For one of our last activities, Katja and I decided to visit the Christmas markets in Tampere. We took a small walk together to these markets instead of taking the bus, as the sun was finally out (& Katja did not have a bus ticket :p)
However, we only had time during the day to go to the market. This meant that when we arrived, the majority of the markets were closed. There was one that was open, selling honey and natural ingredients. So to get the full Christmas market experience again, we will go another time (but not as an EOTO activity, just as a personal activity).
Christmas markets are very popular in The Netherlands and Germany. In Curaçao, it is less of a common activity, as our christmas is more around eating and drinking with family/friends, being at the beach, or partying. In The Netherlands, these markets can be found everywhere (in big and small cities) and usually start in November and end in December, with some even lasting until January.
I will visit one of the biggest Christmas markets in December in Amsterdam, which is a large festive event with many different activities (e.g. ice skating, tubing). Most likely, I will also spot some smaller ones in Breda, Ettenleur and Eindhoven when I travel to see my friends and family again after the exchange. Katja will also visit markets and parties, especially the big Christmas party held on the 24 of December in her home town. It is also a time for her to see many of her friends after her exchange, and tell them all about her time back in Finland.
Noted was that there suprisingly a lot of German stalls at the Christmas market as well, so it is perfect for buying sausages and trying traditional German Christmas food/drinks (and beer ofcourse).
The walk and talk was super nice, and gave me a lot of nostalgia about Christmas and how I have spent it now that I moved away from the Caribbean. It also made me very grateful for the people I have and will spend it with this year, as it changes every year (in Portugal, in The Netherlands, in Finland).
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