Whether you are an expat living in Germany or planning to spend some time as a tourist traveling by rental car, you might want to consider filling up your tank on certain days of the week.

Based on the latest issue of the German ADAC, gas prices vary according to certain weekdays. Here are the results from the ADAC’s analysis for 2009.

The best days for buying reasonably priced gas are Sundays and Mondays.

Average gas prices are charged on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

The highest price is charged for gas on Wednesdays and Fridays.

The same result applies also to the purchase of Diesel.

More via ADAC tanken (in German)

These suggested days may vary slightly as the location and political situation should be considered as well.  Occasionally, I have noticed higher-than-average gas prices on Mondays.

The alternative to a vacation is to stay home and tip every third person you see.

- Author Unknown -

Work Your Way Around the World from Amazon.de

My husband and I try to go out every Friday night. Yesterday evening we managed to get away for an hour and a half which we spent at the only Irish Pub in Oberursel. I believe MacGowan’s Irish Pub opened in March 2009, or was it 2008?

The staff is very good and I should have complimented them for this yesterday evening, but I was too Guinness-happy when we left.  I had asked our waitress for a dinner recommendation and got an authentic one – the cooks are from Bangladesh, so why not try one of the Indian dishes? I did, and the Chicken Biryanni was excellent. My husband had a Lammhaxe (lamb chop in whiskey sauce) with homemade fries and he was pleased, too. This could very well become our regular early Friday night hang-out, especially if we can get a table near the fire place (try getting there before 8 p.m.)

Irish Pub and Restaurant in Oberursel

Once in a while, they have quiz night. Some people like it, some don’t, so check beforehand. Last time we were there, we had a gathering of Wer kennt Wen and it was difficult to get acquainted during quiz time. Nevertheless, I had fun and made second place!

A Guinness brew by the fire place

I like to take my out-of-country visitors to authentic German pubs, but this Irish Pub is getting added to my list of Places-to-show around Oberursel as well.

As modern Japan has changed its face so much, I do miss the traditional family-run shops which were still abundant in Wakamatsu-ku, Kitakyushu-shi in the early 90s.

Nevertheless, the real antique shop signs could only be had from antique shops. On Sundays, when I wasn’t working, we would browse the antique shops around Kokura-ku and pick up an interesting antique (骨董品) here and there.

Advertising children's medicine

This store sign measures about 50 cm (20″) in width, and is carved from wood. Today it is hanging in our living room.

Advertising tea (茶)

This one measures about 60 cm (24″) in height, made from wood, and decorates another living room wall.

What a difference to these modern store fronts in Shibuya – Omotesando!

Whether you pick up the instant noodle soup in an Asian market in Germany or enjoy the authentic one at a train station in Japan, I’d suppose its price would range from 1 to 10 euro.

But Shoichi Fujimaki, a Japanese restaurateur and chef, has taken the art of ramen to new heights. Literally, as his creation of noodle heaven will cost a hefty 110 euro. The instant ramen soup takes three minutes in boiling water, Fujimaki’s version takes three days to prepare.

Considering the life span of food items, these ingredients must be getting antique (hence the price) by the time one gets to eat this concoction of 120 different ingredients.

Too expensive for me, but yet…. いただきます

Makes me wonder what I could do with a simple Bratwurst. Barbecue it for three days, spike it with more viands, add a balloon, and give it a name, such as Hanswurst (tomfool). We should consider turning street food into gourmet food ourselves.

No man needs a vacation so much as the person who has just had one.

- Elbert Hubbard -

Little Journeys to the Homes of Great Reformers from Amazon.de

I have been through minor and major earth quakes as well as typhoons in Japan, experienced hurricanes on the East Coast of the United States, so this Orkan warning (hurricane) for Germany did not really worry me, but only surprised me.

While I was talking to a childhood friend in Texas, she asked me if this was a new weather phenomenon for Germany. I’d guess so, as I cannot recall Orkan warnings while we were growing up.

So far in Germany, the damage level has been under control. 200 flights were canceled out of Frankfurt Airport, one of the most notorious Autobahns (A7) is closed to traffic, and some trains do not run.

France suffered a greater loss with 40 people getting killed and 800.000 homes left without electricity.

Around here, most people just cleared off their balconies and secured their odds and ends. The only thing is saw flying in the air was a humongous pumpkin, which turned out to be an ordinary orange blanket. But it had to get caught up in the trees first with its corners  spread out over the branches, 20 feet from the ground, before it took on its familiar form again.

The wind is still raging out there and the streets are deserted. The window frames quiver a bit with each gust of wind, but it is tolerable at home.

Hurricane warnings had been rare in Germany, so I wonder if we will see more of it.

El Niño (Translated: the prized child) and La Niña must be working overtime on El Niño Modoki, the newest weather pattern creation. Video on El Niño on National Geographic

Some photos of today’s minor hurricane in Germany on magazine.web.de

Impressions of Franconia can vary greatly as these photos can attest to. They were taken within fifteen minutes from each other on two different Autobahnen, A3 and A7.

Luke and Duke, the Nukes in Grafenrheinfeld

Luke and Duke, the Nuclear Power Plant towers, have been around since the 1970s. Their ugly pillars loom over the industrial town of Schweinfurt and really darken its rainy skies occasionally.

Schlossresidenz Würzbug

Vineyards in the sun

While resting at a Autobahn Raststätte on the A7, I got to see a very different view of Franconian culture and  its agricultural highlight – vines on every hill.

The area between Schweinfurt und Würzburg, especially around Zeilitzheim, is full of lovely wine fests in the summer.

We need only travel enough to give our intellects an airing.

- Henry David Thoreau -

Walden; Or, Life in the Woods (Dover Thrift Editions) from Amazon.com

Another weekend in my hometown left us battling with even more snow coming down Sunday morning. 

We are also still hunting local guest houses for a taste of Doppelbock, which is only brewed and sold during the time of Lent. The locals are supposed to be fasting, but not in regards to liquid bread.

Please note the cyclists daring the roads. They were not the only ones riding bikes in the snow either.

Clearing the windshield

For a couple of minutes, we contemplated changing plans…

Road from Hambach to Dittelbrunn

Good ol' Hambach a.k.a. Hammich

Once I find a guest house offering Doppelbock beer, I will post again.