Mainz Markets

Today we wandered into Mainz to soak up some local colour and just chill being a tourist. The farmers markets in Mainz have occurred for centuries and it was a real delight to see unpretentious stalls set up offering fresh fruit and veges with very little snobby pompous deli food stuff touted about. ( the bane of most open air markets in Australia now)

The flowers were so fresh, you could see they had just been cut that morning. I'm a huge fan of cut flowers in the house, and it is something I miss being a traveller and one with no real roots anywhere.

With the very limited German I have ( and I am talking pathetically low) we were able to buy fresh berries ( yummmmm, a new obsession for me; particularly as it has some very strong delightful memories attached to it!)  The kids practiced their counting in German and ordering some fruit. Its just as well the stall holders are kind and have a good sense of humour.. its pretty embarrassing how bad we are.. but I guess we are trying. The truly annoying thing for me is that I can understand much more than I can say, and because I have traveled around a fair bit, I have a scant smattering of a whole range of languages and will often answer in something completely inappropriate. ( its usually Japanese, as this is the language I have the most knowledge on.) It annoys me that I feel I should be able to understand everything and am confused as to why that last little key isn't turned in my head and I can't....perhaps the answer is more travel and staying in one place long enough to do a intensive language course. hhmmmm..

One of the more amusing things we saw at the markets today was the egg farmer; who had a giant cockerel sitting beside him.  We greeted him and took photos of the rooster. He explained that it was a boy not a hen - which I understood and told the kids in English - and then he tried to tell me in English and I answered him in Spanish.. far out.

Kloster Eberbach Monestry

Eberbach Monastery was established in the 11th century by the Cistercian monks, though it got taken over within a hundred years by the Benedictine monks. It was the first monastery to be built in the area and it housed at one point 300 monks. 

Its been famous for its fine wines and liqueurs since its establishment.  We were lucky enough to be allowed in to the initial cellars - though i am sure most of the good stuff is hidden far away from the tourists. 

The main reason I came to day was to walk through the place that Sean Connery filmed Name of the Rose.. I so loved that movie!!

Once again - we were blessed with beautiful weather, making photographs of the gardens and area gorgeous. 

The first of many wine cellars.

This is the dormitory where 300 monks slept at one time.

The romanesque chapel

Some of the older wine presses - several hundred years old.

Bee keeping

Our lovely hosts, Stan and Dani have been beekeeping for a number of years - both here in Wales and in the Lakes District.

It was such a great opportunity for the kids to learn a little about bees and how to keep them, as they went about their normal tasks getting ready for Spring time.

Dani was busy making frames for a new hive - so she took the time to explain to the kids how they were made, why, a little history ( which they had to then back up with some research for their own blogs) as well as some demos on the different stages of the bees life and honey making process. 

Below is a frame which used to hold brood - the bees. The discolouration is frmo the coocoon type cell they live in before they emerge.

and here is one I prepared earlier.. a cleaned out comb - no honey

Dani has a honey store  at markets and uses this honeycombe  on her table.  Its full of honey and is dripping with it..

This is Dani in her sunny little pozzi in the sun making frames.  Machinery makes the moulds by pressing them out in all sizes. One of these frames, when filled with honey weighs 2 and half pounds ( about a KG)

I also learnt that the brooding gestation period for bees was different depending on what status they were -  21 days for a worker 23 for a drone and 16 for a queen... and the HIVE decides on who is going to be Queen... not her.. they dispose of her once she has stopped being fertile... 

There were a number o things I hadn't known as well... so prepared to be 'taught' as we were... A certain Mr Langstroth invented to movable frames in 1786 in order for bee keepers to look at the honey and bees safely.  Before this, hey ha straw dome like hives ( see below picture) where the bees used to build wild combs from the top down. The bee keepers would have to kill he bees to see the honey or check on them.

Anyway - lots of info collected and a wonderful afternoon for the kids with hands on experiences.