In 2002 we were Nine, this year we were Five until the day before, and then there were Four.
Anthony, Ian, Steve and Hector made the rendezvous for the Tuesday flight to Hahn. Mr O’Leary now only offers three flights a week and all from Edinburgh, so much for the halcyon days of daily flights from Prestwick, wherever that is.
Our first ever Taxi Driver, Herr Nils Bucke was once again our Driver for the short €35 hop down from the Hunsrück to the Mosel Tal where lies Traben-Trarbach. Between four this affordable. We could have waited twenty hours for a bus.
Frank, Mein Host at the infamous Altstadt Café installed us in our rooms,
Bier O’clock
Our first collective Bier in 2002 was at the Brückentor, the Gatehouse Cafe to Tarbach which features on the Header Banner on this very Website. By the time we departed mid evening in October 2002 there were eight new converts to the splendour of Traben-Trabach. Hector is a sucker for the Romance of the Return Visit, the first Bier had to be there. Alas, Dienstag ist Ruhetag, and so we crossed the bridge to our other regular haunt, the Station Bar, properly known as the Türmchen. It felt like three weeks since I had last set foot in these premises, it was.
Once again Mein Host declined to let us sit at the large table, the only table, Reserviert, varum? The Weizen Bier was still the Bog Standard Erdinger so this was eschewed in favour of the first of many Kölsch of the trip. Gaffel was the Kölsch on offer. It was also the first attack on the lungs. Two very small Biers later and we were back across the Mosel.
Doris at the Brückenstubchen (formerly Rolf’s) was much more welcoming. The Kölsch was now Reissdorf, Hector’s favourite. The Young Chap who had also served us made an appearance too. Their photos from the last visit for the Wolf Strassenfest amused them. The day was kicking off. Somebody felt hungry, it had to be Caspari’s. With the Golden Traube now out of favour since the departure of the Allmachers, this would provide sufficient food at affordable prices, the Wine would also be enticing. More Wine.
The Portions of Pork were not excessive, the quantity of Weissburgunder being consumed may have become so. Ian was loving it, Anthony was in full flow, Steve and Hector watched in amusement. The décor has been upgraded, a wee bit. The seating featured fewer benches, however, this remains a totally unpretentious eatery and always value for the Shekel. Anthony was so impressed he bought the T-Shirt.
Where next?
’Twas a bit early to go back to the Altstadt Café despite Frank warning us that due to a staff shortage he would be closing early. He had to do the Breakfasts too. Hami’s was a possibility, then Steve suggested we have a look at the Stadt-Mühle where he was convinced he had spotted Richard Allmacher on his last trip here in August. The Stadt-Mühle was last visited at Easter 2006 when Hector and 20+ Colleagues took over Traben-Trabach in celebration of Twenty Five Years at a certain establishment. The place has been closed for some time since. Tonight it was open and there at the Bar was Richard Allmacher.
The Hands of Hector embraced the Shoulders of Richard. Marilies was behind the Bar with Son, Felix. We were all reunited once again. This is how it should be. The place was full but we had timed our arrival to perfection and soon had a table at the far wall. Richard put the Acoustic Guitar in my hands knowing that I would not be playing it, but he knew a man who could. A Piano was wheeled out from under the Balcony – time for the Steve and Ian show.
There was a sense of modesty as they considered what to play, inevitably Steve got stuck into his standards, Ian kept up ably, he is The Musician! The Locals loved it. A table of Mature Ladies stayed an hour longer than they intended. A group of German Chaps were clearly loving it, we ended up in conversation, they were from the North-West near Münster. Hector and Marg went to Münster once, it was all a ruse to get to Gronau where the Rock’n’Pop Museum is located – and the Can Studio has been reassembled. Münster turned out to be well worth a visit, and one day it will be written up.
Richard appeared on Violin and his usual repertoire was unveiled to the public once more. Traben-Trarbach needs the Allmachers.
Richard came over and sat with Anthony and I. He related the entire saga of how he and Marilies ended their short retirement. In early August they re-opened the Stadt-Mühle, business appeared to be booming. This was a Tuesday night in October, the end of the season. People were flocking from all over to celebrate their continuation. I had to question how they could be permitted to open a rival operation one hundred metres from their long established venue. I was not surprised to hear that the Golden Traube is not doing so well, could it be on the market again soon? And would the Allmachers go back? With Felix now on board there is little reason not to. But why have to get up for Breakfast everyday when one can party every night?
This is a Bier Blog
Bottled Weissbier is all the Allmachers have ever served, the draught Pils will not rate further mention.
The first Bottle turned out to be Erdinger but was soon followed by a much better Franziskaner Dunkel. Anthony still insists that the Kristal remains his favourite, a very strange perspective. Ian and Steve were bought Bier by their German Audience from Münster and also by the House. Somehow Anthony and Hector benefited from all this too, we were the Road-crew!
Back to Frank’s
Steve and Ian played a good hour before it was decreed time to depart. It was getting early, the German Chaps were staying at the Altstadt Café too, where else? With our new found colleagues we headed down Mittelstrasse and for once entered through the front door. The Kölsch was Reissdorf, Cards were exchanged, a rendezvous at Königsbacher Brauerei in Koblenz was arranged for Thursday. They were Radlers and would be cycling back that way after a day’s stopoff at Cochem.
There’s More
Such is the madness of the first night of a trip, when the Children went to bed, Steve, Anthony and Hector considered a final Bier at Hami’s was called for. It was Gisele who was on duty, we were welcomed back with a glass of Gaffel Kölsch.
Restaurant and bars visited today:
Altstadt-Cafe – Mittelstraße 12, 56841, Traben-Trarbach
Türmchen – Bahnstraße 49 56841 Traben-Trarbach
Brückenstubchen – Brückenstraße 33, 56841 Traben-Trarbach
Weingut Caspari – Weiherstraße 18 56841 Traben-Trarbach
Historische Stadt-Mühle – Weihertorplatz 1 56841 Traben-Trarbach
Hami’s Pils Stübchen – Weiherstrasse, 56841, Traben-Trarbach