After two months of non-stop traveling, we take refuge in Ginestas, a sleepy little village in the Languedoc region of Southwestern France. We rent a car and day-trip to nearby towns, castles, museums, restaurants – and even to the mountain principality of Andorra. Typical of many French villages, Ginestas seems to sleep all day, excepting the midday lunch break and early morning arrival of the mobile grocers. The mobile baker graces Ginestas with his presence everyday. Pay careful attention to the weekly calendar, though. Otherwise you’ll miss a visit from the horse butcher, smoked meats and cheese man, fishmonger, poultry butcher, and patissier (for pastries) - each dropping by for an hour or two on his scheduled day. We enjoy observing their daily ritual and adopting their pace of life, albeit for a short period of time.
The focal point of the Striezelmarkt is its Christmas pyramid, the largest in the world at approximately 45 feet tall. Read more about European Christmas Markets and Reflections on Dresden's Christmas Market.
Not all nutcrackers are meant for guard duty. Here's a nutcracker of a different stripe, the cook. Read more about European Christmas Markets and Reflections on Dresden's Christmas Market.
