Christmas Markets: Maastricht and Koln

I had planned on finishing the Christmas market series with Aachen... but then I felt bad for these two orphaned markets! I can't write an individual post about each because I have very few photos of them, don't remember the one in Köln (or Cologne) very well, and well, the Maastricht one isn't really worth writing home about! But then I figured I might as well wrap things up, and if I ever get back to Köln someday in a month of December then I'll just write another more complete post. ;o)

Let's start with the Köln Christmas Market, of which in fact there are at least 7 (4 big ones) in different spots around the city! Both times I went, in 2000 and 2005 (these photos, can't find the prints from 2000, must be in a box still!)

Glühwein mugs from Köln's Christmas Market

Christmas Markets: Wilkommen auf den Aachener WeihnachtsMarkt!

So I started out this series with two Belgian Christmas Markets as those were the ones closest to me when I lived there, but now it's time to visit my favourite of them all (well, of those I've visited!): the Christmas Market in Charlemagne's old capital city: Aachen - Aix La Chapelle - Aquisgrán (pick your language!).

Aachen is less than an hour's train ride from Liège, and I think I've been at least 4 or 5 times (to the Christmas Market, plus a couple more trips in the Spring)! Let me check my cupboard to be sure (you'll find out why about the cupboard later).
The cupboard says I've been there 4 times for the Christmas Market.

 It's an easy walk from the train station to the Christmas Market area... it's only about 10-15' following the signs for the "Dom" (Cathedral), or you could just go with the flow! Litterally. Just follow the rest of the people coming out of the train station... I can pretty much guarantee you that on a December morning most of them are there for the same reason you are! They're all going here:

Welcome to Aachen's Christmas Market!