Saturday in Da Burg
Haven’t been to Germany? Having a tough time wondering what it’s like
to live here? I know you’re
curious. You’ve heard rumors from your
beastly, so-called friends. The winter weather is awful, right? Germans aren’t
friendly. If it’s not snowing, it’s
raining, right? So if you have to
live here, what in the world is there to do as you ponder your Saturday?
Oh, nothing really. Go to a very cool town for the big flea
market, or perhaps a wine fest, or a Christmas market, or find a delicious German
restaurant with atmosphere to spare. Of
course, you must begin with coffee and a fresh roll at the German bakery that’s
down the street. Imperative and essential
for a bright outlook, even if it’s raining, which it was. No matter. Drizzle fizzle. Pull up the hood and march on. We know every bakery clerk and they waved to
us and called us by name as we walked through the automatic, sliding glass
doors and got hit with a burst of the intoxicating aroma of fresh bread. We answered them by name and sat down because
we’re creatures of habit and the clerks know what we want. The bakery was warm and comfortable, but
after a coffee and roll warm up, we were ready to make the short drive to
Homburg.
Amazing how many vendors
showed up at the flea market, from Germany and France. Homburg is a lively town and sports the
biggest and best flea market (Floh Markt) in southwest Germany. Happens the first Saturday of every month,
from 0800 to 1600. Yeah, yeah, subtract
12 hours from the latter. Get used to it
if you take trains in Europe.
But, we weren’t taking a
train. Just driving a couple of towns away
and singing in the rain. Very light
drizzle that stopped periodically. Wasn’t that bad. Vendors know better than weathermen when it’s
going to be bad.
Unlike so many flea markets in
the U.S., the Homburg flea market is stuffed with antiques and semi-antiques,
most of which are at used furniture prices.
Interesting stuff. No dross. Can you bargain? Foolish man, of course you can. But, these vendors know the going price of
everything and their wares are already cheap.
Check out the photos. One thing
the guys will want to know: Yes there is German World War II paraphernalia, but
the crooked cross is always covered up.
It’s the law. There were no
coffee stands and no luscious aromas of grilling meats and sausages Saturday. The antique vendors know the weather better
than the food vendors.
Afterwards, we shopped for
flowers and you can see what we got for less than ten bucks. Brightens up the house, refreshes the spirit
and all those other touchy-feely things.
Freshly cut flowers are my fav substitute sunshine, especially in
Germany in the wintertime. We did see
the sun once…think it was last week.
Next stop, a wonderfully
traditional German beer house and restaurant.
Big steins of beer if you want one, but I opt for a glass of Grauer
Burgunder from the Nahe River area. In
Italy it’s called Pinot Grigio and in France Pinot Gris. English?
Gray Pinot. Light. Dry, Fruity nose.
But, I ordered a meat plate, a Grill
Teller. What’s with that? White wine
with meat? Yes, well two of the meats were pork and turkey. The Germans eat a lot of turkey, called
Puten. Don't’ eat pork or beef? No problem in Germany. Don’t drink wine or
beer? How ‘bout water or fruit juice?
Germans are known for huge
portions and the Grill Teller was no exception.
Should have shared and fought over the scraps.
We lingered over the wine and
looked out the window at folks bundled up for the rainy day. Rain and even snow doesn’t stop these hearty
folk. I’ve seen people in their eighties
with their walkers, trudging through six inches of snow.
So, what’s there to do on just
another rainy day in Germany? Gosh, let
me think…and while I’m thinking, let’s have another glass of wine.
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