BeNeLux, booze tourism, Brussels, YouTube

Pardon My French: Brussels and Paris 2026 (part three)

Featured photo is from the Toone Bar… which is also a historic puppet theater.

Sunday morning, Bill and I woke up, got dressed, and had breakfast in the hotel lobby. We were under the impression that we’d be having breakfast in the lobby all week, since the receptionist had told us the restaurant was under renovation. But it turned out the lounge breakfast was only to occur on Sunday. I was glad of that, since it wasn’t an ideal location.

Because we got there at 8:00 AM, there wasn’t a lot of seating in the lounge. We ended up sitting at a very low table, right next to the drink station. Bill fought with the Nespresso type coffee machine, which wasn’t properly set up. We got the side eye from a European couple, who happened to be at breakfast on three out of the four mornings we were at the hotel. I did fall in love with the marvelous pastries, though… It’s good that I don’t have access to them every day!

After breakfast, we decided to take a walk around and see what we could find in Brussels. It didn’t take us long before we wound up at the Belgian Beer World. This fantastic and very modern museum is in a huge, beautiful, surprisingly ornate building. We thought maybe the museum would be one tenant in the massive location, but it took up the entire edifice, with a cafe, brasserie, rooftop bar, and interactive exhibits on several floors.

We happened to be there at 10:30 AM, which was when the museum opened for the day. And, we were also the first ones to explore the museum on that Sunday morning. Tickets were 21,50€ for adults, but because Bill is 61 years old, he got a senior discount, and only had to pay 19,50€. He took it with good humor!

Below are a few photos from the walk to the Beer World, which was very close to Le Fleur de Ville, our hotel. One thing I love about Belgium is the quirky, and sometimes a bit off-color humor that is often on display there. They don’t take themselves too seriously!

*These kinds of comical murals are on a number of buildings around Brussels.*

And below are a few outside photos of the massive Belgian Beer World, which is an impressive place to explore Belgium’s national drink. As a beer lover, I can confirm it’s a fun place to visit, even for children. There are lots of interactive and multimedia exhibits there, presented in several languages.

We walked up the steps and into the massive foyer… I got more photos of the very ornate interior of this building, called La Bourse… This was just the first floor! Until 1996, this historic building was home to Belgium’s financial markets. Now, it’s been renovated to house a fun and fascinating museum dedicated to beer! What could be a better use for such a grand address? 🤭 La Bourse was designed by the Belgian architect, Léon-Pierre Suys between 1868 and 1873. It is now thought to be “a true marvel of 19th century neoclassical style.”

According to the Beer World’s Web site: La Bourse was the site of heroic action: during the First World War, the Bourse district of the city was the epicenter of the clandestine press, a symbol of the Belgian resistance against the occupier.

Besides housing Belgian Beer World, it also serves as a place for hosting temporary exhibits and events. Below are a few photos of the interior:

After we got our tickets to the museum, we climbed up some steps, and took a journey into Belgian beer and the history surrounding it. Below is a photo dump of all the pictures I got at this place, which entertained us for a good while. We learned that beer, at least back in the days before sanitation, was quite literally a lifesaver!

At this point, we had the chance to taste a couple of Belgian styles. We had a brown beer and a lambic… and once again, I ran into someone who badly needed a breath mint. Fortunately, that was the last occurrence of shocking halitosis on this trip.

After tasting the beer, we climbed another flight of stairs and encountered a truly funny exhibit… The Yeast Theatre! This exhibit involved sitting in a closed theatre, as if we were in a glass of beer, and an animated yeast told us the story of fermentation. I even got some video of it! The show happens continuously every ten minutes or so. You go in and sit down; the doors close, and then the fun begins.

Learning about Belgian beer production through a fun exhibit.

After the Yeast Theatre, there’s more to see in the museum, until it’s time to choose which beer you want to sample in the rooftop bar…

A short video showing how we were recommended “free” beers to try in the rooftop bar…

There were several of these interactive virtual barkeep people, “helping” us decide which beer to try.

After we got coasters with the names of the beers that were suggested for our tastes (we both got the same suggestions), we went to the rooftop bar. This was a great culmination after spending the morning learning about Belgian beers. I had a Blanche de Brussels Rosee, which is one I’d never tried before. Bill’s choice was a bit more run of the mill, although I can’t remember which beer he chose. He did say it was kind of ordinary, which is too bad.

We could have stayed and purchased more beer, if we’d wanted to. They offer “flights” at the museum. But we decided to move on and find some lunch. I got some more photos of the bar and the rooftop terrace, which offered lovely views of Brussels. It was a nice day, with just slightly chilly temperatures. We also could have visited the Archeo Site under La Bourse, Bruxella 1238, which unfortunately, we completely forgot about after trying the beer. I wish we’d remembered to check it out. Maybe we’ll get there next time, if we manage another Brussels visit. I’d definitely be up for another trip to Belgian Beer World.

I had noticed that a bar that we visited in 2008, at the Theatre Royal de Toone, was not going to be open on Monday or Tuesday. I definitely wanted to go there again, since we had such a memorable experience the last time we visited Brussels. So we left the Belgian Beer World, and had lunch at a place called Bier Central Brussels. Once again, I had croquettes, which I think kind of put me over the edge. I love them in small doses, though. Bill had sausage with mashed potatoes and bacon… a Belgian version of “bangers and mash”, if you like.

*Ahhh… the Duchesse… one of my favorites!*

After lunch, we headed for the Toone Bar…

If you’re thinking we drink a lot of beer, you’re right. Ordinarily, we probably would not have followed our beer soaked lunch with a visit to a bar, but I really wanted to visit the Toone Bar, which I discovered very much by accident in 2008. I remember we had taken a day trip to Bruges, and came back to the city, looking for something to do on our last day in Brussels. We were walking around, dodging the restaurant row barkers, when just at the right time, I looked to my left, and saw this sign…

*One of two entrances to the Toone Bar and marionette theater, circa 2008.*

If you have been following my blog for any length of time, you might know that I love to explore alleys and alcoves. I’ve found some of our most memorable and quirky restaurants, bars, and shops that way. The Toone Theatre is a historic site in Brussels, but in 2008, I found it completely by chance. It seemed like no one else knew about it, either, because it was fairly empty on that Sunday afternoon. I remember enjoying several beers there, while the barkeep played awesome 60s and 70s era rock music. I also remember someone smoking in there during our visit. In 2026, that is no longer allowed!

I wanted to visit the bar again, but didn’t remember exactly where it was. So I used the GPS function on my phone, which was kind of worthless. We did eventually find our way to the bar, although this time, we entered through the other side from where we entered in 2008. I got lots of pictures, and we drank several beers. Unfortunately, the music wasn’t as good this time, and it was definitely not deserted… But the beers were still excellent, and the ambiance was just as quirky and fun!

Here’s a big photo dump… One thing to know about this bar is that the toilets are up some old steps. You get to the men’s room before the ladies’ room, and it reeks a bit of stale urine. One of the ladies’ stalls is extremely small and narrow, though long. The other is not as narrow, but a bit shorter. I hope one day, we can go back to this bar and actually watch one of the marionette shows! It is, after all, a puppet theater, first and foremost!

As you might have suspected, by the time we were finished at the Toone Bar, I was a bit loaded. We decided to go back to the hotel so we could process the Belgian beers. On our way there, we walked through The Grand Place. Unfortunately, this was where I wiped out on loose cobblestone. A shocked waiter witnessed my spill, which resulted in a twisted ankle and sprained finger, both of which are mostly healed now… I wrote about my fall in my main blog. If you are really interested in reading my thoughts right after it happened, you can click here for the story when it was fresh.

*People were lined up at this bakery, which was selling wonderful breads.*

After my fall, I was understandably in kind of a bad mood. We ate dinner in our hotel room, which we picked up from a Syrian restaurant just across the street from Le Fleur de Ville.

*Sometimes it’s handy to book a suite… I drank Coke at dinner time!*

That about does it for our very “beery” Sunday in Brussels. In the next part, I’ll write about our visit to Mannekin Pis, the Friet Museum, and the Chocolate Museum, as well as a restaurant called Drug Opera. You don’t want to miss that, 😏, so stay tuned!

adventure, BeNeLux, booze tourism, Brussels, Champagne Bucket trips

Pardon My French: Brussels and Paris 2026 (part two)

The featured photo was taken in September 2008… It’s too cool not to share.

I don’t know what I was expecting when we arrived in Brussels on a Saturday night. The weather was pleasant. The sun was out, and the temperature wasn’t too chilly. Naturally, lots of people were out and about, including plenty of people who observe the Islamic faith. Ramadan just ended, so they were enjoying life! Bill and I walked around The Grand Place (or Grote Markt), which was teeming with people… tourists, families, children chasing huge bubbles… there were probably some scammers out there, too.

Below are a few photos from near our hotel.

And a few photos from the amazing Grand Place, which is just as gilded as I remembered it… I got a little carried away getting photos of the kids and the bubbles. The mood was very festive!

Naturally, with all of these folks out and about, finding a place to eat was a bit of a challenge. I don’t like eating in really crowded restaurants, and it seemed like everywhere we looked, there were crowds. Bill and I walked around a bit more, including through Les Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, which we remembered from our first visit in 2008. It was packed with people! We also walked past La Mort Subite, a bar we first became aware of by watching Three Sheets, a cable show about drinking hosted by Zane Lamprey. We visited there in 2008, too.

*One of Brussels’ famous shopping galleries…*

Fortunately, I’m pretty good at finding hidden gems. We turned left from Les Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, and I spotted what looked like a cute restaurant. We went closer and Bill poked his head in. The proprietor asked if we had reservations. We didn’t, but luckily, he had a spot for us in a cozy alcove at the back of his little restaurant, which apparently has two names– O Bifanas (Chez Sebastiao). The menus say Chez Sebastio, but the Web site and door outside say O Bifanas.

Now… the proprietor at this little Portuguese restaurant is one I’ll never forget. Why? Because the man has TWO moustaches. He’s got one in the usual place, and another on his chin. I had never seen anything like that before– it was hard not to stare at it. The edges of the moustaches were curled in a very distinctive and obvious way. It brought a smile to my face. I like people who aren’t afraid to be a little eccentric in their appearances. If you Google “double moustache”, you’ll see exactly what I mean… I guess it’s a Portuguese thing. On the other hand, Google says that double moustaches are the “latest trend.” Now that I’ve seen one once, I’ll probably see them everywhere. Below is one random example I found…

*Sebastiao managed to pull off his double moustache look better than this guy does…*

I took a seat facing toward the front door, while Bill faced me. Pretty soon, the tiny dining room was full of a mostly local crowd. Sebastiao brought out some bread, butter, and olives, and we ordered wine. I decided on shrimp croquettes and salmon filet for dinner. Bill had shrimp as a starter, and a rice and shellfish stew for his entree. Both entrees were so huge that we had leftovers.

The pace of dinner was very… leisurely. We arrived at the restaurant at about 7:00 or so, and we were still there at 10:00… and we didn’t have dessert. Still, it was an enjoyable evening. The double moustache alone was worth the trip. I particularly enjoyed seeing Bill in his “bib”, which was really necessary, since he had so many shellfish to crack. I noticed a few more tables in the upstairs, where the toilets were. I don’t know how often they are open, since it looked like Sebastiao was working alone.

I don’t remember how much we paid for this super lengthy Portuguese feast, but we must have pleased Sebastiao, because he was smiling broadly and gave us big hugs as we were leaving. I’ve seen mixed reviews for his restaurant. One person even claimed he was “very rude”. I suppose anyone can have a bad day, but he was very nice to us, even if he was a little slow. On the other hand, there’s something to be said for a man who sets the pace of his restaurant. I enjoyed eating there. We didn’t have anywhere else to go, anyway. The food was good, and we weren’t hungry when we waited for it. However… I think we ended up ordering more wine, because it took so long to get our main courses that we ran out of it. 🤭

We walked back to the hotel and found that the turndown fairies had visited. They put down the shade on the one window in the room and left us a little treat on the nightstand. I also noticed the welcome cookies. That made a nice dessert.

After a quick shower in the generously sized shower, with the loose temperature knob, Bill and I turned in for the night. We were warned that the restaurant in the Fleur de Ville was under renovations, so we would be having breakfast in the lounge. More on that in the next post…

Below are a few “artsy” photos from my fancy camera… I carried it, so I might as well share a few shots!

And a few more shots I took back in September 2008… Seems like the gold is more polished in 2026. Or maybe I just have a nicer camera.

adventure, BeNeLux, Brussels, Champagne Bucket trips, Cologne

Pardon My French: Brussels and Paris 2026… (part one)

Well, hello out there in Internetland. Long time, no read. It’s been over two whole weeks since my last travel post. We didn’t even do anything special for St. Patrick’s Day this year… although since that’s the day we lost our sweet beagle, Arran (in 2023), March 17th is now sort of a “day of infamy”.

The good news is, Bill and I just got back from our latest trip, so this blog is about to “spring” back to life. Well, it’s good news if you like reading about other people’s vacations, I guess. For me, it gives me something to remember when I can’t do this kind of stuff anymore. As our world gets more complicated, that day could come sooner, rather than later.

If you follow my main blog, you might remember that we had a really hard time deciding where to go for this trip. In fact, I even “lost” a family member over planning this vacation. That’s a really stupid story– how I got publicly “disowned” by my cousin over our decision to go to Belgium and France– so I’ll spare you the details here. If you really want to read about it, follow the link. My main blog needs the love.

I think I wrote at least three posts about the ridiculous fight I had with my alcoholic cousin over planning our spring vacation. 🙄 Yes, I know it’s “personal business”, but sometimes people enjoy reading about that kind of shit. If you don’t, though, no worries. I’ll understand completely!

Anyway, on with my story about Brussels and Paris, 2026!

This trip to Brussels and Paris was decided by a “champagne bucket drawing”. Regular followers of my blog might know that many times, Bill and I decide on where to go for our vacations by drawing slips of paper from our champagne bucket.

For this trip, we had initially drawn Croatia, which would have been amazing! But I didn’t think we had enough time to do what I really want to do in Croatia. So, we drew again, and picked Belgium. I was cool with Belgium, because I always have a good time there. I remembered how much fun we had in Brussels, when we went there in 2008. I wanted to go back there for more beer, frites, and chocolate. We added Paris, because we also enjoyed that city, last time we went there in 2009.

Although we often drive when we take our European trips, for this one, we decided to go by train. The main reason we opted for trains this time is because driving in European capital cities can be a huge, expensive, pain in the ass. The trains in Europe are usually very efficient and comfortable, especially in first class. However, using trains can also be problematic, our personal story of which I’ll get to in the course of writing this series.

In any case, on the morning of Saturday, March 21st, Bill took our dogs, Noyzi and Charlie, to their favorite Hundepension. Then, that afternoon, we took a taxi to the Frankfurt Airport train station to catch a mid afternoon high speed Inter-City Express Train (ICE) to Brussels. The taxi driver remembered Bill from a previous booking. I think he’s a local guy! He wanted us to book him for a ride back to our house yesterday… and kept talking about how he could drive us to Brussels. After what happened yesterday, maybe we should have considered doing that. But again, I’ll get to that part of the story later.

The taxi driver dropped us at the Frankfurt Airport train station and, as usual, we were pretty early. So we stopped for a coffee break… something I very rarely do.

*I had a caramel macchiato… first time for me, I think!*

The first time we went to Brussels, back in September 2008, Bill and I took an ICE train from Stuttgart to Cologne (Köln), then quickly caught a French/Belgian Thalys train from Cologne to Brussels. Thalys, as a brand, is now defunct; it’s since been merged with Eurostar, the folks responsible for the English Channel Tunnel (Chunnel).

Because we used Deutsche Bahn’s ICE train, we were able to take a train directly from the Frankfurt Airport station to the Brussels Nord station. Our convenient jaunt ran for just under three hours and included stops in Cologne, Aachen, and Liege before arriving at the Brussels Nord station at about 5:00 PM. Bill booked us first class seats at a four top table, with seats facing each other. He did that so that I would be assured of not having to ride backwards. My husband is remarkably considerate. 🤭

Below are some photos from the ride. It was a little bit rainy, and I was on the wrong side of the train for the best photos… I took these at the Cologne stop, which is where we were joined by a very tall man who was apparently a hacker. He kept looking at what I was doing on my iPad. I don’t know why the guy sat next to us. The car had plenty of empty seats, as well as a totally unclaimed “four top” at the front of the car. But he sat next to me and typed away while we made our way to Brussels.

*I wish we’d gotten one of these “two tops”… He was too slow on the draw.*

We have been to Cologne ourselves a couple of times. It’s a great city! I wouldn’t mind going back there someday, if the fates allow. It’s not a long trip from the Frankfurt Airport station, but it has a different feel… plus, I enjoy their local beer.

As we passed the Aachen station, I was feeling a little wistful. I’d actually considered booking a hotel in Aachen, because we’ve never been there, and I have heard it’s an interesting city. But it had been so long since we last left Germany for any reason, and I was eager to go somewhere that felt different. Although our last trip to Belgium was in the fall of 2024, our last trip to France was in March 2022! We were way overdue for a visit!

I didn’t take pictures of the Aachen or Liege stations, because I didn’t see anything worth photographing from the train. However, both cities are places I hope to visit someday.

We arrived in Brussels right on time, and made our way out of the Nord station to find a taxi to our hotel, Le Fleur de Ville. This hotel happened to be a block away from The Dominican, the hotel we stayed in when we visited Brussels in 2008. I remember really liking The Dominican, which is a former abbey turned into a “design hotel”. I also remember watching Barack Obama and John McCain debating on the television in our suite… Wow… those were the days!

*We stayed here for Labor Day weekend in 2008.*

I decided not to book The Dominican again, though, because I wanted to try a different place. Hotel Le Fleur fit the bill nicely, although we didn’t get the greatest first impression. The hotel itself is in a very beautiful building: according to it’s official Web site– it was once the “Caisse Générale d’Epargne et de Retraite, an 1850s national savings bank.” But when we arrived in the late afternoon of March 21st, we found the front desk completely unmanned. We waited several minutes before two swarthy men in suits arrived to check us in. Unfortunately, one of them also really needed a breath mint. Sorry… I know that’s kind of a rude observation, but it did make an impression.

I booked us in a room they called The Beyaert Suite, which was on the fourth floor. It was a very large and well appointed room. Below are some photos from the hotel lobby and our suite, which offered everything but a great view. The window was too high up to see out of, but that was okay. We weren’t in a particularly scenic area, anyway.

We were very happy with the room, although it wasn’t cheap. I think for four nights, we paid roughly 2,000 euros, which I’ll admit is a lot of money. But that’s still not as much as what we paid in Paris. I’ll get to that part later. 😬

I know some people would be shocked by the price of the hotel lodging. We certainly didn’t need such a grand room. But when I go on vacation, especially now that I’m well into my 50s, I like to spoil myself a bit. We’ve spent many years staying in inexpensive places, so I figure we deserve a splurge now and then. We also really needed a proper vacation, since our most recent travels were for specific things like visiting our dentist, getting Bill into the Jung Institute, and traveling places for Bill’s work. Our last pleasure trip was in June 2025… which I know is more recent than a lot of people’s most recent pleasure trip has been.

Anyway, enough disclaimers and explanations from me. I do want to state for the record, though, that there are cheaper rooms at this property. And it is a very lovely hotel, convenient to Brussel’s most popular tourist sites.

After we got settled in our extravagant room at the hotel, we went for a walk around The Grand Place, and got some dinner. That story is going to be a lengthy one, so I’ll put that in part two.

Hessen

The first wine stand of 2026…

Last night, our little town had its first wine stand of 2026. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts about wine stands in Breckenheim, these community gatherings are held every other Friday night in the warm(er) months. They are usually hosted by clubs or special interest groups. It’s election season right now, so last night’s stand was attended by local politicians… a couple of whom happen to be our neighbors.

I had been looking forward to the wine stand. I enjoy hanging out in the Dorfplatz, drinking local wines, and sometimes chatting with people who deign to speak to Auslanders. However, last night, I did give a passing thought to not attending, because the weather was damp and chilly. I also wondered how we’d be received, thanks to our insane POTUS who keeps doing things to piss off our allies and alienate everyone in the world.

When I saw that it wasn’t raining at 6:00 PM, I told Bill we should go and have a glass… maybe stay a short while. Naturally, that’s not how it turned out for us. 😄 In fact, last night’s wine stand was kind of fun! We just had to wait a while for it to really begin. Below are a few photos I took before the party started.

*It took several tries to light the candles because it was windy!*

We talked to our former neighbor, Daniel, who moved a few months ago after his divorce. Then, a group of friendly Breckenheimers showed up and asked if they could join us. One of them was a very talkative gentleman who spoke English and told us his daughter has lived in England for the past 30 or 40 years. He had with him his partner– not wife, as she explicitly told me, when I said that last night was the anniversary of the night Bill and I got engaged in 2002. She said she’d been married before, and was left in a good situation, so she wanted to stay independent. I don’t think that’s a bad thing. In some cases, not getting married is better. But, if I had done that, it’s likely that I would be living in the U.S., working for Door Dash, or something.

There were a couple of other women and another older man with them, and they were a lot of fun to chat with. My worries about being an American in Europe– at least at this particular place in Europe– were unfounded. 😏 🤭 Then, the English speaking gent stood up and said he was going to get a bottle of Sekt for us to share. When he came back, he had two other men with him. One was an American guy from Maine named Alan (or Allen), who told us he’d been living in Germany since the 1980s!

*I only said one word to get this evil grin.* 😈

He and Bill started talking, and Alan said he had come to Hessen with the Army and decided he didn’t want to leave. So he worked as a contractor at Clay Kaserne, where Bill works. Then he later got out of contracting, and worked for Lufthansa. He did other things and made a life here with his wife. The other guy was German, and he actually told us he thought Trump was going to be better than Kamala Harris… But then I got the impression that he’s since changed his mind.

We learned that Alan was here when Bill was, back in the 80s, when the Berlin Wall fell. And he’s maybe a year or two older than Bill is. I think they really hit it off– turns out he also knows our neighbors, also from the United States. But then, our neighbors seem to know everybody! I, on the other hand, have become pretty obscure.

The ladies at our table were surprised when we said we’ve been here for seven years. They said they hadn’t seen me around. I guess they never saw me walking the dogs through the neighborhood. Noyzi and Charlie are not as loud as Zane and Arran were, so we attract less attention, even though they are an unusual sight– Noyzi is a really big dog, and Charlie is a little dude.

We finally left the wine stand at about 8:30 or so, because I really needed to pee, and it didn’t look like they’d bothered to open the public toilet. I think the toilet is still a big topic of controversy in Breckenheim. I love that that’s the biggest issue around here. 😆

I’m glad we went to the wine stand last night. It seemed like a good omen to meet a fellow American who has been in Germany for so long and totally assimilated. He seemed delighted to meet us, too. And though we will be in Paris the next time they have a wine stand, I look forward to running into Alan and the other folks, again. They were nice to talk to, and made me feel better about the past couple of weeks.

I felt the same way last night as I did in the summer of 2014, when Bill and I went to Bacharach, on the Rhine, on the last day of our last hurrah military “hop”. We sat in our now favorite Biergarten, and I said, “I feel like we’re going to move back to Germany.” And sure enough, six weeks later, that’s exactly what we did. I can be pretty intuitive sometimes… Of course, I couldn’t know in 2014 that we’d end up moving to a town less than an hour’s drive from Bacharach, which was the first German town I ever visited. Maybe things are coming full circle.

Brussels, Champagne Bucket trips, chocolate, trip planning

A champagne drawing and a coin flip later…

Featured photo is Bill when we were younger and cuter… trying a flight of beers in Brussels, back in September 2008.

So… after a VERY dramatic weekend (detailed on my main blog), Bill and I finally figured out where we will be going on our next vacation. Although it’s not usually difficult for us to decide where to travel, this time it was really hard to make our choices. A lot has to do with what’s going on in the world right now. We wanted to avoid risk and hassles, yet still have fun.

For this vacation, which starts on March 21st, we considered Croatia, Albania, Poland, The Netherlands, France, Belgium, Italy, and Austria. I didn’t really want to go to Italy, because we went there a year ago. I love Italy, but I wanted to go somewhere different. However, I had it in mind that I wanted to go to a nice spa, and a lot of the best ones are in South Tyrol, which is in Italy.

My mind started changing about the appeal of the spa hotels when I realized that a lot of them are resorts. Sometimes I enjoy the resorts, which usually come with half board. But they do have a drawback, because sometimes having included food means that we don’t try as many restaurants or get off the resort’s property as much as we should. Sometimes resorts can be noisy and crowded.

Also, some resorts kind of have a cruise ship feel, which I didn’t think I’d enjoy right now. We went to a resort hotel in the South Tyrol back in 2020– during the height of the pandemic– and we got the side eye from so many people because we were Americans in Europe at a time when Americans weren’t supposed to be in Europe. Now, our dumbass POTUS has taken us to war with Iran. The last thing I want to deal with is people blaming me personally for what Trump does, especially when I am on vacation.

When we were finally ready to make a choice, I put my hand in the champagne bucket and pulled out a slip of paper that read… CROATIA! Yea! I love Croatia, and there are a lot of places I want to see there, especially after our visit in 2021. But then I started looking into the logistics of doing what I really wanted to do, and I realized that it would work better as a road trip. We don’t have enough time for a proper road trip for this vacation.

However, March is a good time to go see places like Split and Dubrovnik, because there aren’t so many tourists at this time of year. It’s also not hot right now. Maybe next year, or in the fall, we can do that… if we haven’t been kicked out of Europe.

So, I drew again, and pulled out a slip of paper that read… BELGIUM! Great! It’s funny, because before I started getting totally overwhelmed with choices, I had thought to myself that I wanted to go to Belgium again. We’ve been a few times since we moved back to Germany in 2014, but we have not ventured back to the capital city– Brussels. Bill and I visited Brussels in 2008, when we were a lot younger and poorer. We had an absolute BLAST!

I remember just before we went for Labor Day weekend, Bill was working really hard and putting in a lot of overtime. He sent me a funny email that read, “I want to go to Brussels and see Mannekin Pis.” It was mainly because he was really pissed off! We spent the weekend eating frites, waffles, chocolate, and croissants. We also drank a shitload of excellent beer! And we also took a day trip to Bruges. I don’t think we’ll go to Bruges again this time, since we’ve been back there since our 2008 trip. But I do know of some bars I want to visit again. I have also booked us a very nice looking and rather posh hotel!

Check out these old photos from September 2008!

We last went to the city of Paris in May 2009, for Memorial Day weekend. It was right after Bill learned that we were going to have to leave Europe a year sooner than we planned. I was PISSED. This was something that had been orchestrated by Bill’s narcissistic war boss, who was later very publicly fired. Going back to the US a year early ended up working out for us, in the long run. Still, I was not happy about being yanked a year early, especially when it turned out that the job Bill had been “handpicked for” was just a bullshit billet so that Bill’s ex boss could move a different guy to a more prestigious job. But, as you can see, we got that year back and then some… many times over.

Below are some photos from our 2009 trip to Paris. I went there once before, back in September 1997, right after Princess Diana died. Unfortunately, that trip was with my sister, who was driving me crazy…

We had a great time in Paris. I remember at one point, we went to this very unassuming little brasserie and had the most wonderful lunch. Bill discovered a new favorite wine that we actually found a couple of bottles of in the States. I actually considered going to the the winery that produces that wine, down in Narbonne. I decided not to because, again, the logistics were a bit difficult for the amount of time we have.

We decided to go to Paris after considering going to the Champagne region. I actually wanted to go to Champagne, but realized that it would be a logistical hassle getting back to Frankfurt because we are doing this trip by train, instead of driving. Going to Brussels by train is a snap from Frankfurt. In fact, we went by the now defunct Thalys train in 2008. And going to Paris from Brussels is also easy; I think we’ll be using the Eurostar train, which is what replaced Thalys. Last time we went to Paris, we flew Air France, which was a mistake, mainly because it took FOREVER to get to the city from the airport.

We can still visit Champagne if we want to, as it’s only a 39 minute train ride from Paris. But I have a feeling we’ll just drink bubbly in the City of Lights!

I have found us a lovely hotel in Paris, too… in a different area of the city than where we stayed last time we visited. In 2009, we went to Montparnasse, and stayed in a hotel near the Luxembourg Gardens and a bar where Ernest Hemingway used to frequent. This time, we’ll be in the heart of the city, near the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre. Maybe this time, we’ll even go up the Eiffel Tower, which I haven’t done on either of my previous visits. We’re also finally going to visit the Louvre.

Anyway… this adventure starts in twelve days, and will last until March 29th. Hopefully, all will go well, and nothing horrific will happen between now and then. Knock on wood!

anecdotes, Charlie and Noyzi, Hessen, rants

Another day, another sudden altercation with the locals…

Featured photo is of a creek that runs thorough my neighborhood on my usual dog walking route.

You’d think after so many years living in Germany, I would have gotten to the point at which I’m completely used to anything that might come up. But sometimes I still get unpleasant surprises. I’m a little shaken up right now, although no harm was done.

This morning, the weather is really nice. The sun is shining, and the temperature is mild, and almost pleasant. I had a relatively good time practicing my guitar and banjo, so I was in a fairly decent mood.

The dogs were ready for their daily walk, so I took them on our usual short route. In retrospect, maybe it would have been better if we’d gone for a longer walk. Then, today’s altercation would have been easily avoided.

When I walk the dogs, I usually make a point of trying to avoid other people. Noyzi gets scared, and spooks when he’s around strangers. But today, I was just wanting to get back to the house, because I am doing laundry, and I don’t like to run the dryer when I’m not at home.

As I was crossing the Dorfplatz, I was thinking about this blog, and how I used to write in it a lot more than I have been lately. I started thinking about how, sometimes, I wish I were in my own country… not as it is now, but the way it was before the Trump regime began. I even had a thought about how living in another country can be inconvenient and annoying, and the charm can start to wear off after some time has passed.

I was still deep in thought about that when I turned onto Ellengasse, a narrow pedestrian thoroughfare that runs from my street to the Dorfplatz area. A bunch of teenagers and a couple of adults were coming down the hill.

I thought nothing of it, because we often run into people on that little street. Some of them come from the school that was recently repurposed from being an elementary school to being some other kind of school for older children.

After today’s incident, I’m guessing maybe kids with special needs are being taught there. I did hear someone screaming like a banshee the other day when I passed. It didn’t sound like a normal child at play’s scream, but more like wailing. (ETA: My German friend has now confirmed that the former elementary school is currently being used as a school for kids with special needs.)

A tall boy said something to me in German. I could hardly hear him and didn’t understand him, anyway, so I just kept going. People I don’t know often say stuff to me. I usually just kind of glance at them without saying anything. I just want to mind my own business and get to wherever it is I’m going.

But then, all of a sudden, the whole group started YELLING! There was one older woman in particular who seemed especially hostile as she shouted at me. I was very confused, and probably returned some hostility with my eyes.

I couldn’t begin to understand any of them. Even if I spoke fluent German, I think it would have been hard, because they took me completely by surprise. I wasn’t thinking of them, anyway. I was thinking about going home to my laundry and taking a shower. And I was thinking of Noyzi, who was getting spooked by the sudden commotion.

I stood there for about a minute, with them yelling at me, and with me probably looking puzzled and really pissed off, not understanding them over the noise, and due to my lack of language skills. Sudden verbal assaults aren’t so great for language comprehension.

Then, probably to their surprise, I shouted back, “I AM AN AMERICAN!! I don’t understand you!” It was the first time I’ve ever yelled back at Germans who were yelling at me. 😳🤭

I probably looked pretty angry, because I was. Seriously… I was just trying to go home, using a route I’ve used thousands of times. I was minding my own business, doing something perfectly legal, and not expecting to be attacked simply for walking my dogs up the hill. And I had no idea what the issue was, and didn’t want any trouble with them.

A young, handsome, adult male, who was probably a teacher, then grimaced sheepishly and said, “There’s a girl in our group who is very afraid of dogs. Would you please take another route?”

I probably still looked irritated, as I turned and walked Noyzi and Charlie the other way so the group could safely pass. Being shouted at really puts me on edge. Although in fairness to them, I do look like I could be a local.

As the group passed, the young male teacher kept looking over at me. He appeared to be rather nervous, as I walked the dogs away from Ellengasse. He repeatedly said “Thank you,” adding “She’s autistic.” I got the sense that he was a little embarrassed… as was I.

I said, “It’s okay. I understand.” After they passed, I continued the way I had been going before our unfortunate altercation.

And I do understand… but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t still a bit unsettled and upset by that experience. I’m sorry I reacted that way. I’m sorry that, yet again, I have offended someone by my mere presence with my sweet, gentle dogs, while simply taking a walk in my own neighborhood.

I do sincerely wish my German was better. But sometimes, I also kind of wish I could just go home and be in my own country, where this kind of unnerving thing is less likely to happen. On the other hand, I’m a lot more likely to be shot by a rando in the USA than I am here. I guess being shot is much worse than being screamed at by total strangers in my neighborhood.

It’s not the first time I’ve been yelled at by random Germans for doing something perfectly normal in a situation that wasn’t quite normal. I don’t know what my facial expression was… I’ve been told that when I’m upset, I look pretty mean… and I have a feeling I looked angry when they started yelling at me. I don’t take kindly to that at all, even though they had a good reason to say something to me.

But Jesus Christ… what if I was deaf? Or had some other kind of disability that made it impossible for me to understand what the problem was? There was a time in my life that a confrontation like that would have made me burst into tears from humiliation and fear. I was once that fragile, years ago… before I got chemical help for depression.

Anyway… now I can go take a shower and spend the rest of the afternoon recovering from that incident. Living here does give me a lot of empathy for people in the United States who can’t yet speak English, as I feel bad for not being fluent in German. On the other hand, it’s never effective to yell at people if you actually expect them to listen. Especially when they’re total strangers.

I guess it just goes to show you that even on a fifteen minute walk in your neighborhood, unusual, unexpected, and unpleasant things can still happen.

Rhein, Rheinland-Pfalz, Sundays

Our first visit to Restaurant Bootshaus Mainz…

In my last post, I complained about the neverending winter weather and advised that winter was free to scram as soon as possible. Well… ask and you shall receive! This weekend, we’ve had beautiful sunny days with mild temperatures in the 50s. Since it had been awhile since my last outing, Bill invited me out to lunch at the Restaurant Bootshaus Mainz today. He made a 1:00 reservation, which was a good idea. Although the restaurant wasn’t completely full during our visit, it did get busy!

We found a parking spot somewhat close to the Bootshaus. The place has free spots for guests and employees. It’s near a couple of tennis courts, as well as the majestic Rhine/Rhein River. When we arrived, we were told to sit at any two top table that was open. I chose one near the door, which faced the big windows that offered a view of the river.

The table where we sat had one chair facing away from the river, and a bench full of pillows facing toward it. I chose the bench, but had to do some maneuvering to sit comfortably, thanks to all the pillows! Seriously the bench was full of them, and some were pretty big.

An English speaking waiter brought us menus in English. We don’t require English menus, but it’s nice that they had them. A couple of items were not available, including the duck croquettes, which Bill had specifically mentioned when he told me we were going to dine at the Bootshaus. Oh well… now we have a reason to go back! But I would have wanted to go back, anyway, because the food was very good!

I started with sea scallops that came with a luscious carrot puree. Bill had the burrata with fresh tomatoes and crispy bread. The scallops were perfectly grilled and not at all bitter. Bill raved about the burrata, which I also tried. I only wished they’d brought me a spoon, so I could have gotten all of the carrot puree in my dish.

Next, Bill had Saltimbocca made of chicken breast and wrapped with prosciutto, with polenta, broccoli, and jus. I went with the rainbow trout, which was (mostly) deboned and served with beurre blanc, roasted potatoes and spinach with lots of garlic. I loved that the spinach was perfectly cooked and not mushy. That’s not always a feat that kitchens get right. We also had a bottle of locally produced Sylvaner and some sparkling water.

They did not give us bread, but that could be ordered a la carte. Personally, I’m glad they didn’t bring it out, because it would have put me over the edge of being uncomfortably full. They also didn’t serve an amuse bouche, which is also fine with me. The place has a very casual feel, although the food is certainly not what you’d expect to find in a casual restaurant.

*My fish also came with beurre blanc– a lovely butter and white wine sauce for the trout.*

We had a long pause after we finished our main courses. At that point, the couple sitting at the table next to ours abruptly got up and moved to another table. It looked like they had finished eating, too. I wondered if they moved because we’re English speakers, but then I noticed the woman got up a few times and seemed to move stiffly. Bill said she’d been giving us a side eye, but for all we know, they wanted to free up that table for someone else. The table where they sat wasn’t set up for food. Anyway… I will assume they moved for benevolent reasons, and not because they resent us Yanks. 🤭 (of course, under the circumstances, I don’t know that I would blame them…)

For dessert, I had warm cheesecake with ice cream and candy apple cream. Bill had coconut semolina flummery with a pineapple sorbet and a mango ragout. Both desserts were delicious and not too much. However, the cheesecake was definitely served warm, rather than lukewarm. They did have a chocolate lava cake, but if you’ve been reading this blog, you already know how I feel about lava cakes. 🙄 Especially chocolate ones…

Two hours after lunch began, we were finished. The bill came to about 174 euros, before the tip. Bill paid with a credit card, and we made our way home. I might have taken a walk in the very pleasant weather, but I needed to pee, and this restaurant, unfortunately, requires a stout walk and climbing up two flights of stairs to get to the loo. After two trips, I decided I’d rather go at home. There is an elevator for those who can’t do the stairs.

Overall, we had a very nice time at the Bootshaus in Mainz. I think we’ll go back, provided we don’t get deported… 🤭 (I know… I shouldn’t laugh about that, but if I don’t laugh, I might cry…)

A few more photos… the restaurant is also close to the train tracks and the city park, where we attended the wine fest a few months ago. Keep in mind, although we live about twenty minutes away from Mainz, it’s in another state– Rhineland-Pfalz (or Palatinate, if you prefer).

blog news, German lifestyle, Hessen, holidays

Winter can scram now, bitte!

I’m just writing a quick post to update this blog, since it’s been 13 days since my last entry. The weather has been pretty crappy since my last post. This week, we had two snowstorms. One occurred Sunday, and though most of the snow had melted by the afternoon, Bill’s planned business trip to Prague was abruptly canceled.

The meeting he was supposed to attend still happened, but his flight was called off, and there was no way to get to Prague in a timely manner. I heard that not only was the weather bad in Prague, but there was also an airline strike. So I don’t know what actually caused the cancelation– the winter weather, or a strike. I was glad he missed his business trip, because I like it when Bill is home with me. However, it did kind of spoil Presidents Day weekend, which used to be a good time for short trips away.

*It’s been quite a winter in 2026. This is the kind of snow we experienced in BW. But it doesn’t hang around for as long up here.*

The other snowstorm happened on Thursday. A couple of inches were dropped and then promptly melted. Not quite all of the snow from the first storm was gone. The backyard is sodden, and the creek that runs through Breckenheim is very high right now.

Bill has another trip planned starting Monday. He’ll be gone until Thursday. It’s only to the Netherlands, though, so no airplanes are involved. Meanwhile, once again, a shipper has decided not to deliver to my house. I got an email letting me know that DPD tried to deliver yesterday, and wasn’t able to, because they didn’t have my full address. Of course, that’s not true… it seems like nowadays, shipping companies just want you to go schlep to a packstation. 🙄 The same thing happened last week.

Valentine’s Day was also pretty boring. Bill did send me 30 roses, but they didn’t last long. I think maybe it’s best not to get roses for Valentine’s Day. Maybe choose another flower, or get it a day or two ahead of time… or just buy diamond earrings. 🤣 My roses arrived on Friday, but they were pretty small. I remember last year, the florist sent a small bouquet, which they claimed was the “wrong order”. The roses were tiny and quickly wilted. The following week, they sent a new bouquet that was much better and lasted a lot longer.

*Sadly, these only lasted a couple of days before they were depressing to look at. But I did appreciate the lovely thought.*

Anyway, I’ve been giving some thought as to where I’d like to travel next. We will definitely go to Switzerland again this year, because of Bill’s studies at the Jung Institute. But I would like to go somewhere we haven’t been yet… providing that we don’t end up in another world war. So, I’m working on that, and waiting for the sun to come out again. Maybe we’ll go out and do something tomorrow… maybe not. But I do look forward to getting out and doing something fun in Germany, soon. The days are getting longer, so it won’t be long before spring arrives, and we can get out and about… then this blog will “spring” back to life. 😆

Hessen, Hofheim, Sundays

Die Scheuer is now open on Sundays, so we paid a visit today…

Last night, Bill was looking for places to eat and he noticed that one of our favorite restaurants, Die Scheuer, in Hofheim, was going to be open. I’m not sure why they have now decided to open on Sundays, but it was good news for us. We’ve been to this place a few times and enjoyed several good meals there, but we tend to go out on Sundays. Until now, with the exception of Easter last year, they were closed on Sundays.

Bill made a 1:00 PM reservation, and we just got back from a lovely two hour repast. From start to finish, it was excellent! When we walked in, we were immediately greeted by the proprietor and a very cute little dog. They knew who we were, and escorted us upstairs to the very charming wooden dining room, with Eckbank Gruppes all over the place. I love the Eckbank Gruppes, because I don’t have to worry that my ass is going to be squashed. 😆

I ordered a glass of Champagne– again, perhaps too many Trek Trendy videos– and Bill had a non-alcoholic Inge (ginger) cocktail as aperitifs, while we decided on what to have for lunch… We also ordered sparkling water, and they brought out fresh bread with butter. Bill decided to use the olive oil and salt on the table, instead…

There were a couple of specials available, which were explained to us in English. One was a smoked salmon roulade, which was there in place of a tuna appetizer they’d run out of. The others were the catch of the day (loup de mer) and duck.

I decided to have a lovely pea foam soup with smoked trout, followed by the duck, which came with gravy, warm cabbage slaw, and a potato knoedel. Bill went for the smoked salmon special and braised beef cheeks with truffled mushrooms, celery puree, dehydrated carrots, and herb spaetzle. We also ordered a bottle of red wine from the Pfalz…

The food was excellent, and we were on our best behavior. A woman and a young man who might have been her son were sitting near us. I suspect they might have overheard and understood us talking about the strange and difficult times we’re in… Maybe they were somewhat relieved, as I told Bill I think it’s time we got rid of the electoral college and had more candidates to choose from when it comes to our presidential elections. Or maybe they were just very polite.

We were trying not to be loud, and I don’t think we were. But as they left, the woman smiled warmly and said “goodbye.” I responded with “Auf Wiedersehen!”, and she beamed at me! I do get the sense that a lot of Germans seem relieved when they run into Americans and they aren’t obvious fans of the felon.

For dessert, we were both undecided, and let the coin tell us what to have. I ended up with the Kaffee Grande, which was a shot of espresso with mini versions of the the desserts. Bill went for the mandarin “frischkase” tart with mandarin ice cream. I think I would have had that, if not for the coin toss.

*This was a brilliant dessert. I got to try everything for two euros more than if I’d just had the cheese tart.*

All told, the lunch came to about 235 euros or so. Bill tipped like an American (40 euros 😳), which I think made the waiter very happy. When we left, he had a huge grin on his face. 😆 I don’t think it was just because he was glad to be taking a break and getting rid of the Americans. We were pretty low maintenance… ordered everything as it was on the menu, and didn’t complain. The dog said goodbye to us, too.

I really like Die Scheuer. I hope we’ll soon have a chance to go back there. We definitely need to visit Hofheim more often. It’s an adorable town! I don’t know why the restaurant is now open on Sundays. I hope it’s not due to money problems. That place is a real gem in Hofheim!

I don’t think I’ll need to eat again until tomorrow, but I did bring home a few leftovers, just in case I get hungry later. These are the times when I’m very grateful for good plumbing.

Anyway, I always highly recommend Die Scheuer. If you’re near Hofheim and looking for a nice place to dine, it’s a good bet. I recommend making reservations and bringing a credit card or a good amount of cash. It’s definitely not a cheap place to eat, but I think it’s well worth what you spend there.

Baden-Württemberg, short breaks

Ten things I learned in Waiblingen…

As always, I’m wrapping up my Waiblingen series with a list of ten things I learned on our trip. I do this to remind myself that every time we go somewhere new, I discover more things about the world and its people. I’ve also noticed that readers seem to like these lists because they’re quick and dirty. Not everyone likes my blow by blow accounts. So here goes…

10. Waiblingen is OLD.

Waiblingen has existed since about 885, and has been a town since 1250. If you walk around the old part of Waiblingen, you will see remnants of its former city walls, which date from 1250.

9. Waiblingen has several really decent restaurants… food wise, anyway. I’m sure service will get there soon.

One of the reasons I chose to stay in Waiblingen is because there are several good restaurants there. We had the chance to try two of them, Bachofer and Untere Apotheke. My German friend has informed me that, Pablo Fernandez, the Spanish-German proprietor of Untere Apotheke, which is just behind Bachofer, did an apprenticeship at Bachofer. She also told me that Mr. Fernandez, who was very pleasant to meet, has also opened a new restaurant in Stuttgart, called Weinstube Vetter. It looks like Mr. Fernandez took over a venerable establishment that already had a long history in Stuttgart.

8. The Bachofer Restaurant and Hotel is in the second oldest house in Waiblingen. It dates from 1647!

According to the official Web site:

The former pharmacy, dating back to 1647, is the second oldest house in Waiblingen and a true architectural gem. The completely redesigned rooms create an exciting contrast to the historic timber framing and send our guests the message that is very important to us: please feel at home!

7. Waiblingen is very convenient to Stuttgart.

Of course, I knew that when I chose to book there, but our trip to Dr. Blair’s office proved it to me. Unfortunately, Stuttgart gets called “STAUgart” for a reason, so being close doesn’t necessarily mean the trip to the inner city will be quick and easy. Fortunately, there is a train.

6. Waiblingen has several “twin cities”, including Virginia Beach, Virginia, which is not far from where I grew up.

5. Wednesday and Saturday are market days in Waiblingen.

We were lucky enough to get to Waiblingen at the tail end of the market on Wednesday, and there for the whole market on Saturday. I enjoyed seeing the vendors, the friendly locals chatting with each other, and hearing the buskers. I love this about Europe. Most towns have markets, and so often, there’s wine, music, and fresh produce to be had. I know some American towns do this, but it’s just not the same!

4. Waiblingen’s cool old town hall dates from 1476!

The town hall was first mentioned in 1476 and was rebuilt in 1597. Sometime around 1870, plans were made to tear down the building and build something new, as the town hall was no longer able to serve the needs of the growing town. But the people realized that tearing down the town hall would alter the appearance of the market square significantly. They also liked the unusual arcade under the building. So it stayed and served in other capacities, such as a school for elementary aged boys, a trade school, and later, adult education classes. There used to be a restaurant there, but it is now closed.

3. The city park is well worth visiting, especially near the church…

Need I say more? Bring your kids and your dogs! They’ll have a great time.

2. Even though Waiblingen is charming, and it has a public WC, you might still see someone urinating in public.

I don’t think I mentioned this when I wrote my post about Saturday, but during our walk around the city, we did encounter someone urinating publicly on a post. In this case, it was a small boy who was unabashedly relieving himself. I guess it shouldn’t have surprised me as much as it did.

And finally, 1. When the weather is good, there are things to do in Waiblingen!

Because Bill was taking courses for the Jung Institute, and the weather was a bit cold and wet, we didn’t do as much exploring as I would have liked. But I see from Waiblingen’s official page, when the weather is fine, a person can occupy themselves with many fun, challenging, and educational activities. And there’s also some pretty good shopping there!

So that about does it for my Waiblingen series. I don’t know if we’ll have a chance to visit there again. I wouldn’t be against going back to Waiblingen, if the opportunity arises someday. It really is a charming little town that offers a nice alternative to staying in Stuttgart. I would recommend it, not just for people who aren’t living in Germany, but also for people living in Stuttgart who would like to enjoy good food in a laid back atmosphere. If you have too much wine, you can even stay overnight at the Bachofer, or the Holiday Inn Express… I think I noticed another little hotel, too. It’s definitely not a bad idea for a quick weekend away in a place a lot of people miss!

I hope you enjoyed this series. See you next post!

The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

…the wanderings and ramblings of a boring housewife…