Yesterday, Bill and I decided to go to the Rheingau Wine Festival in downtown Wiesbaden. This is a yearly event that happens every August. When there’s not a pandemic going on and we’re in town, we always make a point of attending this festival. Bill’s company often hosts a table on the opening night, but this year, Bill had a business trip and was too tired to attend the company event. We usually go on our own, anyway, and that’s usually more fun for us. Instead of just sitting at one winery’s stand, we can visit several different ones and try different wines.
As it turned out yesterday, we tried wines at three different stands, two of which were near a stage where a FABULOUS band called Swingtett was playing. Because I am a music lover, we ended up picking wineries near the stage so we could enjoy the music and watch all of the people dancing. I took videos and combined them into this super long video posted below. I don’t expect anyone to watch the whole thing, because it’s really long. On the other hand, I have trouble deciding what to edit out! The video is more for me, anyway, so we can remember this experience.
I was happy to see the WC providers offered a “day ticket” for four euros. We could either pay by the visit, or get the day ticket and pee all we wanted on that day. Bill sprang for the day ticket for me, and it definitely came in handy.
A long video featuring Swingtett! I also made a YouTube version.
The festival is also running today; it will close tonight. I’m not sure if we’ll go today, but I wouldn’t be averse to it. Wiesbaden is such a beautiful city, and when you add in wine and music, it really does become magical. In the video, you can see how family friendly this festival is, as children joined in with the dancing. One adorable little tyke was right by the stage, conducting!
My only regret is that I tend to drink more than I should at this particular fest. We don’t always stop for food, either, although we did decide to have a sausage break before we went home. We left at just the right time, too, as it started to rain as we were headed for the garage.
Below are some photos from yesterday…
A bee!Isn’t it funny that a public WC company has an Instagram?Early in our day…Loved this band!I had to come over to see where the trumpet player was. He was hidden from where we were standing.These two were really cutting the rug!Brat break!Rainbow!
I’m not sure if we’ll go to the wine festival again today. It might be a better idea to stay home and relax. However, this particular fest only comes around in August, so maybe we will go again. It depends on the weather. It looks a little rainy today.
I kind of wondered yesterday if we would want to go to the second night of the wine fest. It was kind of stormy, and we had about an hour of a steady downpour during the afternoon. But sure enough, at about 5:00 PM, the rain stopped and the sun came out. I’d been watching cop videos on YouTube that were very triggering for me, plus fretting about whether or not I want to go through with being treated by the gastroenterologist I met last week.
We ended up deciding to go to the fest, where we drank more local wines and listened to more live music. Last night, I didn’t see any other obvious Americans, other than a woman who lives very close to us with her partner and works in Frankfurt as a lawyer.
We stayed for a couple of hours, and I got more photos of the event. It looked like it might rain again while we were there, but every time it looked like the sky might open, the sun would come out. It seemed like everyone had a good time enjoying the Rheingau’s most famous products as we all enjoyed live entertainment. Again, I love this about living in Germany, even if my stomach pays for it later.
Below are some photos from last night, and a video that offers a taste of the music.
I didn’t recognize the first song on this, but Bill says it plays all the time on German radio.
A good time was had by all, as you can see. It was a very well-attended event, in spite of the threat of rain. I’m glad we were able to attend this year. Now, the next big event is the ultrasound and blood draw I’m scheduled for next week. With any luck, I’ll have more confidence in the idea that my foray into German healthcare will be more than just an added expense.
We stopped for a selfie… it’s a nice one, if I do say so myself!
We arrived in Groß-Gerau a bit early, so we decided to take a short walk around the town. The weather was beautiful, and lots of people were out enjoying the sun, pleasant temperatures, and bustling restaurants. We noticed the city is replacing its main drag with an attractive looking roadway. I’m not sure if Groß-Gerau is a tourist destination, but it looked like the powers that be are working to make the town more attractive to visitors and residents. Below are a few photos from our pre-dinner walk.
The front of Pizarro Fine DiningRathaus… it dates from the 16th century!Evangelical churchStolpersteine…
Last night’s experience at Pizarro’s was just as excellent as the first time. The main difference, besides a mostly different menu, was that there were fewer fellow diners, and the staff recognized us as we approached at 6:45 PM. There was one lone man dining, and a table of four– two German couples– already seated. We were offered a table next to the chef’s table, so it was easy for us to watch him work.
Once again, we had the choice between alcoholic and non-alcoholic wine pairings or choosing a beverage. We chose to do the wine pairing with most of the courses. Since Bill was driving, he went with the non-alcoholic pairing. I choose the alcoholic version. I noticed the other tables ordered bottles of wine. Once again, the emphasis of last night’s meal was very fresh seafood, with Peruvian-Asian fusion flavors. Below are photos of the menus. One has the alcoholic wine pairing, and the other has the non-alcoholic pairing.
Non-alcoholic pairingAlcoholic pairing
Besides the excellent, fresh, inventive small plates we had last night, I was also enjoying the music. I found myself repeatedly Shazaming the Chef Pizarro’s playlist. He had a very eclectic variety of songs playing– everything from Latin to classic R&B. Meanwhile, he brought out course after course… and because there were only three tables, the pace was a little bit faster than it was the first time we visited. Below are photos from last night’s delightful repast.
The very first snack– smoked trout with a sweet jelly and sprinkled with hibiscus. It looks like a shortbread cookie sandwich, but actually it was soft bread.
Snow crab with pike caviar and polleria… The flowers are blooms from garlic. They really intensified the flavor.Butter mackerel with bottarga and hierba LuisaFresh bread with butter infused with algae.Black cod with caviar and asparagus ice cream.The lighting changed for the Hamachi with algae and Leche de Tigre.View of the kitchen where I was sitting.Blow torching the prawns.Carabinero Antichuchero with Beurre Blanc, and oyster.It came in three parts. I giggled when I was invited to squeeze and suck the head of the prawn.La Goonery Lachsforelle with Ramen and Foie Gras. I don’t really like foie gras, but I liked the salmon!My Wagyubeef sans truffle…Bill enjoyed it properly.Shiso sorbet with Mango Maracuja and Pfirsch.Miso-vanille with Matcha and milk rice.We ended with a lovely Armagnac.
Once again, we had the optional Wagyu beef for 25 euros a person. Once again, it was incredible! However, the first time we visited, back in March, we had a different cut that wasn’t quite as tender as last night’s was. Chef Pizarro told us the beef last night was from a filet, while last time we had a piece of loin. The difference was noticeable. I could have easily cut last night’s beef with a spoon. It was exquisitely marbled and practically melted in the mouth. I had mine without the truffles– just some of the sauce with a sprinkling of crispy Jerusalem artichokes, which were very tasty.
Chef Pizarro said he includes the Hamachi every time because he loves it. I have to confess, I love it, too. It’s served with chopsticks and special spoons from Peru, and I believe the herbs even have healing qualities.
By the end of dinner, we were very satisfied, but not stuffed. I also wasn’t drunk, as dinner took about four hours. But it was not a boring time, as everyone seemed to be enjoying everything at a relaxed pace.
I really like the unique style at Pizarro Fine Dining. Everyone gets the same thing, and there’s just one seating. You have to reserve ahead of time, and when you do that, you get a reminder of how much it will cost. Last night’s dinner was 125 euros per person, without any of the extras. As long as you can accept what is on the menu and let the chef drive, you’re in for quite an experience. It’s definitely for fish lovers, which I am!
I asked last night if they ever had trouble with people trying to come in, and asking for a table without a reservation. The waiter showed us that the door is kept locked from the outside. I noticed a few people passing by, watching through the window at what the chef was doing. I wonder if they are curious about this place, which doesn’t really operate like most restaurants, but is definitely a great experience for the adventurous.
I also explained to the chef why Americans are so big on tipping, after he complained about US food prices and the demand for 20 percent tips. I told him about how, in many states, wait staff only gets a couple of bucks an hour. They rely on tips. Unfortunately, that emphasis on tipping has kind of ruined dining out in America… at least in my opinion. I used to wait tables myself, so I understand why tipping is so emphasized in the United States. But that practice has made servers very fixated on money and turning tables, rather than letting people enjoy their meals at a relaxed pace. Apparently, the chef didn’t know this about the USA. It was my experience when I waited tables in Williamsburg, Virginia, that a lot of Europeans didn’t understand the US tipping culture. I don’t think a lot of Americans necessarily do, either. I didn’t know how little wait staff is paid until I, too, did that work.
Chef Pizarro told us that he went to college in Michigan, but he’s from Peru. He later married a German woman. That’s why we’re lucky to have him in Germany.
All of my experiences dining out in Germany came in handy last night. At one point, the waiter was telling us about Steinbutt, which he thought was maybe like halibut. The chef corrected him that it wasn’t halibut, but from the same family. I said, “Turbot?” That turned out to be correct! I know some German restaurant language, after all!
As we were leaving last night, we thanked the chef and his assistant for the wonderful meal… and we assured him we’ll be back, if he’ll have us again! I think I’d really like to try one of the other experiences he offers, like the Champagne Matinee, which is a brunch served monthly. Or maybe we’ll try one of his themed kitchen parties! Yes, it was a bit spendy– last night we paid close to 500 euros. But the experience is so unique and personal, and I swear, it was some of the freshest fish I’ve ever had here.
Bill and I have been so very fortunate to get to try so many wonderful restaurants in Europe. We are truly blessed to be here… Last night’s experience at Chef Pizarro’s table was yet another reminder of that.
Last night, Bill and I decided to go to the wine festival in downtown Wiesbaden again. This time, we were going to meet some of his co-workers, who had reserved three tables at one of the wine stands. They did the same thing last year, only the festivities started a little bit earlier, so most of our time celebrating was done in the daylight. This year, the decision was made to start the party at 7:00 PM, rather than 5:00.
When we arrived at the Weingut Lamm Jung tent, Bill spotted his boss and his boss’s wife, along with another co-worker. I had never met the co-worker before, but she made quite an impression with her enthusiasm for Riesling and a certain brand of wine called Bickelmaier that she insisted was better than what was being sold at the Lamm Jung tent.
We were a little bit early, so there were people at the tables that were reserved for our party. Rather than kick them out, like the little teenaged shits did to Bill and me at the 2019 Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest, we waited our turn. Sorry… I’m still kind of bitter about that. Nursing grudges is one of my more charming traits. 😉
There was live entertainment. I heard a band doing Queen covers, but they were so far away and it was so noisy that we couldn’t really hear the music very well. I was sitting there shocked by how crowded it was, especially in the wake of the pandemic. But then, we were there, just like a lot of other like minded people, enjoying the atmosphere. As Katie Wenger on YouTube reminds us, COVID-19 is still out there, but I guess the sickness is not as terrible as it was last year…
Katie Wenger is an American turned Luxembourger who is married to a German man from Stuttgart. She lives with her family in Berlin. I like her vlog. She recently got COVID again.
For the most part, we had a pretty good time. Most of Bill’s co-workers are fun loving folks. No one was extremely obnoxious– not even me— although Bill did end up wearing part of a bottle of Riesling that was dropped on his pants. I noticed one German guy playing ball with what appeared to be his grandson. He kept throwing the ball, even though it was a pretty crowded area. I was amazed that he was able to keep doing that for so long without hitting someone with the ball.
We stayed for a couple of hours, and then decided to go home to Noyzi. I think there was also a wine stand in our neighborhood, but we didn’t attend. I think Noyzi was really hoping we’d take him with us, but I’m absolutely certain that the festival would have been too much for him. He needs to visit a few more Biergartens before he’s ready for a prime time event in downtown Wiesbaden.
Here are some photos from last night’s festivities… The wine festival is definitely a big event! Some people dress up for it. I didn’t… Good thing, since I wore part of the spilled bottle of Riesling, too. Bill didn’t drink a lot of wine because he was driving, and because he didn’t want to upset his newly extracted tooth socket. He’s very much a typical Cancerian… big on nursing himself and his loved ones. <3
Lots of taxis waiting for the inebriated.
I love how these events are orchestrated. There’s no beefed up security, nor are there steep entry fees. People just come together to enjoy wine and boost one of the area’s biggest industries. Most everyone is well behaved and behaves responsibly. The events are pretty family friendly, too, if your family doesn’t mind a lot of wine drinking and smoking. But I saw a lot of young kids there, having a good time with their elders, who were enjoying the local wines. It was a lot of fun.
Yesterday, I lamented to Bill that yet another Saturday was about to get away from us with no fun outside of the house. His answer to me was to suggest that we go to downtown Wiesbaden, where the Rheingauer Weinwoche is going on. This annual event started on Friday and will run through August 21st. COVID kind of messed it up in 2020 and 2021, but we attended in 2019 and we went several times last year.
Although we had some rain yesterday, we managed to get to the festival after most of the weather had passed. It was just partly cloudy with some breezes and a few drops from the sky. As usual, the big celebration is going on in the Schlossplatz, and there are dozens of wineries from the Rheingau region represented, along with some food stands and live entertainment.
Bill and I parked at our usual garage at the theater, where we soon noticed that they had a brand new parking system in place. It used to be, when you drove in, a machine would give you a ticket that you’d later feed into the payment machine. It would tell you how much you owed when you reclaimed your car. Now, you just drive in and input your license plate number when you leave. I also noticed that they had designated a bunch of spaces on the first floor for electric vehicles. I guess that’s one reason to get an electric car. You get prime parking spots downtown! 😉
Anyway, it had been awhile we were last in downtown Wiesbaden. We should probably go there a lot more often than we do, because it’s a really nice town… much prettier than downtown Stuttgart is. There is often a lot going on, too.
We walked around the fest, just to see what was available. I stopped at the first WC I saw, noticing that the price of a whiz has gone up to 1 euro. However, you can purchase an all day ticket for four euros, or a family pass for six euros. I ended up going four times and Bill went twice yesterday. Next time we go, we’ll have to get a family ticket. 😀
We stopped at a random wine stand that had plenty of seating and a good view of the festivities. I had a glass of Riesling and listened to a female singer in the distance, but noticed I could also hear a brass band on the other side. I was more in the mood for the brass band, so we left after one glass and went to the other side. Not surprisingly, there wasn’t a lot of seating there, so we went around the corner and sat at another random wine stand that happened to specialize in Sekt.
That other stand was also near a WC, which was very handy for me… so we just sat there and people watched, drank wine, and took some photos. I’m sure we’ll be back again at least once, because just as they did last year, Bill’s co-workers have reserved a table for this coming Friday night. I have a feeling Bill will be ready for a celebration, because on Monday morning, he has to visit a local dentist to have a tooth extracted and start the process for his very first dental implant.
Wednesday, he was at work, eating a gummi bear, and suddenly noticed that there was some rattling in his mouth. He spit out a hunk of gold, which turned out to be a root canaled and crowned molar that he’d had done in 2011 or so. It just sheared right off! He called our usual dentist in Stuttgart, but as usual in August, he had shut down his practice for his annual vacation. Since this was not a situation in which Bill could wait until next week, when Dr. Blair returns, he asked a colleague for a local suggestion. Her dentist turned out to be pretty excellent, too.
He called that dentist’s office and they got him in at 10:30. The oral surgeon– a young German guy who went to school in nearby Mainz– said he couldn’t save the tooth, which had a huge cavity in it under the gold crown. But since the tooth had already been root canaled, the dentist said Bill could wait until Monday to have it extracted without risking infection. Then, perhaps, he might even be able to get the implant put in without having to wait for the tissues to heal first (like I did when I got my implant in 2016). Truthfully, though, I have a feeling he’s going to have to come back later for the implant. They’re probably going to have to do a sinus lift, which will take more time. I had to get one of those, too.
So… not only did we just buy a bunch of new appliances for our house, but now Bill is going to have a big dentist bill. We do have dental insurance, but it’s still going to be pricey work. And when we go back to see Dr. Blair in October for our cleanings, he’s going to be like “WTF”? 😀
Honestly, though, given the number of appointments it takes to get a dental implant, it’s probably a good idea for Bill to have it done locally. If and when my other baby tooth finally gives up the ghost, Dr. Blair can do another implant for me. I know he does excellent work. The one I had done in 2016 is still perfect.
I figure the wine fest will offer Bill some pain relief, after he has his extraction on Monday… I don’t know if we’ll go back today. Bill just brewed a new batch of beer last weekend, so he needs to bottle his brew. My car also needs a spin to keep the new battery functioning. It looks a bit cloudy, too. On the other hand, the wine fest is a lot of fun– there’s also beer and non alcoholic beverages for those who aren’t into wine, as well as plenty of food. We capped off yesterday by having a rare east Sicilian treat called arancini. I noticed them early in the day and was intrigued. They’re deep fried rice balls, covered with bread crumbs and stuffed with mince meat and/or vegetables, mozzarella cheese, peas, and ragu. The ones we had yesterday were delicious and filling!
Here are some photos from our excursion…
Wiesbaden has a new statue.Lots of geese were out, too.I always get photos of the awesome Market Church.The electric company had strong young lads pouring water.Bill was sensible and switched to Gerolsteiner after a couple of glasses. We were there for a few hours.Pretzels… good for preventing hangovers.Arancini!It’s interesting how so many signs in Germany are in English now.
I do love this about living in Germany… There’s always some kind of fun or interesting activity going on, and the vast majority of people are well-behaved. Yes, the police were there, and there was security, but I saw little need for them to intervene. The same isn’t necessarily true at events in the United States. So, I’m grateful to live here… and raise yet another toast to the annual wine festival week in Wiesbaden!
Last night, we missed the wine stand in our village, because Bill’s bosses reserved a couple of tables at the annual wine festival in Wiesbaden. I should mention that this festival is usually held every year, but because of COVID-19, it was not held in 2020 or 2021. We did attend in 2019, but we went by ourselves at the end of the fest, when things were much calmer than they were last night! Back when Bill was still on active duty in the Army, we might have called this event “mandatory fun”, although it wasn’t actually mandatory. But it was supposed to be for Bill’s work pals… and they graciously let spouses and significant others come, too.
Bill and I got to the reserved tables at Weingut Hamm’s tent early, mainly because his boss said that he was going to get there at about 5:00 to make sure our tables were open. We were there for over an hour with Bill’s boss, drinking wine and hanging out until the rest of the group started showing up. It was very loud, and quite chummy, with many smokers and people with body odor. But it IS Germany, after all, and that’s to be expected. I enjoyed visiting with Bill’s friends, and I managed to be on my best behavior, except at the end, when I made a crude joke to Bill’s boss. Fortunately, he has a raunchy sense of humor. 😉
I don’t have much to say about what we did last night, except that it involved a lot of drinking, loud talking, eating pretzels, and peeing. I noticed that the price of the toilets went up to 80 cents, too! But, they were clean and well stocked, and there were plenty available. Bill and I will probably go again on our own, since this fest runs through next weekend. I sense that a lot of folks were eager to party, given how so many popular events have been canceled. I also have a feeling that I’ll probably get another COVID exposure alert on my Corona Warn app.
I wish we’d made an effort to eat something besides pretzels. I was not feeling well this morning. I did do a COVID test, though… negative so far. Hopefully, it will stay that way. Below are some photos and a video of what we saw and experienced last night. It was quite a celebration, even if I’m kind of paying for it today! I didn’t walk around the whole fest, since we were there with a group. I would like to go back just to see what and who else was there… but maybe I’ll do that after I feel less hungover.
Always a pretty view.Not sure why there are life rings in the trees!Drank this all night…Paying for it today.I like this shirt.The pretzel guy was adorable!He could tell I thought he was cute, too. He had a beautiful smile.The church never fails to amaze me.Peeing is expensive here!Goofy!He always makes me smile.The tatooed guy was very charismatic.One of Wiesbaden’s pretty buildings.
Who doesn’t love a band?(Click the link to see the video)
In spite of my rough condition this morning, I love these kinds of fests in Germany. People are usually in a good mood and interested in having fun. There’s plenty of security, medical assistance, and nobody brings weapons. I enjoy how civilized Germany is… and how we can have fun without being put at risk. I’m, once again, grateful to be here. I hope it continues for a long while.
We had absolutely gorgeous weather yesterday, so Bill and I decided to take a short trip to Eltville, a charming town on the Rhein River. We decided to go there because there’s a “Sekt Fest” going on all weekend. We love Sekt, which is Germany’s version of “fizz”, and Eltville is an absolutely charming hamlet.
Yesterday’s visit was only our second time in Eltville. The first one occurred in the blissful days of June 2019, before COVID-19 shut down the world. Eltville is a SUPER cute town, and we only live twelve miles from there, but there’s another issue that kept us away from there, besides COVID-19. There was a bridge that runs through A66 (Autobahn) that, in 2021, was declared unsafe. The bridge was closed and demolished last fall, which means that going to certain towns on the Rhein requires taking detours. The bridge is now being rebuilt, and will hopefully reopen in 2023.
Because my Mini Cooper convertible is 13 years old and has less than 39,000 miles on it, we decided to drive it yesterday. We also took a short detour through the lovely, but congested, town of Biebrich, where some guy tried to parallel park in a street parking spot while we were in heavy traffic. He was trying to back up, but we weren’t able to move for him, because there were people behind us… and naturally, they all started honking. Before I knew it, I was yelling at the guy, and actually called him a dickhead! Technically, that would be “Beleidigung”, which is a personal insult and is illegal in Germany. But at least I didn’t flip him the bird, which is also illegal.
Soon enough, we had forgotten about the dickhead who almost caused a collision. Bill was parking at the local Rewe, which is also the site of a large “Parkhaus”. We walked into the old town, stopping for lunch at a place called the Eltviller Rosenstübchen. We decided to eat there, because they were offering continuous service, with no “pause” after 2pm. In retrospect, we could have just gone to the Sekt Fest and gotten food there, but we didn’t know how big the festival was going to be.
On the way to Eltville.I love how German ads show imperfect smiles.Tiny Hofladen! Get your sunflowers!Cute restaurant.My lunch- smoked trout with cranberry horseradish sauce and bread.Bill had smoked trout with potato and pickle salad.Such a cute place!Outside…Anti-stress praline…
I’m glad we stopped at the Eltviller Rosenstübchen for lunch. The restaurant has kind of a cozy, old fashioned look to it. Service is very friendly; prices are reasonable; and we had a delicious lunch of smoked trout that probably came from the Rhein. I shared a laugh with one of the chefs, who was drinking a draft beer as he made lunch! I could see him from my high pub bench, which offered a view into the kitchen.
After lunch, we went down to the riverfront, where the fest was going on. Some people were selling their creations in booths, while there were also plenty of food vendors and wine stands. We stopped at a couple of wine stands and enjoy some Sekt while we watched ships pass. At one point, we even saw a Viking river cruise ship pass, although I didn’t get a chance to see which one it was. I’ve never sailed with Viking, but I’ve heard good things about their cruises. It’s interesting to live near a place where luxury cruise ships pass on a daily basis. I would probably never want to take a Rhein River cruise, since I can drive to most of the places where they stop! Maybe I would take one years from now, for old time’s sake… but then again, I probably wouldn’t. There are other places I want to see more.
At another point during our visit, we saw a couple on the river. It looked like they were just married, and we did see a fancy old car at the church that had flowers on the hood. That’s usually a dead giveaway that someone got married. But then my German friend shared a link about Eltville’s Sekt festival, and I’m wondering if maybe the couple wasn’t part of the fest. They waved at the crowd as they passed, and there was another canoe full of photographers. So were they a newly married couple, or were they part of the act? I don’t know… but I did get some interesting photos. The weather was just awesome. Wish more days were this gorgeous.
Flowers on the hood.
Bill got nervous about the dogs, so we headed back to Breckenheim. I wish we could have stayed longer. They were setting up for live music as we were leaving. We will definitely have to spend more time in Eltville. It really is a lovely town. And who doesn’t love drinking wine on the Rhein? Okay… maybe teetotalers wouldn’t. But we all know I’m not one of those. 😉
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