It's not all bier...

Just to show I've been outside (or looked out my hotel window at Spetzial...)

To finish off yesterday, after Andechs some of us went to Buttenheim to join Hector and Steve, only to find a rather bad-tempered waitress. Leaving again quickly, we returned to Bamberg where we managed to have a few more biers at Faessla. Much to a certain group organiser's chagrin, Dr Stan was recognised by an English bier tourist from some CAMRA event years ago. It turned out that he has visited all but 10 of the Franconian breweries, putting our efforts to shame!

One last picture - by special request!

Robin's day

Yet another split - Hector and Steve stayed in Bamberg while the rest of us followed Robin to Neumarkt - a small town close to Nurnberg with 'only' 3 breweries.

Some firsts today - most notably my first visit to a German brauhaus that Hector has not been to first!

We have at least managed to visit the two brewery taps in town, and have found a pub supplied by the third brewery. All the biers have been good, but the quest for the perfect pint goes on.

Next stop - Andechs in Nurnberg!

The Bamberg 8

It finally happened - the airborne division of HHH met the advanced guard at about 2200 hours (after some last minute negotiations over which brauhaus to meet in...

(Those in the know will recognise that the Spezial ones won...)

No sooner have we all met than we are splitting again! This seems to be the only non-Hector day, so some are staying in Bamberg and others are travelling to Nurnberg and beyond - continuing the never ending quest for the perfect pint!

Episode IV - A New Hope

A long time ago (1533) in a galaxy (ok - country) far far away...


You've guessed it - we've turned to the dark side! Or at least Schwärzla (at Klosterbräu) now that we have arrived in Bamberg. We are still waiting for the main force - last known to be in Munich drinking cold, yellow fizzy bier.  Unfortunately, there's no wifi at the hotel, so updates might be sporadic for the next few days!

And then there were 2

Spent the afternoon wandering around hot, sunny Köln, visiting various brauhauses – Reissdorf, Sion, Gaffle and Fruh to name but a few…

At least the advanced guard has now doubled with the eventual arrival of Dr Stan – I understand that Hector has now confirmed that the latest Horrible Holiday has started. In some ways, Tonto’s Teutonic Takeover seems more appropriate, although that might only start once the main invasion force (you know who you are!) arrive in Bamberg hoping to get accommodation… Hector promises it will be alright!

Anyway, I’ve nothing else to add today – I bet you can’t wait for the next thrilling instalment of “Breweries I have visited”, coming soon from Bamberg (wifi dependent, as always!)

Barrels of fun!

One of the more important tasks on the way over was to return a couple of empty beer barrels and collect the deposits. The one I was particularly concerned about was the Schumacher barrel – particularly the €55 deposit. So, having driven to Dusseldorf, and having managed to park immediately outside, I delivered the empty barrel, only to be told that the ‘hire’ was only for two weeks, and that there was a €3 per week fine thereafter. I bought the barrel in January…

Fortunately, the manager was a reasonable man, and accepted my argument that I would never have bought the damned thing if I knew it had to be back in 2 weeks. So, money safely returned!

I’m now in Köln, and about to head out for a bier or two. More later…

And they're off...

So here I am at the start of another of Hector's Holidays. Yet another complex piece of organisation, with quite a number of personalities to be organised!

I'm first away - the seaborne invasion force as it were. Stan, as always, is using purely surface travel (i.e. Eurostar). I,ll meet him in Koln tomorrow, before meeting at least some of the others in Bamberg on Wednesday (I hope...).
















Anyway, I'm sitting on the sundeck of the Pride of Hull, enjoying the last of the evening's sun (but not the pathetic choice of bier), and considering whether to attack the buffet now or later...

I'm trying to blog from my mobile, and I can't work out how to add pictures. Maybe when I can use a real computer, I'll manage!

I'm not sure how often I'll be updating this - it depends on wifi availability!