Hector’s Heroic Homecoming – Day the First – The Berlin Air-drop

It came to pass, there was an 07.00 rendezvous at Glasgow Airport, yes the one with the Railway running past the Runway and a shorter walk thereby as equivalent from Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen to its Train Station.

And so Hector, Howard, Mags, Robin, Craig and Yvonne arrived well on time at the Airport which was meant to haven been closed. Water Table Problems? Sort them…

Craig was describing to Mags the short hop on the S Bahn to the Centre of Berlin and a likely change of train. Hector fooled everyone by staying on the S9 (Pankow) as far as Schönhauser Allee where we could stay on the same platform and transfer to the S41, two stops from Wedding. Hector is finally beginning to master the Berlin S/U Bahn network.

We walked though the Garden Suburb and were greeted at Pension by a different Doris, so much for building up a bond on our previous visits.

Cash in hand, are the Germans allowed to accept cash knowing full well that that they will declare it, pay all possible TAXES, and not threaten the World Economy by doing, say a – Homer?

The Tin-Tinerary was clear, Check-in, pay, retire for Curry-Heute – to the Naveena Path some fifty metres away. Eschenbräu did not open until 15.00, a timely lunch would fill the gap. Howard and Mags joined Hector, Robin, Craig and Yvonne went for Bier. We had the better deal, they drank Pi*s, however their waiter was from Musselburgh, uncanny.

Arriving at Eschenbräu at exactly 15.00 the Keller was open. We sat drinking the wonderful Weizen shaded by the trees and the surrounding flats. One really has to experience this strangest of settings first hand. It was warm,with the occasional breeze just to keep one comfortable.  Yet it could be Easterhouse.

The Immortal Memory

You think you know people. In the mist of the afternoon there was an admission from Robin of Hector proportions. Discussing comedians of the past, Robin described the time he saw Dave Allen on stage. He then had to admit that Dave Allen was part of a Variety Bill with …. Val Doonican. It gets worse. After the Gig, Robin, a mere teenager, was taken backstage to the dressing room. Mr Doonican was sitting in his old slippers and rocking on his chair. Autographs were provided. Val Doonican?

We could easily have stayed there all day, Craig and Yvonne decided this was the better option. It is not uncommon for Craig and Yvonne to stay put late afternoon whilst the rest of us go off exploring new places.

For Hector, Augustiner am Gendermenmarkt was not a new experience, for Robin, Howard and Mags it was a must. I had told them of how wonderful the Edelestoff is direkt von Holzfass. Peter, who is not on this trip, assured me it was not available until 18.00.

We arrived at 18.00, strange. The heat of the day was still intense, indoors was our preference, cool and shade. The Bier was perfection. It is not sweet as one man insists, certainly one of the finest Helles Bier brewed in Deutschland.

It became a question of getting people to leave. Mags and Robin were fading, Howard and Hector resolved to return to Eschenbräu for a Nightcap. I showed the Tired Folks the way back, Howard and Hector had to go indoors given the time of night. One cannot sit out late otherwise the neighbours above would be disturbed nightly.

The Weizen was nothing like what we had been served in the afternoon, it was thin and had less bananas. In fact, this is the same as the disappointing Bier I had been served with Marg some two weeks before. Why?

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I spotted the Braumeister and took the glasses over to him. He admitted that the Bier outside was better, the Barrels have to be rolled out so the Hefe becomes mixed. So what is the point of selling this poorer version? He had no answer, the ritual photo was taken, we left with dignity.

Prague next…

The Brewery and Brewery Outlet visited:

Augustiner am Gendarmenmarkt – Charlottenstrasse 55, 10117, Berlin

Eschenbräu – Triftstrasse, Wedding, Berlin

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