While Oktoberfest is undoubtedly Germany's international claim to fame, the country also takes particular pride in Christmas. The most communal symbol of Christmas in Germany is the Christmas Market, or Weihnachtsmarkt, that is erected in the town square just after the first Sunday in Advent. And of all the Weihnachtsmarkt in Germany, the most celebrated is Munich's Marienplatz Christkindlesmarkt. Rows of wooden stalls line the square displaying toys, tinsel and bratwurst. How lucky for me, then, that on my way to visit my parents in Alsace, that I had a 6 hour layover in Munich!

Either the S1 or S8 trains whisked me right from the airport to the Marienplatz S-Bahn station in a matter of 45 minutes. I bought an all-day pass from the machine for €11,60 that would cover all my movements for the day, including a return to the airport for my 2PM flight. The lights, sounds and smells of the Marienplatz Weihnachtsmarkt are all authentic: church bells ring happily on the hour, a small choir chants merrily from one corner of the square, and the tantalizing smell of roasting bratwursts wafts through the air. As it was a tad chilly, I pulled my jacket collar up around my neck and perused the stocking stuffers. The bargains were few and far between -- this is the eurozone, afterall. Many of the Germans were grasping mugs of Gluhwein (literally "glow wine"), a hot, sugary red wine spiced with cinammon and cloves (€2). Not wanting to be left out of the crowd, I ordered a fresh bratwurst on toast (€3) spread with hot mustard.

There is, of course, more to Munich than just the Christmas market. If you don't happen to come here during the winter, you'll find the city has some of Europe's finest museums and picturesque neighborhoods. But those are a subject of another NakedSky entry. For now, back to shopping!