The title of this blog means "Stint eating, Bowling". We were invited to a restaurant north and west of Hamburg to go eat tiny fried fish that swim up the Elbe river every year in March. This place also had a bowling alley for the kids (big and small). Actually, it is Kegel - a version of bowling with 9 pins in an a diamond pattern and balls with no finger holes. More on that below.
First, I thought I'd post a few pictures of our Wohnung (apartment/flat) in Hamburg. Above, Kina's room with drying rack. That's right! We dry everything indoors on big racks and, believe it or not, clothes dry as fast or faster than they do outside in San Diego. Kina likes the extra humidity in her room. Kina's bedroom is also the TV room where we can watch Remington Steele and Knight Rider 5 nights a week auf Deutsch!
Scott's Zimmer and home of the Monster Game. Nice light. The flat is quite snug and cozy. There is a door out to a little deck, but it has been too cold so far and we aren't comfortable with letting Aidan run around out there.
The hallway to the kitchen. Aidan's door is left, and just beyond that is the tiny bathroom with shower. The flat is in excellent shape, except for the shower. Yikes!
And the Kitchen. Washer, sink, stove, table/chairs, empty beer flasks. What's that in the sink?
Now on to the subject of today's blog: Stintessen! We were invited by Julia (pronounced "Yoo-lia") to go to a Greek restaurant with some other families and eat Stinte, which we know as Smelt. Julia brought her two kids, Lilly and Maxim (St. Pauli boy). We knew a bunch of the people from early meetings. I played soccer with a couple of the guys, but had to stop after I broke my toe. Luckily it was a small fracture, nothing serious. But no more Fussball except on TV.
The Stinte migrate up streams to spawn every spring in large numbers. These particular northern european smelt are very small, almost sardine size. Above, a picture before cooking.
Here's a picture after eating! They clean the guts out, dip them in batter and you eat them bones and all. I ate the head off the first one before I realized everyone else skips that part. Meh. I really enjoyed them. Goes great with my new favorite beer: Jever Pils! That beer puts hair on your chest. I hated it at first, but now I'm a convert. Still, a poor choice for breakfast (jk).
Here's everyone playing Kegel, which mean's "ninepins". This was a lot of fun for the kids and adults. Julia is in the middle of the picture wearing green. I'm holding Lily, the sweetest little girl in the world. The parents are just happy to stand back and let the kids romp around. Aidan loved it of course. I bowled a couple and I wasn't bad, but it seemed much harder to get a strike than in 10 pin bowling.
Here's Aidan poaching a ball. The lanes are really skinny but beveled so that the ball rolls back to the middle.
Well that's that for posting. Bis spaeter!
And now for the main event. The Osterfeuer! Great excuse for getting together for a party and burning Old Man Winter!
And we're off! The firefighters are lighting the blaze with flares. Way cool seeing the flares streaking toward the mound.
Getting going.
Burn, baby burn! Look at all those Pagan-worshippers reveling in the writhing death of winter and breathing in the ashes of rebirth and fertility! Beer helps, too.
A cute little wood-spirit come to watch the festivities.
The day before Easter Sunday, we went with our friends Georg and Uli to a truly Pagan festival: the ritual of the Easter fire. These are held in Northwest Europe, North Germany and up. (You'll see how wonderfully heathen they are in the next blog entry.) Here we are descending the beautiful hamlet of Blankinesee on the Elbe river, renowned for these fantastic steep steps. This beautiful place reminded us most of the Greek/Italian seaside villages we visited in 2001 and 2007.
Aidan and Uli pose on the steps. Nice face, Aidan! We have been lucky to make some terrific friends here in Germany. We didn't think it would be very social, but despite their reputation, the Germans we have met have been extremely hospitable. Our social calendar has been booked! One help has been the ease of getting around Hamburg. But, still, it is like pulling teeth sometimes to get together with friends in San Diego. No problemo here. I think it is a real cultural difference and perhaps a lifestyle difference. Both peoples work hard, but Germans definitely take "time off" and get together socially.
The trees were all in flower! Osterweg, means "Easter Way".
Looking back up the hill. The hamlet and some fancy houses.
Ooooohhhhh! There is old man winter, ready to be BURNED AT THE STAKE!
And some beautiful ships sail on by. I've never seen a three masted ship with the mailsail down. Just the jib and some top sail. Turning is optional I guess (or provided by a motor).
Spring (Fruehling) arrives (kommt an)! The pretty purple flowers say so. Nice photo Kina.
Hamburg is so pretty in nice weather. The sky is clear and blue, people on the bus are smiling (a rare thing in Hamburg - dour facial expressions are the norm). Speaking of the bus, here comes the fuenfundzwanzig (25). The 20 and 25 both take Aidan to Kindergarten (pre-school) and Muti to work. See the bike path right on the sidewalk? So much safer than the road.
Steig Aus! (Get off). Here we are at Loewenstrasse (Lions street) Aidan's Kindergarten stop. The trees are just vibrating with anticipation of spring.
The 25 provided a nice inspiration to Aidan. Here's his version. Vati provided a little help with the "bendy" part. (Piece of plastic bag.)
Aidan ready to leave the school with is friend Isabella (Aka. Pippy Longstocking).
Wow. Fell asleep right there in the chair. This kid plays hard!
The title of this blog means "Stint eating, Bowling". We were invited to a restaurant north and west of Hamburg to go eat tiny fried fish that swim up the Elbe river every year in March. This place also had a bowling alley for the kids (big and small). Actually, it is Kegel - a version of bowling with 9 pins in an a diamond pattern and balls with no finger holes. More on that below.
Scott's Zimmer and home of the Monster Game. Nice light. The flat is quite snug and cozy. There is a door out to a little deck, but it has been too cold so far and we aren't comfortable with letting Aidan run around out there.
The hallway to the kitchen. Aidan's door is left, and just beyond that is the tiny bathroom with shower. The flat is in excellent shape, except for the shower. Yikes!
And the Kitchen. Washer, sink, stove, table/chairs, empty beer flasks. What's that in the sink?
Now on to the subject of today's blog: Stintessen! We were invited by Julia (pronounced "Yoo-lia") to go to a Greek restaurant with some other families and eat Stinte, which we know as Smelt. Julia brought her two kids, Lilly and Maxim (St. Pauli boy). We knew a bunch of the people from early meetings. I played soccer with a couple of the guys, but had to stop after I broke my toe. Luckily it was a small fracture, nothing serious. But no more Fussball except on TV.
The Stinte migrate up streams to spawn every spring in large numbers. These particular northern european smelt are very small, almost sardine size. Above, a picture before cooking.
Here's a picture after eating! They clean the guts out, dip them in batter and you eat them bones and all. I ate the head off the first one before I realized everyone else skips that part. Meh. I really enjoyed them. Goes great with my new favorite beer: Jever Pils! That beer puts hair on your chest. I hated it at first, but now I'm a convert. Still, a poor choice for breakfast (jk).
Here's everyone playing Kegel, which mean's "ninepins". This was a lot of fun for the kids and adults. Julia is in the middle of the picture wearing green. I'm holding Lily, the sweetest little girl in the world. The parents are just happy to stand back and let the kids romp around. Aidan loved it of course. I bowled a couple and I wasn't bad, but it seemed much harder to get a strike than in 10 pin bowling.
Here's Aidan poaching a ball. The lanes are really skinny but beveled so that the ball rolls back to the middle.