Looking Back: Christmas Market Season

Lights, Food, and Festive Frivolity

Hello, Bura, my old friend,
You’re gusting at us once again,
And the chilly air of winter
Is becoming cold and bitter,
And the windchill can never be ignored
Or outperformed
On the Croatian coastline.

If you read that little poem to the melody of The Sound of Silence, well done. I wrote this little lyric in my head while walking out in the Bura (also Bora) wind recently, and it tickled me enough to record it on my phone so I wouldn’t forget it. Why this melody? Because I said out loud to myself, “hello, Bura, my old friend” and instantly thought of that song, which prompted the subsequent lines.

So yes. It is still winter and the Bura winds have hit hard a few times. Today is a rainy day in February, so I’m thinking back fondly on my time going to the Christmas markets Zagreb and Trieste (Italy), when the weather was nicer, so scroll on for my Christmas market photo odyssey.

First, Medulin’s parish church, center, and promenade were all lit up and fancy-looking:

Advent candles at the church; lights in the old town; decorations along the water.

Zagreb was gorgeous, it’s large old town lit up each evening, and boasting several markets. Most of the stalls sold food, so I got to try several new things.

Sampling of the lights in Zagreb.

Fun Christmas market food!! A mix of Croatian and Austrian goodies.

Finally, I got to Italy for the first time in my life! I caught a ride with a few other expats to Trieste, where we enjoyed checking out two of the markets there before evening (and rain) fell.

Trieste's markets had more trinkets and crafts than foods, making it quite distinct from Zagreb's.

I hope you enjoyed the photos. I enjoyed the markets where I took them! :)