Friday the 13th, what could possibly go wrong?
A Special Dispensation saw Hector checked-in for the 16.20 flight to Heathrow. It was delayed until 17.00. No problem, still enough time to catch the onward flight to Düsseldorf. Landing at Heathrow we had to sit on the taxiway for some fifteen minutes, no stand. Weren’t they expecting us? How long does it take to get off an Airbus? Yonks if has two passageways and one is seating in Row 34. No pressure then. I had seventeen minutes to negotiate an unfamiliar airport. Fortunately it would all be in Terminal 5 so no Inter-Terminal-Transfers. Really?
I found a chap checking Boarding Cards for Transfers. He confirmed I did not have to go through Security again, else no chance. Up two flights of an escalator, a walk the length of the Terminal, down two floors in an elevator, a wait for a Shuttle, a Shuttle, then a walk the length of the Remote Terminal. I arrived at Gate B42 just as they made the call for General Boarding. Hector arrived in Düsseldorf Flughafen ten minutes early, it was warm.
Dr. Stan had suggested a rendezvous at Schumacher as it is nearest the station. This is where we go if we are just passing through. Uerige feels like Echte Düsseldorf, and so a Taxi to Uerige it was. I had predicted a 22.15 rendezvous, I was bang on time, but where was Dr. Stan?
There were crowds standing at the outside tables, Dr. Stan texted to say he was inside at the front bar. Which is the front? I looked in every room I knew, I had to phone. Dr. Stan, Contrary? Never in sixteen years of visiting Uerige had I been in this room. Bier!
Dr. Stan had been in Düsseldorf for two days, on his todd. He had paced himself well, long walks across Das Rhein. Rattingen, research for next summer’s Hector’s Horrible Holiday. We have not done Nordrhein Westfalen at leisure for years such is the difficulty in getting here without throwing money at it.
Uerige Alt, served on gravity from wooden barrels, Holzfass, superb. Darker than its Köln counterpart many do not like this Ale. Robin and Craig are two of that number. I became tired of Kölsch years ago such was the frequency of Trips here. Füchsen Alt was sampled last night a the Paisley Beer Festival, a joy, but Uerige is way better. Not a tremendous body being under the benchmark 5%, it is as Dry as **** and very quaffable. Bert kept the Altbier coming, The Deckel was amassing pencil strokes at a rate of knotts, Dr. Stan was fading fast. One hour was all Hector would enjoy in Dr. Stan’s company this evening. We settled up and walked back to Königsallee.
A Taxi to Oststrasse for Hector, there would be Curry Heute.
Passing Schumacher they were still serving at 23.30. They were still serving at 00.10 when I walked the few metres from the Taj Mahal to Schumacher. I checked with Bert and took a seat in the corner of The Pit. The main room looked as if the lights were out. There was still quite a gathering in The Pit area and outside. The Altbier was flowing still. 1848 to 2013 – The Deckel advertised, a Special Year. Yes 25 years short of the second century. I wonder if I’ll make it? I wonder if I’ll remember?
Schumacher is regarded by many as the #2 Altbier. Again served on gravity in 0.25ml glasses, always cool and refreshing. The Trusty Samsung was giving beeps of protest, it needed refuelling to. Out came the Emergency Power Supply and here we go again…
The Best Western Ambassador is not recommended
A two minute walk from the Hauptbahnhof and boasting comfortable rooms the décor and ambience are fine, helpful staff too. Alas, it is basically at the end of the train platform and one can hear every train pass through the Station, and there were many. The Trams also run right past, guess who had a room overlooking all this? Amount of Sleep – thirty minutes, possibly. Just what I need before the most physically demanding day of the year, yes it’s time for the Wolf Strassenfest.
Brewery Taps Visited Today:
Uerige Düsseldorf – Berger Strasse 1, D 40123, Düsseldorf
Brauerei Schumacher – Oststraße 123, D 40210, Düsseldorf
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