Regensburg - Food, Food, Glorious Food

Passau, Germany Saturday October 27, 2018

The story of Passau actually begins yesterday after we left Rothenburg. It was an easy drive although we arrived two hours late for having dinner with the rest of our traveling companions. After checking into our boutique hotel, Hotel Winder Mann, we went across the square and joined those who had arrived earlier. We were still missing four of the group, but they were scheduled to come in on the day we embarked (Sunday.) After an absolutely fabulous meal of weinerschnitzel we headed back to the hotel.

The next morning we all had breakfast together and then headed out our separate ways. Some (the gals and Gregg) were going shoe shopping so Frank, Greg, and I took the car and headed to a nearby town that had an excellent train store. Purchases complete we debated going back to the hotel to eat lunch or to go the hour or so drive to a nearby town, have lunch at a famous Rathskeller, and sightsee. Regensburg won out so we drove the back roads and saw a lot of authentic Germany including the potato harvest.

Parking, we walked through the city square to the Ratskeller for our lunch. Again, the lunch was delicious. Frank had goulash, I had weinerschnitzel, and I’ve forgotten the name of what Jeff had, but it was some kind veal and dumplings.

Fully satiated we strolled around the corner to the church. I didn’t go in because the monumental steps didn’t have a raIling. Sitting at an outside cafe I waited for them. When they came out I started trying to get up. My coat was trapped in the chair and I must have looked like a beached whale trying to get up. Finally two gentlemen who were passing by came over. Each took an arm and hoisted me up. Embarrassing but appreciated. I’m finding it really hard to accept that kind of help, but God ain’t finished with me yet.

Continuing on around the square we entered am ornate Catholic Church where they were having a baptism...about a dozen people in this huge sanctuary. We took pictures of the over-the-top ornate decorations, walked back to the car and headed home.

The fun didn’t end there, though. The group went across the square and ate at the same restaurant where we’d eaten the night before. Neither Frank nor I were hungry so we had dessert, a bread tart of some kind. It was so good we had to follow it up with an ice cream sunday.

Off again to bed………

PHOTOS: Ragensburg churches and supper feast

Spiritual Reflection: Culture is so different here. Century old churches and building, all cherished and preserved...vs….tear it down and build something new. There’s plenty of new construction, but never at the expense of the history and tradition. Families don’t own their homes, they lease the land from the government for 99 years which means most home are multigenerational with three or four floors. Commerce typically on the first floor and then each floor above is either a generation or leased out to tenants. Later I’ll comment on something our saffron farmer said about that.