When in Germany . . .

We had just left Julia & Jérémi s apt to go for dinner and Julia had told us all about the apprentice carpenters in Germany who uphold a centuries old tradition of going town to town (but not within 50 miles of their hometown) for three years to look for work and practice their trade, learning many techniques along the way. They dress in a traditional costume complete with giant bell bottom corduroy pants, a vest and hat etc. The place we finally settled on for dinner (many other places were full) seemed nice enough but was made even better by the two apprentice carpenters who came in and made a short speech to everyone in the bar letting them know they were in town, looking for work and would appreciate small coins to help them afford food and a place to stay- what were the odds that two carpenters carrying on this somewhat now uncommon tradition would walk in to the very bar we were in, on the very same night!


Here we are with his walking stick, a piece of white birch that grew around another small plant which this carpenter carved out to show off the shape of the remaining birch. A very fun meeting!

Overall our night was filled with delicious beer, tasty food (think pork, apples and sauerkraut), great company and lots of cigarette smoke!

Now we are well rested, clean and nicely full of our breakfast of pastries, cakes and the most delicious bratwurst sausage we have ever had!

Auf Wiedersehen!