remember to wrap up warm. For people from tropical countries, despite the good food and the warm wine, it’s way too cold.