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Aachen

Aachen two days before Christmas 2014: Gluhwein by the Rathaus, gingerbread hearts on the Katschhof, and a bratwurst that outgrew its baguette.

Two days before Christmas 2014 we gave ourselves to the Aachen Christmas market, the one that wraps around the Rathaus and spills across the Katschhof. It was grey, damp and completely wonderful.

Dileep in a duffle coat holding a long bratwurst in a short baguette, wooden market chalets and the gothic Aachen Rathaus behind
The Rathaus looming over the chalets, and a bratwurst working with a baguette half its length. December 2014.
Christmas market sweet stall hung with rows of decorated gingerbread hearts, with popcorn and candied nuts on the counter below
Gingerbread hearts by the metre and candied almonds at 4.50 the big bag. The banner promises everything fresh over the counter, and the counter delivers.
Dileep smiling under a garlanded market walkway with a Ratskeller Aachen mug of Gluhwein, stalls and the old town behind
Gluhwein in the official Ratskeller Aachen mug. The red sign behind points to the toilet wagon on the Katschhof: a well-run operation.
Inga in a white winter coat holding a green Aachen mug topped with whipped cream at the Hexenhof stall, a menu of Gluhwein variants behind
The Hexenhof list runs from Gluhwein with Amaretto to Eierpunsch. Inga's pick arrived wearing a hat of whipped cream.

We drank our deposits, kept the mugs in our hearts if not our bags, and wandered the stalls until the lights came on. Aachen in the last days before Christmas is exactly what the postcards claim.