“Man muss die Feste feiern wie sie fallen”. This reminder, one of my mom’s many hand-me-down German expressions, was reverberating in my mind as the cursor hovered over the “Buy tickets now” flag on my laptop screen.
It was not the first time I’d booked a Christmas Markets trip. In winter 2021, when Covid should have been no more than an unsettling memory, skyrocketing incidences of the virus shuttered the beloved annual holiday markets tradition for the second consecutive year. And now, the cursor seems to plead with me, it wants to get the job done. What use is a cursor, if not to click? But I was torn. If I proceed, will I be disappointed yet again? (and left with more annoying airline credits with increasingly ridiculous rules for use). Would the markets even be open? How would we fare at our rapid pace in a cold, wet environment where once vigilant maskers were now a thing of the past? Maybe this wasn’t the best idea.
Like with many German expressions, it’s hard to find an accurate translation into English. “Man muss die Feste feiern wie sie fallen” has to do with taking advantage of an opportunity when it arises, and there’s an implicit, you’ll regret it if you don’t. The chance may not reoccur. The “Feste” may not “fall” again. Click goes my cursor. Thanks, Mom.
In the 3 months leading up to our departure, I vowed not to obsess about Covid. Gone were my days of assiduously checking charts and graphs and statistics. In September, my Berlin friends (who happen to work at 2 different pharmaceutical companies) expressed grave concern about a scary new variant. They were stockpiling masks and testing kits. Ack! But by early November, my friend in the south of Germany shared a positive update; incidences were nowhere near the levels previously anticipated. In fact, Covid was not in the news at all. This, I had also noticed while listening to German radio. Everyone was now focused on profound inflation, gas shortages, and the war in the Ukraine, just “over there.” Covid had actually been eclipsed by something even more urgent and hard-hitting.
Gabi and I flew to Munich the day after Thanksgiving. Convenient, as we celebrated the holiday on the east coast with family. “Hey, we’re already almost half-way there”, I pointed out to my eyeball-rolling husband.
The tension resulting from an ominous start (5 hour delay for multiple reasons including flight communications technology issues and the behavior of fellow passengers) dissipated pretty quickly upon landing, seeing the mouthwatering array of baked goods EVEN at the airport, and heading straight to drop our (half-empty, waiting for new treasures) suitcases and join the melee on Marienplatz. If you’ve been to Munich, you’ve been to Marienplatz. It’s the square with the fairytale town hall and Glockenspiel (bell tower) dancing figurines who perform on the hour, one full cycle around. The air was brisk, the sky threatened rain, but the crowd on the plaza was thoroughly enjoying themselves. Cold and drizzle had nothing on fresh grilled sausages, giant fried potato pancakes, figure 8 pretzels, and hot mulled wine. Which made us realize we were hungry!
So off to Dallmayr we went. Dallmayr, strategically located a few blocks from Marienplatz, is a café, a restaurant, a deli and a gourmet food and beverage emporium which has been satisfying hungry, thirsty and caffeine-deficient guests in style since 1870. But even that was nearly 2 centuries after its original role as a central grocery.
My first thought, as we pushed open the doors to this venerable establishment, was “everything is going to be just fine!” Up the staircase we went, every step taking us closer to a delicious meal and great coffee. Yes, there was a long queue. No, we didn’t mind; fewer than 24 hours earlier we had eaten leftover pumpkin pie for breakfast in Maryland and here we were immersed in Bavarian tradition and cuisine. The transformation that can happen while sitting on an airplane never ceases to please and amaze me.
Lunch did not disappoint. We shared a bowl of steaming hot Carrot Ginger Soup (bolstered by a basket of freshly baked bread) and a generous plate of Pumpkin Ravioli.
Since we were officially inaugurating our training for future cold weather-defying meals, we did not turn our backs on an Apricot Streusel Kuchen accompanied by smooth, rich Dallmayr cappuccinos.
Thus fortified we headed back out into the streets to negotiate the festively-decorated wooden huts. We ogled the stalls on the Marienplatz and Kaufingerstrasse (the main pedestrian artery that runs through the center of town) as well as on one of my favorite spots, the Viktualienmarkt. From the Latin “victuals”, this was the main food market for Müncheners since the 1800’s when King Maximilian I had it moved from the Marienplatz to a much larger location (shamelessly tearing down a church or three to make room. His priorities were apparent.)
The Viktualienmarkt, open all year, offers an incredible array of fresh produce, meats, cheeses, grilled wurst, but also some crafts and the iconic Bavarian hanging “adornments” with painted wood, ribbons, bells, and flora. Given the holiday season, several booths had transformed to tempt us with an impressive array of Stollen, holiday plants, and reindeer, star, and snowflake ornaments. But as this was merely Day 1 of our 10 day adventure, we were moderate in our purchases. Who knew what treasures lay ahead?
Stay tuned to learn the answer to this question.
Munich
The best thing I bought ““ discovered on our first afternoon, this “adornment” is very typical and means “with love”. We never saw them again. It was gifted with great love (!) to my daughter aka Christmas market sidekick in all things pastry and hot chocolate.
The best thing I ate ““ dinner our first night in Munich was at a vegetarian-forward restaurant called Prinz Myshkin, close to the main shopping drag and our hotel. Our choice for dessert was a Johannisbeer Baiser, which is a decidedly adult cake. Something magical happens when tart red currants meet airy meringue and the whole delicious contraption is installed on a light, crispy crust.
The best thing I saw ““ well, let’s be honest, the best thing I saw was pretty much everything at Dallmayr’s shop. And the first sight of the sprawl of wooden huts on the Marienplatz. But this tree, hidden in a little courtyard off a passageway, warmed my heart.
What to buy in Munich ““ coffee, tea and other comestibles at Dallmayr. Adornments with painted wooden shapes, foliage, and ribbons. Pomander ornaments shaped like stars and hearts that tantalize your nose with the sweet fragrance of cinnamon and clove and allspice.