First visit to Austria through Graz and its Advent market!

I've only dreamed of going to Austria since I was 12 or so, not that long really... ;o) So I was extra excited when a work meeting got organized in the city of Graz in Austria and I realized I'd finally get to make that trip! Not much time to visit (too much work, needed back at the office), but at least I'd get a glimpse of Graz (plus a day in Vienna!).

Adventmaerkte in front of Graz City Hall

2 full work days in Graz, and all I was able to visit was the Adventmaerkte (Advent Market) in front of City Hall on our way out to dinner one night! But that's ok, it was a nice long walk to get to it from our hotel, and another walk to our dinner spot... enough for me to see that Graz is a city worth visiting at some future point (corroborated by photos shared by a colleague who arrived a day before and got to spend it visiting properly).



Like all markets, there's plenty to enjoy for visitors of all ages: games for the kids, drinks and food for all, and a very festive ambiance!

Kids can ride the carousel while their parents have a drink nearby

Plenty of groups hanging out... like ours!

Feuerzangenbowle anyone?

Care to take a mug home? ;o)

Pröst!

There were also plenty of stands to buy gifts, decorations etc... but I didn't have time to look into them. One of my colleagues got a gorgeous glass globe though!

In any case, I was plenty excited just to enjoy the festive ambiance, drink a glühwein and hang out with my fun colleagues from Austria, England, Ukraine (well, she works with me in Spain), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Fabulous friends made through work in Central Asia!

And I loved the very original Advent Wreath near the entrance of City Hall:

It's not as obvious on the photo (and in this light), but each of those columns in the circular structure represents a candle on the Advent Wreath. A candle made of light as each column is filled with candles!


Short but sweet visit, and a great way to start with the Christmas Market visits for me!






Here's my mug now at home, hoping to get plenty of use during many Christmas seasons to come. :o)

Well, I finally managed to get my first Christmas Market post out... On New Year's Eve!!! Good thing the Christmas season in Spain lasts until Epiphany on the 6th of January, the other posts will still feel "in season", too me at least! ;o)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!