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October 2005
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Zwiebelmarkt


Zwiebelmarkt Cutie!

Originally uploaded by elmada.

Updated! Be sure you check out the extended entry for new comments!

I headed down to the Weimar Zwiebelmarkt (Onion Market) this afternoon to grab a few photographs of the event.

Quite frankly it’s a bit of a circus and a bit repetitive. As you wander through the city center, you’re surrounded by massive hordes of people who are going from booth selling onion things to another booth selling onion things. Every once in awhile the onion booths are interrupted by booths selling “Zwiebelkuchen”—onion cake. There are also the frequent beer booths serving up the local beer— a particularly bitter Pilsner which I don’t particularly care for.

The event is remarkable because it fills the city up with tourists—many driving and parking up all the city streets, including the street in front of my apartment building, which is a 20 minute walk from the city center. I would guess that the city’s population is tripled over the weekend.

As I wandered around, I felt a bit strange.

The local merchants are seemingly crowded out. There are dozens of bratwurst stands where there are normally two or three—so I feel as if buying bratwurst from the interloping stands doesn’t help the locals. I have the same feeling when I see the multiple temporary Döner stands competing with the year-round Döner shops.

After completing the circuit, I wandered into Theatreplatz, under the watchful eye of Goethe and Schiller, and watched some older gentleman try and guess television theme songs (I think this is what was going on, given that I recognized two of them including the ever popular “Dallas” theme) on stage. He didn’t seem to get many, but his parting gift was a six pack of beer.

I had sensory overload. I’m planning to go back tonight to see if any of the concerts appeal to me—and hope that the crowds of strollers running over my feet have been reduced.

In the meantime, I’m craving some onions.

Zwiebelmarkt plus!

I went back down to the Zwiebelmarkt tonight.

I’d been planning to go with Katya, but she double-booked herself, so I ended up going by myself. I managed to hit each stage just as the bands were taking breaks, so I had a bang up night of walking around. Along the way I ate a bratwurst.

There are a few more Zwiebelmarkt photso on my Flickr account, including the one above. I suggest you check out my Zwiebelmarkt Set for all of the photos I took.

Plus you can read my less enlightened experiences from 2004’s Zwiebel Markt.

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