Salzburg Christmas Market

And our Bavarian Christmas holiday has begun!  The Salzburg Weihnachtsmarkt opened last night and since we had nothing on our calendar today (love retirement), we drove to Austria after breakfast.  Naturally, the first thing we did was have a warm glass of Prosecco punch.  Now this is how to take the edge off of holiday shopping.  Everyone around us was in a festive mood (they drank the Kool Aid too) and it seemed that this day was made especially for such an activity.  It was cold enough to feel like a winter holiday and sunny enough to be comfortable outdoors.  The smells of roasting chestnuts, grilling bratwursts, and simmering gluhwein filled the air while we moved from stall to stall filled with "pretty shiny things."  This is the first of many Christkind/Weihnachts/Advents markets that we will visit in the coming weeks and certainly by December 24th, I will protest if the opportunity to go one last time is presented.  But - for now... let the magic surround us!

Joni holding a lucky horseshoe.

Unlucky horses.

Pretty, shiny things!  I feel like a magpie!