When K and I visited Bacharach, we had hoped to buy some neuer Wein. It's a fall special, beloved in the Pfalz, and is a sweet and effervescent drink made from fermented grape juice. The time window to buy it is short, as is its shelf life.
We decided to see if we could find some in Bacharach. Even though we were no longer in the Pfalz, we were in the Rheinland, a region of wineries, and even part of the same state, so there had to be some there, right?
When one buys neuer Wein directly from the grower, one can bring her own container. I happened to have a gallon jug in my car that I normally fill with water to take to work. Even though we didn't plan to buy that much wine, the jug would do in a pinch.
We walked through the wine festival downtown but had no luck finding a booth that sold neuer Wein. Giving up, we stopped at a gift shop so I could buy some postcards. In German, I asked the woman how much the cards were. She just about fell over, effusing about how wonderful my German was.
I held the postcards, shocked, then said in German, oh, thank you, but I still have a long way to go. She continued. I then told her I live here. She still gushed. Um, thank you, that is very kind, I told her.
It was definitely hyperbole, as kind as it was. I should be much more fluent and have better pronunciation, especially considering that I've been learning German for five years and practice with native speakers. If I had been a tourist, then yes, my German was darn good. For someone who've lived here almost four years, my progress is very slow.
I finally managed to pay her for the postcards and we moved on. However, finding no neuer Wein sellers, we came back and K asked her in excellent German if the woman knew of somewhere that we could buy it. Of course she mentioned the wine festival but we had no luck there earlier.
Then K held up the gallon jug and was babbling about how we live in the Pfalz and normally one brings a jug and buys the wine from a farmer on the side of the road.
The woman looked a bit horrified. I don't blame her, imagining drinking a whole gallon of neuer Wein. It's sweet as heck and would cause extreme gastrointestinal distress in such quantities. I also think we struck her as a bunch of redneck yokels who drank that thar wine stuff down in da Pfalz and we wanted to get our alky-hol on. Here the city was having a perfectly genteel wine festival where one could buy a glass of wine and it looked as if we wanted to swill it.
Oy vey. All we wanted was a glass or two each and it's cheaper to buy a whole liter than it is to buy a glass of it.
Showing posts with label Wine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wine. Show all posts
Friday, October 7, 2016
Sunday, March 6, 2016
My week: March 6 ed.
I lost some hair this week, pre-gamed wine on a train, practiced German, and came home with a load of inexpensive German books. Sounds good, eh?
-To put the hair loss situation in context: I stopped by for a much-needed haircut. I think the last time I got my haircut was in November and it was so dramatic to see all of my hair on the ground at the salon. Now my mane is a bit more under control ;)
- Apparently I wasn't listening very closely in German class. The teacher last week was a substitute and we have our regular guy back. While I like both teachers, I dig the guy's style especially.
I also met up with my original tandem partner and we howled with laughter over what we believe (and hope) is her misunderstanding of a new acquaintance's profession. She created a special lesson for me this week after I hit a "rock-bottom" feeling of language learning last week, in which I bemoaned my stupid accent when I speak German and my pitiful vocabulary (oh so dramatic, I know). We practiced pronunciation and she taught me some new words. She is such a sweet and helpful person.
-I traveled to Neustadt to meet up with friends C+K. We enjoyed some wine at their apartment, then some wine on the train, and made friends with another train passenger, a retiree who was drinking his beer. We found common ground in that we both wore wine glass holders around our necks. C gave him the rest of the bottle of wine that we had been enjoying, after exacting a promise that he would not be offended by the Badisch wine showing up in the Pfalz. Such is life as one takes the train to wine festivals in the Pfalz.
The terminus of our wine-soaked journey was the Bad Dürkheim Weinbergnacht (wine mountain night). I attended last year (read allll about it here) and felt rather darn cool to show up with my special wine glass holder-necklace-purse-thingie that the nice lady from last year gifted me. You know, it was as if I actually belonged.
It's funny to return to events which are now becoming traditions for me. Last year, I went with the two S-es and didn't drink that much (we still had fun). This year, I showed up after already enjoying some beverages and felt a bit more unfocused, but we powered through the light rain, dodging mud as well as we could. (In other words, when I got back, I thought, dang, my boots and the bottom of my trousers are muddy!)
The three of us sampled various regional cuisine and snagged some wine, of course. I knew the score this year after having many wine sampling tickets left year; I suggested that we only buy two tickets for the three of us, and I brought the wine glass I already had. Since we had pre-gamed on the train, we had tickets left and used them to "purchase" a bottle of wine to go. We were apparently two tickets short but K made sad puppy dog eyes and the booth employee was kind enough to let her have the bottle anyway.
-It was the weekend of the annual Pfennigbasar, a charity rummage sale to benefit local organizations. I'm happy with what I bought, the price I paid, and that the money went to charity. I picked up three pairs of jeans for 4,50 euros and an armful of books in German for 50 cents a piece, including some on my favorite local topic, hiking in the Pfalz. I was also in the need of books to practice German and was able to find a YA book that I've read in English. My main problem was finding books that looked interesting but were short enough that they won't take forever to read. I'm willing to buy secondhand books that don't suit perfectly because I can't justify buying new books for practice when I'm going to mark them up with definitions.*
One day, I volunteered at the sale and mostly spoke German. It was funny when Americans would come up to the booth and nervously ask me if I spoke English; this was my life when I first got here.
*I come from a family that does not write in books, especially because we normally would borrow books from libraries. My niece found an old book of her father's. As a toddler, he had scribbled in it. She showed it to her grandmother and in a disdainful, 3 year old tone, stated, "we do NOT write in books." Good kid! As I'm trying to learn German, I'm going to put aside this rule with the practice books.
-To put the hair loss situation in context: I stopped by for a much-needed haircut. I think the last time I got my haircut was in November and it was so dramatic to see all of my hair on the ground at the salon. Now my mane is a bit more under control ;)
- Apparently I wasn't listening very closely in German class. The teacher last week was a substitute and we have our regular guy back. While I like both teachers, I dig the guy's style especially.
I also met up with my original tandem partner and we howled with laughter over what we believe (and hope) is her misunderstanding of a new acquaintance's profession. She created a special lesson for me this week after I hit a "rock-bottom" feeling of language learning last week, in which I bemoaned my stupid accent when I speak German and my pitiful vocabulary (oh so dramatic, I know). We practiced pronunciation and she taught me some new words. She is such a sweet and helpful person.
-I traveled to Neustadt to meet up with friends C+K. We enjoyed some wine at their apartment, then some wine on the train, and made friends with another train passenger, a retiree who was drinking his beer. We found common ground in that we both wore wine glass holders around our necks. C gave him the rest of the bottle of wine that we had been enjoying, after exacting a promise that he would not be offended by the Badisch wine showing up in the Pfalz. Such is life as one takes the train to wine festivals in the Pfalz.
The terminus of our wine-soaked journey was the Bad Dürkheim Weinbergnacht (wine mountain night). I attended last year (read allll about it here) and felt rather darn cool to show up with my special wine glass holder-necklace-purse-thingie that the nice lady from last year gifted me. You know, it was as if I actually belonged.
It's funny to return to events which are now becoming traditions for me. Last year, I went with the two S-es and didn't drink that much (we still had fun). This year, I showed up after already enjoying some beverages and felt a bit more unfocused, but we powered through the light rain, dodging mud as well as we could. (In other words, when I got back, I thought, dang, my boots and the bottom of my trousers are muddy!)
The three of us sampled various regional cuisine and snagged some wine, of course. I knew the score this year after having many wine sampling tickets left year; I suggested that we only buy two tickets for the three of us, and I brought the wine glass I already had. Since we had pre-gamed on the train, we had tickets left and used them to "purchase" a bottle of wine to go. We were apparently two tickets short but K made sad puppy dog eyes and the booth employee was kind enough to let her have the bottle anyway.
-It was the weekend of the annual Pfennigbasar, a charity rummage sale to benefit local organizations. I'm happy with what I bought, the price I paid, and that the money went to charity. I picked up three pairs of jeans for 4,50 euros and an armful of books in German for 50 cents a piece, including some on my favorite local topic, hiking in the Pfalz. I was also in the need of books to practice German and was able to find a YA book that I've read in English. My main problem was finding books that looked interesting but were short enough that they won't take forever to read. I'm willing to buy secondhand books that don't suit perfectly because I can't justify buying new books for practice when I'm going to mark them up with definitions.*
One day, I volunteered at the sale and mostly spoke German. It was funny when Americans would come up to the booth and nervously ask me if I spoke English; this was my life when I first got here.
*I come from a family that does not write in books, especially because we normally would borrow books from libraries. My niece found an old book of her father's. As a toddler, he had scribbled in it. She showed it to her grandmother and in a disdainful, 3 year old tone, stated, "we do NOT write in books." Good kid! As I'm trying to learn German, I'm going to put aside this rule with the practice books.
Monday, June 1, 2015
My week: May 31 ed.
Whew! May just blew by for me. There were a lot of things happening this month, with a work trip, several trips for fun, a holiday weekend trip to Budapest, and the departure of my good friend/colleague C. The month ended as such...
-I arrived home late on Monday night from Budapest. The next day, I felt rotten in the morning, experiencing flu-like symptoms. I nursed myself back to help with OTC meds and managed to make it through the workday but I felt quite awful.
-The next night, C came over to stay until her upcoming move on the weekend. We had a girls' night in with vegetarian food from a fave Heidelberg restaurant, followed by macarons (both items she thoughtfully brought), an epilator demo (and some wine because really, who comes up with such a dumb idea without wine?), and making handmade, non-toxic lotion bars from natural ingredients. We're weirdos and the strange chain of events suited us well ;)
-We saw the new Pitch Perfect movie. I'm not really a big fan of American comedies but we were just going to see our German actor/comedian crush, Flula Borg. The movie indeed was dumb with crude and base humor, but hey, there was Flula, so that counts for something.
-It was a whirlwind of goodbyes for C. We planned a farewell lunch with some people in our building, then a cake reception for everyone in our division. Our coworker S made another fantastic carrot cake and decorated it in an exciting way, surpassing even the awesome cake she made for my birthday last month. We also went out for dinner and drinks one evening for further celebrations with C. Phew! C has been my closest friend here in Germany and I'm sad to see her go, but she has an excellent new opportunity so I'm happy for her about that. We have already have plans for a road trip next year so it's "see you later" instead of "goodbye."
-After I drove C to the airport, I came home and took the train to Neustadt an der Weinstrasse to spend some time with my other friend C and his partner, K. They welcomed me with a delicious dinner of Spargel wrapped in savory pancakes and covered with Hollandaise sauce. It was excellent and I felt very spoiled to be eating the area's favorite spring dish prepared by awesome folks.
The next day, we visited Erpolzheim for the Kulinarische Wanderung um Obst, Spargel und Wein (Culinary Hike around Fruit, Asparagus, and Wine). It's in the Weinstrasse region and offers guests the opportunity to hike through the Spargel fields and fruit orchards to try various regional specialties. It was both a delicious and relaxing hike. We bought some fresh, local strawberries; they made me wonder why on earth I ever bother to buy the supermarket kind because the local ones are so much better.
Following the hike, C and K dropped me off at the train station, hugging me and sending me on my way with a cactus, a gift from C, who's a huge gardening fan. It was very sweet of him; I just hope that the cactus has a good life with me (Moo and my opposite of a green thumb, I'm looking at you).
-I had a bit of time at home, so I worked on the yard, during which I started another project that has been of interest to me: learning more about foraging wild foods. I had plenty of stinging nettle plants, which are a combination of something useful and something bothersome. Egads, is it ever unpleasant to get scratched by them! However, I have read that one can eat them, make tea from them, or even create tinctures from them. I weeded the yard and brought some inside to dry and use for tea. I'll have to give an update on how that one turns out.
-I arrived home late on Monday night from Budapest. The next day, I felt rotten in the morning, experiencing flu-like symptoms. I nursed myself back to help with OTC meds and managed to make it through the workday but I felt quite awful.
-The next night, C came over to stay until her upcoming move on the weekend. We had a girls' night in with vegetarian food from a fave Heidelberg restaurant, followed by macarons (both items she thoughtfully brought), an epilator demo (and some wine because really, who comes up with such a dumb idea without wine?), and making handmade, non-toxic lotion bars from natural ingredients. We're weirdos and the strange chain of events suited us well ;)
-We saw the new Pitch Perfect movie. I'm not really a big fan of American comedies but we were just going to see our German actor/comedian crush, Flula Borg. The movie indeed was dumb with crude and base humor, but hey, there was Flula, so that counts for something.
-It was a whirlwind of goodbyes for C. We planned a farewell lunch with some people in our building, then a cake reception for everyone in our division. Our coworker S made another fantastic carrot cake and decorated it in an exciting way, surpassing even the awesome cake she made for my birthday last month. We also went out for dinner and drinks one evening for further celebrations with C. Phew! C has been my closest friend here in Germany and I'm sad to see her go, but she has an excellent new opportunity so I'm happy for her about that. We have already have plans for a road trip next year so it's "see you later" instead of "goodbye."
-After I drove C to the airport, I came home and took the train to Neustadt an der Weinstrasse to spend some time with my other friend C and his partner, K. They welcomed me with a delicious dinner of Spargel wrapped in savory pancakes and covered with Hollandaise sauce. It was excellent and I felt very spoiled to be eating the area's favorite spring dish prepared by awesome folks.
The next day, we visited Erpolzheim for the Kulinarische Wanderung um Obst, Spargel und Wein (Culinary Hike around Fruit, Asparagus, and Wine). It's in the Weinstrasse region and offers guests the opportunity to hike through the Spargel fields and fruit orchards to try various regional specialties. It was both a delicious and relaxing hike. We bought some fresh, local strawberries; they made me wonder why on earth I ever bother to buy the supermarket kind because the local ones are so much better.
Following the hike, C and K dropped me off at the train station, hugging me and sending me on my way with a cactus, a gift from C, who's a huge gardening fan. It was very sweet of him; I just hope that the cactus has a good life with me (Moo and my opposite of a green thumb, I'm looking at you).
-I had a bit of time at home, so I worked on the yard, during which I started another project that has been of interest to me: learning more about foraging wild foods. I had plenty of stinging nettle plants, which are a combination of something useful and something bothersome. Egads, is it ever unpleasant to get scratched by them! However, I have read that one can eat them, make tea from them, or even create tinctures from them. I weeded the yard and brought some inside to dry and use for tea. I'll have to give an update on how that one turns out.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
My week: March 8 ed.
Whew, was this week busy! I had German lessons, a meeting with my tandem partner, and a jam-packed weekend.
-Three of us attended a night wine hike in Bad Dürkheim, the Weinbergnacht (literally, the "wine mountain night"). We hiked up the hills above the town and sampled wine and local cuisine. A light show illuminated the vineyards. Tickets sell out every year (the coveted Saturday tickets sold out at least two weeks before the event, if not earlier) and even on Friday, we were swarmed by the crowd. Despite that, it was a lovely evening. I was envious of the people wearing special purses (for lack of better word) to hold their wine cups. Little did I know...
The three of us sat on some stone benches to eat dinner. An older woman sitting behind us was quite curious about us speaking English with various accents, turning around and asking where we were all from; we answered the US, France, and Germany. She thought that was very nice and seemed pleased to practice her English. When she was leaving, she shared how great she thought it was that international young people (har - I'm definitely not so young) were friends and gave me a handmade wine purse that she had made. How cool is that? I told her, in German, "thank you" and that she was very nice.
-I volunteered at the Pfennigbasar. Whew, it was fun, busy, and a lot of German speaking for me! I spoke German about 60% of the time overall, and about 90% of the time with customers. I did experience a slightly awkward situation: I asked a shopper if I could help her with anything and she started telling me some involved story about...um, I think her family living in the US and them trying to buy her an expensive purse. There was something about her granddaughter and maybe not setting the dinner table. At least that's what I think she was telling me.
Since I couldn't understand the whole thing (and I didn't really want to know such personal information from someone I had only met 30 seconds before!), I just kept nodding and desperately hoping that she wouldn't ask me any questions. About eight panicked minutes later, she said she had to go and patted me amicably on the arm. I wished her a good day and thought, "my, wasn't that interesting!" She was quite nice though, but it's slightly unusual behavior for a German as it is not always customary to make small talk nor talk about very personal matters with strangers.
One of the funny things I heard this weekend: Me: "I eventually want to get a piece of cake." M, a German member of the club, eying the cake booth: "You better go now." Me: "I can wait." M, "No, you must really go and make...what do they call it. A reservation? You need to make a reservation for cake. Germans like cake, you know, and there will be none left." We looked over at the cake table, which was surrounded by Germans munching on cake, and laughed. I went and bought a piece.
Some of my friends from Mannheim visited the sale. They brought me some Turkish pastries from Pasa, which I will enjoy later.We had a laugh because Ma. of course had to buy a box for himself and as he was making his selections, he even ate a pastry while doing so, perhaps to allow himself to think better.
-I had a house guest who was a delight. She invited me to visit in the Eifel region of Germany, where she and her spouse live near a LAKE (!!!! squee!!!). I am really looking forward to a visit this summer for swimming and kayaking because this Great Lakes gal really misses lakes and rivers.
It was a great weekend. I was able to visit with friends who made special trips from out town, meet some interesting new people, and volunteer.
-Three of us attended a night wine hike in Bad Dürkheim, the Weinbergnacht (literally, the "wine mountain night"). We hiked up the hills above the town and sampled wine and local cuisine. A light show illuminated the vineyards. Tickets sell out every year (the coveted Saturday tickets sold out at least two weeks before the event, if not earlier) and even on Friday, we were swarmed by the crowd. Despite that, it was a lovely evening. I was envious of the people wearing special purses (for lack of better word) to hold their wine cups. Little did I know...
The three of us sat on some stone benches to eat dinner. An older woman sitting behind us was quite curious about us speaking English with various accents, turning around and asking where we were all from; we answered the US, France, and Germany. She thought that was very nice and seemed pleased to practice her English. When she was leaving, she shared how great she thought it was that international young people (har - I'm definitely not so young) were friends and gave me a handmade wine purse that she had made. How cool is that? I told her, in German, "thank you" and that she was very nice.
-I volunteered at the Pfennigbasar. Whew, it was fun, busy, and a lot of German speaking for me! I spoke German about 60% of the time overall, and about 90% of the time with customers. I did experience a slightly awkward situation: I asked a shopper if I could help her with anything and she started telling me some involved story about...um, I think her family living in the US and them trying to buy her an expensive purse. There was something about her granddaughter and maybe not setting the dinner table. At least that's what I think she was telling me.
Since I couldn't understand the whole thing (and I didn't really want to know such personal information from someone I had only met 30 seconds before!), I just kept nodding and desperately hoping that she wouldn't ask me any questions. About eight panicked minutes later, she said she had to go and patted me amicably on the arm. I wished her a good day and thought, "my, wasn't that interesting!" She was quite nice though, but it's slightly unusual behavior for a German as it is not always customary to make small talk nor talk about very personal matters with strangers.
One of the funny things I heard this weekend: Me: "I eventually want to get a piece of cake." M, a German member of the club, eying the cake booth: "You better go now." Me: "I can wait." M, "No, you must really go and make...what do they call it. A reservation? You need to make a reservation for cake. Germans like cake, you know, and there will be none left." We looked over at the cake table, which was surrounded by Germans munching on cake, and laughed. I went and bought a piece.
Some of my friends from Mannheim visited the sale. They brought me some Turkish pastries from Pasa, which I will enjoy later.We had a laugh because Ma. of course had to buy a box for himself and as he was making his selections, he even ate a pastry while doing so, perhaps to allow himself to think better.
-I had a house guest who was a delight. She invited me to visit in the Eifel region of Germany, where she and her spouse live near a LAKE (!!!! squee!!!). I am really looking forward to a visit this summer for swimming and kayaking because this Great Lakes gal really misses lakes and rivers.
It was a great weekend. I was able to visit with friends who made special trips from out town, meet some interesting new people, and volunteer.
Monday, January 26, 2015
The Freinsheim Rotweinwanderung
On Saturday, a group of us boarded the train and headed out to the Freinsheim Rotweinwanderung, or red wine hike. It began on Friday night with a torchlit hike through the vineyards just outside of town and continued until Sunday.
From the train station, it was about a 15 minute walk through town to the vineyards. Various restaurants and wine makers set up along the path and offered regional wines and food. At the beginning, there were covered, long wagons where people could enjoy wine with friends. One wagon was rocking as the jolly inhabitants were singing and (presumably) dancing as much as is possible in such tight confines.
The event began at 11:30 a.m. and lasted until 6:00 p.m. By the time we arrived just before 3, people were in high spirits and quite merry, despite the chill in the air and the sleety snow falling. Our group perused the various food offerings, sampling the Flammkuchen (delicious) and hearty soups such as potato and pumpkin. We also saw Reibekuchen/Kartoffelpuffer/latkes, plenty of wurst, and of course, the regional specialty and Helmut Kohl's favorite thing to foist upon unsuspecting foreign visitors, Saumagen.
The hike took us up the vineyard hill where we found more stands. We availed ourselves of the Glühwein, a hot, mulled wine that was perfect to take away the chill. 6:00 came too soon for us as we reluctantly headed back to the train station.
The Rotweinwanderung is a wonderful way to experience the specialties of the Pfalz and to live like the Germans do. In other words, it means enjoying the outdoors, even though it might be snowy and cold. Dress warmly*, bring some friends, ride the train, and drink some wine. It's all part of the good life!
*If you really want to fit in with the Germans, wear Jack Wolfskin clothing ;)
From the train station, it was about a 15 minute walk through town to the vineyards. Various restaurants and wine makers set up along the path and offered regional wines and food. At the beginning, there were covered, long wagons where people could enjoy wine with friends. One wagon was rocking as the jolly inhabitants were singing and (presumably) dancing as much as is possible in such tight confines.
 |
| The wagons on the right offer a respite from the snow and a place to eat. |
The hike took us up the vineyard hill where we found more stands. We availed ourselves of the Glühwein, a hot, mulled wine that was perfect to take away the chill. 6:00 came too soon for us as we reluctantly headed back to the train station.
The Rotweinwanderung is a wonderful way to experience the specialties of the Pfalz and to live like the Germans do. In other words, it means enjoying the outdoors, even though it might be snowy and cold. Dress warmly*, bring some friends, ride the train, and drink some wine. It's all part of the good life!
*If you really want to fit in with the Germans, wear Jack Wolfskin clothing ;)
Sunday, January 25, 2015
My week: January 25 ed.
-I returned from Munich on Monday. Since it was a work holiday, I moseyed back from the train station and stopped at Dyan and Ethnico. I was pleased to find a super comfy, hippie-influenced shirt that still looks fine for work and bought it for a reasonable 15 euros (on sale) at Ethnico.
-I then bought a new back pack for traveling. I already have an old Eddie Bauer small daypack that folds into itself, as well as a back pack with a logo from one of my schools. However, both backpacks are a bit small for my three-day weekend trips. The Eddie Bauer one is getting a bit "long in the tooth" (old, in other words). Although a wonderful friend has repaired it for me (and made it look even cooler than it did in the beginning; she's a wizard of awesomeness!), it was never meant to really be used for anything of substance as it's made of thin material. I took my chances and stuffed it with three days' worth of clothes (and my textbook) this past weekend but I was really pushing it.
On a whim, I stopped by the sporting goods store and was delighted to see that most items were 30% off. Since I can avoid paying VAT (tax) with a special form, I could save almost 50% off the backpacks. Well, I've been searching for a backpack for a while now and the best price for a used one that I thought was rather decent was about 40 euros. I'm frugal but not (usually) to the point of being stupid; if I could buy a brand new backpack for a bit more, I certainly would. I picked out a 30 liter backpack and took it to the counter to ask if the employee would hold it for me so I could run home and grab the VAT form.
She was flipping through some paperwork and didn't acknowledge me. I waited. I waited some more. She pointedly ignored me, not even saying something like "one moment, please." I was getting pretty disgusted by then and was about ready to put the bag down on the counter and walk out. However, I had been working on buying one for a while and was determined to get a new bag that day. I rearranged myself mentally to project a good attitude, smiled, and said politely: "I would like to buy this bag, please." The store clerk harrumphed and scowled at me. I decided to kill her with kindness. I asked if she could be so kind as to hold the bag for me while I quickly ran home to get the form. She was still grumpy about it but acquiesced. When I came back with the form, I told her that it was very nice of her to hold the backpack for me. She softened a little and rang it up. I told her thanks again and left.
I told my German colleague about the experience and she said she would've walked out of the store. I had gone into my super stubborn mode and was not to be dissuaded. This is not the only time that I've experienced or heard of such an interaction here. More often than should be, I've found myself waiting and waiting for the store clerk to acknowledge either myself or a customer in front of me. They'll get to helping the customers when they're dang good and ready, it seems. I understand that it can be difficult to stop in the middle of some tasks, but one could at least have the courtesy to acknowledge the customer and ask for a moment to finish the previous task. Plus, if one is working at a register or as a store clerk, the primary responsibility is to sell the store's goods; other tasks are secondary. I'm approaching this as someone who's worked in one form of customer service or another since the time I was 14, whether it was working in the front lines of a pizza shop or providing in-house support to other employees who provide service to the public. So, this write-up was more about the customer service than the dang backpack. Sheesh.
-German lessons were followed by two nights of much-needed time at home.
-On Saturday, a group of us went to the red wine hike in Freinsheim. It was lovely! Fat flakes of snow tumbled out of the sky as we enjoyed some wine and tasty regional dishes, such as Flammkuchen, potato and pumpkin soups, etc.
-I took a trip to Miramar, a water park and sauna complex near Mannheim, with some friends. It was very relaxing (and waterlogging!).
-I then bought a new back pack for traveling. I already have an old Eddie Bauer small daypack that folds into itself, as well as a back pack with a logo from one of my schools. However, both backpacks are a bit small for my three-day weekend trips. The Eddie Bauer one is getting a bit "long in the tooth" (old, in other words). Although a wonderful friend has repaired it for me (and made it look even cooler than it did in the beginning; she's a wizard of awesomeness!), it was never meant to really be used for anything of substance as it's made of thin material. I took my chances and stuffed it with three days' worth of clothes (and my textbook) this past weekend but I was really pushing it.
On a whim, I stopped by the sporting goods store and was delighted to see that most items were 30% off. Since I can avoid paying VAT (tax) with a special form, I could save almost 50% off the backpacks. Well, I've been searching for a backpack for a while now and the best price for a used one that I thought was rather decent was about 40 euros. I'm frugal but not (usually) to the point of being stupid; if I could buy a brand new backpack for a bit more, I certainly would. I picked out a 30 liter backpack and took it to the counter to ask if the employee would hold it for me so I could run home and grab the VAT form.
She was flipping through some paperwork and didn't acknowledge me. I waited. I waited some more. She pointedly ignored me, not even saying something like "one moment, please." I was getting pretty disgusted by then and was about ready to put the bag down on the counter and walk out. However, I had been working on buying one for a while and was determined to get a new bag that day. I rearranged myself mentally to project a good attitude, smiled, and said politely: "I would like to buy this bag, please." The store clerk harrumphed and scowled at me. I decided to kill her with kindness. I asked if she could be so kind as to hold the bag for me while I quickly ran home to get the form. She was still grumpy about it but acquiesced. When I came back with the form, I told her that it was very nice of her to hold the backpack for me. She softened a little and rang it up. I told her thanks again and left.
I told my German colleague about the experience and she said she would've walked out of the store. I had gone into my super stubborn mode and was not to be dissuaded. This is not the only time that I've experienced or heard of such an interaction here. More often than should be, I've found myself waiting and waiting for the store clerk to acknowledge either myself or a customer in front of me. They'll get to helping the customers when they're dang good and ready, it seems. I understand that it can be difficult to stop in the middle of some tasks, but one could at least have the courtesy to acknowledge the customer and ask for a moment to finish the previous task. Plus, if one is working at a register or as a store clerk, the primary responsibility is to sell the store's goods; other tasks are secondary. I'm approaching this as someone who's worked in one form of customer service or another since the time I was 14, whether it was working in the front lines of a pizza shop or providing in-house support to other employees who provide service to the public. So, this write-up was more about the customer service than the dang backpack. Sheesh.
-German lessons were followed by two nights of much-needed time at home.
-On Saturday, a group of us went to the red wine hike in Freinsheim. It was lovely! Fat flakes of snow tumbled out of the sky as we enjoyed some wine and tasty regional dishes, such as Flammkuchen, potato and pumpkin soups, etc.
-I took a trip to Miramar, a water park and sauna complex near Mannheim, with some friends. It was very relaxing (and waterlogging!).
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Christmas Markets in Kaiserslautern
Um, I'm a bit behind on this, but better late than never...
As is common with many cities, Kaiserslautern is hosting a Christmas market. It's primarily held around the Stitftsplatz, Stiftskirche, and Schillerplatz. Located in the center of town and in the middle of the pedestrian zone, it's a convenient and cozy place to stop for some Christmas spirit (or spirits like Glühwein - he he).
There is also an arts and crafts market in the Fructhalle, near Schillerplatz. Called the Kulturmarkt vor Weihnachten, the market is continuing until 21 December and is a lovely place to shop for handmade jewelry, soaps, textiles, and more. I enjoyed my trip there this year and here's a blog entry from last year about it.
The Fructhalle is located right across from the tourists' information office downtown. The market is open from 24 November until 21 December and is open daily from 12 p.m. - 7 p.m. There is no admission charge.
As is common with many cities, Kaiserslautern is hosting a Christmas market. It's primarily held around the Stitftsplatz, Stiftskirche, and Schillerplatz. Located in the center of town and in the middle of the pedestrian zone, it's a convenient and cozy place to stop for some Christmas spirit (or spirits like Glühwein - he he).
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| Market in front of Stiftskirche |
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| Giant Christmas pyramid under which one can order drinks |
The Fructhalle is located right across from the tourists' information office downtown. The market is open from 24 November until 21 December and is open daily from 12 p.m. - 7 p.m. There is no admission charge.
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| Crafts in the Fructhalle |
Saturday, December 13, 2014
My favorite Christmas Market Begins: 13-14 December, Trippstadt
I'm super excited, despite the dreary weather: my all-time favorite Christmas begins in a few hours!
The Haus der Nachhaltigkeit, or House of Sustainability, is a nature center, of sorts, located in Trippstadt, which is twenty minutes south of Kaiserslautern. It is offering its annual one weekend-only "Romantische Waldweihnacht," or "romantic forest Christmas" on its grounds. It is truly a special Christmas market, quite different from most other German markets, being held partially in the forest in a beautiful setting.
Offerings at this market are most often organic, handmade, and high quality. There are many local specialties, including some that are hyper local and put the focus on the forest: it's possible to eat venison and wild boar products made from animals from the very woods!
The market is only open during the second weekend in December and is held in Trippstadt, twenty minutes south of Kaiserslautern. Parking is almost impossible; do not even attempt to drive. I mean it! Instead, enjoy a stress-free (though sometimes packed) ride on the special VRN bus that makes frequent trips during the market. Plus, it allows everyone to enjoy some Glühwein! Group tickets allow for a very inexpensive journey.
For more information:
Haus der Nachhaltigkeit's Website, with more info
My blog entry from last year, detailing my experience
Tips for enjoying the market (#1 tip is: don't drive yourself there! Take the bus!)
The Haus der Nachhaltigkeit, or House of Sustainability, is a nature center, of sorts, located in Trippstadt, which is twenty minutes south of Kaiserslautern. It is offering its annual one weekend-only "Romantische Waldweihnacht," or "romantic forest Christmas" on its grounds. It is truly a special Christmas market, quite different from most other German markets, being held partially in the forest in a beautiful setting.
Offerings at this market are most often organic, handmade, and high quality. There are many local specialties, including some that are hyper local and put the focus on the forest: it's possible to eat venison and wild boar products made from animals from the very woods!
The market is only open during the second weekend in December and is held in Trippstadt, twenty minutes south of Kaiserslautern. Parking is almost impossible; do not even attempt to drive. I mean it! Instead, enjoy a stress-free (though sometimes packed) ride on the special VRN bus that makes frequent trips during the market. Plus, it allows everyone to enjoy some Glühwein! Group tickets allow for a very inexpensive journey.
For more information:
Haus der Nachhaltigkeit's Website, with more info
My blog entry from last year, detailing my experience
Tips for enjoying the market (#1 tip is: don't drive yourself there! Take the bus!)
Monday, November 10, 2014
Seven Ways to Enjoy Germany Like the Germans Do
Are you
trying to fit into Germany and want to live life like a local? Below are some
wonderful pastimes that are popular with Germans and are fun to try.
- Grill party. You might see this at a park, in someone’s backyard, and if it’s allowed, even on some balconies. Germans enjoy a good grill party. Often the host has the barbeque going and guests bring their own meat and share side dishes.
- Volksmarching. This is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and you can even log your marches if you’d like. These happen all year; one of the most fun I’ve had was volksmarching in February in the snow.
- Wine festivals. Drink some delicious wines in a beautiful surrounding and listen to German music. With the easy availability of a train ride home from most locations, everyone in the party can enjoy some of the regional specialties.
- Picnic in the park. Bring a bottle of wine (drinking publicly is allowed in most places), some delicious food, and a blanket to a park and enjoy a wonderful afternoon.
- Party like crazy during Fasching/Karneval/Fastnacht. No matter what it’s called in your region, the time of the year just before Lent is when Germans love to party like crazy. There are parades, dances, music, and plenty of political jokes (in German, of course).
- Relax in the sauna. It’s usually clothing-free but entirely relaxing.
- Christmas markets. Oh, there is nothing else like a German Christmas market! Sip some Glühwein, wander among the vendors’ stalls, and soak in the wonderful atmosphere.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
What I've been up to: October 5 ed.
This week was a continuation of my vacation with my parents and younger brother. I hope to write more about it in detail, but for now, here's the short version:
-We stayed overnight in Kaiserslautern, after just barely catching the last train home from Saarbruecken since our bus from Paris was late.
-We traveled to Ludwigsburg and visited the palace there, taking a tour completely in German. As if I didn't know this already, the tour confirmed that my grasp of German is still very basic. The tour guide was running out of time so she spoke very quickly. I wasn't sure if Carl Eugen had 300 children or 300 pairs of shoes.* The latter made more sense to me but when I inquired what he had 300 of during a lull, I learned that it was children. I wondered how he was able to get anything else done.
-Then we moved on to Stuttgart, where we attended the Canstatter Wasen, or Volksfest. It's similar to Oktoberfest. It was okay but I'm kind of over big fests.
-We took a tour of the Mercedes factory. It was free and quite interesting.
-Moving on, we stayed in Nuremberg for two days. I've been once before for class, but that visit was limited to two museums so it was good to further explore the city. My brother and I made a new acquaintance, a local guy, who was awesome and gave us a lot of information about the area.
-We attended the wine festival at Neustadt an der Weinstrasse. This was more of my scene.
-On Sunday, we visited the Roteweinfest in Ingelheim am Rhein.
*Other sources I've briefly read don't mention that many kids so I wonder if I'm still getting it wrong!
-We stayed overnight in Kaiserslautern, after just barely catching the last train home from Saarbruecken since our bus from Paris was late.
-We traveled to Ludwigsburg and visited the palace there, taking a tour completely in German. As if I didn't know this already, the tour confirmed that my grasp of German is still very basic. The tour guide was running out of time so she spoke very quickly. I wasn't sure if Carl Eugen had 300 children or 300 pairs of shoes.* The latter made more sense to me but when I inquired what he had 300 of during a lull, I learned that it was children. I wondered how he was able to get anything else done.
-Then we moved on to Stuttgart, where we attended the Canstatter Wasen, or Volksfest. It's similar to Oktoberfest. It was okay but I'm kind of over big fests.
-We took a tour of the Mercedes factory. It was free and quite interesting.
-Moving on, we stayed in Nuremberg for two days. I've been once before for class, but that visit was limited to two museums so it was good to further explore the city. My brother and I made a new acquaintance, a local guy, who was awesome and gave us a lot of information about the area.
-We attended the wine festival at Neustadt an der Weinstrasse. This was more of my scene.
-On Sunday, we visited the Roteweinfest in Ingelheim am Rhein.
*Other sources I've briefly read don't mention that many kids so I wonder if I'm still getting it wrong!
Sunday, August 10, 2014
We partied like rock stars at the Deidesheim Wine Fest
**Note: the Deidesheimer Weinkerwe (wine festival) is continuing next weekend, 15-17 August. More information is available here.**
Some friends and I took a jaunt over to the Deidesheim wine festival. We ended up partying like rock stars, but more like if one thinks about geriatric rock stars ;) It's been a busy time for each of us and after about a glass of wine each, we were all ready for a nap! This is what happens when one gets old. However, I'm not sure if that's entirely true and we didn't have any excuse because I saw a lot of adorable elderly German couples who were partying and didn't seem sleepy.
We took a 40-minute train ride to the picturesque town that is situated on the German wine street. Once there, we disembarked the train and examined booth after booth of wine and food. I settled on drinking a Hugo, which is a mix of sparkling wine, soda water, elderberry syrup, and a mint garnish. It was fantastic! Of course, I do love elderberry syrup (which I only recently learned about, and only knew about elderberries before that because of Monty Python). My friends chose wine and we also grabbed some food.
We sat near the stage, under the trees, which was quite lovely. Eventually, the band came in, dressed in tracht (i.e. lederhosen). It was the strangest thing, though: they did a few warm-ups, then left. They came back, played about 30 seconds of a song, then left again. Then they came back and played some other songs, too, but it felt as if they didn't play the entire song. It was really strange!
In addition to listening to music clips, we also took a walk around town. Deidesheim is really quite lovely, with many Weinstuben and restaurants tucked along the streets. There is also this lovely Gasthaus zur Kanne, from the 12th century. The whole time we were walking around, I was imagining what my dad's response to this town would be. I could hear him in my head saying, "Oh! This is so gezellig!" The amusing thing about that statement is that gezellig is a Dutch word and my dad isn't remotely Dutch. However, my mom's family is and for some reason, he loves that word. It does fit the town well though: it cozy, cute, and quaint. When my family comes to visit, I have to take him to this village or a similar one.
During our wanderings, we also came across another fountain with Gernot Rumpf's sculptures. He has created other fountains and sculptures throughout the Pfalz and I love his whimsical creatures. They also have some naughty jokes within them. At this fountain, visitors can stick their heads into the statue and look like an old fashioned man and woman. However, the woman is a bit different, though I'm not going to say how. You'll just have to find out for yourself.
The fountain is filled with goats. It turns out that Deidesheim has a traditional festival near Pentecost in which a goat is auctioned off. Actually, the festival seems more invested with drinking and partying, but it's traditional, eh?
Some friends and I took a jaunt over to the Deidesheim wine festival. We ended up partying like rock stars, but more like if one thinks about geriatric rock stars ;) It's been a busy time for each of us and after about a glass of wine each, we were all ready for a nap! This is what happens when one gets old. However, I'm not sure if that's entirely true and we didn't have any excuse because I saw a lot of adorable elderly German couples who were partying and didn't seem sleepy.
We took a 40-minute train ride to the picturesque town that is situated on the German wine street. Once there, we disembarked the train and examined booth after booth of wine and food. I settled on drinking a Hugo, which is a mix of sparkling wine, soda water, elderberry syrup, and a mint garnish. It was fantastic! Of course, I do love elderberry syrup (which I only recently learned about, and only knew about elderberries before that because of Monty Python). My friends chose wine and we also grabbed some food.
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| The band that seemed to play 30 second clips. |
In addition to listening to music clips, we also took a walk around town. Deidesheim is really quite lovely, with many Weinstuben and restaurants tucked along the streets. There is also this lovely Gasthaus zur Kanne, from the 12th century. The whole time we were walking around, I was imagining what my dad's response to this town would be. I could hear him in my head saying, "Oh! This is so gezellig!" The amusing thing about that statement is that gezellig is a Dutch word and my dad isn't remotely Dutch. However, my mom's family is and for some reason, he loves that word. It does fit the town well though: it cozy, cute, and quaint. When my family comes to visit, I have to take him to this village or a similar one.
During our wanderings, we also came across another fountain with Gernot Rumpf's sculptures. He has created other fountains and sculptures throughout the Pfalz and I love his whimsical creatures. They also have some naughty jokes within them. At this fountain, visitors can stick their heads into the statue and look like an old fashioned man and woman. However, the woman is a bit different, though I'm not going to say how. You'll just have to find out for yourself.
The fountain is filled with goats. It turns out that Deidesheim has a traditional festival near Pentecost in which a goat is auctioned off. Actually, the festival seems more invested with drinking and partying, but it's traditional, eh?
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| Rumpf really has quite the sense of humor. He includes goat "pellets." |
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| Rumpf's signature mouse. |
Friday, June 20, 2014
E-nun-ci-ate
I had an awkward and funny experience that highlights this:
if inviting someone to a sekt party, be sure to enunciate! Or, better yet, use the Italian name (prosecco), the Spanish name (cava), or just call it plain ol' sparkling wine*.
*Yes, I'm sure there are probably differences among the different types of sparkling wines, but invitees will get the drift.
if inviting someone to a sekt party, be sure to enunciate! Or, better yet, use the Italian name (prosecco), the Spanish name (cava), or just call it plain ol' sparkling wine*.
*Yes, I'm sure there are probably differences among the different types of sparkling wines, but invitees will get the drift.
Monday, January 27, 2014
December's Adventure: Day 8, Liège
On to day 8, which was the last day of the big trip with my cousins in December.
We had driven to Liège, Belgium the night before and stayed at a horrible hotel. Let's just say that the pictures made it look much nicer than it was and I didn't read reviews far enough back. We were happy to leave it in the morning and head downtown.
There were several nice Christmas markets throughout downtown so we wandered the city, stopping by stores and churches as we went. My cousins found another small winery that was selling its own homemade vin chaud and agreed that my hypothesis that vin chaud/glühwein that is homemade and/or organic tastes so much better than what most other booths sell.
I had picked up a Use-It Guide for the city and it recommended a hike up to the Coteaux de la Citadelle, which overlooks the city. We had some difficulty finding it since the stairs are set back a way, but we finally were on track and schlepping up tons of stairs. The view at the top was quite amazing! We found another set of stairs and those were quite steep as well.
We trekked back down the hill, found some dinner, then decided to call it a day. Getting out of town was frustrating; I didn't take my own advice to park outside of the main part of downtown so it took 20 minutes just to drive several miles. Once we hit the highway, it was smooth sailing to drop my cousins off in Frankfurt to fly home.
It was a great trip! We ate delicious things, shared many laughs, saw artistic and historic sights, put 1,000 miles on my car, and walked our buns off in the cities. I'm so glad that my cousins were able to come out and visit.
We had driven to Liège, Belgium the night before and stayed at a horrible hotel. Let's just say that the pictures made it look much nicer than it was and I didn't read reviews far enough back. We were happy to leave it in the morning and head downtown.
There were several nice Christmas markets throughout downtown so we wandered the city, stopping by stores and churches as we went. My cousins found another small winery that was selling its own homemade vin chaud and agreed that my hypothesis that vin chaud/glühwein that is homemade and/or organic tastes so much better than what most other booths sell.
I had picked up a Use-It Guide for the city and it recommended a hike up to the Coteaux de la Citadelle, which overlooks the city. We had some difficulty finding it since the stairs are set back a way, but we finally were on track and schlepping up tons of stairs. The view at the top was quite amazing! We found another set of stairs and those were quite steep as well.
Oh, look! A hill! We walked up and down this.
These are the stairs we took. They were plentiful!
These were an option to get up/down the hill too. No thanks!
We trekked back down the hill, found some dinner, then decided to call it a day. Getting out of town was frustrating; I didn't take my own advice to park outside of the main part of downtown so it took 20 minutes just to drive several miles. Once we hit the highway, it was smooth sailing to drop my cousins off in Frankfurt to fly home.
It was a great trip! We ate delicious things, shared many laughs, saw artistic and historic sights, put 1,000 miles on my car, and walked our buns off in the cities. I'm so glad that my cousins were able to come out and visit.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
December's Adventure: Day 3, Strasbourg, France
On our third day of our trip, we hopped into the car for a two hour drive to Strasbourg, France, which is south of Kaiserslautern. I've visited Strasbourg once before this spring but never did get to writing about it (oops!). The nice thing about my prior visit was that it saved me some research for this visit since I basically already knew the layout of town. In other words, I knew exactly where to go since I had already bumbled through some wrong turns during the previous visit. Yay for learning!
From my last visit, I knew that the wise thing to do with my car was leave it in the Park and Ride lot on the edge of the downtown. I chose the Rotonde parking garage which is just west of downtown. It's super convenient because the tram is just outside the parking lot and it's a quick journey into town. Even better yet? It's super cheap! To park in the garage and ride the tram into downtown and back is only 4 euros for up to seven passengers. It's sooo much cheaper and less stressful than parking in the city (more P+R Strasbourg info available here).
We didn't have a set plan other than visiting the cathedral and the Christmas market. After we took the tram into town, we came across the first Christmas Market at Place Kléber, a square. There were just a few booths and they were all non-profit organizations. We decided this would be an excellent place to drink some vin chaud ("hot wine"), the French version of glühwein. After all, once must drink hot, spiced wine at Christmas markets and supporting non-profits by purchasing it from them is even better!
My cousins both speak a bit of French from learning it in high school so they ordered successfully. I tried to order some wine using French and it was a mess. Some of it came out in German and instead of 3 glasses of wine we received 2 glasses instead. Eep. We finally got everything sorted out and my cousins had their glasses of red wine and I had white. It was tasty and similar to glühwein. Finishing our glasses, we were then left to figure out how to get our deposit back. We even had to figure out if we had paid a deposit for the cups. It's pretty standard practice if the cups aren't the cheap disposable ones. We spent a while watching other people to see what they were doing and finally just took the cups back to the stand and handed them back. We were rewarded with our deposit being returned. Success!
We learned that each year, there is a special guest country to the market. This year, the guest was Croatia, being honored for recently joining the EU (as of 1 July 2013). There were some stalls in the Place Gutenberg set up with Croatian food, crafts, and information.
Then we moved on to the Cathedral of Notre Dame, a major landmark of the city. Part of the building was started in 1015, but the Gothic spire was not completed until 1439, according to Strasbourg's Tourism website. We marveled at the amazing church, noting the astronomical clock inside and the elaborately decorated facade.
I made special note of the super creepy stained glass window showing scenes from Hell. I was especially alarmed by the white devil (? I think that's what it is) that bears some resemblance to Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster from the children's film Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Freaky.
That was enough of creepy stained glass windows. As we toured the rest of the town, we found something else that I've since seen repeated in other European towns: Santa Claus in various stages of breaking into people's homes. More pictures of this phenomenon will follow, of course.
There is more to the visit to Strasbourg but that will be another entry since this one is super long as it is. The next entry will be full of additional excitement (! maybe): how we ended up (sort of) on French television in Petite France; saw gnomes gone bad (and it was bloody!); went mountain climbing in the French burrito restaurant; and went into giggling hysterics over weird mannequins. I'm sure you can't wait.
From my last visit, I knew that the wise thing to do with my car was leave it in the Park and Ride lot on the edge of the downtown. I chose the Rotonde parking garage which is just west of downtown. It's super convenient because the tram is just outside the parking lot and it's a quick journey into town. Even better yet? It's super cheap! To park in the garage and ride the tram into downtown and back is only 4 euros for up to seven passengers. It's sooo much cheaper and less stressful than parking in the city (more P+R Strasbourg info available here).
We didn't have a set plan other than visiting the cathedral and the Christmas market. After we took the tram into town, we came across the first Christmas Market at Place Kléber, a square. There were just a few booths and they were all non-profit organizations. We decided this would be an excellent place to drink some vin chaud ("hot wine"), the French version of glühwein. After all, once must drink hot, spiced wine at Christmas markets and supporting non-profits by purchasing it from them is even better! |
| Lovely vin chaud. Now, how to get the deposit back? |
We learned that each year, there is a special guest country to the market. This year, the guest was Croatia, being honored for recently joining the EU (as of 1 July 2013). There were some stalls in the Place Gutenberg set up with Croatian food, crafts, and information.
Then we moved on to the Cathedral of Notre Dame, a major landmark of the city. Part of the building was started in 1015, but the Gothic spire was not completed until 1439, according to Strasbourg's Tourism website. We marveled at the amazing church, noting the astronomical clock inside and the elaborately decorated facade.
I made special note of the super creepy stained glass window showing scenes from Hell. I was especially alarmed by the white devil (? I think that's what it is) that bears some resemblance to Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster from the children's film Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Freaky.
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| Creepy creepy! Bumble, is that you? |
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| Beautiful church facade, evil gnome poisoning the vin chaud outside (maybe not). |
There is more to the visit to Strasbourg but that will be another entry since this one is super long as it is. The next entry will be full of additional excitement (! maybe): how we ended up (sort of) on French television in Petite France; saw gnomes gone bad (and it was bloody!); went mountain climbing in the French burrito restaurant; and went into giggling hysterics over weird mannequins. I'm sure you can't wait.
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Six Tips for Enjoying the Romantische Waldweinacht at Haus der Nachhaltigkeit
www.hdn-pfalz.de
Haus der Nachhaltigkeit
Trippstadt
Are you interested in experiencing the lovely Christmas market in the Palatinate woods that I wrote about here? I highly recommend it, but before you go, here are some things to know:
1. Whatever you do, do not drive and do not park your car there. I am not kidding on this one. Take the bus! There is a special bus that leaves from Kaiserslautern, as well as from other places (which will be listed on the Haus's website), and it drops off passengers directly at the event.
There are very few parking spaces available anywhere near the market and the ones that are available are perilous as they're not actually spaces at all; cars were just parked on the side of the road, which is incredibly narrow. The buses that came through could barely squeeze past the cars. At one point, some passengers had to get out of the bus to help direct the driver through the tight squeeze!
There is no safe place to walk to the market from where the cars are parked and it's dangerous for everyone involved. Repeat after me: take! the! bus!
2. Look into buying a Tageskarte for an individual, which is a day's pass for the bus, or a Gruppentageskarte for a group. Usually this will be cheaper for the outward and return journey than buying individual bus tickets. They can be bought from the bus driver.
3. Check the schedule for events and get there early! We only had about an hour and a half at the market and it wasn't long enough. We also missed out on seeing the fire spinners. I wish I had planned better.
4. Try the bio (organic) or ökologisch glühwein. It is delicious and in my opinion, tastes much better than regular glühwein.
5. Try some of the food offerings; some of them are not readily available at other Christmas markets (such as the Wildschwein sausages).
6. Be sure to check out the craft fair inside the building, too.
Haus der Nachhaltigkeit
Trippstadt
Are you interested in experiencing the lovely Christmas market in the Palatinate woods that I wrote about here? I highly recommend it, but before you go, here are some things to know:
1. Whatever you do, do not drive and do not park your car there. I am not kidding on this one. Take the bus! There is a special bus that leaves from Kaiserslautern, as well as from other places (which will be listed on the Haus's website), and it drops off passengers directly at the event.
There are very few parking spaces available anywhere near the market and the ones that are available are perilous as they're not actually spaces at all; cars were just parked on the side of the road, which is incredibly narrow. The buses that came through could barely squeeze past the cars. At one point, some passengers had to get out of the bus to help direct the driver through the tight squeeze!
There is no safe place to walk to the market from where the cars are parked and it's dangerous for everyone involved. Repeat after me: take! the! bus!
2. Look into buying a Tageskarte for an individual, which is a day's pass for the bus, or a Gruppentageskarte for a group. Usually this will be cheaper for the outward and return journey than buying individual bus tickets. They can be bought from the bus driver.
3. Check the schedule for events and get there early! We only had about an hour and a half at the market and it wasn't long enough. We also missed out on seeing the fire spinners. I wish I had planned better.
4. Try the bio (organic) or ökologisch glühwein. It is delicious and in my opinion, tastes much better than regular glühwein.
5. Try some of the food offerings; some of them are not readily available at other Christmas markets (such as the Wildschwein sausages).
6. Be sure to check out the craft fair inside the building, too.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
December's Adventure: Day 1, Part 2; Haus der Nachhaltigkeit Christmas Market
After spending time together in Frankfurt, I drove my cousins back to Kaiserslautern. We took a much-needed short nap at my house before our evening trip to the Haus der Nachhaltigkeit's Christmas market in the woods.
The Haus der Nachhaltigkeit, or House of Sustainability (which I'll refer to for the rest of this as the "Haus"), is a nature center, of sorts, located in Trippstadt, which is twenty minutes south of Kaiserslautern. For the last ten years the Haus has celebrated its "Romantische Waldweihnacht," or "romantic forest Christmas" on its grounds. It is truly a special Christmas market, quite different from most other German markets.
Offerings at this market are most often organic, handmade, and high quality. There are many local specialties, including some that are hyper local and put the focus on the forest: it's possible to eat venison and wild boar products made from animals from the very woods!
I used this market as an opportunity to introduce my cousins to the staple of German Christmas markets: glühwein, which is a hot, spiced wine (which also made many future appearances in our trip). Internally, I was a bit blasé about drinking more glühwein. I had some when I first moved to Germany, and it was overly sweet and tasted like it had cheap fillers in it. I didn't finish that first glass of it.
The glühwein at the Haus's Christmas market restored my faith in mulled wine. It was amazing! I think that the major difference is that this glühwein was a higher quality and was homemade by the winery selling it. Another bonus is that the supplying winery uses ökologisch growing techniques, which means that they are environmentally sound ways of growing the grapes (something along the lines of bio, or organic). It seemed like just wine with spices and no added "junk." My cousins loved it, too.
Warmed up by the glühwein and trying to stay focused (which the drink didn't help), I led us around the grounds where we checked out handcrafted Christmas decorations, handmade soaps, and other quality items. My cousin was hungry so I suggested that he try flammkuchen, which is a common and beloved dish in this region.
It was then that I witnessed some behavior that is somewhat out of character for what I have previously observed in the locals: one woman in line made small talk with us (usually people don't really talk to strangers in line) and another guy let my cousin know he wasn't in line properly but kindly showed him how to find his place. The fact that the line was being respected blew me away. Folks here don't usually queue here in an orderly fashion, if at all!
Really, it was like the whole event was somehow magically blessed with happy, smiling, and friendly people. After we had sat down to eat the flammkuchen, I told my cousins that I thought we might have been transported to another dimension instead of just into the forest. I'm not saying that the locals are mean or anything; it's just that people normally mind their own business and don't make small talk with strangers.
As we finished the flammkuchen, we realized that the market was closing up for the night. We reluctantly made our way back to the bus, which offered us a packed ride home with many enthusiastic older people who were a little silly, probably from drinking too much glühwein.
The Haus's Christmas market is, without a doubt, my favorite Christmas market that I have attended. I can't wait to go again next year. I will definitely go much earlier to give enough time to fully enjoy the market and to see some of the free shows that it hosts (such as fire spinners, brass bands, etc.).
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Ten Tips for Enjoying German Christmas Markets
For those living in or visiting Germany during the Advent season (end of November until Christmas), a must-see is the German Christmas markets. They are truly magical with many delightful things to eat, see, and buy.
Here are some tips for enjoying the markets:
1. Do a bit of research before you go. Usually there is information on the website of the city hosting the market. Find the opening hours, location of restrooms, etc. Some cities have more than one market (such as Cologne) so it's nice to know ahead of time where they are. Not all sites will have an English version, but Google Translate can be your friend.
2. They tend to be quite busy, especially in the evenings and on weekends. Decide if you like a packed environment that's festive but offers the possibility of being crushed by crowds of people. If you like more room, consider going earlier in the day, which is not as crowded.
3. Even though dogs are welcome almost everywhere in Germany, rethink bringing Fido along. It can be so packed at these events that he might get trampled. The few times I saw people with their dogs, I saw that they had to carry them. Save your dog the stress.
4. If you're going to bring a child to the market, have a strong game plan. I'm not saying that the markets are unfriendly for children, and it's quite a magical thing to see, but having your young one get crushed in a crowd of people probably won't be super fun. Also, if you have a stroller, you will probably bump into other people or run over their heels, which is also not super fun for the people you're doing it to. If it's an option, consider carrying babies in one of those baby slings. Think about visiting earlier in the day to avoid the crowds, or if there are two adults, have the child walk in the middle so he's a bit safer.
5. Be careful with your valuables! Pickpockets love the crowded atmospheres. Don't leave a wallet in an outside pocket. Ladies, keep a firm hold on your purse.
6. Learn about the regional culinary specialties and if they sound interesting, be sure to sample them! Not all Christmas markets have the same things (though things like glühwein and beer are quite common!). I learned this after I ate some delicious quarkbällchen in Dresden but didn't see any more in my travels on the west side of the country (though that's okay - I don't need to eat that much fried food anyway).
7. Carry local currency (but of course keep it hidden from pickpockets). Many vendors don't accept credit cards.
8. If you want to drink glühwein (traditional hot spiced wine common at the Christmas markets), try out the "bio" (organic) or the ökologisch (wines grown in an environmentally-friendly manner) versions, as well as those sold by the wine growers themselves. I found that they taste so much better than the regular version.
9. Have a plan for what happens if the group gets separated, such as where to meet. If bringing a child, be sure to tell him what to do if he should get lost.
10. If you are concerned about buying genuine, handcrafted souvenirs, ask where the products were made. For example, not all traditional German decorations (such as Räuchermänner or Christmas pyramids) are made in Germany; some might have been made in China.
Here are some tips for enjoying the markets:
1. Do a bit of research before you go. Usually there is information on the website of the city hosting the market. Find the opening hours, location of restrooms, etc. Some cities have more than one market (such as Cologne) so it's nice to know ahead of time where they are. Not all sites will have an English version, but Google Translate can be your friend.
2. They tend to be quite busy, especially in the evenings and on weekends. Decide if you like a packed environment that's festive but offers the possibility of being crushed by crowds of people. If you like more room, consider going earlier in the day, which is not as crowded.
3. Even though dogs are welcome almost everywhere in Germany, rethink bringing Fido along. It can be so packed at these events that he might get trampled. The few times I saw people with their dogs, I saw that they had to carry them. Save your dog the stress.
4. If you're going to bring a child to the market, have a strong game plan. I'm not saying that the markets are unfriendly for children, and it's quite a magical thing to see, but having your young one get crushed in a crowd of people probably won't be super fun. Also, if you have a stroller, you will probably bump into other people or run over their heels, which is also not super fun for the people you're doing it to. If it's an option, consider carrying babies in one of those baby slings. Think about visiting earlier in the day to avoid the crowds, or if there are two adults, have the child walk in the middle so he's a bit safer.
5. Be careful with your valuables! Pickpockets love the crowded atmospheres. Don't leave a wallet in an outside pocket. Ladies, keep a firm hold on your purse.
6. Learn about the regional culinary specialties and if they sound interesting, be sure to sample them! Not all Christmas markets have the same things (though things like glühwein and beer are quite common!). I learned this after I ate some delicious quarkbällchen in Dresden but didn't see any more in my travels on the west side of the country (though that's okay - I don't need to eat that much fried food anyway).
7. Carry local currency (but of course keep it hidden from pickpockets). Many vendors don't accept credit cards.
8. If you want to drink glühwein (traditional hot spiced wine common at the Christmas markets), try out the "bio" (organic) or the ökologisch (wines grown in an environmentally-friendly manner) versions, as well as those sold by the wine growers themselves. I found that they taste so much better than the regular version.
9. Have a plan for what happens if the group gets separated, such as where to meet. If bringing a child, be sure to tell him what to do if he should get lost.
10. If you are concerned about buying genuine, handcrafted souvenirs, ask where the products were made. For example, not all traditional German decorations (such as Räuchermänner or Christmas pyramids) are made in Germany; some might have been made in China.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Visiting Frankfurt after the Book Fair
After the visit to the Frankfurt book fair on Saturday, I walked around Frankfurt a bit lot (my legs are still sore). My first stop was Römerberg, part of the Altstadt (Old Town). It's a charming square with what look to be 15th/16th century buildings. They are actually modern reproductions as the area was bombed heavily during WWII. The tourist information office is on the right side (or north side) of the square.
I walked north to the next square, which is where Paulskirche (Paul's Church) sits. I was excited to see this church in person because I learned about its importance this summer during my history classes. Paulskirche was the site of the National Assembly's first meetings and where the first constitution of Germany was written. Unfortunately, those efforts in 1848/1849 were not successful because of interference by Prussia, the Austrian Empire, and some of the other German states. Anyway, Paulskirche was also destroyed in WWII and has since been rebuilt and is now a forum for public events instead of church services.
I didn't go inside the building since it was closed for the day, so I continued north through the pedestrian zone, past tons of stores and restaurants. My next stop was the Kleinmarkthalle, an indoor food market with fabulous offerings. I felt like a country bumpkin brought to the big city as I admired the dried lavender, hummus, and cheeses at various booths. Of course, there are also many vegetables, fruits, and meat available, among other things. I restrained myself and only bought some sort of sheep's cheese spread and some hummus to eat the next day since I planned to go out for dinner.
After that, I knew I wanted to try some Frankfurter Apfelwein. It's a local favorite and I was excited, because I generally like wine and I haven't yet found a fruit wine that I didn't like. Well, this was actually more like a cider (alcoholic) and I definitely did not care for it! I kept trying it, just to be fair. I ended up giving the glass almost full back to the waitress when I retrieved my pfand (deposit for the cup). I felt bad about that but I just couldn't drink the slightly bitter drink.
After some more walking around, I decided to head south to Sachsenhausen, a district with many restaurants. There was a Persian restaurant I wanted to try, but alas, even after I made the hike down there, it was closed! I was disappointed, especially after all of the walking. I picked up a falafel/salad plate at a take out place but it just wasn't the same.
However, the upside is that I saw a bar named after the ever creepy Struwwelpeter. Our friend Pete is not a German relative of Edward Scissorhands; instead, he's Shock Headed Peter, who didn't groom himself well enough (hence the long, nasty finger nails) and as a result, was unpopular. Yay for cautionary German tales! Holy crow, are the rest of the Heinrich Hoffman stories freaky and/or super frightening, such as the kid who won't stop sucking his thumb so a tailor cuts it off. Eek!
I thought my legs were done for the day so I finished my meal and walked to grab a train. I saw one station decorated with these statues:
What a way to end the day :)
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| Römerberg, Altstadt Frankfurt |
 | ||
| Paulskirche |
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| Road in front of Paulskirche |
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| Kleinmarkthalle, exterior |
 |
| Kleinmarkthalle, interior |
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| Frankfurter Apfelwein: nicht für mich! |
However, the upside is that I saw a bar named after the ever creepy Struwwelpeter. Our friend Pete is not a German relative of Edward Scissorhands; instead, he's Shock Headed Peter, who didn't groom himself well enough (hence the long, nasty finger nails) and as a result, was unpopular. Yay for cautionary German tales! Holy crow, are the rest of the Heinrich Hoffman stories freaky and/or super frightening, such as the kid who won't stop sucking his thumb so a tailor cuts it off. Eek!
I thought my legs were done for the day so I finished my meal and walked to grab a train. I saw one station decorated with these statues:
What a way to end the day :)
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