Day 7a: The Day that Was Completely Different by Hera

HERA'S BLOG

Hera

Day 7a: The Day that Was Completely Different
Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Today was the day I planned to go to the Städtel (City) Museum, it seeming a good day for this since both Stephen and Britta had class, S at 1pm and B at 6pm. Britta insisted she would enjoy going to the museum with me, so my offer of her taking the day off from baby-sitting her Texan couch-sleeper was politely side stepped.

We ran an errand first, drove over to the boat house to reclaim the guitars and the lap steel, as we had learned that there was a large wedding party planned for later in the day, and Britta and I didn't want anyone walking off with Stephen's pride and joy.

Back at the apartment, we hopped on the bikes and headed to town. The weather was much better for me today, since it wasn't so humid and there was a good breeze. Britta insisted it was still too hot in the sun, which I found humorous. Being a Texan, I never stand in the sun at home, not by choice at least. I suppose only Europeans have the pleasure of sunlight in the summer that doesn't debilitate.

Arriving at the museum, we were delivered of the bad news that all museums are closed on Mondays. Debating what to do with our now very long afternoon, we got back on the bikes and went exploring up river, following the pedestrian/bike path that continued in that direction. We stopped to take photos on the famous ICH (I) statue, where you get to stand on the pedestal, or put things on the pedestal, as you see fit, and take pictures. We clowned around and did silly things, which was fun for me, as I like photography. B and me as I.

We headed back the way we came and stopped for coffee and water and strawberry short cake with whipped cream. We put our feet up and people watched and looked at the river, and talked about all sorts of things. I'm glad to have met Britta through Stephen. Even though he and I became friends before he and Britta started dating, in some ways I get along with her better, or maybe I should say I get along with her different. Stephen is high energy and curious and always has to be doing something. Britta is more contemplative and has the personality to take things a little slower. She's down to earth, quick, nonplussed, and not afraid to say what she thinks. It's impossible to get her angry, it would seem. And she has this dry, crooked sense of humour that they both share, and one of the reasons why I like them both so well, together and apart. Stephen would have never have had the patience to go with me to all the museums like Britta did. Considering all of the personalities in the world, my visit to Germany literally hinged on how well Britta and I would get along, since I would be living in her apartment for 7 days as a guest of her boyfriend. Our personalities seemed to mesh better than I had even hoped to dream. I feel blessed with good fortune regarding this. She's a great gal.

Leaving the cafe, I was horrified to discover my back tire was flat, having been run through with a shard of glass. With nothing to be done for it, we walked the bikes for several blocks to the strassebahn (cable car with three separate trams hooked together by accordion type connectors). We carried our bikes on and stood them in the open space between the trams. The only problem with this arrangement is when the tram turns a corner, the floor we were standing on rotates, so it was kind of like a carnival ride, hanging on to our bikes and trying not to fall over.

We got home just in time for Britta to get ready for her class, so the day had been a disappointment for both of us so far. I worked on my web log, and S got home about an hour later. We puttered around, then I reminded him that he had promised to take me to the shop down the street that serves hamburgers. Britta had grown up in Niederrad, and that corner shop had been making hamburgers for 40 years. The name of the tiny shop was "Der Kultimbiss" (imbiss means snack, but now the restaurants are called this, as in, I'm going down to the imbiss, I'll be right back). The proprietoress who opened the shop in 1966 had retired a year or so ago, and B was terrified that the new owner was going to change something, but intelligently, she did not. The only thing the new owner does differently is advertise, it would seem. We gave our order to this very same new owner, and she had the biggest smile and the warmest personality. Or maybe she was just warm because she was working in an open grill built into a room that was about 10 feet by 8 feet with a door to one side and a window where the orders are taken. Man, it was hot in there.

There were three tables in front on the sidewalk that you could stand and eat at, and S went to the shop next door (about 15 feet away), to buy us a couple of Binding beers (Romer Pils), promising the seller we'd return the bottles when we were done, so he didn't charge us the deposit. The fellow grilling the burgers brought them out to us, and greeted us in English, so we had a small chat. The burgers were served on these tiny little pressed paper squares, which seemed smart to me. (ASIDE: at the BBQ that I had attended previously, they served everything on real dishes with silverware. In the U.S. no one would have thought to do that, even with the kitchen and dishwasher so close at hand.)

What can I say about this (cheese) hamburger? It didn't really taste like a traditional hamburger. It was on puffier bread, more like a roll than a bun. The bottom roll half had mayonnaise, then the meat, then cheese that was like a cross between American and Velveeta. Then grilled onions, and lettuce. And something that looked like ketchup but tasted more like chutney, with sort of a spicy, cinammony twange. OMG. After I finished it, I immediately wanted another one. In my defense, they're a little smaller than U.S. burgers. So, we nursed our beers while they cooked us up another pair, and watched the neighborhood folks come and go and the kids walking by with their skate boards.

continued next log:
http://www.fireflyfans.net/showblog.asp?b=4604

-Hera

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