The German public holiday Christi Himmelfahrt (Ascension Day) is celebrated on the 40th day after Easter Monday.

This has been a holiday since 1936, although it was not celebrated in the GDR between 1967 and 1989.

The same day is also known as Vatertag (Father’s Day) and many clubs and organizations hold their annual parties, mostly for drinking. This is a day when some fathers, do not spend any time with their families, but with other men (drinking buddies) instead.

We went to the Schützenhof again as we do every year. The fest itself seems to get smaller and so does the menu selection – they only had steaks and Bratwurst available, but it was good as always.

Bollerwagen on Father's Day in Germany

This year, we only saw guys with a Bollerwagen, a hand-drawn cart for drinking supplies. Wonder what happened to the guys coming up on tractors and wagons on Father’s Day, such as in previous years.

Austerity measures?

Frankfurt’s most famous tower, the Henninger Turm, will be torn town and replaced by a modern one. Time has taken its toll on the tower – it is over fifty years old and getting morose. The former silo of the Henninger brewery is getting readied for a modification.

Plans are to rebuild the tower in a greener way, but also a bit wider and deeper, as well as keeping its keg restaurant on the top. Up to 130 apartments are in the designing stage for this cubist Passivhaus, with each square meter at a cost of € 4.000,–

To see the changes the tower has gone through, visit the photo gallery of the Henninger Turm (1962 – present).

Until 1974, the Henninger Turm was the tallest building in the city of Frankfurt.

In the early 70s, I took a bus trip with my aunt to see Frankfurt. The highlights were the Frankfurt Airport and the Henninger Turm. I remember pressing my nose against the windows at the airport to see an airplane take off and we all went ooh and aah. The next stop was the restaurant on the top of the tower – again, we country folks went ooh and aah – with the restaurant turning. 

No matter what the season, many Germans love to sit outdoors, eating and drinking all the while.

The photo was taken on 22 February at the Biergarten at the Viktualienmarkt in Munich in the early afternoon.

This is winter, but we just bundle up and do what other nationalities might only do in warmer temperatures. Germans are hardcore when it comes to eating, drinking, and having a good time – outdoors.

There is an old saying Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, nur schlechte Kleidung (There is no bad weather, just insufficient clothing).

München Viktualienmarkt in February 2012

 With friendly permission from Margit Appleton, a Munich resident, and an avid photographer.

More about Margit on:

http://lifeinmunich.posterous.com/

http://interculturalmusings.blogspot.com/

The days between Thursday (Altweiberfastnacht) and Tuesday (Faschingsdienstag) are the craziest days for Fasching enthusiasts.

While looking at the clear blue skies we had at 9:30 this morning, I also caught sight of these young people on the road below.

A case of beer, a few with an open bottle in hand, some in costume, were marching home from last night’s party to the tune of the church bells (rings every 15 minutes until the service begins at 10:00).

Fasching in Germany on a Sunday morning

 I hope they had a good time.

or … a picture speaks a thousand words.

Beer in Germany

There are some 1,250 breweries in Germany (accounting for 40% of the world’s total), producing around 7,500 different beers. Half the breweries are to be found in my home state of Bavaria.

But the epicenter of this liquid gold is actually in Franconia (Northern Bavaria), where I am from. It is home to the heaviest concentration of breweries in the world.

I grew up with beer. Friends and family have jokingly suggested to throw bottle caps into my coffin instead of flowers. Sounds fair to me.

You can read more about Germany and beer at Toytown Germany beer.