Strasbourgers in the Alsace region of France claim that they are the “Christmas Capital” of Europe so as a good muslim I went there to check.

 

Well, they keep saying it everywhere:

 

It was a very cold day but thousands of poeple were swarming the streets of this beautiful Alsatian city:

 

walking up and down narrow streets,

 

They have no pity for their babies fighting the cold,

 

maybe because they drink this mulled wine called “Vin Chaud” (hot wine) or “Gluehwein” (in german): a concoction usually prepared from red wine, heated and spiced with cinnamon sticks, vanilla pods, cloves, citrus and sugar. They sell it in every other stand on the big Christmas market in Strasbourg:

 

I saw my first chocolate covered “strawberry  kababs”:

 

Strasbourg is home to one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Europe:

 

where Jesus’ birth will be celebrated this year with pomp and thousands of little ornaments made in Alsace (read China):

 

 

The market is not close to the big church but right at its feet with Santa Claus himself selling some of the stuff:

 

Here is Alsace in all its glory (albeit in miniature):

 

and colors,

 

with little chefs baking for the big birthday (Jesus’, remember?)

 

and big chefs of course making macaroons:

 

but for people with a weakness for great pastry I have a better treat:

 

The above are Christmas Buches but Christian Patisserie—that I discovered a couple of years ago on my first trip to Alsace—is known for its chocolate:

 

and anything related to it:

 

Chocolate not being on my repertoire much, I opted for the fabulous chestnut cream “Mont Blanc”:

 

I went to the cathedral where a thousand Santas were busy clicking away on their cameras,

 

and a thousand candles promised to fulfill wishes…

 

By the end of the day, I was one of the few without a red hat,

 

Alsace’s emblem is a stork—you see them everywhere:

 

 

I couldn’t resist buying my first real mistletoe:

 

and looking at the holly,

 

I went to see the Fine Arts Museum:

 

where I revisited “the beautiful woman from Strasbourg”:

 

and the fabulous dutch still life paintings and my favorite Kessel insects of course:

 

By the time I got out it was getting dark but the market was still hustling and bustling,

 

This whole trip almost made me forget Copenhagen’s climate summit, the American Health Bill disaster and the Swiss minarets…

Have a golden Christmas everybody!