I bummed around in, out, through, and across the city streets. There is a real joy in that, arriving in a foreign train station and just walking around with no point or purpose. There was a market going on, with family produced cheese, fish, meet, and exotic fruits and vegetables. I handscooped a medley of Dutch black licorice to send to my family...I was kind of disappointed when the lady sealed the bag when I gave it to her to weigh...I wanted to try some dad gummit!
The post office experience was quite funny....as a tribute to the Germans not accepting credit cards, I was told that I had to pay with cash for my two packages and letters. The line (end of the month) was out the door, so I asked him if I could leave my rucksack behind (as a deposit) as I ran outside to find the nearest bank. I couldn't believe it...He said yes!
After picking up my start kit/number for the run, I took the metro system to the parents of the gal who hosted me that weekend, Birgit, for Abendbrot which consisted of light meats, cheeses, marmalades, and honey on fresh baked rolls.
On Saturday morning at Birgit's house (1 husband, 1 son, 2 daughters, 1 dog, n Arabian horses, and n sheep), we had morning breakfast which consisted of the same food as the night before. No complaints! Open face sandwiches always taste good! We first visited their local villages of Fischerhude and Quelkhorn...beautiful gardens, ducks on the river, and old German house/farm architecture.We then drove back to the central city for a harbor festival. I visted there the German maritime school ship, the only remaining classic of its kind. which was used to train midshipmen long ago. Unfortunately (at least on my end), there was a wedding down below and we couldn't tour the interior.
After that, we were driving towards the old party of the city when we passed the Beck's beer brewery. She veered off, parked, and I ended up joining a factory tour that was already 30 minutes underway. It was interesting to see how beer was/is made, and even more interesting after 2 hours of all talk to finally have not only taste tests, but fresh beer not on the house, if you say, but right from the house!
We then continued to the historic old city (from a map, one can see the undeveloped parts of the city where the medieval moat was). Wow..Birgit was able to show me awesome nooks, coves, and crannies in the abdomen of this awesome city that I never found with my ignorant trip on my own the day before.
The race through Bremen was once again amazing. Along the harbor, through the old streets, in the park. We even got to run through the Werder Bremen Fussball stadium. Wahoo! My German teacher would have been proud.
Within one minute or finishing the 21 kilometer run was I greated with a huge glass of Non-Alcoholic beer. When I told Birgit that it actually tasted pretty good, she jibbed"You'are in Bremen...you will say that Beck's is the best!" Shamed and corrected, I told her Erdinger probably tasted good because I was thirsty!
The parents of Birgit invited me over for a shower and a meal after the run, and then I returned back to Bremen's nemesis: Hamburg. Another good weekend!
******
For the races we sometimes get a t-shirt, a medal, a certificate, or a combination thereof. Of anything, though, I value the startnumber paper that I safety-pin to my shirt. I remember how my brother Jordan back home still has his cross-country numbers. Twice there have been raffles were the runners after the race throw in their startnumber signs in order to win! No way! I am most proud of my startnumber!
Sorry to bore you with "fun facts."
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