Happy New Year!

Fireworks by Lake Zurich, temporary bars set up along the Limmat and clubs full of party-goers. Whoever celebrated the new year in Zurich would've seen the city transformed from it's usual peaceful state into a party hub with a buzzing atmosphere.

That's what I've heard anyway. I actually returned to Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany to party with some friends of mine there. As you'd expect, this city was also full of party-goers, NYE club events and fireworks – much like any student city!

Photo taken on my previous visit to the city.

True to its form as a German club, the night involved a lot of decent electro music, interesting dance moves and cheap alcohol - which had become a little strange to me after spending so much time in Zurich. There were no 16 CHF (~£12) mixer drinks in sight!

Rather disappointingly, I seemed to stumble unknowingly into 2012 as the club didn't bother with a countdown into the new year, so it didn't feel like new year at all, especially when combined with the unfamiliar feeling of spending the festive period away from home. Nonetheless, the night was very enjoyable.

Hope whatever you all got up to, you had fun! Happy new year!

Back in Germany: Freiburg

On Sunday I spent the day in Freiburg im Breisgau. A friend of mine studies there and another came down from Berlin, so I thought it'd be cool to get together again. Freiburg lies in south west Germany and is just an hour and a half's train ride away from Zurich.

The Altstadt of Freiburg is really pretty, especially with all the Christmas decorations that have been put up.

Freiburg also boasts a great Christmas market within it's tight, windy streets. German Christmas markets are renown for their festive spirit and German Glühwein (mulled wine) makes quite a good incentive to go and meander around the mismatch of stalls.

The Germans know how to do Christmas markets. There are countless ones across the whole of Germany which many people come to visit.

Getting involved in the tradition of Kerzenziehen (candle making) was also possible at the market. By paying a few Euros you can try your hand at decorating your own Christmas candle in a variety of wax colours. This is really popular amongst children, as they can often come up with some really creative designs. My friends however decided to give it a go, and well, the less said about how their masterpieces turned out, the better!

A candle 'decorated' by one of my friends with some more professional ones in the background...

Anyone looking to go and do some Christmas shopping – and enjoy it at the same time – may want to consider going to Freiburg. It's worth making the trip simply for the merrily priced Glühwein!