Gilbert - A Trip to Germany: Korn und Hanse Markt and more

 

We saw lots of interesting things at the market and bought a few fun things.

I also spotted a building that had a helmet hanging on a pole!

Another intriguing building.

I really liked this cart.

These guys were wood whittling 

A hat maker!

Her hats were beautiful, but too pricey for us to get one as a present for a friend.

There was a really cool band playing at one of the squares. I think they're called Obscuratis. We listened to their music for quite some time.

After a snack we left and brought our shopping to Diana's house. Next we went to Meppen, where there should also be a market, although not a medievalish one.

The market tunred out to be very small and uninteresting, so we looked around the center of Meppen a bit.

This used to be the town hall, but now it's a restaurant.

Not sure what this building is, but I think it looked very cool!

We decided to get something to eat. I got a pastry thing filled with cherries and ice cream. It was very tasty!

Next we saw these performers.

One guy wore an insect costume and walked around while two others played jazzy music. It was very surreal and cool!

We went back to Diana's house afterwards to relax after a fun day.

Here is most of the day's loot.

In the evening Diana and my owner tried the friendship elixer. It was a lot stronger than the wine I tried, more like port wine than regular wine.

It was another cool day!

Next: another market.

Gilbert - A Trip to Germany: Korn und Hanse Markt (part 1)

 

On Saturday (September 11) we went back to Haselünne for the actual Grain and Hanse Market.

There were lots of cool things to see, like this Ferris wheel.

There was yummy bread and lots more tasty treats.

There were also games to play and my owner tried two. She won me colorful rock and a small bottle of hazelnut liquor.

There was a traveling museum as well. It showed old fashioned crafts.

Wow! 1000 liter? That is a lot of booze!

It was used to make brandy I think.

An army camp!

They even brought their cannon.

This guy had lots of wine and other booze. He gave them cool names like sleep elixer, friendship elixer, and more. I got to try the walnut honey wine/sleep elixer, and it was super tasty! We bought a bottle to take home.

I'm not sure what this was. There was a machine doing... stuff, and a wooden sea dragon chilling on the fence next to it. 

I spotted an old building.

Looks like it might have been a church, but now it housed an underground parking garage.

There were waterspout gargoyles next to the building.

This one was eating an apple.

Next: more of the market and Meppen.

Gilbert - A Trip to Germany: A Cool Parade (part 2)

 

There were so many cool costumes at the parade I took a lot of pictures. The ones I'm posting here are the highlights.

I suspect this guy was on stilts.

This guy was waving banners in intricate patterns. Difficult to get a good picture of that though.

I think this guy was dressed as a traveling salesman.

This king posed so I could get a cool picture of him.

Next to marching bands there was other music as well. These ladies played a sort of bagpipes. 

The parade lasted for over an hour! It was really fun to see all those costumes.

Next we went in search of food.

I spotted a church during our search.

We ended up getting a Calzone!

After dinner we walked to the car and drove back to Diana's house. It was a really cool day!

Next: the actual Korn und Hanse Markt.

Gilbert - A Trip to Germany: A Cool Parade (part1)

 

Last Thursday evening my owner and I went on a trip!

My owner's friend Diana picked us up and drove us to her house for a weekend of relaxing and fun.

On Friday Morning we went shopping. 

We visited a Pharmacy, the Supermarket, and ended our outing at the Cookie Outlet. I was tempted, but didn't buy any cookies (I did buy yummy snacks and something to drink at the Supermarket though).

We did get a hot chocolate at the Cookie Outlet! It was the kind made with powder and hot water, but still tasty.

These cool dinosaur candies I got at the Pharmacy.

For most of the day we relaxed and read, but in the evening we went to Haselünne. There would be a Grain and Hanse Market all weekend (Hanse is a medieval guild of merchants) and that evening there would be a parade to signal the start of the festivities.

While waiting for the parade to start I spotted a weird thingy on a roof!

It turned out to be a special roof tile to accommodate satellite/antenna access. Not as exciting as I first hoped.

Then we heard a tractor: the parade had started!

First there were a couple of really old tractors with carts behind them.

I wonder if these have booze in them.

Then there were lots of people dressed in Medievalish costumes. There was also lots of beer and other drinks.

There were marching bands as well.

I loved all the different costumes. Some people wore very simple costumes, while others went all out.

I think this guy looked very impressive!

I wouldn't want to get in a fight with him for sure.

Next: more cool costumes!