Now that we were in Frankfurt/Main city center, I asked my brother, if the Paulskirche was anywhere near. I have been to the town once before on some business years back, but recall only the – for Germany rather unusual – sight of Mainhattan, which is the local’s nick name for the bunch of highrising towers forming the bank district. The city being the financial center of Germany, every big German financial institute takes pride in owning a tower to their brand, the latest addition being the ECB (European Central Bank). It is located a short distance away from the rather small agglomeration of towers, representing Germany’s big players in the money world.

 

As I don’t have money, my interest in financial institutions, stock exchange and their prominent outward display of wealth and power is very limited, if not to say viewed with outright contempt. But this is a different topic.

What I really was interested in seeing, was Paulskirche. I asked my brother, if it where anywhere near, to have a look at it. He vaguely remembered, that it was. So we walked around the corner of the stock exchange into a small lane, where I saw a huge gathering of people flocking around outdoor stalls selling wine. Despite the temperature being just above freezing, many, many people filled the small square, enjoying a glass of regional wine on offer on various bars. This location I immediately recalled: Kleinmarkthalle. I have been there before, but had completely forgotten, it existed. Now this was something to our liking. Oddly enough, it was again me introducing my brother to a great thing to do and see in Frankfurt (having said that, he lives a 45 minutes drive away in Ingelheim, but then again, he frequently has business in Frankfurt).

Of course, we couldn’t pass this opportunity to have a glass of (excellent) Riesling. Made even more enjoyable by chatting with two locals, squeezed next to us at the bar. To them, it is a tradition to top off Saturday’s shopping for groceries in the Kleinmarkthalle, a fresh food market bordering the square, with a stopover at the bar. To enjoy a chat and some wines, before they head home to watch the football.

After this refreshment, we went inside Kleinmarkthalle. Now we were at a marketplace and trade to my liking!

 

 

Every time I enter one of those impressive, big fresh food markets, I wonder, why I bother to ever shop at a supermarket at all. I am always enthused by big displays of fresh, local produce and love markets, where often contact to real farm folks is possible. Reconnects one to where ones food really comes from. My brother ticks just the same, so we had a stroll through the isles having so many delicacies on offer, one wanted to buy a little of everything. Good, that I was just visiting, so I limited myself to some great looking, handmade pasta parcels, stuffed with truffle to take home (tasted great and came in handy after arriving home late night on Sunday to an empty fridge). We also purchased some salads and stuff for our dinner later that night, that his wife had asked my brother to bring. He resolved to take his wife to this place soon, she’d also enjoy this. So another entry was made on his future recreational to-do list. Something, I guess he is in dire need of. He’s working way too much, as I have gathered. Just as well, we spent this Saturday afternoon together in such a leisurly manner.

 

(all photos taken from the internet, as I stupidly forgot to bring my camera along – Mainhattan from Handelsblatt.com, top view from frankfurt.de and market isle from chasingtravel.com)