Tag Archives: Tubingen

Uncategorized

One terrific afternoon in Tübingen

This morning, as I sat on my couch watching reruns of Dallas on iTunes, my dear husband Bill asked me what I wanted to do today.  Without really thinking about it, I said, “Why don’t we go to Tübingen?”

Tübingen is one of our favorite places to be, especially in these parts.  When we lived here last time, we lived really close and visited all the time.  Now we don’t live quite so close, but we still enjoy the occasional visit.  Today, we decided to take the train rather than drive, which turned out to be a good decision.  Bill wanted to enjoy some alcohol with lunch.  We caught the 12:44 train from Herrenberg and arrived in time to see lots of people enjoying the ice…

These people are braver than I am.  The weather was relatively warm today, although the ice looked somewhat solid.  Some were even wearing ice skates and playing what looked like some form of hockey.

We crossed over the pedestrian bridge toward the old town…  I took a few winter shots.

More people were walking on the river.  That seemed more dangerous, since one side of the river had large melted areas.

I didn’t see anyone fall in, though.

 

We decided to have lunch at La Cantinella, a very nice Italian restaurant we’ve been trying to get back to ever since we moved back to Germany.  We ate there a few times last time we lived here, but never seem to get to town at the right time now.  We happened to get there just in time for lunch today.  They weren’t very busy, although there were several rambunctious kids in the dining room.  At one point, their father apologized on behalf of the high spirited tykes running around, shouting, and banging on the piano in the foyer.  It wasn’t really a problem for us.  They were cute kids who needed to burn off some steam and they didn’t stay long.

Bill checks out the menu.

A little blurry photo of the dining room, which is very quaint and stylish.  By the time I took this photo, the little kids and their dad had moved on.

Bill ordered a lovely primitivo to go with our lunch.  This was full of berries, cherries, and a touch of raisins.  It opened up nicely after awhile.  They also brought us fresh bread and olive oil.

I had sesame encrusted branzino.  To be honest, the fish was a little bland and the sesame seeds were a bit too rich.  The vegetables were nice, though.  Very fresh and not overcooked.  I was also relieved that I didn’t accidentally order anything with mushrooms, like I did last time we visited.  

Bill had a pasta dish with beef and green pepper sauce.  He said it had a spicy kick and he really liked it.  

 

Our bill was about 60 euros.  I was acutely aware that the restaurant was going to have a pause at 2:30pm.  Although the waiter didn’t say anything, I got vibes that he hoped we wouldn’t linger.  I would definitely go back to La Cantinella, though.  It’s got a nice “family owned” ambiance and an impressive wine list.  Next time, I’ll get the pasta that was tempting me today.  La Cantinella does not have pizza and I didn’t notice a children’s menu.  However, they were very tolerant of the kids who were there when we came in for lunch today.

I took a photo of the outside of the restaurant, as well as the surrounding area.

See that crane?  People were hanging off of it.  I didn’t know it when I took this picture, but I was about to get some really great views.

Time for fasching.

A shot of St. George’s Collegiate Church, which dates from 1470.

I noticed signs indicating that the tower was open today.  Bill and I had never climbed up the tower before today.  Now that we’ve done it, I can say that it was worth the trip.  The views are awesome.

One shot of the stained glass.  The organist was practicing as we walked through the church on the way to the tower.  It costs one euro per adult to climb the tower and see the tombs.

The bells were made during different centuries.  Some were made in the 15th century, while others were made in the 20th century.  They are very loud when they ring, especially if you’re climbing up the tower!

It was a long, twisty, narrow walk up, but at least there were things to look at.

And this was our reward!  Check out the crane!  Yes, people are hanging over the city!

Bill enjoys the view.  Right after I took this, he told me how much he loves Tübingen.  I agree; it’s a great place to spend an afternoon!

The crane was rotating.

After a few minutes of enjoying the views, we made our way back down.  We needed to visit Vinum before they closed at 4:00pm.

As we were leaving the church, I noticed this person’s sign hanging out of their window.  We can always count on seeing interesting political statements in Tübingen.

Sad when people deface very old buildings.

We went into Vinum, which is one of our favorite wine stores in the area.  They always have wines to try.  We ended up buying four bottles they were highlighting.

I noticed the construction on the Rathaus was finally done after years of work!

We stopped at Ranitzky’s Kaffeehaus for hot chocolate and a pee break.

I had hot chocolate with Bailey’s…

Bill had plain hot chocolate.

On the way out of town, I noticed that the Dunkin’ Donuts in the old building was gone…

And this very cool yarn store is moving.

I guess Germany doesn’t run on Dunkin’.

More brave souls on the ice.

But look at that!

Pigeon house!

 

We got to the train station just in time to get the 4:17pm train back to Herrenberg.  We really had a lovely afternoon.  I think we need to spend more time in Tübingen.  I think my favorite part of today was climbing the church tower.  That is something well worth doing!  It’s a great energy burner for your little ones, too.

I thought these ads were interesting.

Shit weather?  Hmmm…

Standard
booze tourism

Booze! A guide to wine shops in the Stuttgart area of Germany…

Hello folks.  Every once in awhile, I like to write posts that are comparative in nature.  Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to try out a few wine stores near us and I thought it might be interesting to write about the pros and cons of each.

Naturally, you can always buy wine on post (if you have access and/or purchasing privileges) or at your favorite grocery store like Edeka, Aldi, or Real.  Those locations are givens.  I wanted to highlight stores that specifically focus on wine.  I’ve written about each place before, so I will link to my first posts about them so those who are interested can read about my first impressions.

Vinum!  Our favorite wine store.

Probably my all time favorite wine store in the area is Vinum in Tübingen.  I will admit that I mostly like that store for sentimental reasons.  We used to shop there all the time when we lived in Germany the first time.  I still like to go there and will go out of my way to visit for several reasons.  First off, they have a great selection of wines.  It’s not a huge store, but there are plenty of wines to choose from and quite a few are available for tasting.  They also have wine on tap and, as long as you have a bottle (you can buy one there if you want), you can load up on cheap, good quality wines.

Secondly, Vinum offers more than just wine.  They have a small selection of gourmet foods.  They also sell exotic beers and fine liquors and liqueurs, as well as nice booze related gifts.  Their staff is very helpful and speak English.  Sometimes they host events on the weekends for wines and spirits.  I also think their building is very cool.  It reminds me of a cave.  Bill and I have shopped there extensively, both times we’ve lived in Germany, so we’re very familiar with the store.  In fact, it may be time to pay them another visit soon.

Inside the Alte Brennerei in Herrenberg.

In second place, I think I’d put Alte Brennerei, a wine store Bill and I discovered just a couple of weeks ago in Herrenberg.  Alte Brennerei is a fairly small store in comparison to Vinum, but the proprietor is very friendly, speaks great English, and offers a good variety of wines.  She also has a small selection of gourmet items, though not as many as Vinum does, and will offer to do tastings for small groups.  She doesn’t have a wide range of liquors available or wines on tap, but she does have plenty of whiskys.  Since Bill and I like scotch, we like Alte Brennerei.  A bonus is that right across the street is a cheese shop and right next door is the adorable Lamm Gasthof, a great place for a bite to eat.

Jacques’ Wein Depot in Ludwigsburg.

In third place, I’d choose Jacques’ Wein Depot, a chain wine store that has locations all over Germany.  One advantage to visiting the Wein Depot is that there are a lot of convenient locations.  This store also allows patrons to try almost every wine they sell.

The reason I put Jacques Wein Depot in third place is because when we visited, the salespeople did not seem all that interested in helping us.  This is not such a big deal to us, since we pretty much know what we like.  It could be a problem for less experienced wine drinkers.  Also, I did not get the impression that the guys who were working at the Wein Depot spoke English.  Again, not a huge deal, but potentially less helpful for English speakers who don’t know what they like.

I also think the Wein Depot lacks the charm of of Vinum and Alte Brennerei, stores that have a personal touch.  Jacques’ Wein Depot is a chain; as such, it lacks a certain mysticism.  However, I did think the wines were probably better priced at Wein Depot as opposed to the other two stores.  Generally speaking, that is the advantage of visiting a chain store over an individual location.

Vom Fass.

Likewise, Vom Fass, another chain wine store is kind of similar to Jacques’ Wein Depot.  Although we visited one when we went to Ulm in August, I haven’t yet really had a chance to write a review of one.  Vom Fass also has several locations near Stuttgart and elsewhere in Germany.  It seems to be more of an all purpose store, offering wines, vinegars, oils, and other gourmet items.  Jacques’ Wein Depot, by contrast, appears to be all about the wine.

Wein Kreis in Stuttgart.

There are definitely other stores in the area we haven’t tried yet.  For example, there’s a wine store/ wine bar in Stuttgart we have yet to visit.  It’s right next to the Markthalle, though, and we usually load up on wines when we visit the Markthalle.  Next time we visit Dr. Blair, which should be next week for a cleaning, we will have to stop by the Wein Kreis store in Stuttgart and try it out.  I will definitely update then.

The lovely thing about living in Germany is that there’s always a place to buy great wine for not much money.  You don’t have to visit a wine store to find something good, though it sure can be fun shopping in one!  This weekend, I hope to find a few more wines when we visit France!

Standard
Baden-Württemberg

For our next road trip…

This past Sunday morning, I was on Facebook doing some last minute planning before our day trip to Rheinfall when I noticed an ad.  It’s kind of unusual for me to notice Facebook ads, but this one really caught my attention.  It was from a company called Lazenne.com and the product they were hawking was a wheeled wine suitcase.  This is the perfect product for people who travel abroad and want to check some wine for the flight home.  I might use it for that purpose myself someday.  Actually, what I was thinking when I saw the wine luggage was a great way to transport wine during the road trips Bill and I take.

It’s no secret that Bill and I enjoy our booze.  I especially love finding new wines and beers in the many countries easily accessed from Germany.  Though I had seen the styrofoam inserts included with the wine suitcase that was advertised, I had not seen a bag specifically made for carrying wine.  Intrigued by the ad, I decided to pull the trigger.  I purchased a black wine suitcase that could carry twelve regular sized bottles of wine and three large bottles.  I also bought two wine cradles.  The Wine Check bag is also available in red.

I paid $158.  Yes, though the Wine Check bag comes from a warehouse in France and I think the Lazenne company is in Poland, I paid for my order in U.S. Dollars.  That’s because the company’s payment gateway partner is an American company.  My total included the cost of the bag, the wine cradles, the value added tax, and shipping.

I placed my order Sunday night after we returned from Switzerland.  My parcel arrived this morning. Here are some photos.

The box my new Wine Check bag arrived in.

Wine Cradles.  These are inflatable sleeves for wine.

The bag unwrapped.

Nice wheels for easy towing.

Two handles.

The boxes for the wine bottles.

The blue one is for large wine bottles.

Styrofoam inserts.  Take the top off and tuck your bottle safely inside.

The bag with no inserts.

The red box carries up to twelve regular sized bottles.

Top off so you can see how that works.

 

The styrofoam inserts are nothing new.  When I lived in the States, I used to order wine all the time and it would often be packed with these inserts that kept the bottles from breaking in transit.  What makes this package unique is that the bag is specifically designed for making it easy to transport bottles.  The wheels on the bag makes it a lot simpler to move the booze once it’s securely packed.  I may have to bring this case with me the next time we go wine shopping locally.  I’d love to use this bag in Tübingen next time we visit Vinum.  It’s a real bummer schlepping wine from the store to the parking garage, but this bag would make it much easier to splurge!

Once we have a chance to actually try out this new luggage, I will be sure to post how it went!

Standard
Baden-Württemberg

The 2016 Afrika Fest in Tübingen…

Somehow, I managed to get wind of the Afrika Fest in Tübingen this year.  I think I read about it on Facebook.  Having done last year’s Afrika Fest in Stuttgart, I didn’t have especially high hopes.  But, in all honesty, Bill and I really enjoyed ourselves at the larger festival in Tübingen.  We had a blast.  In fact, it was so much fun that, as we were winding down our visit, I was actually talking about joining the Peace Corps for a second tour.  My time in the Peace Corps changed my life, but I didn’t leave it thinking I’d want to do it again.  If I go through an experience making me consider a second go at life in an exotic place, you know it must have been something special.

We decided to go to the festival this morning after determining that there wouldn’t be too much rain.  Although we usually drive to Tübingen, today we decided to take the train from Herrenberg.  When we lived in Germany the first time, we got pretty familiar with the Ammertalbahn, though now that we live closer to Herrenberg, we don’t use it.  Bill wanted to be able to drink more.  As it turned out, driving would have been better.  The Afrika Fest is being held at the Festplatz, which has plenty of easy parking.

As it was, we spent five euros apiece each way to ride the train to Tübingen, then walked at least a mile from the train station.  That wasn’t a huge deal, except we weren’t quite sure where we were going, so it was more nervewracking than it might have been otherwise.  It cost six euros per adult for admission; we got our hands stamped.  Had we wanted to visit all four days of the fest, we could have gotten a slight break by buying a four day ticket.

The Afrika Fest in Tübingen was offering a lot and was well worth the price of admission.  Bill and I ended up having a blast.  There was plenty of seating.  We never had any worries about having a rest when we wanted it.  There was plenty of good African food; although the focus was on Burundi, lots of different countries were represented, including an Ethiopian restaurant in Tübingen that Bill and I had been wanting to try.  There was also Senegalese food and Ghanian food, plus plenty of clothing, art, and food dealers.  We came home with a pound of coffee beans from Burundi and mango coconut candy, as well as several CDs from African musicians.

Speaking of music, that was probably my favorite part about today.  There were DJs playing some great music, but as far as I’m concerned, the African drummers who performed this afternoon stole the show.  I got some raw footage that I hope to turn into a YouTube video very soon.  They were awesome!  People were really getting into it!  But then a DJ rudely cut in with some rather funny but inferior performances.  Bill and I were joined at our table by a couple of young ladies who pretty much confirmed our impressions.  Anyway… here are some photos from today.  Stay tuned for a video that will probably show up tomorrow.  ETA:  Here’s the video!

Note the tip bowl on the lady’s head!  These folks were awesome and I did get some footage that I’ll need to put into a video when I’m sober.

 

Originally, Bill thought the fest was taking place in that building…

The sign…  You can still visit tomorrow if you want to.

Lots of tents with lots of vendors.

Obligatory shot of Bill.

Awesome drummers.  A couple of these guys later spent some time totally entertaining the crowd until they were rudely usurped.

I have read great things about this restaurant in Tübingen, which was catering at the Afrika Fest today.  We decided to eat lunch there…

Lovely South African red wine.

Chicken with injeera, carrots, eggplant, and zucchini all cooked together…

 

Bill’s version was prepared with beef.  It was delicious.  8 euros per person and more than either of us could eat.

German collaboration with Burundi.

Coffee from Burundi.  We bought some after tasting it in another tent, where we got to chat with a couple of very nice German ladies.

Nigerian beer.  It was somewhat better than I expected and very refreshing.

Lots of flyers.

And some angelic childlike fliers…  These girls were a joy to watch.  They were obviously very good friends and were doing cartwheels in tandem, as if they were performing.  And they were also cooperating with the hardworking German D.J. who was trying to pump everyone up.

This guy was very funny…  we bought his CDs.

Bill obviously having fun.

This guy was also pretty awesome.  He was on the stage rapping, dancing, and motivating the crowd. More people seemed into his music than the guy before him.

After a couple of beers and several hours, we headed back for the train station.  We passed this place and I couldn’t resist taking a picture, despite the threatening dog.

Once we got to the train station, we decided to eat there.  We both had schnitzels which came with the above salad.

The main course… way too much to eat.

And a very animated stag party going on in second class on the way to Stuttgart.

Weird action shot…

Yeah… the video will do it better justice.  The drummers were the highlight of the day, as far as I’m concerned.  Anytime I start talking about rejoining the Peace Corps, you know I was moved…

 

We really had a great time at the Afrika Fest in Tübingen.  I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in visiting tomorrow.  There’s lots of parking, good food, good music, and stuff for kids, including games and a bouncy house.  Also, the toilets are clean and not heavily guarded by a Klofrau.  In all seriousness, if we get bored tomorrow, we may even go back for more.  It runs tomorrow night until 8:00pm and tonight until 11:00pm.

If we’re here next year when they do the Afrika Fest in Tübingen, we’ll definitely be back.  It was probably one of the best fests I’ve ever been to.  What I liked about this fest was the emphasis on peace and the fact that everyone there was there to have fun and let their hair down.  The vibe was different than it was in Esslingen a couple of weeks ago… much less formal and more people just enjoying music, food, dancing, and drinking…  I liked that one of the DJs specifically addressed terrorism and how it had no place at the fest.  We were all there to have a good time.  It was a real win.

Standard
Uncategorized

Eating vegetarian in Tübingen at Die Kicher Erbse

I was feeling kind of icky this morning, but when I noticed how nice the weather was today, managed to get motivated enough to get dressed and venture out.  It seemed like perfect Biergarten weather, so I told Bill I wanted to go to Tübingen.  I guess I was thinking we’d go sit by the Neckar River and sip suds like we usually do when we go to Tübingen.  But Tübingen was pretty crowded today, so I made the executive decision to look elsewhere for entertainment.

Last week, when we were in Ludwigsburg, I noticed an accordion player in the main square playing impressive classics.  He was doing a mean rendition of Vivaldi.  Today, I’m pretty sure we ran into the same guy playing his accordion in Tübingen.  I guess he gets around.  We also passed a group of Chinese people doing some kind of synchronized movements.  It’s a Chinese spiritual practice that combines meditation and moral philosophy with Qi Gong exercises.  Bill says they’re called Falun Gong.  They were handing out pamphlets.  Bill said the group is pretty heavily persecuted in China because it’s considered a cult there.  They were interesting to watch, if anything.  I still don’t know much about them, but they were out and and about today.

Lots of people in the big city today!

I had actually been thinking about a couple of pretty interesting restaurants for dinner.  One local Facebook friend recommended that we try Japengo, which looks like a really cool place.  There’s also a well-regarded African restaurant in Tübingen that I know intrigued Bill.  But then we rounded a corner near Vinum, our favorite booze store, and I smelled something delicious and familiar…

But first, I had to take a picture of this cool window with the wildflowers in the window box.

And a profane and bedazzled t-shirt on sale at a place called Hot Couture…

which curiously had a closed sign in English…

And fun graffiti.

We ended up having a delightfully tasty vegetarian Middle Eastern meal at Die Kicher Erbse, a tiny hole in the wall in the old town where you can pick up falafel, hummus, salad and börek.  I remembered eating at this little place the first time we lived in Germany.  In those days, we lived close to Tübingen and used to visit the city all the time and we stopped at Die Kicher Erbse at least once.

I was honestly drawn into the restaurant today by the aromas that came from it and, from what I could see sitting there while we ate, Die Kicher Erbse is a very popular place.  There’s nothing on the menu that costs more than 5,50 euros and getting food is quick and easy, though seating is in short supply.  We noticed a lot of fit people stopping in.  I also noticed that they sell some ingredients for certain Middle Eastern dishes.

The falafel and börek plate.  Börek is a pastry filled with spinach and mild cheese.  It was delicious!  I also loved the hummus and the minty yogurt dressing on the salad.  I couldn’t finish this plate, though.

Bill had a falafel plate with bread.  We drank sparkling water and I had orange nectar, though they also had housemade Ayran and other non-alcoholic beverages.

There was a line forming as we were leaving.  I think they close early.  Don’t go there looking for beer because they don’t sell alcohol.  However, if you want hot mint tea, that’s your place!

I tried to get another shot of the front door.  A few people were sitting outside, enjoying the light but filling food.  We really need to eat Middle Eastern more often.

 

On the way back to the car, we stopped by Die Kelter for a drink.  It was pretty nice there today, since the weather was perfect.  I had a good time watching the wait staff trying to arrange furniture outside for the evening bar crowd.  It took them several tries and several incarnations to get it right.

I had a raspberry mojito, which was much like a regular mojito, except with fresh raspberries.  Bill had a small Baisinger beer.  

Here’s an obligatory shot of Bill smiling after I cracked a filthy joke.  It might have had to do with the woman who very brazenly changed her baby in front of us.  I’ve kind of learned to look the other way when stuff like that happens.

This was not the final arrangement of the outdoor furniture.  They rearranged it at least one more time before we left.

But everyone was having a good time anyway.  We stopped after one drink and came home to our dogs, who were happy for a chance to stroll around the yard again.

 

All in all, we had a lovely afternoon in Tübingen.  We should go there more often.  It’s always a pleasure to visit.

Standard
Uncategorized

Food, fun, and fascism in Germany…

Last night, Bill and I decided to have dinner at Tommi’s Bistro.  As usual, the food did not disappoint.  Bill and I had our usual lecker entrecote steaks from Argentina, lots of wine, and potatoes.  Here’s a photo.

I paired this with my usual favorite Wildekartoffeln…  Next Thursday is the next live jam!

 

After a very leisurely morning, we decided to go to Tübingen.  I wanted to visit Vinum for some wine.  Vinum closes at 4:00 on Saturdays, so we needed to hurry.  But we did have enough time for a quick lunch at Die Kelter, which is a favorite restaurant on the way into town.  We got there a little bit after 2:00, so we were limited to their “small” menu.

Bill checks out the menu.

We both had Baisinger hefeweizens…

 

I flipped a coin because I couldn’t decide between wurst or cheese spatzle.  The wurst won…

Nice beer snack.

Bill had the Kelter Burger, which is basically a pulled pork sandwich with cole slaw and wild potatoes with sour cream and chive dip.  Those potatoes are the bomb!  Bill had had the burger last time we visited and it was just as good this time as it was last time.  I probably should have gone with the spatzle, though the wurst and pretzel were good, too.

 

We stopped into Vinum, tried a few wines that were being highlighted, and ended up coming home with five bottles and a refill of our syrah, which we get from a tap at the back of the store.  I was glad to get there well before 4:00.  Afterwards, we headed to the Neckarmueller, where Bill had one beer and I had two…

A nice Fischer Kellerbier…

Bill had another hefeweizen.

Impressive brewing equipment.

Then I tried a Saphir Fest beer.  This only came in a small size, which was fine with me.  It had notes of orange and cardamom.

A few photos of the Neckar River while I waited for Bill to make a pit stop.

We decided to walk back to the garage via the wooded park area opposite the Neckarmueller.  As we approached the steps to get to the tunnel that leads back to the garage, we ran into what appeared to be three Muslim females.  They heard me speak English to Bill and the two older ones seemed to look at us with hostile disdain.  I simply stared back at them as we made our way to the tunnel, which makes for a convenient shortcut back to the parking garage.  We were talking about the unspoken exchange as we walked through.  Then I noticed some of the graffiti and stickers on the walls…

I must say, my German is starting to come along a bit…

Then I noticed this business, which I would guess is run by Armenians.  The clue?  The last name.  Most Armenian names end with ian or yan.  Also, note the colors under the name Takesian.  They are the same as the Armenian flag.  I could be wrong, though.  I didn’t see any other clues but those.

 

We gave some thought to going to eat tonight, but I decided I’d rather get into my nightgown and watch The Brady Bunch on DVD.  I’m thinking about booking us a table in Stuttgart after our dental appointment on Monday.  Stay tuned for another restaurant review soon.

Standard
Baden-Württemberg, Tübingen

Fabulous date night in Tübingen!

Please note: Refugio is now closed as of 2023.  Hotel La Casa is still open.

Bill and I decided to go out to dinner tonight.  We made the decision yesterday, after we couldn’t get a table at our favorite local haunt in Nagold, Osteria da Gino.  I wanted some really nice food and good wine and I wanted to try a different place other than our usual favorite restaurants.  I finally turned to OpenTable.de, where I spotted an interesting listing for a restaurant in Tübingen called Refugio at La Casa.  Refugio is actually a hotel restaurant, which made me a bit wary.  Hotel restaurants can be hit or miss.  When I noticed that Refugio at La Casa got mostly good reviews and had a look at their menu, I decided to book us a 6:30pm reservation.

We arrived at the hotel just a little bit early after lucking into a parking spot directly outside the front door.  When we walked through the revolving door, a very proper receptionist was standing at the ready to greet us, as if she was expecting us.  She probably was, since there were no other restaurant patrons until about an hour later.  Hotel La Casa is located in a residential part of Tübingen.  Though we used to live near the city, tonight was the first time we ever ventured in the southern residential area.  We noticed a parking garage near the hotel.  I’m not sure if it’s public or private.  Limited street parking is around the hotel as well.

Hotel La Casa’s front door.

After helping us with our coats, the lady sent us with a sommelier to our table.  I was immediately impressed by how beautifully decorated the dining room was, with its Spanish and Moroccan accents.  Whoever decorated the lobby, restaurant, and bar has good taste!  There are lots of tables with colorful, scattered throw pillows and exotic light fixtures.  The hand railings are made of brass.  The steps leading into the sunken dining room are covered with some type of silvery metal that I thought was striking.  La Casa is family owned and operated and opened in 2008, which was during the time we were living here the first time.

We were seated at a four top next to a small marble fountain that peacefully dripped water droplets that blended in with the Muzak.  I don’t usually like Muzak very much, but I must admit that I got a kick out of what was playing in the restaurant… lots of hits from the 70s, everything from “The Logical Song” by Supertramp to “Time” by The Alan Parson’s Project.  The sommelier helped me into a very comfortable chair and offered us an aperitif.  I asked for a glass of sekt.  Bill ordered spruedel (mineral water with gas) and asked for the wine list.  Meanwhile, they brought us some wonderful bread with olive oil, salt, and butter.

Bill checks out the menu.

 

The bread was delicious.  Very fresh!  Went well with the sekt, which was semi-sweet, but not too cloying.


Very good local red…

I ventured to the ladies room while Bill chose a wine to go with our dinner.  The waiter, a young, friendly lad who spoke excellent English, helped Bill pick a local red.  In the past, we were a bit wary of German wines.  I’m pleased to announce that the waiter’s suggestion was outstanding.

Then he brought out a very impressive amuse.  I don’t usually like beets much, but this little teaser from the kitchen was excellent, with its cauliflower mousse and perfectly grilled prawn…  The waiter told us that Refugio Chef Jonas Oest has a lot of creative ideas and that’s why they were so glad to get to work with him.

 

At first, I thought the cauliflower mousse might be potato with lots of garlic.  Then I realized it was cauliflower very creatively presented.  I probably enjoy cauliflower less than beets under normal conditions, but tonight I was impressed.

A blurry shot of Bill.  I wish I had waited just a second to get a clearer picture.  Oh well…

 

The dining room is very pretty, with lots of personal yet exotic touches.  I loved the fountain.

 

I started with a velvety Topinambur soup, served with two sea scallops and garnished with herb oil.  This soup was delicious.  The scallops were perfectly seared, just so they were cooked but not rubbery.  And it’s always a pleasure to find scallops in southern Germany, especially when they are properly prepared.

 

Bill had Kaninchen Ravioli– rabbit ravioli– which consisted of rabbit, black olives, pine nuts, herbs, and Parmesan cheese.  I didn’t try his starter because I don’t want to develop a taste for rabbit.  He loved it, though.  Must be his Arkansas roots.

 

My main course was rinderfilet (beef tenderloin), cooked to medium and served with a mustard sauce, bread dumplings, and vegetables.  The meat was so tender you could cut it with a spoon.  Given my preference, I would have liked the mustard on the side.  It was a little too intense for my taste.  A lighter touch would have made it easier to taste the beef.  I still enjoyed it very much.

 

Bill had roast saddle of lamb served with carrots and parsley root.  I did try the lamb.  I don’t usually like lamb, but I will admit that this was very good.  Not gamey at all and very tender.

For dessert, I had creme brulee, which came with a red berry compote and currant sorbet.  I probably would have been happy enough with just the sorbet, but I am always up for burnt custard when I can get it.

 

Bill had pannacotta of oat, a vegan sweet with quince ice cream and oat crumbles.   I did notice that there were a few options for non meat eaters, though the selection is not very large.

 

As we were enjoying our dinners, I couldn’t help but remember the crappy experience we had at the fancy Swiss hotel restaurant we tried back in December.  At Refugio, the wait staff was genuinely helpful and service oriented.  There was no egregious attempt at upselling.  It was clear to me that they were hoping we enjoyed ourselves.  In fact, when we mentioned we live in Germany and might be tempted to come spend a night, the waiter was sincerely happy and invited us to speak to the receptionist about their specials.  I can see this is a family owned business; that would account for the very professional, courteous, and genuinely kind service we received tonight.  I was very impressed.

I visited the ladies room again to process the wine and water and noticed that the restroom was spotlessly clean and stocked with high end toiletries, as well as thick washcloths.  I couldn’t help but wish we were spending the night.  I bet the rooms are beautiful.  I also noticed the spa.  I’m kind of hoping Bill and I can sneak away for a weekend in Tübingen sometime.  I know we live only about 40 minutes away, but we both love that town and would enjoy the chance to take in the nightlife.  It was easier to do that when we lived in Pfaeffingen the first time we were here.

Total damage for tonight’s beautiful dinner was 181 euros and 30 cents.  It was definitely worth it and we were allowed to pay by credit card.  We will have to go back another time and spend the night.  I’m sure it goes without saying that this restaurant is not kid friendly.

I think Refugio is well worth a visit and, even though it’s a hotel restaurant, offers great potential for a nice adult oriented date night outside of Stuttgart.  I highly recommend it.

Standard
Baden-Württemberg, Tübingen

Lunch at Forelle Weinstube in Tübingen… and a puzzling pigeon…

Since today is Veteran’s Day and we missed our Saturday outing last weekend, Bill and I decided to go to Tübingen this afternoon for lunch and a brief shopping excursion at Vinum.  I wanted to dine at Forelle Weinstube, an adorable restaurant I remembered from our first time in the Stuttgart area, but according to their Web site, Wednesday was supposed to be their Ruhetag.  We decided to check there anyway, since Google said they were open… and, as things tend to go with Google, Google happened to be right.  I was glad they were open because I remembered having a really nice meal there seven years ago.  I wanted to see if they were still good.

We arrived at about 1:30pm, just as the lunch crowd was winding down.  A kind waitress offered us a table and we decided to have a leisurely lunch with a bottle of locally produced Riesling.  As we waited for the wine, I looked around and was charmed by how quaint the interior was.  It truly looks like a stereotypical old fashioned German restaurant.

The outside of the restaurant on a street tucked away from the main drag.  Forelle is the German word for trout and they do have it on the menu.

Bill checks out the menu.  They had a special today, but he went with the Linsenteller, while I had trout…

 

Loved the murals on the walls and ceiling, and the etched windows.  It’s a very homey place.

Bill’s lentils… came with spatzle and pork cheeks.  He said it was very satisfying.  My gut tells me he’ll be regular tomorrow and probably the next day.

My trout.  This came with a small green salad dressed with a light mustard vinaigrette.  I really enjoyed this dish, though at 19,80, it was the most expensive thing on the menu during lunch.  They do offer a small portion for about three euros less.  

 

View of the bar area.  The restaurant is small, so there’s no one actually sitting there.  They do appear to have an upstairs dining area, too.

 

Nice wine glasses…

 

After lunch, we had double espressos.  I knew that I was asking for trouble drinking wine, water, and espresso and knowing we were headed for Vinum, where there are free samples aplenty.  But my appetite won out over my sense of practicality and I indulged.  Then I visited the ladies room and sadly, the toilet wouldn’t flush.  Oops.

Loved their espresso glasses.  They were made so our fingers didn’t touch the hot liquid.  Reminded me of the cool beer glasses we saw at the beer museum in Lisbon, Portugal.  

After we paid the check, which came to about 66 euros, we headed for Vinum and tried some wines.  An American couple came in while we were shopping, though I might not have pegged them as Americans immediately.  The guy was wearing a Jack Wolfskin jacket and had a beard.  Bill chatted with them a bit while I taste tested a few reds.  We used our handy wine caddy bag, which which the lady at Vinum was impressed, and refilled our bottle from Vinum’s wine tap.  On the way out of Vinum, I heard a guy playing Vivaldi on an accordion.  It was interesting and he was surprisingly good, though if I wanted to hear Vivaldi, I probably wouldn’t choose to hear it played on an accordion.

Nice church shot…

By the time we left Vinum, my bladder was starting to sound off.  So we stopped at Ranitzky’s coffeehouse, which is right on the big square near the Rathaus in Tübingen.  It was a prime spot for people watching and enjoying hot chocolate.  My stomach neither needed the extra calories nor did my bladder need the extra liquid, but it did give me a chance to process more of the fluids I had at lunch and at Vinum.

Coffee break.

 

Bill had a large hot chocolate without cream.

I had a Bailey’s hot chocolate… it was very yummy.  They also have lots of tempting desserts, drinks, and light food.

 

While we were enjoying hot chocolate, we did some people watching…  I observed a drunk bum chugging what appeared to be vodka from a bottle as he staggered across the square.  Of course, it could have been water, too.

Bill people watches…

 

Rathaus… I was glad to see more of the construction is done.  Will it ever end?

 
 

Remnants of the market…  Most of the booths were shutting down as we arrived.  This was still open at 3:00 or so.

We saw a bunch of kids checking out the fountain and a woman walked by with her “bagel” (beagle and basset hound mix).

Then, we observed a woman looking curiously at what appeared to be a dead pigeon, only it was sitting on its feet…

Lots of people stopped to observe this bird, which made no move even when people got within a foot or two away.  Bill wondered if someone was doing a science experiment or something.  

 

I remembered my former German neighbor from our first tour here saying that it’s against the law to feed pigeons in the city and that locals refer to them as “rats from the sky.”  But still, a lot of people were curious and maybe even concerned.  I decided I wanted to pick up some Ammertal whiskey, so we went into Silberburg and bought a small bottle.

We never tried this the last time we lived here, though it is made in Unterjesingen, which was the town next to where we used to live and very close to Tübingen.

 
They had a nice selection…
 

When we came out of Silberburg, a woman had picked up the seemingly dead pigeon and we saw its wings flap feebly.  I guess the bird was sick or something.  Reminds me a little of the time we visited Nagold’s castle and a whole bunch of people were gathered around a dying mouse.  Someone finally picked the poor creature up and moved it to a more private place for its final death throes.  I don’t think the pigeon was quite so lucky.

We decided to head home, though I knew my bladder was going to be aching soon.  On the way out of the city, I spied some graffiti.

And a charming street scene…

 

Bill was going to drive back on B28, which is kind of the long way back to our town.  I asked him to head back to Jettingen via Poltringen instead.  It saved us significant time, helped us avoid traffic, and got me to a bathroom sooner.  Don’t think I wasn’t tempted to stop off on the side of the road, though…

Stop here for fresh milk, eggs, and onions.

 

All in all, we had a very pleasant afternoon.  It’s always a pleasure to visit Tübingen.  We used to go there all the time when we lived here in 07-09.  This time, we’re trying to see more of the area around Stuttgart.  But I am never disappointed when we visit one of my favorite college towns.  We’ll have to go back soon.

Standard
Baden-Württemberg, Tübingen

A quick trip to Bad Urach to see the waterfall…

Since it’s Labor Day weekend and we didn’t make any travel plans, I really wanted to try to do something different today.  Sadly, after last night’s indulgent dinner and wine excursion, Bill and I got off to a slow start.  Finally, around noon, I got dressed and Bill asked me what I wanted to do.  I said I wanted to visit Bad Urach.

I actually wanted to see the town of Bad Urach and, perhaps, drop by their thermal baths.  But Bill determined that we needed to hike up the famous Bad Urach waterfall.  We set off from Unterjettingen at about 1:00 after I had a brief OCD moment worrying whether or not I had shut the door firmly.  Bill had thought to pack me a bag of peanuts in case I got hangry, but I had a better idea.  I said we should stop in Tübingen and have lunch.  Bill agreed, and we ended up having a really nice meal at Die Kelter, which is a very cool restaurant on the main drag coming away from our favorite parking garage near the university clinic.
We last dined at Die Kelter last time we lived in Germany, though we have since been in there for drinks.  Die Kelter has a very unique atmosphere and very good food.  In fact, today when we had lunch, I couldn’t get over how great the place smelled… kind of like fresh bread and Mom’s Sunday roast.  
Bill looking bored…  It’s time to order him some new clothes.
We  sat at one of the big tables on the main floor and a friendly waiter who spoke perfect English took care of us.  I had the New York pastrami on focaccia with a salad.  Bill had the pulled pork sandwich with cole slaw and fried potatoes.  He had mint iced tea and I had a beer.  But before lunch could begin, I had to hike to the ladies room.  And when I say hike, I mean hike.  You have to go up two or three flights of stairs (I lost count) to get to the toilet.
There are several of these signs to help you in case you lose your way…

Here’s a shot of the restaurant.  I took it on the way back down to our table.  Cool, huh?

Nice Baisinger beer.  Locally brewed and I think it’s Die Kelter’s brew of choice.  The bread was very fresh and yummy.

My delicious pastrami.  Seriously, this was very good, and at 13 euros, not too pricey.  The pastrami was cool to the touch, with a toasted focaccia bread bottom.  It was served with a nice mustard sauce on the bread.  The salad was delicious, especially because of the dressing.  I don’t usually eat a lot of salad, but I could eat this every day.  The dressing was like crack.  And the cherry tomatoes were sweet and almost like candy.

Curiously, Bill’s sandwich (which the waiter said was a good choice) was advertised on the “small hunger” part of the menu.  It was also very good.  I enjoyed helping Bill eat the potatoes.

Bill is waiting for the bill…

A couple more interior shots.

Well worth a visit!  We’ll be back again.  

With our hunger satiated, we went back to the car and watched as a nervous woman tried very hard to get out of her parking spot.  I guess she and her man were teaching a young guy with them how to drive.  We were stuck behind them for awhile and it was a bit hair raising.  But soon, we were out of the city and the countryside turned pretty.  I told Bill I wished we’d gotten an earlier start because I knew I’d want to see more than the falls…

First glimpse of the trail to the waterfalls.  There is a train station located very close for those who’d rather ride the train than drive.  Plenty of parking is available, too.  You have to pay to park, but the pass is good all day.  There is no charge to see the waterfall.

By the time we parked and Bill got his parkschein, I really had to pee.  Sadly, there were no public toilets to be found.  There was a restaurant nearby, but I figured there would be something near the falls.  I was mistaken.  

Though I badly needed to find a toilet, I tried to focus on the natural beauty of the Bad Urach area.  Clouds were rolling in and it made for some very dramatic photography.

But then we came upon a swiftly rushing brook… just what my aching bladder needed!  

Castle ruins in the distance.  We weren’t up to hiking there today.  Perhaps another time.

There were many people at the waterfalls today.  With no bathroom in sight, I was hoping to be able to pull off the trail and find a bush.  Unfortunately, the opportunity didn’t present itself and even if there had been a good bush to duck behind, the throngs of people made it difficult to do so discreetly. Just as I was about to lose hope, I spotted what looked like a deep dry creek bed with lots of tree cover and a convenient overhang.  I sneaked down into the creek bed, found a private spot, and took a glorious whiz away from the glare of onlookers.  It’s a good thing I did, too…  It would not have been fun to hike up the falls needing to whiz.

We reached the base of the falls, where a sign warned us against drinking the water.  It looked cool, clear, and clean, but apparently it’s been known to cause waterborne illnesses.  I’ve had giardia before.  Don’t need a repeat experience.

We started the walk up the falls, which mostly consisted of taking some steps up the side.  I’m pretty slow going up these things since I’m not very thin or fit, but there were many fearless kids running down as if the steps were nothing.  There are no handrails.  I did my best mountain goat impression as I made up way up.  I was sad to see that some people had thoughtlessly left trash in the area.
The roots on this tree reminded me of a horde of fighting monkeys.

About halfway up.


At the top…  I am told that there’s usually more water, but we didn’t have much rain over the summer.

The view off the top of the falls.

People making their way up.

I managed to annoy several people behind Bill and me because I took my time going down.  Like I said, I’m not as fit as I’d like to be and the last thing I want to do is break my ass coming down those hard steps.  They finally made a move to pass just as I was putting out my hand for balance.  One of them said, “Hallo.”  I stepped aside, let them pass, and asked Bill if there was anybody else.  He said no, then got in front of me and let me steady myself by putting my hand on his shoulder as we descended.  Oh, how I miss the days when I was a kid and hadn’t yet fallen on my face in public.

Dramatic shots of the castle ruins.

On the way back to the car, Bill decided to pull off at the same place I did and relieve himself.  Of course, when he did that, he attracted the curiosity of a couple who were wondering what they were missing.  I wanted to say that all they were missing was my husband taking a whiz.  You can see that on the side of the autobahn anytime.  The same couple was ahead of us and I had a good laugh when someone walking the other way inexplicably said “Hallo!” in a cheery tone of voice.  She laughed as she passed and the male half of the couple turned and stared at her with a confused expression on his face.  I guess random people don’t go around saying “Hello!” so enthusiastically in these parts.

While Bill peed, I distracted myself by taking a photo of this tree.

An adorable and friendly golden retriever took an extended dip in the creek.  Bill almost got a shower when the dog came up and shook off the excess water in front of him.

Another shot of the dog playing fetch in the water.

We left Bad Urach after our short visit, vowing to come back and see more sometime soon.  On the way back to Unterjettingen, we decided to see the Mad Scientist at Agais in Entringen.  We didn’t really need to eat, but we knew he needed the business and it’s always fun to see him.  So we dropped in at just before 5:30 and had a nice Greek meal.

Beer instead of wine…

A small salad…

I had grilled turkey.  Bill had souvlaki, which I didn’t photograph because he’s had it before.  I have had the turkey before, but not since we moved back to Germany.  It was a nice change of pace.
When we got home, Zane and Arran went absolutely nuts.  They showered me with beagle kisses after they ate their dinner and had a potty break.  They had a brief play session.  Now, I suspect they’re asleep.
We had a really good day, despite starting off with a hangover.  Next weekend will be even better because we’ll be in Austria while everyone else is back at work!
Standard
anecdotes

German style Mexican food, hen parties, and peeing at the Mad Scientist’s place…

This afternoon, I was in a foul mood.  My car needs repairs.  My tooth needs repairs.  My iPhone won’t back up, so I can’t unlock it and change out the SIM card.  All of these events pissed me off.  Bill suggested a trip to Tübingen might provide a much needed attitude adjustment.  So off we went in Bill’s vehicle, which was once my vehicle.  It doesn’t have a clutch, so we didn’t have to worry about being stranded as we would in my Mini (which I strongly suspect needs a new clutch).

We parked in the usual garage and Bill asked what I wanted for lunch.  I said I wanted to try some German style Mexican food.  I promise this is not something I ask for regularly.  I’m no Mexican food aficionado, but most of the German style Mexican food I’ve had has been lacking.  I did remember El Chico, though, a restaurant in Tübingen Bill and I tried last time we lived here.  It’s right above the Neckarmuller, which is one of our favorite biergartens.

On the way to El Chico, I noticed that Tübingen has a Dunkin’ Donuts.  I was sad to see it housed in a very old building.  On the other hand, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted to get donuts for Sunday morning.  I resisted the urge.  The last thing I need are “fat pills”.

 

When we got to El Chico, I noticed that it looked like the place had been renovated since our last visit in 2008.  It looked like a mass of funds had gussied up the restaurant quite a bit.  But I will admit the last time we ate there, we were a bit toasted on tequila and I seem to remember someone (not me) singing there.  Memories aside from that are pretty fuzzy.

Bill waits for a beer… I just noticed the plumber crack on the guy on the left…  Oops.

El Chico is very American influenced.  Check out the American styled breakfast menu.

I like how “free refilled coffee” is in English.

I actually wanted a margarita, but we weren’t there during “happy hour” and apparently margaritas weren’t available, so I had to settle for a really boring German beer.

I entertained myself with the leaflet on the table…

 

I decided on chicken fajitas.  Bill had beef burritos.  It looked like burritos were a hot seller at El Chico.  I also noticed one guy getting a guacamole burger.  That thing was pretty damn big.

My fajitas.  Four tortillas.  Weird rice and very bland “Mexican sauce” that tasted like tomato paste.  Aside from that, the fajitas weren’t too bad, other than me looking like a freak eating them with my hands instead of a knife and fork like proper folks eat.  The guacamole was surprisingly good.  

As you can see, Bill is very excited by his burritos.  I didn’t taste them, but he said they were alright for German Mexican food.

One parting shot as we departed…  El Chico has taquerias in Stuttgart, Kaiserslautern, and Tübingen.  The restaurant in Tübingen is the only full scale location, from what I could discern.

Couldn’t resist taking this shot…

Or this one…  There are still some things I miss about San Antonio.

Next, we went to the biergarten at Neckarmuller and spent some time watching punters and canoers while we drank beer.  We were joined by a quartet of bike riding Germans who wanted to sit near the river.  I mostly enjoyed the view, which included several hen parties and plenty of aggressive water fowl…

Can’t resist the swans.

Right after I took this photo, I almost got creamed Fabio style by a pigeon that came out of nowhere.  I had to duck and the Germans sitting with us laughed and said, “Very dangerous.”  Indeed!

Hen party in progress…

She was really putting on a show…

I want those shorts.

These two boats had a collision…  One boat was trying to avoid hitting the swan and hit another boat instead.

Sadly… a couple of the young ladies in one of those boats later blatantly littered in the river.  

Bill’s disapproval was obvious.

Muscles on display.

Swans being fed by a family with a friendly lab.

After we left the Neckamuller (and a grateful German couple claimed our table), we took a walk through a park on the Neckar River.

I have a shot just like this from 2007 or 2008…  Nothing has changed much.

Bill watches people on the river.

Somehow I missed this handy tunnel last time we lived here… it spares one a very long and arduous climb back into the city.

The other side…

Edward Snowden on a sign…

Such a pretty city…

Ducks fighting the current…

Naturally, I needed a rest stop before we went back to Jettingen.  So we stopped in to see the Mad Scientist for a small dinner.  He and his wife were happy to see us.

Bill enjoys a gyros teller (with pita).

I went with the platter…  tomatoes were replaced with beans…

No, he’s neither sleeping nor praying.

The drive on B28 is so pretty.  This used to be our neighborhood when we lived here last time.  I miss it.

I still have big plans to visit Cocina Mexicana in Vaihingen because I think that is an experience a person like me needs to have at least once.  The Mexican food at El Chico in Tübingen wasn’t bad, especially for German Mexican food.  It didn’t make me forget about Texan Mexican food, which I know is still not as good as real Mexican food.  But as I am a confirmed Gringo, I can’t say it sucked too much.  I just wish they would have given me tequila.

Standard