Budapest Christmas Fair

All along our River Danube cruise route the Christmas Markets have been setting up – lots of nailing and banging as the stalls are erected and decorated with fir branches and lights, it’s been like watching Santa’s elves preparing for Christmas with the help of electric drills and the occasional fork lift truck.

The market here in Budapest is the best I’ve been to – alive and rumbustious.  There’s a touch of the medieval about it with the smell of grilling meat, spicy foods and Christmas delicacies roasting over hot coals (we indulged in  a Kürtős kalács – a sweet dough that is wrapped around a wooden cylinder, roasted and rolled in walnut, sugar, coconut or chocolate).  Then there’s the mulled wine and also a warm cider like drink flavoured with honey and cinnamon, just the thing to cup in your hands wandering around the craft stalls to the sound of traditional Hungarian folk music.  Many genuine craft goods on offer here – wonderful felt hats, leather goods, jewelry (glass work is popular), candles,  musical woodwind instruments, wooden toys …… and, of course, charming Christmas decorations.  I loved the cheeky ceramic angels.

So, book a flight and come with your bag empty.