Bill and I were determined to get out of the house today, even though the skies were cloudy. It was a bit warmer today than it was yesterday and we wanted to pick up a few Christmas gifts and get some lunch in town. After a quick walk around the market and the weekly farmer’s market, we stopped by Ristorante Comeback, an Italian place on Wiesbaden’s “restaurant row”. Having tried La Cantinetta, the Italian place next door, we were eager to try a new place.
Ristorante Comeback was pretty busy, and it was warm enough that some people sat outside. We decided to sit inside, although it was pretty crowded in there. The waiter offered us English menus after hearing us speaking our native tongues, but we told him we could manage with the German menus. After five years, we can do that much, right? Here are a few photos from lunch. We both had special pasta dishes that were heavy on foam.
Bill reads the menu… 
But I knew right away I wanted the house made triangoli filled with duck and orange and served with quince and roasted almonds. 
Bill had triangoli with deer, cranberry, and roasted chestnuts. 
I was surprised to find Tabasco there. 
A shot of the busy front.
The waiter spoke English well and took good care of us. We rewarded him with a generous tip, for which he offered sincere thanks. I’d go back to Comeback Ristorante, although on a busy day, I think I’d rather sit outside. It was pretty chummy in the dining room. Our bill came to 55 euros and consisted of the pasta dishes, a bottle of San Pellegrino, and two glasses each of red wine. They also brought out hot, homemade bread, which was very nice.
After lunch, we did our shopping, enjoying the festive sights and sounds of Wiesbaden during the holidays. I think I prefer the market up here to the one down in Stuttgart, which was always very crowded and zoo-like. Here are some photos from our visit. We got some gifts for friends, but I saw quite a few things I wanted for myself. We may have to go back next week with more euros.
This booth was a little scary. They had flashing lights that might induce a seizure. 
Food and drinks abound… 
I liked the schoolbus motif, but I also liked the dog’s Harley Davidson sweater. 
The market looked good… 
Mistletoe! 
Bill says the markets are one of his favorite things about Europe. 
Since we ran out of Peet’s Coffee, Bill ducked in here… 
And got us some Ethiopian beans. We’ll see how they are. 
After lunch, we stopped in this tiny store with liqueurs and other delights. 
The proprietor was from Spain and Portugal and was very friendly and charming. We’ll be back. 
They had rides. 
And so many nice gifts! 
I was tempted. 
They even had delights from the Black Forest. 
And ice skating… 
Ice shuffleboard? 
A view from the top of the Parkhaus… 
We were forced to park there because Wiesbaden was busy today!
I’m not usually all that keen on Christmas markets because they’re so crowded and people don’t watch where they’re going. I like Wiesbaden’s market, though, because there’s a big space for it and the crowds aren’t so obnoxious. It’s also very festive and people are upbeat. There were quite a few buskers out, too, including one band that appeared to be of Middle Eastern descent. They played “Feliz Navidad” (which Germans seem to love for some reason) and a not quite accurate version of “Jingle Bells”. But what can we say? I don’t think it’s their holiday. I give them mad props for effort and being entertaining. I hope they brought in some euros!