More German holiday pics from 2015 to make Dick and Dave jealous.
Having found a little stash of photos from that German trip with James I might as well press on while I can still remember any of it.
I was using the Good Beer Guide to Germany back then; in a BRAPA-style fit I’d ripped out the brewery section (which is 95% of it), just leaving the city guides.
17 minutes by train from Duisberg, 17 minutes walk to Fuchschen in the Old Town.
James had been in at least 500 different pubs in his 16 years, but declared this the best, swayed more by the schnitzel than the Alt.
We made two trips to Dusseldorf, and not just so I could tick another pub in the Guide (I actually missed Schluessel and did Uerige twice).
Despite the centre feeling a bit more workmanlike than, say, Nuremberg or Bonn, the atmosphere down by the Rhine was relaxed and charming, particularly with their magical ice creams costing a quid.
It really mirrors the design principle of it’s greatest export,
and the views from the Rhine Tower were delightfully micropub free.
James was a bit taken aback by the bustle of the Bolkerstraße (mainly drunk Aussies warming up for Oktoberfest), but could see the appeal of Uerige with its mass of humanity drinking 0.2l glasses of the Alt for £1.30 a shot.
The Uerige website is an absolute joy, as is the pub itself.
But you’d be daft to drink indoors, and you’d be even dafter to try ordering anything other than their Alt, which I can only say is one of the great beers. “Like a fast selling Sam Smiths OBB” I probably said to an unimpressed son.
“Can I have another ice cream please Dad”, he replied.
NB I’m in good company in my affection for Dusseldorf. Kentish Paul visited in 2017, writing about (amongst other things) Schlussel, Schumacher, and Wuppertal, which made me very jealous.
retiredmartin 
German food is greatly underrated in my opinion. Those pubs look fabulous.
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Bit of Black Horse in Preston or Arden Arms in Stockport.
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I used both three times last year.- but it might be not at all this year.
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Those thoughts are really difficult aren’t they Paul? It really feels like things have changed.
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Dave,
Yes, it’s as if time’s stood still.
I’ve now remembered that I used the Arden Arms in late February, only three months ago but it seems way back last year.
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Must have been a bittersweet (i.e. entirely heartbreaking) moment when James declared a German place the best of all pubs.
I picture you saying to him, “Lad, they were going to bomb England flat and then turn all our pubs into places like THIS. And don’t you dare say it would’ve been a fair trade off!” 😉
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Not at all, Mark, he showed great taste in ancient German pubs ! You’d love that one.
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I’m sure I would have. Sadly I didn’t go to any historic drinking dens during my time in Germany, as I recall, though a few years earlier during a family vacation to Germany we went to the Hofbräuhaus in Munich, which I remember mainly for how cavernous it was.
I envy you having been back again and again. I do wonder, honestly, if I’ll ever return to Germany in my lifetime. It could happen, certainly, but it doesn’t seem to be in the cards at present. I haven’t given up on England though– that I will make happen, one way or another!
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If you do get anywhere in Europe I’ll meet you there.
Actually, Michigan is on my list. Is it like the Ozarks? (😉)
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The Hofbrauhaus is a must see but also the most unpubby pub I’ve ever seen!
Bit like doing the Bermondsey brewery crawl I guess.
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Mark,
“they were going to bomb England flat” – yes, but thankfully our lives have coincided with several decades of peace and cooperation.
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Along with the previous write-up about Duisburg, I thought this was a lovely post Martin; especially as it involved you and James on a father-son trip.
It reminds me of when I took Matthew away with me for the first time. We spent four days in Munich, before heading off to Salzburg, by train and had a great time, with some really good memories. Matthew was also 15 at the time, but didn’t mind too much being dragged into the odd beer hall and beer garden.
Our visit to Düsseldorf was three years ago, and whilst we were part of a larger party, Matthew and I arrived in the city a day and a half in advance of the rest. I have some similar shots to yours, of us sitting out over-looking the Rhine, and also of zum Uerige. The latter is definite a place to sit or stand outside, whilst watching the world go by.
More happy memories, and we are looking forward to our next trip, whenever that might be!
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If you’ve a link to your post I’d like to add it to mine.
Like your Matthew, James is very easy going and good company, not fussed about being seen with his dad. He’s also the only person apart from Stafford Paul I know who could outpace me on a walk.
I hope you can get away soon.
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Martin, I will forward the Düsseldorf links to you, this evening. Glad to hear that James is good company whilst away. Our Matthew isn’t too bad either, and I must be doing something right, as he never turns down a trip abroad; or indeed at home for that matter!
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A trip to Maidenhead would make us jealous at this point.
We do love beer from the barrel as in the first and last pictures.
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Me too. It’s very hard to describe that taste you get from a wooden barrel. The Uerige tasted like the best English cask.
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I managed to trudge round all the Alt brewpubs in a day once. As I recall, there’s only one that’s off the beaten track and required a tram journey. Helps that they open at breakfast time too.
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Breakfast time?
Like Spoons then.
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Scott,
Yes, no sense in wasting the morning.
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“Bit like doing the Bermondsey brewery crawl I guess”
The same grapefruit murk in Bermondsey and Berlin – that’s why I’ve not renewed my passport.
I blame the “craft beer” movement..
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