Goslar - a magical stop

13^th December Berlin to Goslar

 It was now time to turn West and make our way back to the UK.  Our original plan had been to stop at Hannover but a last minute decision took us to Goslar.  They say that the unplanned can bring the best experiences and this was certainly the case with this picturesque town.  Goslar is situated on the edge of the national park near the Harz mountains.  It grew rich through the silver mines that were located there.  Today it is a very pretty, vibrant place.  Perhaps the snow helped because when we arrived everything was covered in a thick layer of fluffy white snow.  The trees and bushes looked beautiful.  It felt really romantic.  We found a car park that had free designated spaces for camping vans and set up for the night.  We wandered around the Town, enjoying the beautiful buildings and the atmosphere around the Christmas Market.  I bought myself an amber ring something I have admired in many of the European cities we have visited and some Christmas cards.  We had supper in the van but were both keen to explore this town further under the cover of darkness.  One particular pretty area, where we had a gluhwein had been created by hammering in huge fir trees (approximately 100!) close together so that they formed a dense overhead cover.  The trees had been covered in yellow fairy lights which with the heavy snow cover created a starry ceiling. Drinking tables had been placed underneath and there was a young lad playing the accordion.  It was quite a magical effect.  We continued exploring the town and then found ourselves a nice traditional restaurant/bar where we both had a beer.  Goslar had been a memorable stop.