Dreidel, spin, spin, spin

Here is a photo from the Philadelphia International Airport and my trip home:
Only in Philly would we have giant dreidels adorning the baggage claim areas. It was equal holiday opportunity; the general stack of presents that you also see here in the photo represented the non-religious sect, and there were plenty of Xmas trees all around so all items balanced each other out, rather than the foolishness that occurred at Sea-Tac.

Did you know that the Yiddish word "dreidel" comes from the German word "drehen" (to turn)? Children play a game whereby they put something such as candy or tokens into a pot and then they take turns spinning the dreidel and depending on what side the dreidel lands facing upward then they win or lose the round until ultimately one child wins the entire pot.

In case you're curious, the side facing us is the 'Gimel', meaning all. If you get that side facing up then you win the entire pot. However, here then the side facing up for this round is the 'Nun' which means nothing, and if you get this one you neither gain nor lose, and the turn moves on to the next player.

Is it only me who sees the irony that the non-spinning dreidel here is surrounded by a spinning baggage belt?

Number 7: Dortmund

The weekend before this past weekend was both Hagen and Dortmund. Ok, ok I'm a little behind in the writing. Dortmund is a large German city with much to see. Unfortunately it was way to crowded and wet to really enjoy the Xmas market.

Upon exiting the train station you see a giant, like two stories tall Santa. Next to him is a Rhino statue dressed up like Santa. These Rhinos were all over the city with various costumes.













First the usual:
A bell started to clang and a light show started on the side of a shopping center. All conversation ceases as everyone watches the light up Santa in his sleigh scross across the building. It ends in an advert.
Then the rain starts to come and we scurry like rats under the nearest store awning. Oh the Xmas spirit!






Apparently this is the part of the light show where they release fake smoke, similar to what one would experience in a nightclub at 2 AM, rather than on an ultra crowded, Xmas market walkway.
So now we're damp rats sqaushed together and barely able to see each other due to the fake smoke.
Time to get the heck out of dodge.



A photo from inside the train station, and while waiting for the 5 min late train back in the direction Cologne.



















After dark around 2 AM coming into Cologne.













Inside the Cologne main train station they are doing an exhibit showing Cologne at the end of the war. Since the train station was dead empty at this time, some photos.

Number 6: Hagen

In the search for more Christmas market magic, a new one was added this year to the visiting list: Hagen. Primarily Hagen was added because it was on the way to Dortmund and we had to switch trains there so we made a stop for their CM. It was an unknown since there wasn't much from them online about their market.

First, I took the bus from the tiny town of B. where I live to the local train station. I had written down the ticket that I want, but the bus driver could not figure out how to make it happen from his machine so he told me to buy my ticket from wherever I was going to next.

After some minutes of clicking buttons on the machine at the Deutschebahn station, I was able to find it. Why didn't I go to the train office and buy from a person? They closed the info office at the station and turned it into a coffe shop. So to get a ticket from a person requires a 5 min walk over to the local public tranport office next to the main bus station which closed three minutes before I got there. Now, since I have a day ticket, let's get on the train.

Here is the view from inside the Hagen station. The station is from 1848. It is at the bottom of a region in Germany that was/is known for being industrial.









After walking 10 minutes from the station in the direction of the centrum, we found it. It is in the Volkspark.










Here is a monument that is at the entrance to the park on Karl Marx street.

















Here is part of the afternoon performance line-up, a Gospel choir. They were very peppy and enthusiastic. The interesting part is that all of their songs were in English.









This is the first CM I have seen with live horses.












Here is the audience enjoying the gospel group.












A tree decked out in its very finest.

The usual stalls of ornaments were present, along with others such as multiple fruit selling stalls, and the clothing stalls, including one that specialized in stretch pants. Oh the spirit.

Yet another gluehwein stall that I skipped.












Ye Olde Ferris Wheel. I took the opportunity to see Hagen at dusk.

















Not such a bad view, although it seemed mighty small from up there.











No, I did not notice the McDonald's at the time. They also had a Subway too.











Here it is after dark. The market started to get crowded then, so I took break for a baked potato.










Since there was still Dortmund to see, another monument shot before we go, this one in front of the train station. Next blog, the rest of the adventure in Dortmund.