I had a terrible time finding restaurants on this trip. But unless I’m feeling frisky for meat-centered meals (unlikely), I usually target vegetarian restaurants in many European countries.
Viewing shopfronts on a walk down the street, one would think Germans eat nothing but pastry, coffee, and beer. The Christmas Market in Bonn was swinging with vendors of sausage and baked goods. My little hotel was in a residential neighborhood (always interesting to get out of tourist districts) but there were few restaurants nearby.
The hotel desk directed me to an intersection in neighborhood roads about .25 mile away, where among houses stood German, Spanish, and Italian restaurants. A lot of German places close between lunch and dinner, not opening before 6pm, which was wearying to this jet-lagged traveler who had to get up at 3am the next morning. I chose the Spanish restaurant and got gritty croquetas, 5 rings of calamari, and a salt lick masquerading as a tortilla with spinach. Whoops. I don’t like to spend my money on things when I travel, but on experiences. I flunked this one.
I don’t usually eat pastry, but seeing it everywhere in Germany, I was worn down by all the delicious smells. In New England, there is a Dunkin Donuts every 3 miles. In Germany, there seems to be a bakery every 30 feet (or whatever in meters). Mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter. And now for some fun in the Rewe grocery store:
Hmm, sounds like a perfect diet to me!
LOL, and ick. 😀
I’ve got to travel to Germany. It has been 6 generations since any of my family lived there, but I have a feeling that when I finally arrive, I’m going to have one of those round-pegs-finally-in-a-round-hole moments. I am serious that I would be happy to live on pastry, yogurt & (really high quality) lunchmeat. And I do a mean polka.
I love breakfast spreads at German hotels. Crazy amounts of lunchmeat, smoked fish, cheese, granola, jams, etc. I’m embarrassed running into Euro. tourists in our crappy hotel breakfast bars, how awful they must think it is.
What, they don’t like the dried cereal dispenser? The worst “Continental breakfast” I ever experienced was at a hotel in London. But the best was at a restaurant/hotel in Bedford England called The Black Swan. So much cheese for breakfast….I have to go track down a snack at work now. I’m starving with all this though of smoked gouda and dried salami for breakfast.
The butter was the best!!!
Yay butter!
[…] took me to Germany in late 2012. I’ve already written about the food I ate, Christmas Markets, and train travel from Munich to Bonn on the ICE (click to read my posts). Here […]
wonderful submit, very informative. I wonder why the opposite specialists of this sector don’t realize this.
You should proceed your writing. I’m sure, you’ve a great readers’ base already!