Germany For Tourists - Shopping and Eating

There are two simple things to remember. When shopping, ignore the clothes and go for the toiletries, shoes and the food. Clothing by our standards is generally expensive unless you happen to be a "second hand store" shopper. Yes indeed, these stores exist, are fairly easy to find, and have some remarkable bargains. "Aldi" is a grocery store which also sells toiletries and some clothing like tshirts, pajamas and underwear. A great place for essentials, drinks and snacks. I picked up a pack of 8 batteries for 1.69 Euros.

Shoes are reasonable. It is affordable to buy brand new, great quality brand names in German footwear. Birkenstocks for example, begin at 29 Euros.


Food is a huge bargain as are the drinks (see blog 8/27/12 "Water and Other Libations")

German people have become more concerned about their health. I learned that the food revolution began in the 70's when classic high carb fare started to be replaced by better choices. A chef named Eckart Witzigmann, is credited with introducing the new cuisine. Fresh fruits and vegetables are readily available and inexpensive.

                           

 

Here is one of my favourite restaurant meals. It's called an "Exotischer Salat", exotic salad. The skewers have turkey (puten) skewers.

Having said all this, portion sizes are often large enough for two persons. When I remembered to do so, I would order a meal without sauce, since restaurants often drown food in gravy.


Rouladen, veggies and boiled potatoes

           

Smoked salt cured pork (Kasseler) with kale (Grünkohl) and fried potatoes...hubby's choice



Trout (forelle) with noodles

Another one of my favourite things...schnitzel (2 too big pieces) with spätzle (and beer)

Here are a few of the menu offerings.

 A three Euro breakfast (left) included juice, a boiled egg, a basket of rolls and a tray of meat and cheese...more than enough for two people. The lunch menus offer schnitzel, noodles and salad for 5.90 Euros or frikadelle...seasoned hamburger type patties with carrots and mashed potatoes for 5.50 Euros. Of course, everyone knows about the delicious breads, pastries and pretzels.

AND NOW....FOR COFFEE & DESSERT!

Coffee drinking is just as much of a custom in Europe as it is here. Coffee and cake or torte in the afternoon is even more popular. To distinguish between a torte and a cake, count the layers. More layers, torte. No layers, cake. Again, these treats are quite inexpensive.

raspberry cheese cake and cappuccino

 

 

Ice cream or "Eis" in Germany is usually homemade by the proprieters of the parlors and stands. There are many delicious flavours and ornamental sundaes. An ice cream cone in a waffle, costs between 70 cents and one Euro. Sundaes cost bit more.

Finally, a dessert which I found incredibly tasty and different from anything I'd ever eaten was called
"Rote Grütze". Grütze is German for grits, but have no fear, there is little if any resemblance to that sandpapery cereal. Rather, it's a combination of red currants, raspberries, strawberries and cherries  topped with custard or whipped cream. Yummy.

One recipe can be found at this site http://www.food.com/recipe/rote-gr-tze-301 and requires 24 hours of chilling after assembling. It doesn't include the traditional currants and I prefer the custard topping rather than the cream in the recipe. Perhaps I'll try to make this myself one day and report on the outcome.

Oh The Toilette!

Perhaps it was just that I didn't know where to find them. Or maybe it just seemed that they were few and far between whenever I was searching. Somehow, I didn't always find WC's very easily or inexpensively.

 

For one thing, it's necessary to have a supply of change available when travelling in Europe, particularly on the autobahn. Here are just a few of the tickets I purchased in order to use the rest room at service centres. Add insult to injury, the stubs claim that I paid half a Euro per visit when in fact, it was necessary to deposit 70 cents into the turnstiles.  

                                          

               







                                                        
In many public places and attractions there are attendants which expect a payment deposited onto a saucer, usually 50 cents.

When dining in a restaurant, the facilities were usually free. In fact, I found some of the entrance doors to the rest rooms to be more than entertaining, if not obvious...almost worth paying for.

 

 And then of course, for man's best friend...

 

 

Germany for Tourists - Some Basics

It occurred to me, as we toured a part of Europe and a great deal of Germany, that there are pieces of information and essential vocabulary which could save tourists a lot of time and potential frustration.

"A" is for Autobahn

 We all know that the autobahn is some kind of super German expressway where a car can all but fly at any speed right? Wrong. "Autobahn" rather is a general term used for freeways or highways. More often than not, another word synonymous with autobahn is "stau" or traffic jam. When the signs have no posted limit, go for it. However, when there are traffic issues or inclement weather conditions, there are often posted speed limits of 80/100 or 120 on overhead pixelated signs. 

I highly recommend a GPS if you are travelling anywhere by car. We ordered a European SIM card from the internet and inserted it into our North American GPS. Also, in Germany, a GPS is referred to as a "Navi". Gas is expensive. While we were there, it was between $1.60 and $1.80 per litre.

Also, same cell phone, or "handy" rules apply. Hands free only.

 

I appreciated seeing this sign in many parking lots. At first, I wondered. Then it made sense. The "Frauen" parking spots are located closer to exits and in brightly lit places. What a terrific idea.

 

"A" is also for Accommodation                                                                                                                

 

There are different types of accommodation depending on your preference. Hotels are similar to ours and usually have air conditioning, interenet, hair dryers and so on. A "Gasthaus" is more like a Bed and Breakfast. There are no guarantees when it comes to "extras" such as toiletries and hair dryers. A "Ferrienwohnung" by definition is a holiday residence. They do not always require that you stay long term depending on how busy they are. We stayed at such a place for one night. These usually have facilities such as a kitchen with stove and fridge.  

 

 Do not expect to find ice easily at any of the above locations. We were directed to a gas station where "Eis Würfel" are sold. Hotels sometimes give you a glass of ice at their bar. Do not request "Eis" as you are likely to get an ice cream cone.

 

Some hotels have a plastic key card. Check inside the room door to see if there's a slot. The key card goes there to turn on the electricity.

We stayed at a few hotels that included a lovely free breakfast buffet. The little waffle cone things have many uses (bottom left) and the little trash container on the table is for dry garbage such as egg shells, napkins, empty butter containers and the like.

If you see a bar such as this in the bathroom, it's for warming towels. It is also very useful for drying any laundry you might have hand washed. Just make sure it's turned on. There's usually a knob and thermostat dial near the bottom. Another  tip - Take a few clothes pins and hangers with you if possible. These come in handy for hanging damp clothes.

 

 

By the way, should you need to get some laundry done on your trip, this is what a laundromat looks like. We found it quite costly. For two loads, washing and drying it cost us about 13 Euros.

 

 

 Watch for "Some Basics - Shopping, Eating and Other" where I'll describe shopping, food/restaurants and the elusive and expensive WC's.

Antwerpen, Zeppelins and Märchenwald (Antwerp, Zeppelins and The Fairy Tale Forest) - Part Two

As I mentioned in Part 1, hubby and I decided to view different things. He was going to see the Dom, a fabulous historic gothic church and I was going to pursue my interests and visit Märchenwald.

 

 

At first, all I saw was a tree, a scary tree. This was promising.

Eventually, I found the entrance gate and ventured through. For a minimal admission cost, I began my uphill trek. I had a feeling that I'd better move quickly and that this scenic tour up the side of a mountain and back down would take considerably longer than hubby's church viewing.

I wasted no time. I no sooner heard a cackling witch then there was a tower and the reason for her glee. Rapunzel was letting down her golden hair. I was already mesmerized, but I moved on.

Then I saw the Hansel and Gretel house. Wow!  I had to take a picture of myself here. Each tiny building was interactive and had either movement or a button to press to hear the story. What fun. Nonetheless, after a quick, timed photo, I kept going.

I popped my head into the next little house and saw Red Riding Hood."Look out! That's not your grandma in that bed," I yelled before I ventured on.

When I zipped past the cottage of the seven dwarfs (or dwarves for English sticklers), I reminded Snow White that she needs to remember never to talk to strangers and to be sure to wash her fruit prior to eating. Pesticides are a terrible thing.

I  saw Puss in Boots, Rumpelstiltskin, the Bremen Town Musicians, and so much more.

Then I heard church bells. I took it as some kind of sign that I should hurry even faster. At this point I looked down, realizing that I was fairly high up on the mountain.

The downhill trip finally started. Then I saw them. I had to stop and delay the rest of my journey. It was a bridge and there were real billy goats! "Who's that tripping over my bridge?" I shouted in my best ogre like voice while taking a photo of myself. The goats were just too cute and they definitely weren't camera shy.

After about an hour and a half or heading uphill and back down, I viewed my last fairy tale.

It was "Sleeping Beauty". Yes, I was tired too. I am fairly confident that I saw an attraction, Märchenwald, in record time. I had completed an entire fairy tale forest in an hour and a half. I don't recommend it. It requires at least half a day. I looked at my watch. Yikes.

After scooting back to the parking lot to find hubby, I realized that he must have been sitting in the heat waiting for me for the last hour of my journey.

"I went as fast as I could," I promised breathlessly. "It was fabulous"

Why do I owe hubby big time? He left the cathedral early and missed a choral presentation he would have liked to hear. He saw the beginning of a German wedding. Hence the church bells. He would have liked to see more. Out of concern for me and not knowing how long I'd be, he rushed. Then he waited and waited and waited...no complaints. Thoughtful and sweet. That's my hubby.

Antwerpen, Zeppelins and Märchenwald (Antwerp, Zeppelins and The Fairy Tale Forest) - Part One

My poor hubby, has to put up with a very strange character...me. While we were planning a recent trip, I looked at the map of Europe and got excited when I noted "Dijon" in France. "Let's go there!" I said excitedly.

I was unnerved when he looked at me with his newly acquired mind-reading skill, and announced, "I'm not going to a place just because it's named after mustard."

I wasn't ready for defeat. "Let's go to Antwerpen then", I suggested.

"Antwerp? What's there?" he asked. I scrambled to flip the computer page away from the giant Lange Wapper, the castle Het Steen, and the statue of Brabo throwing the giant's hand into the river.

I turned instead to a photo of the market square and said, "Look at the magnificent architecture of these old buildings. And furthermore," I added, "the Port Authority has won awards and the Palace of Justice..."

Antwerp was officially added to our itinerary. I got to see it all!




On another occasion, we were driving through a portion of Germany. I noticed a dirigible in the sky. "Hey, look up there", I yelled.

"I can't, I'm driving," was hubby's obvious response.

I couldn't speak fast enough. I was filled with excitement. "Well, there's a Zeppelin. Wait, there's another one. I wonder if there's a Zeppelin landing strip...or airship rides or a display or something. Can we go there and find out?"

"Only if you don't want to go to Neuschwanstein. We won't have time for both."

I was conflicted. I was learning how tough some decision making must be for children. I saw a sign that said,  "Zeppelin Museum".

"Think fast," I said to myself, then blurted out, "Naww, it's o.k., The Sleeping Beauty castle it is."

One day, we were looking for the Bergischer Dom, in Altenberg, built between 1259 and 1379...phenomenal Gothic architecture. It was then that I spotted a sign "Märchenwald"...Fairy Tale Forest! I could hardly contain myself. I looked in the guidebook and read "an enchanted forest with interactive scenes and statues representing the most popular fairy tales." I was speechless.

It was then that hubby, the mind-reader, came through. Since both places were within a stone's throw of each other, he suggested I go to Märchenwald while he visits the Dom. We were to meet in the parking lot afterward.

I owe hubby big time for what happened next.

A Rose By Any Other Name

I have a phalaenopsis. No, it's not a deadly disease, but rather an orchid with a purple flower and a reddish centre. I received it for Mothers' Day, May 2012.

I long admired the varieties of this plant which seemed abundant in every window sill in Europe. For some reason, I had misconceptions about orchids. I thought they were difficult to grow, perhaps regional, or that there was some deep mystery behind their existence. I don't know for certain how the false information originated, but I do know that orchids are fairly costly when purchased from a florist.

As I researched orchids, I discovered that there are over 30,000 species. They grow everywhere in the world except Antarctica and in very dry desert areas. It almost sounded like some type of weed.

When I received the plant, I panicked. I had no idea how to look after it. I am pleased that my instincts, or rather my carelessness, set me in the right direction. I put my lovely new plant in my office window and forgot about it. It had a few purple blooms at the tip of the sticks, matched my office decor and looked nice in there. My office window faces in a south easterly direction. One day, after a few weeks away from this space, I realized that I had abandoned the poor plant without water and rushed to retrieve what I thought could be a droopy, dead stick. Instead, here is what I found. Magnificent!

The original flowers had multiplied...quadrupled in fact. It was then that I realized, orchids thrive on neglect. I moved the phenomenal plant onto my dining room table where it receives diffused light similar to that in my office. I am now able to admire and appreciate it daily. I give it some water, but not enough to soak it, every few weeks. I have read that water slightly on the warmer side is good. I have also added a small fertilizer spike.

My orchid seems to have sprouted tentacles. I'm not too clear on what these are unless they're some type of root.

Perhaps, once it's done flowering, I'll try my hand at transplanting into a slightly larger pot. This won't happen in the near future though. Why? It is now September and my orchid looks like this.

Fifty Shades of Incredible Marketing

I began writing this blog some time ago and debated whether or not to finish it. Even though I decided that this particular book deserves no further recognition, I will share my opinion.

I got tired of hearing comments and innuendos about the book "Fifty Shades of Grey". Even the ladies of "The View" kept mentioning it on their t.v. show. Finally, I picked it up to see what the hype was all about. This action has now become one of the regrets of my life.

I'm not a literary snob. I like to relax with the occasional easy read fiction just like the next person. If  is a well told story, contains a good a mystery, a romance or is written with some humour, I can enjoy it. When the book "Fifty Shades Of Grey" received notoriety, I glanced at it and ignored it. A number of people mentioned the book and said it was a "must" read. They assured me that it was simply an erotic romance. I saw it disappearing from store shelves everywhere. I heard there was a movie in the works. What harm could there be? After all, I have enjoyed most books recommended to me.

Essentially this story is about a college graduate who is so smitten with a wealthy businessman that she immediately signs a contract agreeing to a relationship involving all his aberrant sexual preferences.

This novel is some kind of fantasy penned by a woman who made big money writing offensive, demeaning trash about a sick, manipulative, good looking billionaire who buys whatever he wants. At no time did I like this male character. He was never developed into anything more than a sicko psycho with some dark, mysterious past. I don't care about his past. My biggest problem, aside from the boredom factor, is that this might appeal to youngish women who don't need to be reading this sort of thing and accepting it as normal human behaviour.

I put the book down several times and finally gave up after suffering through just over half. As if the subject matter and attempt at a story line weren't bad enough, the writing is abhorrent. If I ever hear the phrases, "you must eat", "stop biting that lip", "pants hanging from hips" ,"down there" or "wicked smile" again, I'm fairly certain I will be forced to gauge out and stomp on my own cochleae.  It occurred to me to count how many times these phrases were repetitively used, but frankly, I didn't want to waste any more time.

"Fifty Shades of Grey" has obviously appealed to a lot of people. It's been on the best seller list for half a year. It accounts for one in five books currently sold. There are two sequels. If this is the sort of thing people enjoy, it's their prerogative.

On the other hand, I wonder how much of the excitement has been brought about by the brilliant ways the novel has been promoted. It's constantly mentioned, snickered about, joked about and written about. After all, when there are specially designed "covers" advertised to disguise a book so that "nobody knows what you're reading",wouldn't you be curious? In case you find yourself tempted, please resist. Trust me when I say, all you need to see is this youtube video by Ellen Degeneres.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on3JCwnwHbU