Tòisichidh an Nollaig gu math tràth sa Ghearmailt, leis na Margaidhean Nollaige a bhios ann ceithear no coig seachdainean ro Nollaig fhèin anns na bailtean beaga is mòra air feadh na dùthcha. Ged a tha feadhainn dhiubh an là an-diugh aig nach eil ach sùil air pròthaid, mar a tha e aig àm Nollaige ann an àiteachan eile cuideachd, ‘s e cho tradiseanta ‘s a tha a’ mhòrchuid dhiubh fhathast a tha cho iongantach agus tarraingeach do luchd-tadhail à dùthchannan eile.
Bho thùs bha na mairghaidean ann airson cothrom a thoirt dhan luchd-ceàirde ionadail agus siubhail an cuid bathair a reic, agus dha na daoine, gu h-àiridh air an dùthaich, bathar sònraichte fhaighinn aon turas sa bhliadhna co-dhiù. Agus fiu’s an-diugh fhèin, tha rudan brèagha ri fhaotainn san àm ron Nollaig nach bi thu a’ faicinn anns na bùithtean àbhaisteach no aig amannan eile.
Dè seòrsa bathair a tha ann ri cheannachd, ma-tha? Anns na bailtean mòra mar Chologne mar as àbhaist chan el aon mhargadh ana-mhòr a tha ann ach grunn mhargaidhean eadar-dhealaichte nas bige sgapte air feadh a’ bhaile, mar as trìce le fòcas no ‘blas’ diofraichte aig gach fear dhiubh. Ann an Cologne fhèin tha seachd, nam measg fear meadhan-aoiseil agus fear air bàta air an abhainn Rhine.
Margadh Meadhan-Aoiseil / Mediaeval Market
Fo dhìon na cathrach-eaglais, mar eiseimplear, dlùth air an stèisean, tha an Handwerkermarkt (Margadh Luchd-Ceàirde) le stàilichean obair-leathrach is obair-grèise, dèideagan tradiseanta làmh-dhèanta à fiodha no staoin, coinnlean cèir-sheallean, seudraidh àlainn de gach fasan, crèadhadaireachd ionadail, stuth-sgeadachaidh na Nollaige tradiseanta brèagha … mura h-eil tìde agad eadar dà thrèana ach airson aon mhargadh a-mhàin, agus ma bhios thu a’ lorg tiodhlac sònraichte, seo an dearbh fhear.
Am meadhan a’ bhaile, air an Neumarkt, tha ‘Markt der Engel’ (Margadh nan Ainglean), seòrsa baile beag e fhèin le taighean beaga geala romànsach – chaidh am margadh gu lèir ùrachadh dà bhliadhna air ais. Tha stàilichean-ceàirde ann an seo cuideachd, ach tha am fòcas nas fharsaingiche – rudan pragtaigeach dachaigheil mar sgeinean is siosaran às na factoraidhean ionadail sa ‘Ruhrgebiet’ a tha faisg, aodach-geamhraidh fighte – geansaidhean, adan is miotagan, agus obair-anairt is cotain às a’ ‘Bhergisches Land’, sgìre dhùthchail an ear air Cologne. Ach tha mòran stàilichean ann le stuth sònraichte na Nollaige cuideachd, agus tha a h-uile rud sgeadaichte gu brèagha, le solasan geala ann an cruth reultan mòra a’ crochadh anns na craobhan.
a' ròstadh isbeanan / roasting sausages
Ach tha aon rud uabhasach cudromach ann air nach tug mi iomradh fhathast – am biadh. Gheibh thu biadh is deoch de gach seòrsa, Gearmailteach agus eadar-nàiseanta, aig gach margadh, ach feumaidh tu na rudan sònraichte ionadail fheuchainn, m.e. Grünkohl mit Mett (seòrsa càil – rud beag ro uaine, ach blasta – le isbean smocte), no Dampfnudeln (turraisgean milis), no Bergische Waffeln (waffles le sirisean teth is bàrr). Agus chan eil teagamh nach bi am pathadh ort as dèidh sin agus feumaidh tu muga Glühwein (fìon teth le spìosraidhean) a ghabhail – no tì, no cofaidh, no tiòclaid theth, no leann is fion ionadail… Chan fheum an t-acras no am pathadh a bhith ort a-chaoidh aig margaidhean na Nollaige sa Ghearmailt!
Barrachd fiosrachaidh sa Bheurla an seo: http://www.germany-christmas-market.org.uk/cologne_christmas_market.htm
Agus tha fiù ‘s artaigil mu na margaidhean na Nollaige ann an Uicipeid – Wikipedia Gàidhlig!
http://gd.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margadh_na_Nollaige
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Christmas Markets in Germany
Christmas begins pretty early in Germany, with the markets opening about 4-5 weeks before Christmas itself in towns and villages across the country. Although some can be fairly commercial, as is the case at Christmas elsewhere too, foreign visitors are pleasantly surprised by how traditional most of them still are.
So what kind of goods can you buy there? In the big cities like Cologne there isn’t usually just one huge market, but several smaller ones scattered about the town, each with a different focus or ‘flavour’. Cologne has seven of them, including a mediaeval one and one on a boat on the Rhine.
In the shadow of the cathedral, for example, close to the station, there’s the traditional Handwerkermarkt (Craftsmen’s Market) with stalls selling leatherwork, needlework, tradtional handmade toys of wood or tin, beeswax candles, beautiful jewellery in every style, local pottery, exquisite tradtional Christmas decorations… if you only have time between trains for one market, and you’re looking for a special present, this is the one.
In the centre of the city, on the Neumarkt, there’s the ‘Markt der Engel‘ (Angels’ Market), like a little village in its own right, with with romantic wee white ‘houses’ – the market was given a complete makeover two years ago. There are crafts stalls here too but the focus is wider here – practical domestic items, like knives and scissors from the factories of the nearby Ruhrgebiet, winter knitwear like pullovers, hats and gloves, and linen and cotton work from the Bergisches Land, an agricultural area to the east of Cologne.But there are many stalls with typical Chrstmas items too, and the whole thing is beautifully decorated, with white lights in the shape of big stars hanging in the trees.
But there’s one important thing I haven’t mentioned yet – the food. You can get all kinds of food, German and international, at all the markets, but you really have to try the local specialities, e.g. Grünkohl mit Mett (a kind of suspiciously green – but tasty – kale cooked with smoked sausage), or Dampfnudeln (sweet dumplings), or Bergische Waffeln (waffles with hot cherries and cream). And of course you’ll be thirsty after that, so you’ll have to have a mug of Glühwein (mulled wine) – or tea, or coffee, or hot chocolate, or local beer or wine… No one need ever go hungry or thirsty at a German Christmas market!
More information in English here: http://www.germany-christmas-market.org.uk/cologne_christmas_market.htm
And there’s even an article about Christmas markets in Uicipeid – the Gaelic Wikipedia! http://gd.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margadh_na_Nollaige
