Jonathan went by car, Dr Stan went by train, and Hector went via Stansted to Hahn by ‘plane. (see the Curry Heute entry). Richard Allmacher, proprietor of Zur Goldenen Traube (am Markt, Traben-Trarbach) picked Hector up at the airport. It was a short drive down to the Mosel and breakfast with Jonathan awaited. One night, two breakfasts, novel. Jonathan had arrived the previous evening and had just as an exciting Friday night as I did. Dr Stan would arrive later.The room key was provided at 11.00 and after a quick zzz it was time to re-rendezvous with Jonathan at the Schlossbergschänke. Rituals exist because they work.
There was a new chap behind the bar that used to be ‘Rolf’s’. Hector was greeted with ‘Sind zie Drausen?’ What? Not a good start to the day. Ensconced with two locals and Mein Host, the language skills started to return. Hector is not from the Netherlands, why do the Germans always think this?
Reissdorf Kölsch is Hector’s favourite Kölsch. What was served was the dreaded Pils. I know this, Jonathan knows this, and Mein Host who poured it insists it was. Last week’s Mühlen Kölsch was not as expected. Has something happened?Across the Mosel from Trarbach lies Traben. The crossing of the bridge remains one of the most satisfying walks one can experience. Idyllic does not do this justice.
The Türmschen (aka ‘The Station Bar’) has Franziskaner vom Fass. What better a location is there to wait for Dr Stan who unfortunately missed his connections at Locken and Koblenz. What a silly Billy.
With an unheard of minimal alcohol intake it was time to let Dr Stan check in at his palatial accommodation, the Mosel Schlößchen. 
The Trödelmarkt in Trarbach was quickly traversed in search of ‘The Tractor’. A subtle reconfiguration of the road layout had us fooled monetarily. The logical place to wait turned out to be the correct one. Minutes later it was off to Wolf!
We always start at the end where The Tractor stops and work our way towards the hub. By the time we reach the hub the town is buzzing. The Trocken Wein was purchased and so started an afternoon of wine consumption. The lunch stall sells scampi in garlic as a starter with a goulash made from Bambi’s Mum to follow. This is an excellent pit stop.
The highlight of the day is always the arrival at The Sekt stand. Other places may sell it too, but this is our stand.
By the time we moved on from here, the sun was going and the temperature was dropping. 0˚C was the forecast. Fortunately we found an inner room with heat. This was cozy.
Our final wine consumption was at the Hub where the steaks spin and the crowd assemble.
This year it was remarkably quiet. Those of who had lasted this long were well wrapped up. Had the forecasted temperature put people off?
The Tractor took us back to Trarbach and we of course descended upon ‘Frank’s’. He was surprised to see us. Staying at the Golden Traube once a year is permissible. It is something to do with a taxi for one from Hahn Airport not being affordable. The flights are always less than the cost of a return taxi trip.
Jonathan now drives on to Nurnberg. Dr Stan stays an extra night at Traben-Trarbach before joining him. There is a little Fest on in the south of Bayern. Hector has to go back home; however, the Canstatter Wasen awaits us next weekend in Stuttgart.
The most obvious explanation is the first one that people look for. A foreigner who speaks German? And clearly not Turkish? Then the most likely case is that he is Dutch. I would expect a British accent to be easily distinguished from a Dutch one, but apparently not.
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