It always feels like Christmas here in Leavenworth. I recall the night I arrived here vividly. We had driven in from Seattle after a long day of traveling, and I was totally mesmerized by what I viewed as Christmas lights twinkling from rooftops everywhere. Steve explained that these were merely the regular lights. Christmas lights were definitely another sight to behold come December. Leavenworth is known as a Bavarian village in Washington and tourists flock here year round.
This past week I meandered through some of the shops in the downtown area. They are quaint and very touristy. They are nestled among bars, restaurants and wine-tasting places. Their products range from souvenirs to leather and everything in between.
Gingerbread House is a delightful bakery tucked away on a back street near the hospital. It is crowded with tourists and has tables inside and out on a terrace. The aroma of coffee and fresh baking wafts throughout the small shop. Display cases resplendent with gingerbread men and other delicious pastries line one side of the shop. I intend to go back to sample their cinnamon roll bread pudding which unfortunately was sold out that day. Impressive products appealing to Seahawks fans were popular items as well.
I had intended to visit the Nutcracker Museum and was disappointed to find that it was closed. However I did check out Nutcracker Haus and was greatly surprised at the unbelievably huge collection of nutcrackers I found here. This is just one of the many shelves that line the walls in this shop.
Kris Kringle is the most interesting and exciting Christmas store I have ever seen in my life. Two levels of displays absolutely took my breath away. Nativity scenes, trees, ornaments, miniature villages and lights are found on two levels. Jostling the crowds here was a challenge. Here are a few of the treasures I found:
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