Valkenburg Kerstmarkt

After a lovely day at the Kerstmarkts, my three Dutch friends and I stumbled upon this Mexican restaurant, and I voted on it for dinner--I love Mexican and had been away from the U.S. for 5 months, so I was craving some good salsa and flour tortillas. The interior of the fairly large restaurant was promising, if slightly overboard, with lots of sombreros, cacti, and even a talking parrot. I thoroughly enjoyed my Corona but missed chips and salsa as a complimentary appetizer. We chose to share a self-grill option over the fairly expensive (and not so authentic) buffet. The waitress brought us plates of raw meats and veggies, and we grilled them on our table, which was fun, but more Dutch than Mexican. As sides, we had plain bread and cucumber salads in place of tortillas and beans. Overall, it was a good meal, but only with slight hints of Mexican cuisine. See the restaurant’s website (in Dutch) at www.castillo.nl.

While Christmas markets are the norm in Germany, this town in the southern tip of the Netherlands makes the experience unique by holding its markets in the extensive cave network that runs under the surrounding hills. There are two separate markets, each charging a small admission fee (3 to 6€), and along with dozens of displays of crafts and gifts for sale, visitors enjoy international holiday decorations, live music, and refreshments. Although the wares are not extraordinary and the sometimes narrow tunnels can get crowded, the experience is not one to miss. Also, the winding stone sidewalks and streets of the town are pleasantly bustling with shoppers, Christmas carolers, and a huge Christmas tree. We topped off our day of shopping with dinner at a (not very authentic) Mexican restaurant and a quick stop at the casino at the top of the hill.