Tag Archives: Breckenheim

German lifestyle, Hessen

Last night at Breckenheim’s annual Wine Fest…

This weekend happens to be the weekend for Breckenheim’s annual wine fest. We were able to attend last night, and we had a great time listening to live music and trying wine from one of four vintners that were there. I got some photos and spent awhile talking to an American couple who had come to Germany to help one of our American neighbors with her kids. My neighbor’s spouse had to go back to the States, and she had to work, so an aunt and uncle came all the way from Massachusetts to help. They came over and introduced themselves.

I really enjoyed talking to both of them, but especially the wife. It turned out we had some things in common. We traded travel and waitressing stories, and we both expressed our chagrin at the current state of things in the USA. And she told me about how, when she was very young in the 1970s, she and a friend were camping in the Schwarzwald and wound up getting arrested because they were in an area where they weren’t supposed to be. And the cops, instead of kicking them off the property and issuing a fine, took them to the Stuttgart jail! She said they were really kind to them, and even gave them pillows and blankets, as well as tea!

I don’t know what Germany was like in the 70s, but I do know about the Black Forest. I would imagine there weren’t a lot of hotels open that could have taken them in, since it was presumably quite late. She said it seemed like the police were doing them a kindness by having them spend a night in jail. It was a great story, though. It ranks right up with my story about being trapped with my friend, Elaine, on the Georgia/Turkey border in 1996.

I’m sure I’ve written that story somewhere in the blog, but the short version is that Elaine and I arrived at the border too late and wound up having to spend the night in an office on the Turkish border, after the customs manager asked me if I’d go home with him. The next morning, we happened to catch the Greek bus back to Yerevan… it was a bus that went back and forth to Greece every two weeks to pick up goods, and it just happened to be there when we needed a ride back to Armenia. I think God was looking after us, because that story could have gone bad so easily!

Anyway, below are some photos and a video I took of the live entertainment, which was quite good. Please excuse my harmony! I was a little drunk. I love that we have these little celebrations in Germany, where people come together for wine and song. No one gets drunk or obnoxious, drives in a crowd, or brings weapons. People just have fun! The first photo was from earlier in the day, when they were setting up. The first night was very well attended, with lots of people making merry!

We sang along! Or, I did, at least…
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German lifestyle, Hessen

A few photos from last night’s chilly wine stand…

Last night, we decided to go to the wine stand, which happens every other Friday, here in Breckenheim. There wasn’t a big crowd, probably because the weather was a bit iffy. We had rain and storms yesterday, but the sun also came out for awhile. The temperature was slightly brisk, especially for June. I brought a light wrap with me to ward off the chill.

I’m glad we decided to go, even if I did drink too much wine and woke up with a hangover. We ran into a really lovely elderly German couple who are always kind to us when they see us. They joined us at our table, and we practiced our German, while the wife practiced her English. They ate pizza, and offered us some, but we had chili on the stove.

Even though sometimes we feel a little party crashers when we go to the wine stands, we’ve really come to enjoy these community events. The people in Breckenheim are mostly friendly and inclusive… moreso than what we experienced when we lived in Jettingen and Pfäffingen. Sometimes I do miss living down near the Black Forest, though, if only because there was a lot to do, especially on the weekends. There’s a lot to do up here, too, but it has a different vibe. I especially miss taking hikes in the Schwarzwald. I could do that here, too, I guess… but the scenery is not as beautiful to me.

Anyway… here are a few photos.

My favorite photo of the night!

We don’t always go to the wine stands anymore. Sometimes, we just don’t feel like it, or the weather isn’t good. I tend to drink too much wine when we do go… But I have to admit, with a few exceptions, we usually have a good time hanging out with our neighbors. We’ve been told that Breckenheim actually started the wine stand trend in this area, which is used to raise funds for different clubs. The clubs host the stands at the weekly markets, too.

We left the wine stand at just the right time. Bill was getting hungry, and he was very tired from an early flight back to Germany from Poland. Not long after we left, the sky opened up with rain!

Tonight, we have reservations at Landhaus Diedert. It will be the first time we’ve gone there for dinner. Tomorrow, we have lunch reservations at Villa im Tal. So stay tuned for lots of food pictures over the weekend! It’s also a religious holiday on Sunday and Monday (Whit Sunday– the final day of the Easter season– and Whit Monday). I think there are community events going on for that, too, including a raffle that Bill bought tickets for.

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art, Hessen

Picture framing, politics, and pizza time…

Bill has to go on a business trip, starting tomorrow. He will be gone for about twelve days. I just bought a piece of art from a friend of ours that needed to be framed, so Bill and I decided to go to downtown Wiesbaden to drop off the new art, as well as four unframed paintings we’ve had for years.

We have used Kunst-Schaefer several times already for other art we’ve had framed. They’ve always done a great job making sure our artwork looks fabulous. So, after a quick pee stop at the Karstadt Galleria, we went there today, and spent about an hour or so picking out frames… and then we got into a discussion about US politics (naturally). When the work is done, we’ll owe about 800 or 900 euros, give or take… I’ll miss having that artwork at home to look at, too. But one of the paintings we’re having done is my favorite, and we’ve had it for about 16 years. It’s time it had a proper frame.

Once we were done ordering our framing, we decided to go look for some lunch. We wound up trying Pizza Punto It, a popular Italian place near the big market square. I’ve passed that place a bunch of times, but it’s always been busy. Even today, it was bustling when we stopped in. I could tell why when I smelled the aroma in there. They make good pizzas!

I don’t often get pizzas in Germany, but today I made an exception and had a Pizza Garnele, which had tomato sauce, mozzarella, fried shrimps, and garlic. Bill went with the Positano, which had pepperoni sausage, dried tomatoes, black olives, and capers, along with the usual tomato sauce and cheese. We both brought home leftovers, after we paid a 45 euro bill (which included two Weizens). The shrimp on the pizza was okay, but I prefer my pizzas a little more American style. Next time, maybe I’ll just get a Margherita.

Service was friendly and professional, and I was enjoying the 80s era music, which took me back to my school days. The weather is nice today, but I decided to come home and relax. Bill went to get some provisions for when he’s away. Always a good provider, he is…

I’m really looking forward to seeing how the artwork turns out and giving our home a new look. You’d think that having been raised by a professional picture framer, I’d be better about getting my art professionally framed. It’s not all that cheap, though. We do, at least, get a break on the tax. Kunst-Schaefer takes the VAT form.

Well, I think I will now go have a rest… Below are a few photos of our neighborhood mallards, who made an appearance yesterday as I walked the dogs.

Look closely, and you’ll see him in the bushes.
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Hessen

An impromptu Saturday lunch at La Fonte…

Bill and I are now mostly over our sicknesses. I hadn’t been out of the house in ages. I asked Bill if he’d like to go have lunch at La Fonte, an Italian restaurant in Breckenheim that is in the local Sportshalle and right next to the town’s brand new school. We’ve been to La Fonte a few times. It’s notable for its covered terrace with the retractable roof, smoking area, and very dog friendly dining rooms.

Bill had band pasta with Gorgonzola sauce. I had black tortelloni with lobster sauce, scallops, shrimps, and sugar snap peas. We also enjoyed chilled Pinot Grigio and San Pellegrino. The only thing that marred our lunch was the smell of cigarettes from the smoking area. For some reason, they left the door to the smoking area open. Oh well. Once you’ve lived in Germany awhile, you get used to smoking… even though I am allergic to cigarette smoke. Service was, as usual, friendly and competent. We should visit more often.

Below are a few photos:

Breckenheim’s new school
Complimentary chilled Limoncello after we paid the check.
Bill’s pasta with Gorgonzola sauce…
My black tortelloni…
My sweet Bill…

La Fonte is a nice neighborhood restaurant. On a nice day, we could easily walk there. It wasn’t that nice yesterday, weather wise, although the temperatures are coming up, slowly but surely. Days are getting longer.

Today is Election Day in Germany. I hope like hell that Germans don’t vote for the far right AFD party. It’s scary how the world has changed in the last month.

On another note… Valentine’s Day, I got a very small bouquet of sweetheart roses. It lasted just two days before I needed to toss it. On that same day, the florist sent Bill an email claiming they sent the wrong bouquet, and I’d be getting a new bouquet this week. Personally, I think they probably ran out of flowers, because it took a week. But anyway, the real bouquet was much nicer…

They bring cheer… I’m trying to keep the faith.

Today, we’re going to Wiesbaden to have lunch downtown. I’ll probably write about it later today or maybe tomorrow…

Stay tuned for that exciting entry. 😉

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Hessen, markets

A few photos from last night’s weekly market…

Last night, Bill came home a little bit early and we went to the weekly market. It was because there were going to be a couple of special vendors there. Also, we didn’t have anything in the house for dinner.

As it turned out, we bought a lot of stuff from the Mediterranean Feinkost, which specializes in delicacies from Turkey. We enjoyed some mulled wine and I got some photos, which I will share now…

I know there are villages and towns in our previous environs that have these kinds of events, but neither of our old villages in Baden-Württemberg had anything like what we have in Breckenheim.

I got a kick out of the young guy working at the Feinkost. He looked to be about seventeen or eighteen years old, and he spoke excellent English. He managed to get us to buy 78 euros worth of stuff! Bill bought a cucumber from the vegetable vendor, and we enjoyed the delightful mulled wines– red and white– from a local vintner.

I don’t necessarily enjoy Christmas that much, but I can appreciate the festive environs here in Germany, even though I know that come January, it will be bleak on many levels… starting with the weather and ending with the political climate. But, at least we have the holidays… for now.

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chocolate, churches

Christmas markets, Kinder, chocolates, and church…

Yesterday, I was feeling kind of depressed, so Bill decided we needed to get out of the house. The weather was sunny and not too cold, so he proposed visiting the Wiesbaden “Sternschuppenmarkt” (Christmas market). I don’t really care too much about Christmas markets. I mean, the lights are pretty, and there’s stuff to buy and food. But they also tend to be crowded and busy. Nevertheless, we went, and I took some photos…

As usual, the market was busy with eager shoppers and children wanting to get on the rides. There were a couple of carousels there. I thought about maybe finding some street food, but there’s usually nowhere to sit at the Christmas markets, usually because it’s cold outside and when you sit, you get cold! Also, tables and chairs take up valuable retail space. So we decided to search for a restaurant, and ended up at the Andechser am Kurpark. This place, which serves traditional German cuisine, is located in what used to be a location of Vapiano, an Italian chain restaurant. We ate there once when it was still Vapiano, but they closed their location in Wiesbaden some time ago. When they moved out, the restaurant space was vacant for awhile.

Bill said the guy who welcomed us was familiar, as if maybe he also worked at the Ratskeller Wiesbaden, which also serves Andechser Bier. I don’t know if the restaurants are sisters– the menus are definitely very similar, even if the interiors are different. Looking at their Web sites, my guess is that it’s possible they’re owned by the same people, but offer slightly different ambiances. I’m not sure I care enough this morning to find out what the story is.

Most of the tables at the restaurant appeared to be reserved for later, but there was enough time for us to have a quick late lunch. We sat down at a two top. I had a quarter duck with gravy, red wine cabbage and a potato dumpling. Bill went with venison goulash, Brussels sprouts, and what appeared to be Spaetzle. He had a Dunkel Bier and I had my usual Hefeweizen.

We were both very satisfied with the food. It was hearty and delicious, and not too much. We both managed to finish everything. I need to learn how to make that brown gravy. It was so good!

Then, since it was getting dark and Breckenheim was having its annual Advent Market, we decided to head home. I took a few evening photos of the Wiesbaden skyline with my new iPhone before we left. The Advent Market is usually just for one night, but this year, I think they did it on Friday and Saturday. It’s always a treat to see our Dorfplatz decorated and populated with little huts and lots of lights. I love the smell of crepes, waffles, and Gluhwein, too. So we went to that, and then I noticed the church was lit up. I had never been inside the church, so we decided to check it out…

It turned out there was going to be a church service. I’m sure in the back of my head, I knew this to be true. But since we’d never been in the church, let alone been to a service, we decided to stay. It turned out to be a good decision, as the service was absolutely charming because of the children’s choir, which performed three songs. The last song they did was “Last Christmas” in English and German. It was adorable! And the pastor even handed out fair trade chocolate to everyone!

None of my American pastors ever handed out chocolate during a service!

It’s true we didn’t understand all that was said, although we did understand a fair amount of it. The chocolate, for instance, came out after the pastor started talking about Advent calendars. There were also songs in German, but I recognized the melody of at least one hymn, since I grew up going to church and my mom was a church organist for several decades. 😉 I actually can sing in German, thanks to voice lessons. I just can’t speak it worth a damn. 😀

The service was well attended and very casual, with everyone coming as they were. Even the organist was wearing an old sweatshirt and jeans. He played very well, and I enjoyed that part of the service the most. We felt welcome, and even saw a couple we’ve talked to at one of Breckenheim’s famous wine stands. I’m glad we went. Just hearing the kids singing a 40 year old Wham! song was worth it to me. The whole congregation also sang a song called “At the Christmas Bakery” or something like that. It was in German. Again… not something I’ve encountered in an American church service. But then, I mostly quit attending church regularly in the late 1980s.

After the service, we went back home to the dogs, who were happy to see us. I was feeling good for about fifteen minutes… but then I got back into social media. I’ll vent about that on my main blog. As for today, I think we’ll just relax and try to enjoy the last peaceful weeks of Joe Biden’s presidency. Kumbayah…

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Breckenheimer Oktoberfest 2024…

Here’s a quick post about yesterday’s Oktoberfest celebration in Breckenheim. I don’t remember this town ever having one of these “fests” before, and we’ve been here for almost six years. We had lovely, but slightly chilly fall weather, and there was food, music, beer, and wine. A good time was had by all… Below is a video of the singer they had who was gamely entertaining us. I’ve seen more enthusiastic crowds! But he was doing his best!

Mainly just a few clips of the guy singing and smartass comments from yours truly.

Naturally, when I used the bathroom, yet again, someone walked in on me, even though I checked the door before I closed it and thought it was locked. I had the red light and all. SIGH… I guess I should just give up on trying to use the toilet in our square. I can’t figure out how to use it without someone thinking it’s open and barging in on me.

We came back home and I was delighted to see Charlie chewing on a dog toy instead of my underwear.

He’s finally learning what to do with toys!

And this morning, Bill made some excellent grits. I took a photo for friends back home who are looking for good grits. I order these from Amazon. They’re from Kentucky!

A taste of home…

Today, we have a lunch date at one of our favorite restaurants. I may be writing about it later today, or perhaps tomorrow… Hope you have a nice Sunday. Here in Germany, it’s cool, crisp, and clear. We have to enjoy this weather while it lasts. Pretty soon, it will turn to shit.

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A few photos from last night’s wine stand…

We had really beautiful weather last night, so Bill and I decided to go to the wine stand. We saw some familiar faces and even tried out our German with an older couple we met at a previous wine stand. We also enjoyed the company of a very sweet dog who reminded me of our departed Arran.

Last night’s wine stand was hosted by the volleyball club…

He was so cute!

I love how friendly and social our neighborhood is. People really seem to get along well here. We didn’t bring Noyzi and Charlie, because we figured it would be too crowded. I think we were right. I probably should drink more apple juice and water instead of wine, but it is a lot of fun to share libations with our community!

Next week, they’re going to have an Oktoberfest. That should be a lot of fun, too!

Tonight, we’re going to Wiesbaden to try a new restaurant. Hopefully, it will be a good experience I can write about tomorrow.

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We chose the wine stand over wine week…

Bill got home from Stuttgart yesterday afternoon. He was pretty tired from the traffic he faced on the drive home. We were supposed to go to Wiesbaden and join people from his company at Wiesbaden’s wine week festival, which will go on through next weekend. But, because Bill was so exhausted from driving, we decided to go to the much quieter wine stand that was hosted by the SPD last night.

Our village square has a communal chess set. Sometimes, people even use it!

We could have brought Noyzi and Charlie to the event, since it wasn’t very busy. I think they would have been fine. We decided not to, though, because I think we just wanted to hang out for a bit. The weather was pleasant– kind of cool with a breeze– and we just wanted to enjoy the ambiance. Other people brought dogs. One guy even had his little white dog in a baby carriage!

After we sat for a short while, and older local couple joined us, and then we saw our American friend and neighbor whose house was being “sat” by the American couple we met last week while she was on vacation with her family. She said they’d gone to Paris and she caught a glimpse of the opening ceremonies for the Olympics!

It turns out our neighbor also had a colonoscopy at the same hospital where I had mine done… but hers was not done by the chief. She described her experience as much better than mine was. I think maybe the secret to decent German healthcare is to have someone more junior do the procedures. Our neighbor also highly recommended the local Hausarzt (family doctor) in our town, although it’s hard to get an appointment with her. Maybe it might be worth seeing her.

We chatted more with our neighbor, who is also fluent in German. She translated a little for us with the older German couple. As it turned out, they did speak a little English, and Bill and I used our budding German skills. Then friends of theirs showed up, and we had a little party going on. As usual, I drank too much wine. 😉

This dog was so cute and well behaved!

After we went to the wine stand, we came home and Bill cooked burgers on the grill. Then we talked for a bit, mostly about how busy the summer has been, and how fast it’s flown by this year!

It’s hard to believe that pretty soon, we’ll be in Iceland, enjoying Arctic breezes and hoping for sunny skies. After that, fall will be upon us once again. I’m sure we’ll get to the wine festival, too. I’m kind of glad we skipped it last night, though. I’m sure it was very busy!

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Charlie and Noyzi

Bumper cars, Brats, Beer, and Bill… Dorfplatzfest 2024!

Bill came home from the United States on Wednesday. He has to leave again for Stuttgart tomorrow. However, he was around this weekend, and we were able to attend Breckenheim’s annual Dorfplatzfest, which is a fun event that celebrates our little suburb of Wiesbaden. Since we didn’t have anything else to do, we went to the Fest on Friday and Saturday nights.

The first night, there was live music provided by a local band featuring none other than our neighbor, Dr. Blendinger, the veterinarian who, along with his veterinarian wife, owns the veterinary clinic where we take our dogs. Dr. Blendinger is also a singer-songwriter and guitar player. He wrote a song about Breckenheim, which he sings every year. There’s a snippet of it in the video below.

I’m kind of glad we don’t live closer to the Dorfplatz. It’s probably annoying when there’s a Fest and you don’t feel like a party…

There were brats being fried on the grill, as well as a wine stand, and a stand for beer drinkers and teetotalers. Yesterday, there were even a couple of bumper cars for the kids! I was surprised to see that!

We enjoyed yesterday more than Friday night, because we ran into an American couple who were housesitting for another American couple we know who are on vacation. It was fun chatting with Americans, especially since this is their first time in Europe. We brought Noyzi and Charlie with us yesterday, mainly because they blocked the door and wouldn’t let us go without them. Noyzi gets nervous at events, but he also loves going to them, and meeting new people. Charlie had no problem at all fitting in and was charming everybody he met!

Below are some photos from the event. We were blessed with decent weather, although we did have a few rain clouds last night. Next weekend, Wiesbaden Wine Week starts. That will be a lot of fun!

Breckenheim has a great mayor!
Brats!
Bumper cars!
Noyzi and Charlie were having a blast.

I also swabbed Charlie’s mouth for an Embark DNA test. It’ll be interesting to see if he’s got anything in him besides Eastern European Village Dog, like Noyzi.

He sure is CUTE!

I will try to hang in there this week, while Bill is gone again. When he comes back, we can plan in earnest for our long anticipated trip to Iceland at the end of the month! I like August better already.

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