Most Christmas markets start on the First Advent, 27 November 2011.
The big town markets run for four weeks all the way up to Christmas Eve, whereas the small towns usually have it for a few days only (Thu – Sun) only. Our local town of Oberursel/Taunus has its market running from 24 – 27 November 2011.
Many foreign friends often mention how green Germany is.
What seems uncommon to outsiders is often no longer fully perceived by us long-term German dwellers. So I grabbed my camera yesterday in search of some green images and found plenty of it, everywhere.
Gardening in Germany
Even the school entrance and parking lot of Frankfurt International School (FIS) seems to be overgrown by greenery.
Frankfurt International School in Oberursel
There was a lot more green facing the other way, but I do love the view onto the Frankfurt skyline.
Frankfurt skyline
Last, but not least, some of our beer bottles are green too and blend perfectly into the environment.
Sixteen years ago, I moved to the Frankfurt area and back then it felt like moving close to any big city. But Frankfurt is different.
Frankfurt is the new home for many of us. Next to the locals, there are also many expats, migrants, re-pats, and commuters. For its fairly small number in population (679,664 on 31 December 2010), it has the busyness of most cosmopolitan cities, but also carries local flair.
Based on our local paper, Blitz Tip, parking rates in Frankfurt (a.k.a. Mainhattan) are equal to those in Manhattan, New York City.
This statement was worth a challenge. Granted, parking in Frankfurt is not so cheap at an average rate of 8 euro a day, or 2,50 euro an hour. But charges in Manhattan had to be higher than in Mainhattan.
Its annual survey of parking rates found, with the exception of the United States, that the cost of parking for a day or a month has generally increased over the past 12 months.
On a monthly basis and quoted in US Dollars, London city and London West End occupied the top two positions, followed by Zurich in third place. The top 10 list was completed by Hong Kong, Tokyo, Rome, Perth, Geneva, Sydney, and Oslo.
New York – Midtown ranked 17th, New York – Downtown ranked 18th, and
Last week, I attended a XING meeting in Sachsenhausen, Frankfurt.
The meeting place was the Depot 1899, the former Straßenbahndepot (streetcar depot), which has reopened its doors to the public as a Wirtshaus (pub).
Depot 1899 in Frankfurt
The group moderator had rented the upper floor and even though it was a rather cool evening, the heat was stifling at first. It got a bit better after a while, but I don’t know whether it was the effect of the cold beer or some air cooling device, or both.
Service was grand and the atmosphere was very pleasant.
I decided to order something small, such as the Depot Maulhäppchen, so imagine my surprise (and everybody else’s), when this big wooden plate was set in front of me.
1899 Depot Maulhäppchen
My choice of three Maulhäppchen for € 9,90 included a basket of different types of bread, smoked sausages with mustard, Green Sauce (regional specialty) with boiled eggs, and a selection of mixed sausages with black pudding, liver paste sausage, brawn, and horseradish.
These so-called snacks were very good and the three of them together were equal to having ordered two appetizers. With this choice, you get quality and value.
Depot 1899 and its location look promising. As soon as summer returns, I hope to revisit and sit outside this time.
