German Christmas Market

joeKel73

Tried the market again today.

Had a hog bagette the last time and it was awful, all lumps of fat, had to throw most of it out. Been hearing great reports since so had another go and it was excellent! All crispy meat and tasted great!

Also gave the pizza a go - slices are €2.50 for margarita or €3.50 for plain. I think this is actually much better value than the whole 9" (€6 margarita or €7 with toppings) pizza as it comes from a 12" and you get a lot more topping, rather than a lot of crust.

Hot chocolate in the tent warmed me up nicely too!

Noticed more Irish stands too, and see a few locals have been employed to help out at the stands now too! I'm warming to it all!

Only bits I won't warm to is the stalls selling tacky hand-bags and the one selling knock-off watches that's pumping out dance music!

Went down to the traditional market yesterday and today and it's very quiet, crepe guy says they're taking a big hit from it - didn't even have to queue for a crepe!

Lapin wrote: »

Among the food stalls does anyone know if there are any specialising solely in vegetarian / vegan produce?

A guy ordered a vegan pizza when i was there, so they must have some vegan-friendly cheese or something.

dinneenp

There's at least one veggie stall I think.

dreenman

Storm 10 wrote: »

I was at the Christmas market in Manchester last year and all of the cabins in the centre were built from proper logs no tin or garden sheds they looked great, not so nice looking in Galway

I was in Manchester a couple of years ago and the Christmas market really was sooooo much better than Galway's; over there beyond the German market all the side streets also had stalls selling all sorts of gifts, crafts etc.
I even remember in Bristol 15+ years ago the Christmas market there had a great atmosphere.

The Galway market is I'm afraid is boring and a bit cheap and tatty.

mikom

dreenman wrote: »

I was in Manchester a couple of years ago and the Christmas market really was sooooo much better than Galway's; over there beyond the German market all the side streets also had stalls selling all sorts of gifts, crafts etc.
I even remember in Bristol 15+ years ago the Christmas market there had a great atmosphere.

The Galway market is I'm afraid is boring and a bit cheap and tatty.

Refreshing to see someone else without the "Galway" blinkers on.

soundbyte

I like it, but there's a slightly weird buzz around there after dark.

A friend of mine summed it up perfectly as we walked through last Friday night:

"It's like The Lost Boys"

dr.bollocko

The wild boar burger is my personal favourite taste so far. The kangaroo is also pretty good. Ostrich was a bit livery but still good. Bratwurst is good too. Liked the potato stand and the paella also. I've pretty much been living there for the last few days.

snubbleste

Yeah I agree with you dreenman..and it's also a rip-off
(although I do recognise traders have bills to pay)

Acoshla

dr.bollocko wrote: »

The wild boar burger is my personal favourite taste so far. The kangaroo is also pretty good. Ostrich was a bit livery but still good. Bratwurst is good too.

We bought some Impala burgers and cooked them at home, God they were gorgeous, they were the nicest out of the three we tried (kangaroo and ostrich too).

swe_fi

I have been down to this market twice now in the last couple of days and ok ok it is a bit tacky, the selection isn't great, there is a slightly strange atmosphere (can't explain this)...but...there are few nice things as well.

Naturally if you compare to other places with established Christmas markets this one does not really stack up, there is no hiding that, but if you trawl through you should find at least one or two things that you can eat or buy or at least laugh at.

I tried the pizzas, dutch waffles, and german sausage. I bought some tea and some cheese and some jellies for some reason - all very nice. The Gluhwein wasn't very nice but the guys serving it were friendly so made up for it :-)

I'm sure it is tempting for many to dismiss this Christmas market but on second thought I consider this a trial run. If you support the good guys that you like, they will hopefully find it worthwhile to come back and the others are churned out and replaced by more interesting stuff and maybe next year it will be better.

I'm actually tempted setting up a stall for next year, I have an idea that would work (in my head at least)

Acoshla

swe_fi wrote: »

Naturally if you compare to other places with established Christmas markets this one does not really stack up, there is no hiding that, but if I'm sure it is tempting for many to dismiss this Christmas market but on second thought I consider this a trial run. If you support the good guys that you like, they will hopefully find it worthwhile to come back and the others are churned out and replaced by more interesting stuff and maybe next year it will be better.

That's exactly what I think too, there were people on here and facebook dismissing the market as a pile of crap within 24hours of it opening, stating reasons like it was too busy (oh no! How awful that people want to go to it!) and that it was disorganised, didn't have enough local stands, etc. But these things build up over time, if this one went well I guarantee you local businesses would be booking their spot months in advance next year, I too would definitely consider a stall there, great exposure if nothing else.

They can't be expected to get everything right on a new venture within in the first few weeks, even years! You'd have to give something like this at least 2 seasons before really deciding how good it is, but the majority of people just want to judge it quickly and harshly and decide they hate it. At least somebody tried to do something different by organising it!

Fionn MacCool

dreenman wrote: »

I was in Manchester a couple of years ago and the Christmas market really was sooooo much better than Galway's

I hear they have a couple of footy teams better than Galway United too :rolleyes: honestly why bother comparing them, there's nearly as many people in Manchester as Dublin.

My only criticism of the market is the lack of local stalls and the fact none of it seemed very 'Christmasy'

jmauel

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

Is there a stall that sells fresh donuts there?

There is a donut stand in the market down at st nicolas every sate and sun.
All fresh donuts

Fozzie Bear

I walked around it Sunday and it came across as a bit Tourist-ie. Lots of stalls selling tat. I will be back again though for a better look around at night time. There will probably be a better buzz about the place then. Will defo be trying some of the food stalls.

Also noticed Padraig Conneely parking abandoning his car (black Passat) at the top of the pedistrian street along the side of the square opposite the Wok/Abrakababra place.

The rules dont apply to you Padraig huh?

Webbs

Fozzie Bear wrote: »

I walked around it Sunday and it came across as a bit Tourist-ie. Lots of stalls selling tat. I will be back again though for a better look around at night time. There will probably be a better buzz about the place then. Will defo be trying some of the food stalls.

Isnt the whole point that it is a bit touristy, if you go to the German ones they are full on touristy.

It seems that there is no winning for some people (not necessarily you Fozzie), if the market was full of arts and crafts stalls the cost of gifts would be high and people would complain.
If there were very few food stalls people would complain that they couldn't get something to eat.
If there were only Irish stall holders people would complain that there wasnt enough variety. etc.

dreenman

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

I hear they have a couple of footy teams better than Galway United too :rolleyes: honestly why bother comparing them, there's nearly as many people in Manchester as Dublin.

My only criticism of the market is the lack of local stalls and the fact none of it seemed very 'Christmasy'

Well I also mentioned Bristol where I lived for a few years before coming back to Galway (which isnt that much bigger than Galway) and that had a great market where the stalls looked like log cabins, it was well laid out and it had a lovely warm atmosphere through the day and into the night...

I would have to say your only criticism of the market as being not very 'Christmasy' is a pretty damning criticism of a Christmas market!

Acoshla

Ok I think I'm addicted to the market. Was there again today, picked up some springbok burgers for tomorrow's dinner, got a beautiful necklace for a friend's Christmas present from a lovely French man, the necklaces were €6 each or 2 for €10, it would cost me that to buy the beads and make it myself which was what I had been planning to do, so was happy with that, and he was very helpful, even through the language barrier! Got more poffertjes, so good.

And bought more French baked goods, some fresh out of the oven. Fair play to all the people down there still being cheerful on a freezing cold quiet Tuesday.

inisboffin

Gave it another walk through today - meh. for me, still doesn't have the crackle of atmosphere that St Nick's market does. I used to work in the market, so I totally sympathise with all the traders putting on a brave face! Nothing grabbed me this time either, but the pizza looks excellent, and I did bump into a couple of happy boardsies, and had a chat as they devoured the wild boar burger with relish.

Xiney

St nicks market is highly overrated imo - cant even walk through it and the only stuff for sale other than the food (which is nice) is pretty much all for new age hippie types. Hemp is too itchy for me.

At least you can walk through this one! And the dry cured sausages from France are LOVELY, and excellent value imo.

inisboffin

Xiney wrote: »

St nicks market is highly overrated imo - cant even walk through it and the only stuff for sale other than the food (which is nice) is pretty much all for new age hippie types. Hemp is too itchy for me.

At least you can walk through this one! And the dry cured sausages from France are LOVELY, and excellent value imo.

I may be suffering from nostalgia too I'll admit:rolleyes: About 10 or 15 years ago there were a lot of different stall holders with crafts and handmade stuff, a few still there, but a lot have moved on. I have memories of hot toddy sessions outside Trigger Martins while standing on egg crates to keep warm.

Not too mad on Eyre Sq itself tbh, so it would have had to completely transform to do it for me.

Xiney

Yeah if there's one thing I can't be, it's nostalgic about galway! Only got here 2 years ago.

TheCosmicFrog

Only been twice, both after dark. I think it's a really great thing to have for Xmas. Really brings the town alive. Had the bratwurst, wasn't overly impressed. Bit plain. Also had the Dutch Donuts (disgusting, eggy and left an awful taste in my mouth) and the chocolate-waffles from the same stall (these were VERY good).

Looking forward to trying some of the burgers on offer. I hear kangaroo and ostrich are good.

Mrs OBumble

Xiney wrote: »

Yeah if there's one thing I can't be, it's nostalgic about galway! Only got here 2 years ago.

Ahh sure'n you'll miss us terribly once you've gone.

muppetkiller

I think it's nice and a great addition to Galway but would it kill them to put some fake snow on the roofs and some Christmas music maybe !
(I know we've real snow this week )

romeo yankee

Walked through market today and sadly I was very disappointed, visited one in Manchester 2 years ago and it was streets ahead, the "real thing" all the cabins were logs or rustic planking, more authentic, there were too many steel frames and tarpaulins visible today, it is a nice addition but definetly not what I expected..

Shryke

I keep going back for hog and bratwurst. It's quietened down since opening but I'm still liking it. It's nice to have some relaxed vibes around to chill with a some grub and mulled wine, which is all I wanted from this thing.

dolphin city

floineire wrote: »

I hear a lot of opinions from a lot of people that dont seem to understand how galway works. I am a local tader and have traded on the traditional market for years and am now trading on the christmas market, the reason that a foreigh company comes and runs this market is because the extremely backwards and incompetent local governments who run your country. 5 years ago submissions were taken from the galway council as to how to expand markets in galway. I personally wrote a plan for a market like this but with only local traders. as per usual it ended up in a pile of files that more than likely got lost in some explosion. Im a trader and was forced to use a company to trade at this event if i had the option of not doing that i would.
One final note on prices, do understand that we paid up in excess of €4000 to have a stand there, if your working with fresh foods made from the heart, understand that you have to have a certain price, if you think its too much you can always go to supermacs. Where else can you find a 10 inch pizza freshly made from a wood fired oven for €6,50. tell me?
Love the way everybody is so opinionated without really knowing whats behind it all, inform yourself people before you judge.

so you think its okay to mark something at a certin price and when somebody wants to buy it, suddenly that price is a FOREIGN CURRENCY price and not a local price. Maybe the traders there needs to get informed. Our currency is EURO and the prices should be marked in EURO. otherwise its somebody out to fleece somebody and nobody likes a con artist.

WesternNight

dolphin city wrote: »

so you think its okay to mark something at a certin price and when somebody wants to buy it, suddenly that price is a FOREIGN CURRENCY price and not a local price. Maybe the traders there needs to get informed. Our currency is EURO and the prices should be marked in EURO. otherwise its somebody out to fleece somebody and nobody likes a con artist.

Shouldn't you be building a snowman instead of a straw-man?

Seriously, that's not what the poster said. At all.

dolphin city

WesternNight wrote: »

Shouldn't you be building a snowman instead of a straw-man?

Seriously, that's not what the poster said. At all.

I was asking the poster his opinion on what was going on there, and was it okay to do that because of the prices they are paying to be there? I am interested in hearing the answer.

personally I think that it is wrong to advertise one price and when someone shows interest to pretend the quote is in a foreign currency price which just happens to be more expensive when transferred back into Euro.

It doesn't matter what is charged for the stalls, the public should not be conned like this..

I was asking the specific poster if he thought it was okay for this to happen. the poster says to inform yourself before you judge - I am looking for any alternative explanation as to why something was quoted in a foreign currency - maybe the poster can elaborate on that and inform us why.

WesternNight

dolphin city wrote: »

I was asking the poster his opinion on what was going on there, and was it okay to do that because of the prices they are paying to be there? I am interested in hearing the answer.

There's a difference between asking out of genuine interest and accusing in the form of a question. You did the latter.

But I'd be surprised if anyone thought it was ok to price items without any currency symbol and then say it's in whatever currency they feel like.

dolphin city

WesternNight wrote: »

There's a difference between asking out of genuine interest and accusing in the form of a question. You did the latter.

But I'd be surprised if anyone thought it was ok to price items without any currency symbol and then say it's in whatever currency they feel like.

must be the way your'e reading it.