Saarbrücken is in Saarland, Traben-Trabach is in Rheinland-Pfalz, one Landeskarte permits two to travel across these regions, a great saving, thank you, DB.
It is ten years exactly since Marg and Hector first arrived in Traben-Trarbach. We stayed at the Altstadt Café, we have stayed here ever since. This is very much a homecoming. We wished Frank, Mein Host, a happy birthday (same age as Hector – last week). Frank gave us Room 5 for a change, moments later we were out in the sunshine walking along the banks of the Mosel.
This town, or paired towns, is a stunning location and only fifteen minutes from Hahn Airport. In September Hector returns with the Chaps for the Wolf Wine fest but not via Hahn, no suitable flights. Today we hear that Mr O’Leary may pull flights from Edinburgh to Hahn. He has never been to Traben-Trarbach, he would not do this to Hector.
Apfelstrudel at the Brücken-Schenke is a Hector ritual, Marg has not been here for a couple of years, we think. The View from the Bridge is total relaxation, the food and even the Bier here is sound. Trarbach has a single Shopping Street, enough for Marg to go Shopping (again). Crossing over to Traben Hector led Marg to the Türmchen where Franziskaner Weizen (Spaten, München, Bayern) has been the attraction over the years. Mein Host was alone, smoking, ah yes the drawback of this locus. The smoking ban does not apply to the Bars of this settlement.
I asked for Franziskaner, a Weizen was poured into an Erdinger (Erding, Bayern) glass, oh no… At least he now has Früh Kölsch (Köln, NRW) on sale for the next visit. Marg went down to the river bank to read her book whilst I tried to enjoy this most inferior of Wheat Biers.
We went for a stroll down the Left Bank beyond the limits of previous walks. Two more hotels were discovered. There is a lot of accommodation but much of it is pricy.
Café Balles is where we had our first Traben experience ten years ago, we had to return.
The Last Supper
Dinner at the Golden Traube is a must; the Mosel Menu is great value, an evening in the company of Richard and Mariliese Allmacher always a pleasure. Alas, no more. Richard phoned a few weeks ago to tell me he had sold out. It was time to retire. There was no guarantee the place would be open this evening but a sign on the door promised the restaurant would be open, the hotel remains closed.
The Dining Rooms looked bare; the personal items that have adorned the downstairs have gone. The Menu had been stripped down too but at least was still affordable. Marg ordered Schnitzel, Hector the Schweinesteak. The traditional Bread and Fat was given as an entrée, I hope this survives. A Bottle of Weissburgunder felt like an appropriate accompaniment.
Halfway through our meal Richard made an appearance, he was not in his traditional white shirt. He disappeared, returned to talk to the couple opposite and then sat with us for about half an hour. He told me the full story as to why he has sold the business. Two companies are now responsible for the running of the business and intend upgrading the rooms before the hotel re-opens. We reminisced about the wonderful evenings we have had over the last ten years and all the groups that have been over to T-T with Hector. I showed him my page on Bier-Traveller dedicated to the Golden Traube. The photograph here may well be the last we ever have taken together at the Golden Traube. These were emotional moments.
Bier Time
Across form the Traube is Hami’s Bar. Again a smoker’s paradise but a place with great atmosphere. Gaffel Kölsch (Köln, NRW) is the Bier of choice, Hector’s third favourite Kölsch. There was a warm welcome from Hami himself. Marg had a Baileys but was more excited by the presence of a Bull Terrier. She played with the dog, I chatted with Niels our fist taxi driver from ten years ago.
It was time to visit Frank. As ever the Altstadt Café has the larger room devoted to the non-smokers as is required by the local laws. Why the ashtrays are out remains a puzzle. It would be better for Frank’s business if he could restore the Bar to the former location in the large room and make the inner room the non-smoking one. More Baileys for Marg, Hector had the first Reissdorf Kölsch (Köln, NRW) of the evening, his favoutite Kölsch.
We were entertained firstly by one of the locals then by Frank himself who can now call up any music one can think off, usually with video too. Frank likes Prog; he knows the German bands which Hector grew up listening to: Grobschnitt, Eloy and then somehow he found the Cosmic Jokers, Klaus Schulze, and from the UK: – Demon and Nightwing. The time flew by, one or two Biers more were consumed, this is what a night in Traben-Trarbach is all about.
Restaurant, Cafes and bars visited today:
Altstadt-Cafe – Mittelstraße 12, 56841 Traben-Trarbach
Brücken-Schenke – Brückenstraße 33, 56841 Traben-Trarbach
Türmchen – Bahnstr. 49, 56841 Traben-Trarbach
Cafe Balles – An der Mosel 20, 56841 Traben-Trarbach
Zur Goldenen Traube – Am Markt 8, 56841, Traben-Trarbach
Hami’s Pils Stübchen – Weiherstrasse, 56841, Traben-Trarbach