The experiences I’m going to tell you about happened a week before Christmas in four quaint medieval towns of Southern Germany, alive with Christmas Markets, holiday cheer, and lots of crowds. It was the way the world was before suddenly it wasn’t. At the time, travelers, myself included, were blissfully unaware of the potential health hazards crowds could pose, as the pandemic made its stealth march from China throughout the world.

I hope we can get back to that way of traveling, unafraid of human contact, social interaction, and hands-on curiosity. Such experiences are at the heart of Germany’s Christmas Markets, a gathering of shared humanity and a celebration of local crafts, cuisine, and culture.

In a tribute to better times, I want to share with you my pre-pandemic experiences of culture and creativity during the holiday season in Southern Germany, off the beaten path of main tourist destinations.

Click the link below to read the full article by Travel Journalist Karen LeBlanc, appearing in LaPalme Magazine.