These crumbling testaments to a bygone era are everywhere… and always a thrill to photograph. Elisabeth) sits directly beside a long-abandoned Communist hospital. ^^^Sights like these make for an interesting landscape: the infamous Blue Church (of St.
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Slovakia is now a free nation and is a part of the E.U., but the Communist influence remains. In 1993 the nation was split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia, with Bratislava becoming the capital of the latter. What lies under the surface is the otherworldly contrast that is seen between the grey Communist blocks and the playfully ornate art deco and Austro-Hungarian buildings outside of the tourist stomping grounds.Īn embarrassingly quick history of this gritty Eastern European capital: once a part of Czechoslovakia, the city of Bratislava was under the control of the USSR following WWII and it fell behind the iron curtain during the Cold War with the United States. This city is undoubtedly on the way to being named a “must-see” trendy European destination in the near future, and the charming old town will make many visitors feel like they’ve stepped directly into a fairy tale (we posted a few images here). ^^^The market becomes even more picturesque at night… maybe it’s just the Glühwein talking but I can’t wait for Christmas! Long live love! ^^^There is live Advent and Christmas music performed during the day to warm up the crowd for the evening… when Slayer takes the stage and performs songs from their upcoming Christmas album. ^^^We took a break for lunch at the neighboring Augustiner brewery… because so much holiday festivity really works up an appetite for vegetarian spätzle and beer! We spent the entire afternoon perusing the stalls and checking out the goods. ^^^The holiday spirit abounds at this magical marketplace, and we were delighted to see so many festive wares on display in the square. Make no mistake, Santa Claus is definitely coming to this town! Our most feverish holiday expectations were met with joyous Berliners occupying pristine stalls selling Glühwein (hot mulled wine), handmade ornaments, gourmet holiday treats, and everything Christmas and Hanukkah themed. We visited a few of the markets, and our favorite is the WeihnachtsZauber at the Gendarmenmarkt, located between the famous Konzerthaus and the French Cathedral. This city takes its holiday festivities very seriously, and there are a wide range of Christmas markets for every taste.
Berlin is one of the most culturally diverse and artistically relevant cities in the world and there is so much to say about this global capital, but we are gonna save all of that for later… because right now we need to focus on the Christmas markets!
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