Who are these people? 
And what are we doing driving on snow-covered roads somewhere in Europe?
Well, we were heading for Trierer Weihnachts Markt, otherwise known as the Trier Christmas Market. And 'we' consisted of two Canadians, an American, a Belgian, a Kiwi, and Caesar, the very large Canadian St Bernard (who came on security detail).
The Trier Christmas Market has developed quite a reputation, but the city has been around since 16 b.c, when Emperor Augustus of Rome founded it. It's had time.
It's an interesting city, Germany's oldest in fact, but today wasn't the day for viewing it ...and despite the 300km journey from Antwerpen, I don't have much to offer photographically, although there was this break in the clouds, it was freezing cold.
It was nice to wander in the medieval market square, but the traffic jam 3km out of the city did warn us that things were going to be crowded. And once in amongst it all, a certain Belgian was heard to mutter 'If I had wanted to hear this much Dutch, I would have gone to the Netherlands'.
French, German, and Dutch spreek filled the air as we were gently jostled by the crowds there. Gently because so many people were carrying cups full of hot spiced wine ... such very nice mulled wine, like nothing I'd had back home in New Zealand.
We ate Bratwurst sandwiches (sausage sandwiches, with mustard instead of tomato sauce), with Caesar watching (and providing assistance where necessary). Meanwhile I continued with my anthropological experimentation into world cruisine, forcing myself to purchase and eat a rather large chocolate and meringue concoction ...
It was a good day out with really nice people ... but even better, I got to travel to two new countries - Germany, and Luxemburg (although tiny, it counts as a country).
600kms in a day ... 3 countries, 4 cities, and 3 snowploughs ... oh, and a camel.
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