Thanks for the ideas @Sam_F and @Newpetlover. We are actually in Argentina for 20 days in addition to our Antarctic cruise out of Ushuaia. We were wondering whether to stay on the Argentina or Brazil side when visiting Iguazu Falls. We are going to fly from there to Salta for a few nights and back to BA again before the cruise. After the cruise we come back to BA and then fly to Mendoza for a few days of wine! We are tossing up whether to fly 1 hour from there to Santiago in Chile or catch the 6-8 hour bus ride over the Andes to Santiago. The scenery at 4500-6500 metres high looks amazing but the road looks really scary. Has anyone ever done this trip and survived to tell us about it?
2 Likes
Thank you so much @Newpetlover. Yes, I want your info about seat selection. Also, how cold and wet did you get during the trip? I want to use the same company as you because it seems to be the only one that leaves from Seattle itself. I did a similar tour from Boston in 2014 and we saw many humpbacks. A baby (still huge) breached the surface for a jump and it is still one of the best moments of my life! Cheers
1 Like
Thanks @Catgoddess_99. I will not have a car so I had already bookmarked the same company that @Newpetlover mentioned because it leaves from Seattle
1 Like
There is a shuttle from seattle to Anacortes just in case you change your mind. San Juan has better sightings than Seattle. Since they’re close to BC they woll travel rhe distance as they’re always in touch with other bost operators for sightings.
Happy International Dog Day! 
August 26th is a day celebrated annually which is dedicated to honouring and appreciating the special bond between humans and dogs. 
Where are you currently in the world with your canine companions? 
Owners and sitters please feel free to share some photos on here of you and your pawsome friends. 
1 Like
We are currently in Venice, a place we have both visited many times before and love to return to especially for the many stunning views and amazing cuisine.
Has anyone else on here visited Venice before and do you have any recommendations or top tips for places to visit here, or things to do or any hidden gems for places to eat?
I would love to hear your suggestions!
Or perhaps you have some lovely photos from your visit to Venice that you are happy to share. 
5 Likes
As Christmas market season draws upon us I thought it would be nice if we could share which markets we will be considering visiting this year. 
The first ever Christmas market dates back to 1296 when Duke Albrecht I allowed 14 day fairs to be held in the city of Vienna in December. Others dispute this and say that the first Christmas markets were held in Germany in 1384 when King Wenceslas IV of Bohemia gave the city of Bautzen the right to hold a free market allowing butchers to sell meat until Christmas. This too is disputed with the city of Dresden proclaiming the title of the oldest Christmas market in Germany, having started there in 1438 and the city of Nuremberg with its Christkindlemarkt which began no later than 1628.
Last year John and I visited 9 Christmas markets across Germany and Switzerland. Our first experience of a European Christmas market was in the city of Aachen. The market is held in the central square around the Cathedral and Town Hall. There are multiple stalls selling everything from hot dogs to Christmas decorations.
Photos taken at Aachen Christmas market.
One of the biggest Christmas markets in Germany is the one held in the city of Nuremberg. It is regarded as the most authentic and well known Christmas market in Germany. @SoloGal I see you mentioned in another thread that you will be in Nuremberg over the Christmas period. We really enjoyed visiting Nuremberg Christmas market last year and I thought I’d tag you on this post incase you might like to visit whilst you are there.
Photos taken at Nuremberg Christmas market
A Christmas market would not be complete without at least one stall selling Glühwein. It is most closely likened to mulled wine and the German word itself translates directly to mean “Glow Wine”. We took great pleasure in sampling the Glühwein at each market we visited and for a fee of about €5 you can keep the cup as a souvenir, so now we have quite a collection! 
A few of the Glühwein mugs we collected last year!
Christmas markets popularity has spread so that you can now find them in numerous countries. The first German-style Christmas market arrived in the UK in Lincoln in 1982 and then in Birmingham in 1997. Since then they have spread considerably. @Sunny44 @Rhe will you be visiting any Christmas markets whilst you are in London over the festive period?
@DianeS do you know if there are any Christmas markets in Wiltshire and are you planning to visit any whilst you are there over the Christmas period?
The first Christkindlmarket in Chicago, which is a traditional German-inspired outdoor market, started in 1996. Numerous Christmas markets can be found all around the world. @MaggieUU you mentioned on another thread that you will be in Toronto over the Christmas period. Do you know if Toronto has any Christmas markets and do you plan on visiting any of them?
@Maggie8K you mentioned in another thread that you will be visiting some Christmas markets this year. Which ones will you be visiting?
Have you ever visited any Christmas markets in the past?
If yes, we would love for you to share on here
Do you plan on visiting any Christmas markets this year?
If so, which Christmas markets will you be visiting?
It would be amazing if we could share as many different Christmas markets as we can from different locations all around the world. 
1 Like
Hi @Sam_F 
German Christmas markets are on our list!
I lived in London for 15 years before our housesitting adventure started, the city is always lovely decorated for the festive season and you can find many, bigger or smaller Christmas markets there. The biggest one - Winter Wonderland - done it but I’m not a big fan, just too busy. Covent Garden one or Borough Market much preferred! We also loved Kew Gardens Christmas Light show by night, it’s not typical Christmas market but you can grab a mulled wine or hot chocolate, some festive snacks and enjoy fabulous illuminations there.
We’ll be in North London for a few weeks over the Christmas this year and there will be a small Christmas market on our closest high street, I’ll post some photos for sure!
We spent last two winters in Canada, we didn’t explore many Christmas markets in Toronto and Ottawa but Montreal had a nice ones. But our favourite one was in Budapest, delicious chimney cake and hot cherry wine, just FANTASTIC. We also loved one in Brussels and Bruges, so so pretty and of course, chocolate overload 
In Poland, Krakow is a lovely city to visit over Christmas and try all the festive goodies
1 Like
Hi @Sunny44
Yes, a visit to a German Christmas market is a must, especially given that this is where the idea originally started.
It’s interesting to compare what the various Christmas markets are like around the world. We found various local differences and first discovered chimney cake at the Christmas market in Rüdesheim.
If you could post some photos of the Christmas market that you are going to on your Christmas sit, that would be great!
We recently visited southern Poland, it was my first ever visit to Poland and I loved it! We spent some time exploring and stayed in the city of Zakopane but would love to return and explore more of the country and cities, in particular Krakow and the capital, Warsaw. It would be awesome to be in Krakow over the Christmas period.
Hi Sam, no I won’t be visiting Christmas markets in London/UK. I’ve been to some in Germany and Autria, and they were wonderful and festive.
In the UK these days there is quite a lot of negative feeling about the Christmas markets - a bunch of sheds selling over-priced tat, not run by locals, and crowding out town centres. I agree!
Alternative “Christmas market” in Évian-les-Bains:
The fantastic village or the legend of the driftwood figures gives Evian a special magic during the Christmas season. Starting from a fairy tale, a unique atmosphere takes over the city center with a village made of driftwood, monumental sculptures and goblins.
Every winter, funny characters inhabit a sculptural village made of driftwood that Lake Geneva washes up on the shores of Evian. Their hospitality is legendary and even Santa Claus stays with them for several days. The village invites young and old to share stories, workshops, delicacies, etc. The La Toupine Theater is the initiator of this fabulous project.
4 Likes
Thanks to the floating huts, the forecourt of the Palais Lumière becomes a convivial place where you can fortify yourself at food stalls and snack bars. Musical evenings are offered regularly.
4 Likes
Hello @Eliane
We were on the west coast of Lac Léman last Christmas and managed to visit the Christmas market in Montreux and thoroughly enjoyed it. Sadly we did not get to visit Évian-les-Bains until January, though the driftwood sculptures still occupied the centre of town and were amazing to see. Given your recommendation, we will do our best to visit the Christmas market at Évian at some point in the future.
These are a couple of the driftwood sculptures that we saw in January.
2 Likes
Thank you so much for tagging me. Definitely one of the reasons I was looking at pet sitting in Germany over Xmas, the markets…I was lucky enough to have these folks pick me for sitting for them. This will be my first time to Europe as well. So looking forward to enjoying it all.
2 Likes
Hi @SoloGal
Enjoy your first trip to Europe at this very special time of year and please share any photos you take at the Christmas markets as we would love to see them and hear of your experience there! 
I’m home for the holiday’s in San Francisco. We have several holiday fairs beginning this weekend that traditionally follow Thanksgiving. One which stands out although i haven’t been because there’s a fee, is the Charles Dickens fair. Check out the link I’m sharing.
1 Like
The Dickens Fair looks like a lot of fun, and they even have a Tea Room… yay! 
Thank you for sharing.
Not a fancy one but the Chester Christmas market although small was perfectly formed. We only visited during the day so I suspect the atmosphere would be a bit more lively in the evening. We had planned an evening visit after dropping our daughter at the train station but a bomb scare kicked that idea into touch as we ended up driving her to Warrington to pick up her connection there instead!
The huts had a lot of local gifts and produce and just enough food and drink stalls to do it justice. Although with the number of excellent eateries in Chester, many dog friendly, we were rather spoilt for choice.
We would visit Chester again as we barely scratched the surface. Seeing the school kids dressed as Roman Centurions marching around the old Roman amphitheatre was really good fun, would have loved that as a school visit 
.
2 Likes