#club5050 Winchester Christmas Market (89 STEEM Power Up)

Have you already paid a visit to a Christmas market this year? I was in Winchester, Hampshire, South East England yesterday which is famous for its festive market in the Cathedral’s grounds.

Camera: iPhone 12 Lens: iPhone 12 Back Dual Wide 1.55, 4.2,1.6,2.4
ISO: 500 Shutter Speed: 1/25 Focal Length: 4.2mm

It is a best selling organised coach tour at this time time of the year. I visited the market independently though hopping on one of many trains from Waterloo station. If you happen to make your way to the train station quite early, which I didn't, there is the Millennium Green which is worth a stroll with sculptures to look at and even its own pond.

Camera: iPhone 7 Lens: iPhone 7 Back Camera
ISO: 20 Shutter Speed: 1/50 Focal Length: 3.99mm

The train journey is a bit over an hour which wasn’t enough however for the two women sitting on the same row to finish their makeup. They simply didn’t stop brushing their faces which I am afraid didn’t look any different at all. But whatever makes one happy especially now around Christmas.

Camera: Nikon D5600 Lens: Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ISO: 400
Shutter Speed: 1/80 Aperture: f/4

The market is free to enter and it is open till 8pm. Due to Covid a one way system is in place and in general the whole event is much better organised and less crowded. However there was no ice rink this year. There is plenty of gin, whisky, spiced rum and flavoured vodka to be tasted for free while listening to the story of its distillery and how it makes its signature spirit. A cup of mulled wine priced at £5 is not to be missed with choices of traditional German or Edinburgh Mead.

Camera: Nikon D5600 Lens: Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ISO: 280
Shutter Speed: 1/125 Aperture: f/3.6

The food is not overpriced with the grilled cheese stall being the favourite of many serving a huge cheese sandwich with gherkins on the side for £5. There are plenty of picnic tables and benches in the middle so you can have a bite to eat while even listening to some Christmas carols sung live on the stage. Roasted chestnuts and marshmallows cooked over an open fire are also a treat worth getting. The delicate smell of this open fire actually made me feel like in Munich, Germany where I have visited the ten times larger Christmas market.

Camera: Nikon D5600 Lens: Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ISO: 1,600
Shutter Speed: 1/60 Aperture: f/5

If you also want to buy a few gifts, maybe even for yourself, there is plenty of handmade jewellery, silk, (I know it is a bit unusual for this time of the year here) and alpaca wool scarfs, glass and textile Christmas tree ornaments including some from overseas. Handmade iron garden decorations like flowers, dragonflies and birds on sticks and shovels, some of which being even designed as bird feeders and baths caught my eye. I didn’t buy one as I didn’t want to feel like a shepherd going around the city later and on the train back to London although it would have been a well-received gift this Christmas.

Camera: Nikon D5600 Lens: Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ISO: 2,800
Shutter Speed: 1/60 Aperture: f/4.6

Play and don't be shy to sing along with the song which I recorded for you yesterday in Winchester especially if you or your little ones are fans of the Disney film Frozen.

Here is also a screenshot of my today's power up.