In anticipation of the holiday…
I have long dreamed of getting into the atmosphere of pre-Christmas Europe! Feel the real magic of this holiday, plunge headlong into the general expectation of a miracle.
Why European Christmas? I envy Catholics! ! ! ! ! It is difficult to attribute our Christmas to an independent holiday after abundant New Year's feasts and celebrations, especially to expect miracles from it… Santa Claus has already performed all the miracles and distributed all the gifts.
And I just wanted a state of anticipation, a premonition of the holiday… And my little miracle happened! True, I wanted to go on tour, but the band was not recruited there, so "we have what we have")))
I share my emotions, charge the pre-holiday mood and categorically state - dreams come true and miracles happen at every step! Even if December is more like early spring.
Tour "On the eve of the holiday з" from 16.12. 2011 - 20.12.
2011, operator Accord tour, head Victor Gorodnichy, bus Neoplan, flight 114, tourists from all over Ukraine, the majority on the positive, etc. Movements are long, but I was ready for it and why so long did not eat))))
- Vovochka, what time of year do we have?
- Summer, Marie Ivanovna.
- Vovochko, what summer? ! ! Look out the window, it's snowing, children are sledding ...
- That's it, Marie Ivanovna, chronological summer ...
I don't know who, but this year I saw snow either in pictures or in the form of dirt underfoot… The weather forecast for Europe was not happy either, it promised rain and a stable +5, but I wanted to believe in a miracle…
Lviv. Railway station. Bus. We sit down in places. Let's meet. We eat. Rain and fog outside the window. Border. The road again. According to the plan, Budapest, but everyone understands that we will arrive late.
Part of the bus is trying to revolt - let's drive past Budapest and go straight to the hotel.
Thanks to the leader of the group who did not succumb to provocations, and we went to Budapest.
It rains. Shower. No, foundry! ! ! ! ! Budapest is empty, illuminated by car headlights and lights of various garlands. Every year in Europe, the most beautifully decorated city is chosen for the Christmas holidays. And who would you think is competing? Budapest with Paris. I don't know how it was in Paris, it wasn't in the winter, but Budapest is amazing! Garlands on trees, poles, houses, shop windows, lights and festive lighting everywhere - everything shines and shimmers, intensifying many times in the reflection of puddles and raindrops.
I understand that I don't want to walk around the city in the rain, so I go on a boat with the group to drink champagne and look at the city from the Danube. Nuuuuu. Champagne was drunk ...
The champagne was delicious ...
Therefore, there are almost no photos of Budapest at night))) Plus, driving under seven bridges, you need to make a wish - raising your hands and holding your breath)))) And so, as they say in Odessa, wishes made for champagne began to come true - personally tested ! ! Now you can go to Budapest if you want! ! ! !!
Hotel. We still have time to share our impressions with the neighbor. We start the alarm clock and go to sleep.
Day 2. Departure late. Therefore, we have a bonus morning tour of the Hungarian city of Gyor with visits to local fairs. Everything that is not done - all for the better))) The town is small but interesting. The central streets are decorated with tents selling delicacies for the Christmas table and Christmas decorations, and in the central square Mikulas on deer (Hungarian Santa Claus), a Christmas tree, a nativity scene and a huge wreath of candles.
Advent is the four Sundays before Christmas, during which believers prepare for the feast. Traditionally, the shape of the Christmas wreath is round, four candles are placed on the wreath - three purple and one pink, which corresponds to the liturgical colors - are symbols of repentance and joy of birth. One candle is lit every Sunday to burn all four before Christmas.
Road. Alps. Green grass. Snow is visible high in the mountains. Cloudy. But the Christmas mood has already seeped into the blood and scattered throughout the body, so everything is happy)))
Salzburg. The only city on tour I haven't been to before. So I go on a sightseeing tour, I enjoy listening to the guide and meandering along with all the narrow streets. The smell of mulled wine wafts in the air, fairs attract with bright lights, the Hohensalzburg fortress impresses with its power ...It's snowing! ! ! !!
White, fluffy, flaky ...Slowly spinning in his holiday dance ...Miracle ...
While still at home, I read that climbing the funicular is possible until 17:00 and it costs about 10 euros with a tour of the fortress. Thoughts resigned that no one goes up. Because I don't invest in time. But it's Christmas! ! ! ! ! And miracles happen at every turn. The funicular worked. The ascent and descent cost 3.80 euros.
Evening Salzburg. The view from the fortress is such that you freeze in a semi-meditative state and realize - you do not want to go anywhere. The small lights of lanterns, intertwined with the lights of fairs, paint one big picture of the night city… Amazing view! The whole city is at your feet ...There are almost no people around. We drink mulled wine. A happy smile does not leave the same happily enthusiastic face. Everyone around is smiling. Maybe they add something to the air? ! ! How else to explain this general atmosphere of the holiday?
We go down to the city.
It is already noisy and crowded. The air is imbued with a Christmas mood.
Locals are concentrated around tents with food and wine. They are talking. We also drink our favorite mulled wine (or rather gluvine). It is poured into 0.2 liter ceramic cups with thick walls so that it does not cool down in the fresh air. In addition to traditional ingredients - wine, sugar and spices - cognac, rum and various herbal infusions can be added to gluvine if desired. The system with cups turned out to be interesting - the wine costs 2-3 euros and 3 more are taken as collateral for a mug. I drank - I liked the cup - take it away. If you don't want to, you give it back and get your money back. Now I have at home a collection of cups from different fairs)))
Somewhere in the air sounds the most famous Christmas song "Silent Night, Holy Night" (the author of the text - Joseph Moore was born in Salzburg). In time with the music, snowflakes whirl in their short dance.
The state of joy and happiness, enhanced by wine))), does not leave for a second.
Road. Hotel. I fall asleep with a happy smile on my face.
Maybe their air should be brought to us and sprayed on the streets? To make our people a little happier….
Snow swirls with fluff,
White measures sewing.
Every year the following happens:
Holiday! Snow! Winter! Christmas.
Ivan Franko
Munich. One of my favorite cities. Electives did not gather at Neuschwanstein Castle, so the whole day was allotted to the city. While the group goes on a sightseeing tour, I enjoy walking around the city in the morning. In the obligatory program - to rub lions' noses near the Residence - good luck)))
Cloudy. An ice rink was flooded in Karlsplatz. Both adults and children ride… Saint Nicholas walks the streets with two angels - everyone can hug the Saint and make the most secret wish. Kids flatten their noses about shop windows with toys.
You can wander for hours between festively decorated tents, full of souvenirs, decorations, Christmas gifts and products.
The body, smelling gluvain in the air, immediately began to demand the continuation of the feast)))
I meet my group in the Town Hall - the tour ends. It's snowing. We hide under the roof of the Town Hall. It's not just snowing anymore. He falls. Snow wall. In a few minutes the whole area is covered with snow, and he keeps going… Winter shows who is the master of the house))) Holding your head as if enchanted, we observe natural wonders… And a minute ago nothing foretold snowfall… A real Christmas miracle! !!
We walk, drink beer and eat the famous white sausages in the Hofbrä uhaus (legs, somehow remembering the road there do not want to turn into another beer hall), again walk the fairs, drink gluvine, buy gifts… Around the wonderful atmosphere of good and holiday . Easy and fun. Lights. Smiles.
It's snowing again. A state of absolute inner harmony. A real premonition of the holiday. Christmas fairy tale.
Road. Hotel.
I get used to falling asleep and waking up with a happy happy expression))))
Day 4. Vienna. St. Nicholas Day. I must have been a "very tender girl" once I received such a fabulous gift in the form of a trip. The main thing, rejecting the adult "it is impossible", to believe in a miracle.
Beauty and darling Vienna. I even love her air. Not to mention the architecture, people and coffee))) In stores, sales and queues. And in front of the Town Hall - one of the most famous Christmas fairs - Wiener Christkindl Markt.
The Vienna Fair has a history of almost 700 years. As far back as 1296, with the permission of Emperor Albrecht I, the "December Bazaar" was opened - or the first Christmas market.
And now every year from mid-November until Christmas, for four weeks, the decorated Town Hall and numerous tents with roasted chestnuts and potatoes, punch and numerous souvenirs attract locals and many tourists to the Town Hall Square.
And how everything is decorated!
The Illumination of Vienna is a separate fairy tale. Everything in the lights and garlands. The trees around the Town Hall are hung with huge snowmen, hearts, balloons and glowing angels. And the center of Vienna! Huge chandeliers made of garlands illuminate Graben. Colmarkt is so densely hung with lights that it seems to be another Christmas miracle, when all the stars became a little closer and went down to illuminate the city with their light.
A free organ music concert is held daily at 3 pm in the Peterskirche. I read about it for a long time, but it didn't work out. And then I passed by, looked at my watch - five minutes to start. A little miracle ...
Went inside. The church is slowly being filled with people. Everyone is seated. Music sounds. Have you heard the organ in Catholic cathedrals? When the sound is not around, it is somewhere inside you… Multiply this by the state of the Christmas miracle… And get the state of absolute joy…
Packages, bags, packages - all loaded on the bus.
Night transfer. Border. Morning Carpathians. Already in the snow. The Christmas miracle got here too.
Day 5. Lviv. We prolong the festive mood. We walk around the city all day. We went to Shevchenkivska grove. This is a museum of folk architecture and life in the open air. Everything is covered with snow. Huts. Mills. Churches. There are almost no people. Calmly so. Beautiful. We wander. We consider. We take photos.
And then back to the city. Top. Coffee "Light". In anticipation of fate - a recommendation to start the morning with the weather forecast))) Fair in front of the Opera House. Saint Nicholas listens to wishes under the Christmas tree.
Yeah, and I got on my knees before him. I want something a lot! ! ! ! ! ))) Hot chocolate in the confectionery. Railway station. Train. Healthy sleep.
What is the magic of Christmas? I ask myself these questions and do not find an unambiguous answer… Maybe it is that we, adults, become a little children and begin to believe in miracles. Skepticism and cynicism are melting, giving way to joy and love.
I want to give, give and wait for surprises. And it doesn't matter how old you are. It is important that each of us has a magic wand in his pocket. And we are all little magicians. Just forgot about it…
