Ashes to Ashes

Being Scottish and therefore sensible, one never books a breakfast at The Ibis. By the time Hector feels like eating on holiday it is early afternoon. Marg and Hector waited in the lobby for Lord Clive and Maggie to emerge from their slumber. We were due to fly with Air Berlin from Köln down to München at 13.30.
There was a tv on the wall with the sound down showing the local news channel. ‘I see that volcano in Iceland is still erupting.’ ‘Glasgow airport and some others in Scotland are closed, I cannot remember a strike being called.’ Hector made no association at all until the BlackBerry burst into life: Howard: ‘UK airspace is closed, because of volcanic ash!’
Hector was imagining a scene of mass asphyxiation back in the homeland. Alas it was not that bad. ‘It will blow over...’
The four of us took the U Bahn and then S Bahn out to Köln Flughafen and boarded our plane with little delay. We checked into the Royal Hotel after 15.00. Dr Stan and Jonathan would come down by ICE and arrive not long afterwards. Steve was in the Augustiner Grossgastatte (Neuhauser Straße 27) enjoying some Edelstoff...for a change. He had been there since after one and so was in a well relaxed mood. He had ordered soup and so Hector ordered soup. We had more Bier, Marg went for a walk.
Jonathan had felt the need to reconfirm his three tables for Saturday night were really booked and so went straight to the Augustiner Braustubern (Landsberger Straße 19) on his arrival, Dr Stan went there too.
By this time we had received texts from back home stating that everyone in the UK had been told not to go to the airport. All flights were cancelled. This was going to be frustrating for Jonathan who was expecting 33 people in all. Never mind, some are coming tomorrow: ‘It will blow over...’
Five of us jumped on the S Bahn, a ticket for 5 – how efficient is this?- the two stops up to our new spiritual home. We dined. We had Edelstoff by the bucket, except for Dr Stan who insists on having the Helles. Jonathan was convinced that someone back home would organise a mini bus to bring the unfortunates over.

The Paulaner Hausbrauerei was the next port of call. Hector was not amused. The bier tastes as if is home made, too much yeast still evident. It may have been a Bock but the accompanying duck (Veniger Ente) was the only worthwhile thing here. Did we go to Andechs?
There was a brief visit to the Cafe Schiller (Schiller Str.), but one really wonders why.