Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted
What all is on that Turkish spread?  Looks delicious.

Kofta kebabs, shawarma meat, falafel, fried potatoes, eggplant, hummus, tatziki, haloumi, other veggies.

Also, the wife’s high school ex is a bigwig editor at Welt TV. Just got a studio tour, we’re in the background during a studio shot. Got to hang out with Angela Knable….

5f5cb52766eb30998fb4586827e352c6.jpg

Now on our way to a sushi dinner.
Posted
3 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Just did the casual part of the day, met the boy at school and took him and friends to lunch. Went to our favorite Turkish place, also happens to be right by the school, El Reif. Got the mega-mezze plate….plenty of leftovers for hungry young folks to take home.

df2f943cf79389f8787f7e12f0c6669a.jpg

Made a quick swing through the Alexanderplatz Christmas market - will spend more time there with friends tomorrow.

43f767cbba5b6076ba62c6d141aa0a9d.jpg

The amount of food and booze in just a small market is….impressive. Would you like a small plate of curry wurst?

31d27afda63b8d0a50094838f6c79eb3.jpg

Lots of good memories in those pics.  I'm not a huge fan of currywurst, but you have to try it at least once.  

Posted
1 hour ago, Brisketexan said:


Kofta kebabs, shawarma meat, falafel, fried potatoes, eggplant, hummus, tatziki, haloumi, other veggies.

Also, the wife’s high school ex is a bigwig editor at Welt TV. Just got a studio tour, we’re in the background during a studio shot. Got to hang out with Angela Knable….

5f5cb52766eb30998fb4586827e352c6.jpg

Now on our way to a sushi dinner.

I know when I think about food in Berlin, the first thing that comes to mind is sushi...😅

  • Like 1
Posted
I know when I think about food in Berlin, the first thing that comes to mind is sushi...

Pretty international town, dude. :)

Also, our friend picked it out - it’s his daughters favorite place.
Posted
43 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:


Pretty international town, dude. :)

Also, our friend picked it out - it’s his daughters favorite place.

Oh...I understand...

 

But it's like saying, "This trip to Mexico City is epic.  And for dinner we're going to our favorite Philly Cheesesteak restaurant"😉

  • Like 1
Posted
Oh...I understand...
 
But it's like saying, "This trip to Mexico City is epic.  And for dinner we're going to our favorite Philly Cheesesteak restaurant"

In fairness, it was pretty good. Now onto….some Christmas market. I dunno which one, we’re along for the ride.
  • Like 1
Posted
2 hours ago, Brisketexan said:


Kofta kebabs, shawarma meat, falafel, fried potatoes, eggplant, hummus, tatziki, haloumi, other veggies.

Also, the wife’s high school ex is a bigwig editor at Welt TV. Just got a studio tour, we’re in the background during a studio shot. Got to hang out with Angela Knable….

5f5cb52766eb30998fb4586827e352c6.jpg

Now on our way to a sushi dinner.

Wait... that's a pic of your wife's HS ex or the person you hung out with? I'm not sure which I want to be true more. 

Posted
2 minutes ago, Mo Horn said:

Wait... that's a pic of your wife's HS ex or the person you hung out with? I'm not sure which I want to be true more. 

Oh, you're sure, and you know it.

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 2
Posted

Ok, so had a nice sushi dinner with friends:

61b6101d449281458ea90100d480fcd1.jpg

Then we hit the Kaiser Wilhelm market for dessert.

e4dbd296328c2775057054cffb477177.jpg

My first gluhwein. It was fine. Had some hot rum drink after. It was fine. Had a beer with dinner. I liked it the most.

Also, at the Alexanderplatz market, there was a booth selling just dried smoked meats and cheeses. Will I be hitting this tomorrow? Yes. Yes I will.

b296fbf5df887667303f14fb8c4b3cca.jpg

  • Hook 'Em 3
Posted
10 hours ago, Brisketexan said:


In fairness, it was pretty good. Now onto….some Christmas market. I dunno which one, we’re along for the ride.

I'll have to admit I'm really jealous.  I lived in Germany from 1969-1973 and only have a few memories of my times there.

I've told my GF that I'm making 2 trips back there when I retire.  One in the summer and one in the winter (not over Christmas Day, though - we'll be in the Caribbean).

The winter trip is expressly to go to the Christmas markets and Der Schwarzwald.

As a side note, apparently, when I was about 3, I went to East Berlin with my folks.  We were in West Berlin and apparently my dad knew someone that had a car with diplomatic plates and we got to go on a tour of the soviet side.  However, the driver took us places that usually aren't allowed, but because of the diplomatic status, we were good.  I don't remember the trip but it's a cool story at least.

Posted

Some of the food stalls at the Berliner Weihnachtszeit:

85caea1780bd8a90d5793fa0d97a3ba5.jpg
3d7183ddcd2f8a98a5d24b9855c434c4.jpg
0fc5a2c00acc587625e0002fab8addab.jpg
35c90a16035cabcabc39da452757d904.jpg

A toast to you gents:

392976106026de23f97de7fa8689ded0.jpg


And….The language barrier is occasionally an issue. I know a little German…..

0208818ae413e06dd60d9bd53623cbb2.jpg

Also, the boy took the wife’s friend’s son out with his friends to the bar last night. They got home at 4:30. The younger boy….needed a bit of help getting home. He finally managed to get some food down late this afternoon - a damn fine raclette:

ec1c339965e135637cdf10083ae1d4a4.jpg

The boy and I had more wurst. And we shared a bowl of really good mushrooms with a dill cream sauce. It was surprisingly great.

79c30cf7ad3e0ab33fc51952f55ec13f.jpg

Bought some cured and smoked meats to ring home to my old man, wife bought a little painting.

Taking a little break to rest our feet and get warm, then to the Gendarmenmarkt, right outside our hotel.

  • Hook 'Em 5
  • Like 2
  • Drool 1
Posted

No pics of fancy-ass dinner (they frown on it at the place). So we just enjoyed. Cookies and Cream, specialize in seasonal fare, vegetarian (yep, after a day of knocking back wurst, we went to a vegetarian restaurant - with a Michelin star).

Here’s a snapshot of tonight’s menu:

45b362d2072e73b333a3a0d786b917f1.jpg
fcb491143b25c33f2c660653fcc5305e.jpg


And here’s the entrance, true story:

7774cd06c4d50a2e7591a15fbf93e69c.jpg

Wrapped up after midnight. My feet are pissed at me. Going to rest up, Pergamon museum tomorrow.

Posted

Oh, and we parted paths with my wife’s friend and her son before dinner because they had to head out west and hang out with her friend, the acting/functional US ambassador to Germany (until the appointee clears). Well la-dee-da.

We were not invited. Which was probably for the best.

Posted
2 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

And here’s the entrance, true story:

7774cd06c4d50a2e7591a15fbf93e69c.jpg

Wrapped up after midnight. My feet are pissed at me. Going to rest up, Pergamon museum tomorrow.

Yodelodelayheehoo!

 

 

Und...Und...

Und Beck's?

UND BECK'S!

Posted
On 12/10/2021 at 4:02 PM, Brisketexan said:

Just did the casual part of the day, met the boy at school and took him and friends to lunch. Went to our favorite Turkish place, also happens to be right by the school, El Reif. Got the mega-mezze plate….plenty of leftovers for hungry young folks to take home.

df2f943cf79389f8787f7e12f0c6669a.jpg

 

Gotttdammm. Turkish food in Germany is amazing, but Turkish in Berlin is next level even by German standards.

 

You, good sir, are doing this trip right. 

  • Hook 'Em 1
Posted
Hey [mention=593]Brisketexan[/mention] we always stay at the Regent there at Gendarmenmarkt - it’s a beautiful lobby to warm up if you need it. 

Walked by the Regent - looks solid.

We’re actually getting ready to leave Berlin. Heading over to the boy’s place to drop bags, then to his favorite burger joint for lunch. Then, the train to Lubeck.

Sign as we entered our dinner restaurant last night:

ac9313aa3540caa23ff7c35959616c81.jpg

Flammkuchen stand At Gendarmenmarkt:

033ec99300f01d0246616d6076d92961.jpg

Dan Quayle loves the soup here:

b3f682c82f1881079d50a427b61aea66.jpg
  • Haha 1
Posted
On 12/3/2021 at 2:12 PM, Brisketexan said:

.....we have friends in Germany with whom we could stay and ride things out.  And I can of course work remotely.  That would utterly suck

Looking at the trip report so far, I'm not so sure that it would suck. 

Posted
Gotta love December in Germany.  Not cold enough to snow, which somehow makes it even colder.

First three days, it was pretty chilly. Got some snow, actually. But by this morning, it had all melted, and the cool rain returned. It’s mid-40s, which is actually almost warm when we walk around in jackets.
Posted

We got to Lübeck tonight a bit late - spent the day with the boy, had lunch, went back to his place and helped him with college application stuff (doing some actual parenting) before catching a late train. Realized that my wife hadn’t yet had her doner kebab fix this trip, so we took care of that (I got the plate):

ee11587dc3e8773406a88ef334cf7b18.jpg
ce31fb2eb68431584d94ebb84476cf06.jpg

View from our room:

0e71e69e1545b5599c0197706f6eec0e.jpg

Will hit the town tomorrow.

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 1
Posted

Lubeck is a pretty cool OLD town. It rose to prominence as the functional HQ of the Hanseatic League starting in 1159. It was the first city the RAF bombed the fuck out of in WWII, but much of it survived. Hell, the hotel building we’re in is from the 1300s.

Some scenes from the town:

107b1892c66853353005bc89a16a3378.jpg
9cecaec747b94b00213df2befad55faf.jpg
7418cb1dc48874ee48f7a921d5990731.jpg

First is the charity hospital, one of the first ever, founded by the merchants in the 1300s.

Church door, and scene looking down one of the main pedestrian avenues.

Below are the two remaining medieval city gates. The first, the Holstentor, is right outside our hotel and is one of the iconic symbols of Germany.

9d064c6ca188463b851ff30d3fa882f0.jpg
992158662fb0e26e081c52560ae501d1.jpg

And, because the Holstentor was a proud symbol of German history, who totally got into it? That’s right….the fucking Nazis. I hate the fucking Nazis.

a22bd498c587aec31a516d74e0435edb.jpg
47053ce29eba6e053152b0407970abe9.jpg

More to follow….

  • Hook 'Em 2
  • Like 1
Posted

Some street scenes. I usually like some shots of seasonal produce stands. In the summer…they’re strawberry-heavy (and goddamn, they’ll spoil you on American strawberries forever). But now, fall and winter take front and center.

1a66a3b8adfdc9fb373f269b27dd6498.jpg
d267b0f95b91aac749333bb7e054450a.jpg

4ecd750b8730003dea56b2caab4f8872.jpg
740862fd7d546fff733d50ea256ca389.jpg

Next up, some Christmas market scenes. It’s one of the oldest, recorded back to 1648.

  • Hook 'Em 4
  • Like 1
Posted
On 12/10/2021 at 1:41 PM, Ag with kids said:

Oh...I understand...

 

But it's like saying, "This trip to Mexico City is epic.  And for dinner we're going to our favorite Philly Cheesesteak restaurant"😉

One of the best Chinese restaurants I’ve ever been to was in Munich. 

Posted
20 minutes ago, TXSG8R said:

Next market you’re in find a hard candy stand and buy some zweibel candy. It’s weird, but good. Did I mention weird?  

My boys and I loved all the weird ass candy in Germany.  Every time I saw a strange candy (especially Haribo), I would buy it.

Posted
6 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Earliest mention of a Christmas market in Lubeck is from 1648. The main market is located between the city hall (oldest parts date to the 1200s) and the twin spires of the Marienkirche, dating to 1250. They missed their markets last year, very much. And they are happy and proud to have them back. Locals have been 1) shocked and impressed to have visitors all the way from Texas, and 2) SO proud to talk about their hometown and its hidden treasures. I think that’s great.

There was actually a moment tonight when a local French horn group was playing at the edge of the market, and a crowd (mostly local) had gathered, listening and smiling. Next to us, a baby bundled up in his stroller was captivated, grinning and watching as they played. It was simple, human, and good. And yeah, I might have teared up just a little bit. Just fellow humans, enjoying fellow human things.

Some scenes from the market (including my wife’s gluewhein and my stout rum punch):

64f262174506afeff010d576dbf352b3.jpg
5c7ac15f9c146bdbd551ae890dd41af0.jpg
0c85cf6be3e631df676b76320730afd8.jpg
ae2755c3be826c53a3de30fb73dccc92.jpg
5ae1d5df2bf36e51ab3ce92150888fb4.jpg

A few more:

64a0e9ec6e23570916eacbb91903a0cb.jpg

3938b68b326a042e01d48f2f8eedb0b9.jpg
59f0da9192439a0c8ed1a171b85dd531.jpg

Some different grub….the salmon looked and smelled amazing. And yes, we got an order of the little Dutch pancakes from the cute Dutch girl.

61b3fda015247631eb02e8b53f8eff5f.jpg
80997f4814790dd9e5572ff94fb66715.jpg
59381c9155934592184f0822a56fea06.jpg
6a57eb95236db2620438b926ca924909.jpg
91b998ff5039baba9ab24e73aa8f48f2.jpg
68af0d04552e868eeb8d7bf8f7e12b06.jpg

That Chinaman is giving you a serious stink eye...

  • Hook 'Em 1
Posted
That Chinaman is giving you a serious stink eye...

He was, but his wife was smiling and laughing and was proud of her noodles. Which smelled amazing, along with the fried goodness next to them.

Some different grub up north, which is cool. Still….it would take you a week to eat just one of everything at even a small market.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...