Last weekend, I went to Mannheim, Germany, and it was curious. That is to say, I saw the place from the curious perspective of a New Zealander who has lived three-and-a-half years in France. So my visit was coloured with my Antipodean glasses, and more lately and noticeably with my European glasses. I visited a Swedish friend who works at the University of Mannheim. Her perspective is even more curious, having lived in Sweden, Norway and France, and with four-and-a-half languages under her belt (fluent Swedish, Norwegian, English, French, and pretty good German too). Here are my (our) observations:
French people can be a little hesitant about speaking English:
- because they may not be able to speak it ‘perfectly’ which to them means that they don’t speak English;
- because the English and the French have had a bit-of-a-history over the years and hence perhaps some reluctance to speak like the ‘rosbif’; and
- because they are very fond of their beautiful French language.
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German people like coffee they way New Zealand people like coffee.
Lots of it, and milky, and preferably to take away, so you see lots of
people wandering around with their coffees, à la Nouvelle-Zélande.
I’ve been in France long enough now to have been subsumed into the
coffee culture here: an espresso (décaffeiné) after lunch is enough
thanks, and only while seated, or standing at a bar. No walking around
drinking, or eating for that matter. Food and drink consumption is a
serious business to be conducted whilst seated and concentrating. It was
great to have a milky coffee in Germany though, but for me that is like
a meal now. In Germany I saw lots of people walking around, eating too.
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Mannheim is very orderly. It may just be Mannheim in particular
because of the layout of the town from the central Barockschloss
(Baroque Palace, www.schloss-mannheim.de),
where the avenue from the main palace doors extends into the distance,
while on either side is a grid-like system that is referenced, efficient
and blindingly obvious. We visited Heidelberg too (lovely old town half
an hour away) and that seemed to be a little more random. Toulouse, in
contrast, is a maze. Recently I tour-guided a New Zealand visitor around
Toulouse and it was hard work (the map-reading, not the visitor – she
was lovely!). Usually I am a navigator without equal (it’s an inbuilt,
girl, homing thing), but in Toulouse I still don’t know which direction
is north and south, or where Ramonville Saint Agne is from the centre of
Toulouse (Toulouse Capitole). But I do love the spontaneity of
wandering down little streets and discovering sights, so I don’t mind
not having a referenced grid system.
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Poor old Mannheim was bombed a lot during World War II. The city
centre was on the flight path to the industrial/manufacturing part of
town so the city centre isn’t exactly beautiful, but a redeeming feature
is the Wasserturm; a water tower, that is gorgeous. Toulouse is a
beautiful un-bombed city, and the centre of the city takes my breath
away each visit I make.
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Tickets, travelling, trains and trams: Not once was I asked for my
train or tram ticket to/from Frankfurt to Mannheim, nor in either
Mannheim or Heidelberg. Why? Because society is based on trust and doing
the right thing, I’m told. Of course you buy a ticket. To do so
isn’t just or correct. There are ticket machines on the buses and metro
in France, and regular checks by guards spanning the width of the
concourse to check your tickets. Oh, and watch out in Germany not to
cross the road unless there is a green man: you may be shouted at by
other more law-abiding pedestrians. You are of course setting a bad
example and not following the rules. Really!We visited a variety of restaurants and cafes. Here are the best:
- N eins Lounge – www.n-eins-lounge.de for a meal of grilled fish with a vanilla/chilli crust and baby fennel in a glazed orange and Pernod sauce. The restaurant is called this funny name because it is in the N1 grid. The wine too was delicious, Gutsriesling trocken, Dr Burklin-Wolf: www.buerklin-wolf.de.
- Vapiano – an Italian restaurant (lots of diy self-service) next to the water tower (Wasserturm). Superb entertainment watching your meal being prepared, and the best antipasti I’ve had in ages: www.vapiano.de
- Soup and Coffee – a less imaginative name you couldn’t think of, but with fantastic soups (five new flavours each week), served with fresh, delicious bread. I had sorrel and potato soup (I think) and dark bread: www.soupandcoffee.net We didn’t have the coffee there; instead we went down the road to:
- O’Dog Café – oddly named but exceptionally welcoming: www.myodogcafe.com. I tried their non-coffee drink but it was blargh, so they made me a cup of tea instead, with their super range of teas from Sonnentor. My tea was called ‘ Lass Die Sonne Sheinen’ which means ‘Let the Sun Shine’: www.en.sonnentor.com.
- Brasserie Bernstein, Seckenheimer Strasse 58, Mannheim – a Parisienne-themed restaurant with a wonderful buffet brunch on a Sunday morning. Excellent coffee and enthusiastic English speaking staff: www.brasserie-bernstein.com.
- Palmbrau Gasse – unassuming from the darkened windows outside, but spanning the width of a block of streets and with entrances either side. Speedy, efficient service from English speaking staff, and delicious food and coffee: www.palmbraeu-gasse.de.
- Gummy bears are the typical German treat, and we bought ours at Baren-Treff www.baeren-treff.de in Heidelberg, but they are everywhere, even at the train station.
- And for a non-food recommendation, visit Andrea Creations in Heidelberg for too many lovely things for a girl to buy, on Hauptstraße 183, 69117 Heidelberg Germany +49 6221 161387, no website sorry.
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