Halloween in Germany seems to be hit or miss. There have been years when we’ve had candy and no one comes to the door, leaving us with leftovers for months. A couple of years ago, we had a moderate turnout for Germany… maybe a dozen kids. This year, I was thinking it was going to be a bust. I turned on the porch light at 5:00 PM and by 7:00 PM, no one had rung the bell.
But then at 7:00, several waves of kids showed up. The last wave was about six or eight kids, and they were like feral animals! When they came to the door, the bowl was about half full. When they left, it was completely empty! They were grabbing candy as if the bowl was a pinata! At 7:30 PM, I was done!
I guess it helps that this year, Halloween is on a Friday. It looks like the neighborhood was participating, because I saw kids with a fair haul of candy. I guess they’ve never really learned Halloween etiquette, though, because it wasn’t a custom their parents participated in, back in the day. So they don’t seem to realize that they should let the person with the bowl hand out candy, rather than grabbing it! I suppose it’s my fault, though. I was shocked into speechlessness, plus I don’t speak German that well.
Anyway… so ends another Halloween. I turned off the porch light and blew out the candles in the jack o’ lantern. If we’re still here next year, we’ll have to get more candy. 🤣 I think Halloween has officially caught on in our neighborhood!
Good news… Mr. Bill is going to come home tomorrow morning, instead of on Tuesday. So that means tonight is the last night I’ll be spending alone. I made a music video earlier tonight, when I was looking forward to Tuesday, but it’s even more appropriate now. I’m “wild again”…
I know the syncing is messed up toward the middle, but there’s nothing I can do about it…
Yesterday, Bill came back from walking the dogs and said our village was having some kind of event in the Dorfplatz. He looked it up on the town’s Facebook page, and discovered that for the first time since 2009, they were having a “Kerb” or “Kerwe” (depending on your preference). This is a regional term for a street or village fair.
They had a carousel for kids, a game booth, snacks, beer, wine, cakes, and live German music. They also had tractors pulling trailers that played music. I don’t know much about who organized the Kerb, or what it was about, but it looked like several youth clubs put it on. It was very well attended, so I have a feeling that it will be something they do more often.
One thing I really like about living in Breckenheim is that there are a lot of social events. They are family friendly, and promote community. And, as a foreigner, I never feel unwelcome, even if we are “Ausländer“.
Below is a video I made of clips I took. I wasn’t very steady with the camera, because I didn’t want people to think I was focusing on them. I also took some photos…
Eight minutes of German style community fun!
I don’t know how much longer we’ll get to enjoy this community, but I really have enjoyed my stay here so far. I love this about living in Germany. I wish we could do stuff like this in the United States and not worry about idiots with guns or people getting violent over politics. We could learn a lot from the Germans.
As I was writing yesterday’s post, Bill came into my office and asked if I wanted to go out and do something. We quickly decided to visit the Wein am Stadtpark festival in Mainz. We have been to that fest before, but I think it was a few years ago. I know we went in 2019, but then the pandemic came, and we usually travel for Labor Day weekend, which is when the event usually happens. Last year, for instance, we were in Iceland.
Wein am Stadtpark usually occurs during the last weekend of August and the first weekend of September. They don’t run it during the week. I’m not sure if they take all of the food trucks and such out during the week. Seems like that would be impractical, since there are people from all sorts of wineries there.
Anyway, we had nice weather yesterday. It was partly cloudy and not super hot, so we decided to go. We parked at the shitty garage near the Römische Theater, then walked through a tunnel, which had train tracks running over it, and up a hill, which put us on the road to the city park. That’s my one complaint about this fest/market. It’s not very close to a parking garage, and to get to it, you have to walk uphill. Because we didn’t eat before we went, I was unusually winded when we climbed the steps up to the street. But I recovered soon enough, and we walked on a lovely forested path to the celebration.
I got lots of photos…
We kind of took it easy at the fest. Bill had a wine schorle (white wine with sparkling water) and grape juice. I had two glasses of white wine. We also had salmon wraps for lunch. They were really good! I don’t know why the salmon truck never comes to the Wiesbaden fests! Of course, they also had a truck devoted to mushrooms (eew).
The festival was very well attended with people of all ages. They had kid friendly activities and plenty of food, wine stands, and even a Biergarten. Bill and I were noticing how beautiful the park is and saying we need to go there sometime when there isn’t a fest. I’d like to go just to try the Biergarten, which is connected to a hotel there. The park also offers views of the Rhein/Rhine River, and it’s not far from St. Stephan’s church, which is where Marc Chagall’s beautiful blue windows are.
After we visited the park, we went home and enjoyed our backyard for a couple of hours. Bill is getting ready to fly to Lausanne for the night. He’ll be back tomorrow, and then we can plan our visit to Budapest.
I do appreciate the festivals here in Germany. They’re always celebrating something. And if I had to compare the Wein am Stadtpark to the Rheingauer Weinwoche, I think I’d prefer the Wein am Stadtpark market. I just wish the parking was a bit closer. The parking garage is usually pretty full; it’s not a nice garage; and getting to the park requires a steep walk uphill, which makes it harder for fatass housewives and people with mobility issues. 😉
Ever since we arrived in Wiesbaden, back in late November 2018, I have been curious about a burger joint downtown. The place is called Hans im Glück, and it’s a chain restaurant. I’ve been wanting to go there for a long time, but every time I summoned the nerve to walk into the place, it’s been unappealingly busy. I was also a bit afraid that I wouldn’t like the food. I often find German style burgers lacking. People here seem to like the molded style of patty, which is perfectly round and tightly packed together, making it less juicy.
Nevertheless, it had been awhile since my last excursion, and I wanted to try a place we have never visited. I suggested to Bill that we go out for lunch, and after some thought, decided I’d finally try the burger joint that had made me curious for so long. Bill made an online reservation for 1:00 PM, and we showed up there right on the dot. We were crammed into the waiting area right next to the dining room. A party of four was just ahead of us.
As usual, the restaurant was busy, and most of the tables were occupied. We ended up at a small, somewhat cramped table right next to a window and the kitchen. Originally, I was going to sit with my back to the window, as the seats were basically backless hard benches that, in some cases, were shared with nearby parties. I shared a wide bench with another person. Our backs were toward each other. If I had been sitting where Bill sat, I would have had a bench to myself. But I decided I would rather sit with access to the aisle. I could hear music piped into the restaurant, but there was a lot of noise from talking, babies crying, and children shrieking.
A young woman asked us if we knew what we wanted to drink. Hans im Glück has a full bar and offers all sorts of drinks– everything from soft drinks to cocktails. I ended up ordering a hefeweizen beer, while Bill had a lemon thyme drink, which is house made.
Bill and I both decided to have beef burgers, which is the restaurant’s speciality. They also offer chicken burgers, salads, loaded fries, bowls, and desserts. Vegan and vegetarian sandwiches are available as well. In January, the restaurant is offering deals on vegan dishes as well as non-alcoholic drinks.
I ended up getting a bacon cheeseburger, while Bill had the Elsaesser burger, which was a burger with camembert cheese and cranberry sauce. We both got a side of fries. The waiter suggested we get the “menu” deal, which would be cheaper and give us a coffee drink at the end. We agreed to that. Then we waited. The restaurant was pretty busy. We weren’t in a hurry, so it was no big deal. As I watched other people’s burgers coming out of the kitchen, I realized that this is a place that offers those “molded burgers”. I figured I probably wouldn’t be very impressed…
Meanwhile, I took a few new selfies… I wanted a new photo that didn’t look so much like my dark haired older sister, but with blonde hair and fuller cheeks. I swear, the older I get, the more I resemble my sister, Becky, if she weren’t a really petite person.
After awhile, our burgers came out. I had ordered mine with a brioche bun. Bill got a sourdough bun. His was messy, while mine wasn’t. Both had the restaurant’s own burger sauce on it, which I couldn’t really taste. I was dismayed to see the cheese wasn’t melted on my sandwich, but the burger was hot enough that it melted enough by the time I ate it.
My bacon cheeseburger.Bill’s Elsasser Burger.The dining room… there was some crack available.
What can I say? The burgers were okay. They weren’t mind-blowing, but they weren’t terrible, either. I thought the service was a bit slow, even after the place cleared out, as we were finishing up. We had to wait a bit for our espressos and the check. This is even taking into account that service generally is slower in Europe than it is in the US. However, the wait staff spoke English (though they didn’t have to) and they were pleasant. The prices weren’t too exorbitant, and I liked the non-alcoholic drinks they offered.
Would I go back there? Probably not. I don’t know that I would make a special trip to go there, anyway. But I wouldn’t refuse to go back, either. It was okay. I did find the seating kind of uncomfortable, and both Bill and I bumped our heads on the low hanging light fixture over the table. The bathroom could have used some attention, too, mainly because there was no toilet paper in the stall I used. Fortunately, I had tissues in my purse.
The total bill was 41 euros, which isn’t too bad. I would probably opt for Five Guys over Hans im Glück, though. I felt like Hans im Glück could use a good cleaning. It looked a little grungy to me. Still, I can see why it’s a popular place. It’s very kid friendly, while offering libations for adults.
Anyway… now my curiosity is satisfied. It was nice to get out of the house for awhile. Next weekend, we’ll be in Switzerland, dreading Trump’s inauguration. Stay tuned for that, because we have lunch plans at one of the top fifty restaurants in the world.
A couple of days ago, I asked Bill if he’d like to go out for lunch sometime over the weekend. He said he would, and immediately started looking for a place for us to go. He was hoping to find a new venue, rather than going to our tried and true favorites in Wiesbaden. After some searching, Bill found a spot at the Hofgut Laubenheimer Höhe, a popular wedding venue and restaurant near Mainz.
This week, in addition to their popular brunch buffet, the restaurant was also offering a goose meal that was served family style. Bill worried that I wouldn’t be interested, but I was game to try it. So he booked us a 1:00 reservation, and off we went.
The Hofgut Laubenheimer offers beautiful views off the hilltop. A lot of people were at the restaurant today, enjoying good food and service, as well as ice skating on the temporary rink behind the restaurant. Parking was in short supply. Bill ended up letting me out by the door and parking the car in a nearby muddy field. We had some rain and sleet today, before the sun came out briefly.
The pace of our lunch was leisurely, and we enjoyed a nice local Riesling to go with the goose with all the trimmings– potato dumplings, red cabbage, and roasted chestnuts, along with fresh bread, ham, and Schmalz. Below are some photos…
Roasted goose with red cabbage, potato dumplings, chestnuts, and gravy.Fluffy pancakes with stewed plums.Tiramisu with fried apples
I noticed that the restaurant doesn’t get the best reviews or ratings on Google, but we had a good experience there. Not only was the service kind and professional, and the food tasty and plentiful, but the clientele was also very pleasant. And the prices were pretty reasonable, too, especially for the wine, which was about 35 euros. My only observation is that the ladies room could have used some attention. But I also recognize that it was very busy there, today, and it’s likely that the restaurant is short staffed, as a lot of German restaurants seem to be these days.
On our way out, a lady asked me in German where the elevator was. I didn’t know, and much my shame, said so in English. Then, Bill tried to climb a bank to get to the car and ended up slipping and falling. I waited for him to come around, because I was wearing a new sweater that I didn’t want to get muddy if I fell down.
I’m glad we went out today, even though I was a bit tempted to cancel and stay home. We did have some hail briefly this afternoon, as well as some rain. But once we got out of the house, I was happy to be out, and I really did like the restaurant, with its charming and cozy ambiance. The buffet looked really good. I was eyeing the salmon they had. I’m sure Bill would have loved to have tried the cheese.
We were even reminded of an experience we had when we used to live near Stuttgart. It was a German buffet— very crowded and obnoxious. But it was fun for us, because we ended up sharing a table with three young guys who were taking full advantage of the buffet style of dining! What they had at the Laubenheimer was definitely better looking and more upscale than the first German buffet we went to, several years ago.
We came home with leftovers, and probably won’t need to eat again for the rest of the night!
When we got home, we found the customary Christmas goodies from our landlord and his wife– three bottles of wine, chocolate, and a very nice card with a Christmas ornament. It’s so nice to have thoughtful landlords! Bill gave him some bubbles and chocolate with a big bottle of Tylenol. Our landlord says he can’t easily get that on the German market, and he likes it best for pain relief. No wonder he likes American tenants. We tend to pay more, stay shorter, and we can hook him up with over-the-counter drugs!
That about wraps up our last weekend before Christmas… I’m ready to get the show on the road and unwrap some presents!
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.
“Tree walks” have become extremely popular in Germany, and in Europe as a whole. When Bill and I first moved back to Germany in August 2014, we heard about the very cool Black Forest Treetop Walk (Baumwipfelpfad Schwarzwald). It was completed in September 2014, and Bill and I visited there in May 2015. We were amazed by the innovative, well-built, family friendly structure that offered easy views of the Northern and Central Black Forest as visitors also got their daily exercise. We meant to visit again, but never got around to it, since there are so many awesome things to do in the Schwarzwald.
Fast forward to today. I am a member of a few Facebook groups that feature photos and ideas for things to do in different parts of Germany. Yesterday, someone shared a post about the Bad Camberg Tree Walk, which opened in May 2023, and is only about a 35 minute drive from Wiesbaden. Since Bill and I are hoping to get moving again, for the sake of our health, we decided to go there today. We had a great time!
The Bad Camberg Baumwipfelweg is much like the Baumwipfelpfad Schwarzwald in terms of its concept. However, it does not appear that these attractions are run by the same companies. The Bad Camberg tree walk is administered by an outfit called Forest Adventures, while the Baumwipfelpfad Schwarzwald is operated by Adventure Academy AG.
I noticed differences between the two walks. The one in Bad Camberg is extremely solid and sturdy and family friendly, just as the Schwarzwald tree walk is. But the walk in Bad Camberg doesn’t have a slide, nor does it have as many kid friendly activities. It also has a lot more steps to climb than the Schwarzwald tree walk has. However, I bet that once this attraction has been around a bit longer, they’ll build some activities for children. Bill and I think the next upgrade will be a playground, probably with tables and chairs and a kiosk, so the parents can have a drink while their kids play.
Unlike the tree walk in the Black Forest, the Bad Camberg location allows dogs. Parking is free of charge (at this writing), and there is a restaurant connected to the walk itself, rather than run outside of the tree walk. I thought the Bad Camberg tree walk offered better views and a slightly more “adult” experience, although the tree walk in the Schwarzwald is stroller friendly and doesn’t require steps. The Schwarzwald tree walk is a gradual ramp to the top, while the Bad Camberg tree walk requires climbing many stairs.
You have to walk about five hundred meters on a gravel road to get to the Bad Camberg tree walk. There are hills on the walk, but it’s got a lovely canopy of trees shading the way.
Tickets for adults are 9,90 euros. Family tickets are available, and children between the ages of 6 and 17 get in for 5,90 euros. It was clear to us that this attraction is very new, but there were many people visiting. I didn’t hear any other Americans besides us, though. You enter and exit the tree walk at the same place, which is also different from the one in the Schwarzwald, where you don’t backtrack at all.
The restaurant has just opened, and we had lunch there. Although the service was a bit slow, mainly due to everything being cooked to order, the food was quite good and reasonably priced. They offer burgers (including vegan), Flammkeuchen, salads, and a variety of snacks and beverages. Restrooms are clean, although on my first visit, the ladies room needed to be restocked. The job was done by my second visit. Please note, the restaurant only accepts cash payments! If you just want ice cream and/or a beverage, you can get that at the entrance where you buy your tickets.
Below are some photos from today’s adventure. I think we’ll be back. I’d love to visit when the leaves are changing. We did get a little rain when we were at the top of the tree walk.
I had a regular cheeseburger.Bill had a Bad Camberg cheeseburger, with cranberry sauce and Camembert cheese.
And below are a few shots I got as we were leaving Bad Camberg, which is a cute town that begs to be explored more…
Overall, we really enjoyed ourselves, and I hope we can visit again. If not, I hope this post will inspire a few readers to make the trip. Just be sure your knees can take it before you go! There are a lot of steps to climb. Also, be aware that if you get vertigo at heights, you might not want to try this activity. I’m not afraid of heights, but I did notice that I got a little dizzy at the top!
Last night, the weather was nice, so Bill and I decided to attend the wine stand hosted by the Feuerwehr Wiesbaden Breckenheim. They also hosted the wine stand at the weekly market this week, but I didn’t venture down the hill for that.
I probably shouldn’t go to the wine stands, given the state of my liver these days… On the other hand, I was on the proverbial wagon while Bill was away on yet another business trip. I will be on it again later this month, when he goes to Texas for work and then visits his daughter in Utah. So yes, we tried some wines last night, and Noyzi had a good time getting used to be out among the neighbors. He was pretty nervous for the first hour or so, but then calmed down and even relaxed on the pavement a few times.
One thing I noticed last night was that there were so many children at the wine stand. Normally, the community events in Breckenheim are very family friendly and popular, but last night, it seemed especially so. There were so many kids there, and they were so incredibly innocent and beautiful. As I watched a group of them playing with toy dinosaurs, I noticed how they managed to be so effortlessly gorgeous. Then I realized, there was probably a time when Bill and I were like that… In fact, it seems like it wasn’t so long ago that I was young. And now, I am well into middle age, starting to experience the “joys” of chronic health issues. Time flies!
At one point, this very ethereal looking little boy, maybe about two years old, came over and obviously wanted to pet Noyzi. He warmed my heart with his platinum blond hair and blue eyes, and his obvious affection for dogs. I noticed his mom was similarly dog friendly. She’s to be commended for teaching her children to respect dogs as well as they did. The little boy has an older sister who, I swear, looked like a literal angel in her white cotton dress. Like her little brother, she had big blue eyes and blonde hair. I imagine that she will be quite stunning when she’s older. The kids were all very well-behaved, too.
I hope these effusive comments about beautiful children don’t seem weird or creepy to anyone. I was really just observing that moment in time, remembering how it doesn’t seem that long ago that I was still a child, untouched by the relentless march of time and the sins against my health. But, unlike most of the children I saw last night, I was a bit of a terror. 😉 See the below early 80s era photo of me with my cousins at our Granny’s house in Virginia…
I’m the one in the red nightgown. I look kind of devilish with my bowl haircut and baby toothed snarl.
Below are some photos from last night. You can see that it got crowded. I love watching Breckenheimers at wine stands, interacting with their friends and relatives. So many of the people in this village act like they’re long lost relatives. Some of them probably are… as this town seems to have a lot of families within it. It reminds me of my own family in the States, back before politics ruined everything.
I took this a couple of days ago. One of my neighbors has interesting taste in decor.People never want to sit with us, until there’s no choice… Noyzi was a little nervous a few times, but he settled down.Noyzi was so good! He’ll always be my kid.Always a provider.I should have videoed this… Noyzi’s little tail was wagging.
I’m not sure what we’ll do today. There was some talk about visiting Darmstadt. Maybe we’ll do that. Maybe not. It’s nice to have Bill home again. I’m glad July is almost half over. It’s usually a terrible month for me.
One more development pertaining to travel… Bill made a deposit on our Iceland trip yesterday!
Happy Presidents Day. It marks the end of our current long weekend. The sun came out briefly, prompting Bill to invite me out to lunch at L’Osteria, a pizza restaurant chain here in Germany. I’ve seen several of these outlets in our recent travels, and I guess Bill was curious about them, too. We had never been to one before today, although they seem to be everywhere we’ve been lately.
The local L’Osteria opens at 11:30 AM for lunch. The door was wide open as we approached and the outside was set up for those who preferred to eat outside. It’s February, but unusually warm– about 54 degrees or so– so eating outdoors isn’t out of the question. Especially for Germans, who are big believers in bundling up for the weather.
As I approached the door, I caught a whiff of a local sewer, which wasn’t the greatest first impression… but they can’t help it if they’re near a sewer, I guess. We walked in and were welcomed to sit anywhere we wanted. I chose a spot near the impressive bar. There were menus on the table, so I started looking. It was very quickly apparent that this chain is all about pizza, although they do offer salads, appetizers, and pasta dishes.
I like pizza, but not so much the kind one finds in Germany. For one thing, sometimes it doesn’t taste like they use mozzarella cheese. For another, they seem to make them for one person, even though they’re always way too big for one person to eat. I opted for tortellini with ham, while Bill had a pizza with prosciutto. We shared a half carafe of Montepulciano and a big bottle of San Pellegrino. More people started to come in for lunch while we waited…
Did I lie about the pizza? It’s very thin crusted, though.The tortellini was good, and there wasn’t too much of it. I did kind of struggle to finish, but Bill ate two of them for me.
We enjoyed the wine and conversation over the food. I noticed another couple sat near us and shared one pizza, which, frankly, I’ve never seen before in a German pizza place. The barman/waiter had cut it in half and put it on separate plates. I think if I had to do it again, I would have liked to have shared a pizza with Bill. He brought half of his pizza home with him.
The food at L’Osteria was good. The restaurant’s ambiance was not too fancy, and very family friendly, with pop music playing. I noticed the Uber Eats guy came in several times while we were eating. He was doing a brisk lunch business.
I was feeling pretty good about our visit, but then I visited the ladies room… and just as I was about to relieve myself of some processed wine and water, I realized there was no toilet paper in the stall. I went to the other stall, where there was an almost empty roll. There was just enough for me and maybe one more person, if all they needed to do was pee. So, after Bill used the restroom, he asked if I was ready to go, as he’d already paid our tab. I told him we needed to let the barman know that they ladies room needed a restock of toilet paper. The guy had disappeared into the kitchen, so Bill popped his head in and informed him that the restroom needed attention.
Other than that, I enjoyed our visit to L’Osteria. I would go back, although I probably would prefer a restaurant that isn’t part of a chain. Still, it did the job of filling us up and was convenient and reasonably priced. Most everything on the menu was priced between 12 and 16 euros. And now my curiosity is satisfied. Next time, maybe I’ll brave ordering a pizza.
The restaurant, by the way, also appears dog friendly. I noticed a doggie bowl in the foyer as we were exiting.
Yesterday, we decided to go to AAFES to pick up a few things and visit Bijan, a local craftsman who makes tables out of wine barrels. Bijan, who is a member of my wine group on Facebook, says he is going to stop making tables because of an injury he had. Now, he’s making jewelry. After we bought some personal care items at AAFES, we stopped by Bijan’s table, tried some wines, bought a few bottles, and picked up a couple of Bijan’s bracelets for Bill’s daughter and granddaughter. I’ve been making a care package for younger daughter as a morale booster. She’s halfway through a difficult pregnancy.
We had beautiful weather again yesterday, and Noyzi had really wanted to come with us on our quick trip to AAFES. Of course, dogs aren’t allowed in American stores on post, so he had to stay home. But once we got home, we decided to visit XXL Restaurant Waldgeist, a local restaurant near a sports park that specializes in humongous burgers. They also have a great Biergarten with comfortable tables and umbrellas, although since we didn’t have reservations, we didn’t score an umbrella.
Noyzi was very excited to be with us, because there were a lot of dogs at the Waldgeist yesterday. He’s getting better at going to Biergartens, although it takes him a little while to settle down. Bill and I decided to have lunch/dinner, which you can really do at Waldgeist. The portions are huge. Bill had the smallest Schnitzel they offer– 250 grams. It was still too big to finish. I had a Haxe, of which I managed about a third. I suspect I’ll be eating it for the rest of the week. I saw a couple of people ordering the huge burgers. They were the size of a small pizza! Waldgeist also has huge steaks, although I didn’t see anyone order one of those.
At the Waldgeist!
Waldgeist is a very kid friendly place. They have a playground for children, as well as children’s portions on the menu. We watched several little kids having a ball while their parents enjoyed food and each other’s company. It struck me how much I enjoy these weekend excursions, watching people enjoy themselves with their families and friends.
I think Waldgeist is a popular venue after sporting events, too, as it’s located very close to several playing fields, as well as a dog park. One thing to note if you visit the Waldgeist is that they only take cash payments. But, on the positive side, they’re open every day! Warm food goes from noon until 10:00 PM, and the restaurant is open from 11:30 AM until midnight.
Below are a few photos from our afternoon.
I turned my leftovers into a swan!Playground in the distance. Kids were having fun!I really like their tables. They’re very solid and comfortable.This was the smallest Schnitzel they offered!Haxe– otherwise known as pork knuckle. I won’t be hungry for awhile.
Later, we hung out in the backyard, listened to music, and enjoyed some wine, along with cheese that I bought for Bill at Henri Willig, a Dutch chain of cheese purveyors. I don’t eat most cheeses myself. I only like cheese when it’s a very specific kind, prepared in specific ways. I can’t just eat it cold, for instance. But Bill loves all cheeses, especially goat cheese. I can’t eat goat cheese at all!
Bill and his cheeses!
Looks like I made good choices this time. I wish I’d gotten a picture of Bill’s face when he first tried the goat cheese. It has garlic and herbs in it, which is a favorite combination for Bill. The other cheese is made from cow’s milk and includes Mediterranean spices. I also got some Baby Gouda cheese, but that’s pretty normal stuff, so he didn’t try it yesterday.
Pretty soon, this beautiful weather will be a thing of the past until the spring. I’m glad we managed to venture out yesterday. We probably should visit the Waldgeist more often. It’s a really nice place to spend a couple of hours outdoors, especially with our Noyzi.
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