Market places

Okay - if you saw the size of our frig here on Ohmstrasse, you would know that the impression we Americans have of Europeans shopping for their dinner every day or two is true.  And to help one do this, there are outdoor markets all over the city.  Actually, a lot of the same vendors travel from site to site each day of the week, to sell their wares.  And I do believe these continue for most or all of the winter!!

Before Wanling and I even arrived in Frankfurt, Gary discovered that there was a teeny little market outside our apartment building every Wednesday, so we were sure to attend the very first week we were there.  So, about 8:00 a.m. (when Wanling and I are walking to the street car to go to her school) the vendors are starting to set up.  The vendors sell olives, cheese, grilled chicken, bratwurst and pommes frites (french fries) and wine (!).  Many of the markets in other parts of town are much bigger than ours, adding fresh produce, textiles, meat, bakery goods, and other "fast food" such as potato pancakes, schnitzel, pea soup, fish products (smoked fish, eel, etc. and fish sandwiches)  into the mix.  The funny thing is that several times we have run into "our" olive man in a different part of town.  It is pretty cool to be able to shop this way, every day of the week, if one chooses.

Pictures here are:

1. The market by the university, with Wanling drooling over the meat wagon (salami, sausages, schnitzel....that's our meat girl).
2. A "wurst" (sausage) man, doing his thing.
3. Wanling eating the first of many bratwurst here.
4. Me, in front of our little wine cart by the apartment.
5. Gary, eating Kartoffelpuffer mit Frankfurter GrüneSosse  - these are crispy potato pancakes served with the famous Frankfurt Green Sauce, which is sour cream and many herbs - delicious, and a cholesterol bomb!
6. Gary and Wanling ordering from the cheese guy.
7. Wanling and me down on the Zeil (pedestrian zone).  We were in front of a stand selling beer and Glühwein (hot mulled wine).  It was about 50 degrees that day, and rainy, and the place was packed!  Everyone was outside, hanging out at the market, despite the cool temperatures.  These Germans embrace the weather and hang out outside, no matter what.