Forward...into the past!

My next to last post on Madgeburg...


Full Flickr set

I love exploring foreign grocery stores. I like seeing the different products and advertising and generally just looking for neat foods I've never had before. Only Japanese grocery stores are held in higher esteem than German ones...with the giant British stores a close third.



This time the food I "discovered" and became hopelessly addicted to were "NicNacs". They're little peanuts coated with something crunchy and salty ("double-crunch"). Oh, my. If anyone in German ever needs to bribe me, this is it. See-- they even get a picture on the post!

I also love German jams, sugar-coke and, of course, Kinder Eggs. For those of you not-in-the-know, Kinder Eggs are hollow chocolate eggs that have a capsule inside that contains a small, choke-able toy. They tried to release something like this in the US, but we Americans were too stupid to keep them from infants who could choke to death on them. Same reason we don't have Choco-eggs and their fantastic animal figures here. This time the "chase" prize were characters from something called, " Dog City ". No relation the the doofy Henson show. Not sure if these characters have their own cartoon or if they're original to Kinder, but some of them are cute. I honed in on the GSD character, Rex Bell, and proceeded to not-get him in any of the thirty or so eggs I opened. Chocolate is good, tho'. The fruity Afghan is also cute, but did not get him, also. Apologies to the EF folks for the mess of toys, foil and capsules in the lobby!

I also very much admire German efficiency: they keep track of carts by requiring you to put a Euro coin in a slot to remove the cart. When you return the cart, coin pops out. Simple, effective.

Another neat thing: they had a small stand of plants for sale, including aquarium plants! Why is it supermarkets here-- with all that space-- are so bland? In a store half the size of an average Ralphs, they carried a wider variety of goods (including dry goods) and still had room for neat things like aquarium plants.

Nearby, in the same mall, I found a German deli where I could indulge in my secret vice: raw sausage. I would never think of doing it here (it goes against all up-bringing and common sense to me), but have no problem doing it there. And yes, it was -very- good!


The complete Flickr set

The other place I'll mention here is the Magdeburg Cathedral. This is quite an imposing structure, even while it undergoes renovation. The insides are filled with gorgeous stoneworks and carvings. There is an on-going archeological excavation being done in the middle of this working church. I saw a wedding going on in the courtyard outside: can you imagine getting hitched here? Wow. It would be like the wedding in "The Sound of Music," but with cosplayers and werewolves and stuff.

I particularly loved the little wood carvings on the pews: peasants bent double to support the seats of Burghers and royalty...pagan gods and sprites...saints and sinners. There was also a somber war memorial of the kind that only the Germans do so well. Very Munch-esque.

Next: The Magdeburg Zoo! Dholes! Snow Leopards!! Stripe Hyenas!!!

My next to last post on Madgeburg...


Full Flickr set

I love exploring foreign grocery stores. I like seeing the different products and advertising and generally just looking for neat foods I've never had before. Only Japanese grocery stores are held in higher esteem than German ones...with the giant British stores a close third.



This time the food I "discovered" and became hopelessly addicted to were "NicNacs". They're little peanuts coated with something crunchy and salty ("double-crunch"). Oh, my. If anyone in German ever needs to bribe me, this is it. See-- they even get a picture on the post!

I also love German jams, sugar-coke and, of course, Kinder Eggs. For those of you not-in-the-know, Kinder Eggs are hollow chocolate eggs that have a capsule inside that contains a small, choke-able toy. They tried to release something like this in the US, but we Americans were too stupid to keep them from infants who could choke to death on them. Same reason we don't have Choco-eggs and their fantastic animal figures here. This time the "chase" prize were characters from something called, " Dog City ". No relation the the doofy Henson show. Not sure if these characters have their own cartoon or if they're original to Kinder, but some of them are cute. I honed in on the GSD character, Rex Bell, and proceeded to not-get him in any of the thirty or so eggs I opened. Chocolate is good, tho'. The fruity Afghan is also cute, but did not get him, also. Apologies to the EF folks for the mess of toys, foil and capsules in the lobby!

I also very much admire German efficiency: they keep track of carts by requiring you to put a Euro coin in a slot to remove the cart. When you return the cart, coin pops out. Simple, effective.

Another neat thing: they had a small stand of plants for sale, including aquarium plants! Why is it supermarkets here-- with all that space-- are so bland? In a store half the size of an average Ralphs, they carried a wider variety of goods (including dry goods) and still had room for neat things like aquarium plants.

Nearby, in the same mall, I found a German deli where I could indulge in my secret vice: raw sausage. I would never think of doing it here (it goes against all up-bringing and common sense to me), but have no problem doing it there. And yes, it was -very- good!


The complete Flickr set

The other place I'll mention here is the Magdeburg Cathedral. This is quite an imposing structure, even while it undergoes renovation. The insides are filled with gorgeous stoneworks and carvings. There is an on-going archeological excavation being done in the middle of this working church. I saw a wedding going on in the courtyard outside: can you imagine getting hitched here? Wow. It would be like the wedding in "The Sound of Music," but with cosplayers and werewolves and stuff.

I particularly loved the little wood carvings on the pews: peasants bent double to support the seats of Burghers and royalty...pagan gods and sprites...saints and sinners. There was also a somber war memorial of the kind that only the Germans do so well. Very Munch-esque.

Next: The Magdeburg Zoo! Dholes! Snow Leopards!! Stripe Hyenas!!!