Christmas Markets and Men with their Dogs

This weekend many Christmas markets sprouted in the towns and cities close to where I live. We visited the beautiful and quite huge one in Verona.

Christmas in Verona

The "Presepio" or Nativity set in the center of Verona

There I was impaled with so many scents! There were posts frying sweets, hot sausages grilling, the stench of human urine by the trash cans, a gorgeous lavender post, homeless men laying drunk on the sidewalk, french fries, smoking women. At every corner a new smell...it was a lot to handle! Almost as bad as trying to figure out what candle to buy in Yankee Candle and walking out with your senses numb and a mild sinus headache. woof.

Rest in peace tasty little guy

I love the crepes-with-nutella lady.

Mmmm..more sausages!

Chestnuts anyone?

The lavender post

Speaking of woof, I noticed that this weekend there were quite a few men taking their pooches out to the markets. Or perhaps the dogs where there as emotional support for the men-folk. Christmas season can be very intimidating, stressful and can give anxiety with the throngs of people shopping. I would totally take Fatty out in my arms if I had to shop for my entire family. And thankfully, I don't. Fatty wouldn't be cool with it though. He would tremble from fear and hate me and the shopping experience. However, I love online shopping and both cats are great company for that. "Bentley, what do you think of these tea cups? Do you think they are cute or kitsch?" And the cats wiffle out an interupted snore. If I could buy fresh fruit on amazon.com, I would and avoid parking at the grocery store especially during the holidays.

Anyway, there was a funny variety of people this weekend: moms telling their kids not to worry at the Disney store (Santa will bring you something! Don't cry!)

A consolation gift to hold her over till Christmas.

There were grandmas taking pictures and smoking (lots of smoking grandmas)

"Hold the pose, honey" while thinking "You are driving my nerves wild!"

"give me a break from these kids."

Little kids discovering the wonder of Christmas,

Teaching Santa Lessons

And actually some women discovering the wonder of Christmas too:

"I like this guy better."

And men cuddling with their dogs, mentally far far away from the rest of the Holiday Circus:

Today, Sunday, we didn't do too much. The sky was literally sad, so we just went to mass, came home and had a very sophisticated lunch...

Poor Mr. Cloud! He fails to see the silver lining.

Mac and Cheese is hard to find in these parts but oh so good

Comfort in a box.

That about sums up my weekend minus the 2 migraines I got that were boatloads of fun. Migranes included, it was a pretty well-rounded weekend.