Finely structured

Man. Man Man MANLY Man.
That's what I am.
Because I am in GerMANy!
I drink massive beers.
I wear tight leather pants.
I eat meat meat meat.
That I hunted. Jäger Meister.

Wild boar in fact, if you are interested in an Asterix reference. It was yummy, but I'm not sure that homemade cranberry sauce is really to Obelix's taste. His would be a much nuanced taste I imagine due to his ethnic background. Oh, and I didn’t really hunt it either, but apparently the MAN running the restaurant did…

So anyway, amongst all this man business, we have seen some awesome stuff the last few days. Somehow we managed to stay in an awesome place called Blankenberg. I think the accommodation was relatively cheap or something… Amazing. There were too many towers for me to keep track of. Awesome buildings originally built in the 12th century, mostly restored, perching yet upon this little knob of land that we had the pleasure of climbing with all our assorted gear. Half-timbered houses (which I knew about from playing  Patrician II – a very boring game) everywhere –with little knobbly bits sticking out of the joints probably playing some small part in holding these masterpieces up. There are fruit trees in all the green spaces, herbs growing wild, pots of colour clutching at walls, windows, steps and lampposts. Church bells ring early to coax the congregation up the hill.  The community winepress from ages past, waiting patiently to crush another harvest…

Places like these make me burst out in spontaneous laughter. We are so far removed from knights and castles and even most modern wars in Tasmania, that these remnants of history can seem like fairy tales. Here in Blankenberg the people are living amongst it. I trailed one man of the house taking his rubbish out. He wheeled his two bins almost half a kilometre uphill to empty them outside the old town gates in a community bin. Too bad if you live further down the hill! There was even a hotel/gasthaus for sale… Myra was non-committal.

That’s enough from me for now. Big Beers and Schnitzels. I’ll leave you with the delightfully translated description of one such beer…

First, it attracts the eye with its bright honey colour on itself. Opal and finely structured the yeast turbidity shows. For the smell experience the nose needs two attempts.
If only distinctive fruit flavours emerge, such as bananas and honeydew melon, then fine cloves follow. It drinks and convinces with a full and soft body. The finish shows a balanced game…which goes off quickly in a harmonious nightcap.
Fine yeast sparkling and tingling refreshes it and at the same time thirst for more…

It was a very enjoyable beer in a very enjoyable place. Prost!