Lübeck: Marzipan, Strandkörbe & Wasabi Peas

I’m back from Lübeck where I spent the weekend with my cousin/aunty Martina and her folks Manfred and Ingrid. Lubeck is a gorgeous town about 65kilometers north of Hamburg in Schleswig-Holstein, along the Ostsee. The first thing you notice about Lubeck is that it is an old city. Unlike Hmaburg which, as I mentioned, was completely demolished in the war, Lubeck was relatively unscathed. The cobblestone streets, old museums and perfectly intact buildings and churches give a wonderful charm to the city. I’ve realised from my journey so far, I’m a sucker for cute, old, small towns

Martina and I enjoyed the beautiful sunny skies exploring the city centre and Timmendorfer beach. We went to my favourite shop in the world, the original Niederegger Marzipan shop. It’s been exactly 5 years since my last visit, and it hasn’t changed a bit. Delicious marzipan shaped like vegetables, fruits, animals and natürlich the originelle marzipankartoffeln line the walls! Speaking of kartoffeln, I can see why Germans eat so many potatoes. They taste delicious here! I have also realised that I underestimated ice-berg lettuce in the past too. I used to find the stuff insidiously boring (perhaps that is an overstatement, it’s not that bad), but there are many variations with yoghurt and fruit dressings I have discovered here. I have since added a few more entries to my recipe book.

Germany is a curious place in some ways. It has a reputation for progressiveness and efficiency, yet there are so few credit card facilities. Coming from Australia and Norway where plastic is the new cash currency I have been finding it frustrating not being able to use my VISA cards here. Everything is much the same price as in Australia, with only few discrepancies (i.e. Petrol in Europe is ridiculously expensive). But they make you pay for everything. You have to pay to use the toilet, and you even have to pay to use the beach?! Martina and I hired a Strandkorb. We already had to pay for the beach anyway so what was two more Euros? Strandkörbe are very German-esque little beach houses/beds/baskets. The direct translation for korb is basket, but make of that what you will. The beach was packed because of a very entertaining beach hockey championship. We made the most of our Deuetsche street-drinking permissions and enjoyed a beer in the sun in our strandkorb (notably all paid in cash).

Sehr interessant. Ingrid cooked us a delicious meal for dinner, and Martina and I played board games well into the night. We always have a good laugh, and my stomach feel likes it’s had a workout the next day! We also had a little misadventure with wasabi peas, marzipan, licorise mentos, amaretto and flying insects – but I won’t go into that here. Martina and I can keep that memory to ourselves (wink, wink).