資料來源：http://chinapost.com.tw/guidepost/topics/default.asp?id=3132&pre=1&sub=6
Outside the train window, bare tree branches had a coating of ice. Fields were ankle-deep in snow. Now and then, birds of prey could be seen circling in the sky. As the train stopped in villages to take on passengers, the chill of late December would follow them into the train carriage.
The cold weather and snow may seem bothersome, but it's all part of the Christmas spirit — something that you will find in abundance in Germany. The European nation is the world's top destination for Christmas markets.
For those unfamiliar with the idea, Christmas markets are exactly what they sound like — outdoor bazaars selling all manner of Christmas gifts, treats and ornaments. Germany has around 2,500 of these markets scattered across the country, attracting an estimated 160 million visitors a year.
Christmas markets offer shoppers an overload of holiday spirit, but most of the goods on display don't come cheap. Only a few time-honored market items can be bought for less than US$10 (approximately NT$290): things like small beeswax candles, tree ornaments made of straw and the traditional prune men — dolls made of fig bodies with prunes for arms and legs and walnuts for heads.
The markets' goods are generally of the highest quality and quite expensive. For example, a traditional hand-painted nutcracker doll is likely to cost at least US$70 (approximately NT$2,050). The food and snacks, however, are both delicious and reasonably priced. A delightful serving of three potato pancakes with applesauce usually costs only US$4 (approximately NT$120).
All of the shopping and eating is best done in the evenings, from last light until 8:30 or 9 p.m., when you get the full effect of the Christmas lights and the festive atmosphere of local Germans who stop by after work. Check out our introduction to some of Germany's best Christmas markets.
ROTHENBURG OB DER TAUBER
European villages don't get any quainter than Rothenburg. Cobblestone lanes, medieval walls, towers and half-timbered houses make tiny Rothenburg the perfect place for a Christmas market. Pass through the gates to the old city and you enter a snow-globe world of jolly scenes and gorgeous lights.
The market here, called the Reiterlesmarkt, is small, filling only the narrow alleyway behind the town hall. That in no way means it's unpopular, though. In the evenings, men, women and children, umbrellas open against the snow and baby strollers in tow, all press together tightly as they take in the festive atmosphere.
The larger market square is reserved for a giant Christmas tree, with lots of room for people to gather for walking tours, such as those led by the medieval-era night watchman on his nightly English-speaking lantern route past houses that have stood since at least the 1500s.
Rothenburg is also home to the German Christmas Museum, which contains historic Father Christmas figures and ornaments galore. And no Rothenburg Christmas would be complete without making a mess while trying to eat a schneeball, or snowball, a softball-sized confection made from strips of sweetened dough formed into a ball then fried and covered with powdered sugar, cinnamon or chocolate. They are without doubt Germany's most delectable seasonal snack.
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