English Christmas Market Adventure | Foreigner in the UK
I wanted Christmas lights, mulled wine and a good wander around Rochester. It was absolutely freezing, and that was coming from a Canadian. On the Friday outing I shared in December 2021, I finished work, bundled up and took the train to the Christmas market.
Christmas markets had become one of my favourite things about living in England. Growing up in Ontario, we would go to a Christmas tree farm to choose a tree, but markets were not something we usually visited. After six years in the south-east of England, this was a Christmas outing I really wanted back in my calendar.
Waiting for the Christmas lights
The plan was to reach Rochester after sunset so I could see everything lit up. We actually got there a little early, at around 3:40 as the sun was going down. I knew staying until it was dark would mean getting colder, but I wanted to see the lights around the castle and cathedral.
Rochester already had a place in my life beyond Christmas markets. My first job interview in England had been there. They very politely said no, thank you. I loved its small high street, cafes, castle and cathedral, with the River Medway nearby. Those big buildings did not stop it feeling cosy to me.
The market was in the castle grounds. That year, volunteers outside were handing out test kits as people approached, and the market required masks for pretty much the whole visit. I could not talk much while walking around, so I explained parts of the outing separately in the video. Those were the circumstances of this 2021 visit.
Five pounds for mulled wine
While we waited for darkness, I got the mulled wine I had been looking forward to. The cup cost £5. Five pounds! I almost cried. I love mulled wine, but I could still complain about the price. Christmas market season apparently meant paying too much for things.
Food was my favourite part of the market. Alongside the wine, I bought a pulled-pork baguette with stuffing and apple sauce. It was pretty tasty, and it cost £8. Those were my prices on this outing, not a promise about what a visit would cost another year.
There was also a stall selling mead, which interested me enormously. I talked myself out of it because I would have to carry it all the way home. At least getting into the market had been free. We paid for what we wanted to eat or drink, and the rides cost extra.
Crafts, a nutcracker and haunted rides
I reckoned about half the market was craft stalls, with more stalls inside a tent. There seemed to be fewer that year than on my earlier visits. I remembered the craft tent being absolutely crammed with people a couple of years before. I was still looking for the odd Christmas present to finish my shopping, but I did not spot anything gift-wise this time.
I did find a nutcracker that I had to get photos in front of. A bunch of children were looking, but you only live once. There were also so many dogs in jumpers. Truly a blessing. Between the craft stalls, food and rides, there was plenty to look at even without finding the presents I needed.
The spinning-chair ride made me think about how cold the children must have been in the wind. The haunted attractions were another matter: I loved the odd combination of Christmas and spooky rides. Rochester had both a haunted mini roller coaster and a haunted house. I did not understand why they belonged at a Christmas market. I was very happy to go with it.
A slow walk back to the train
Eventually I was thoroughly frozen. We left the market and walked towards the bridge area, which was lit up. My partner tried to film it, and I completely walked in front of the shot. We then had a slow walk down the high street. It was Friday night but still early, so it was not too busy yet, which suited me.
From there we cut over to the station and headed home. I had not finished my Christmas shopping, and I had spent more than I liked on mulled wine. I still loved the outing. Rochester had a special place in my heart, and this cold evening of food, lights and wandering was another reason I wanted people to visit.
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