All these shots, apart where indicated other wise, were taken with a Lumix GH1 and 14-140 zoom lens.
The crowds gather in Osnabruck as darkness falls
Colourful stalls to delight the eye
Gingerbread heart or chocolate covered strawberries?
Ancient buildings provide the backdrop as the party atmosphere builds
Brilliant coloured lighting down every street
And the traditional stuff as well
After Osnabruck we moved onto Hameln, of Pied Piper fame, the sleet and freezing rain washed away the light snow on the rooftops.
Hameln's old, wet streets light up their charm
Hamelin's Rathaus and the Kirche of St Nikoli's in the rain
The Town Hall, with 24 windows dressed as an Advent Calendar
St Nikoli's church looks over the crowded stalls
The beautifully restored Kartoffelhaus im Büergerhus
Inside, imaginative Christmas decorations gave a lovely atmosphere
Wernigerode, one of the most complete and beautifully preserved towns of half-timbered houses, with its market square and cobbled side streets, made a perfect destination for the Christmas festivities.
The Johannis Kirche was illuminated only with candles for evensong
Wenigerode's square is the perfect venue for a Weihnachtsmarkt
A magical merry-go-round for the kids
The simple messages were not forgotten
Schneeballen...if you've still got room...
This medieval band of musicians gave it their all
Wernigerode's darker side...
A highlight of our stay in Wernigerode was a trip on the Harzer Schmalspur Bahnen or narrow gauge steam railway up to the top of the legendary Brocken
A classic sight!
The white top of the broken can just be seen on the top left of the hill
Extreme freezing conditions, only on the top of the Brocken
Chilled passengers hurry home
Also not to be missed in Wernigerode was the Schloss, a true fairy-tale castle
A haunting presence on the hill, Schloss Wernigerode
The only thing missing was some snow!
