Wine and Churches

Succeeding lunch was a shopping trip.  Christian and I are having a birthday party tomorrow (his 18^th and my 19^th), and we needed to pick up meat and charcoal.  In order to pick up meat we went to the butcher.  What a novel ideal.  It was everything one would imagine.  Every imaginable type of sausage was joined by a large and varied array of marinated cuts of every animal, cheeses, spreads, pates, and even some fresh fruits and vegetables.  These were all arranged in attractive displays behind broad glass counters tended by round Teutonic girls in yellow striped aprons.  I should mention this is just the butcher shop- it’s not a tourist attraction, not is it located in Disneyland. 

The bank came next , the hardware store, then the garden store.  None of which were remarkable in their differences, but delightful in their similarity and my new-found interest in tools.

The next stop was a surprise to me, but a tasty addition – the gummy bear factory.  Full of free samples and bulk gummies in more flavors than you can imagine it was certainly Chris’ favorite stop.  I was able to convince Christian to try a salty licorice which I knew he would hate given his previous reaction to ouzo – but it was funny to watch his face regardless.  Christian and I picked out “playboys” – men shaped gummies to take to our friend Noemie in Switzerland in a few days.

In the town Mr. Abele works in (Mulbron) there is a Medieval Cistercian monastery, and the Abeles had offered to show it to me. Driving through the many vineyards towards the monastery we first stopped off to buy wine, at (another novel idea) a winery!  I don’t really think of wine when I think of Germany, but of course anyone even partially more versed in the geography of wine than I will think of Riesling – and that is indeed what was purchased.  Going to a winery to purchase wine is apparently a wholly different experience than the ABC at home.  Walking into the storefront we stepped up to a counter and Mr. Abele flipped through a small bound book of wines.  Upon selecting one the saleswoman behind the counter pulled out three glasses and poured us each a taste. There was discussion of the wine and then the sales woman recommended two other wines, both of which were tasted.  Then upon discovering I was American there followed a translated discussion of imported wines in America and a tour of the winery!  I felt pretty classy…..

Completing our detour we were on the monastery.  Unfortunately as it was quite late, and the church was under construction, there was little to actually see, but that which was available was enjoyed.  There were the quintessential German houses of stucco and wood and the church and accompanying monastery were really very interesting.  My favorite part of old buildings is seeing how they are changed.  For a long time most such buildings are viewed as simply practical, this monastery in the countryside being no exception.  As such repairs, renovations and additions are made as needed.  However, at some point it is decided the building is old enough to be historic, and shouldn’t be changed. But which part is historic?  Generally most of the changes are kept, but because they occur over a great period of time one can see the difference in stonework and building techniques.  The most evident change in these particular buildings being the plastered or stoned in gothic window openings which had been replaced by square windows with wooden frames and glass.  This particular monastery now houses an elite boarding school in the cloister.  We enjoyed some wonderful Gelato as we wandered amongst the old-style German cottages with climbing roses – many of which are still inhabited by the everyday people of Mulbron.  There are still (Lutheran) services held in the church as well as concerts in the summer time.

And to top it all off tomorrow is my birthday!