[I originally posted this in April 2018, but have reposted it with the broken image links fixed]
Since I walked from the airport at the beginning of this week, I thought it would only make sense to walk back again. Bremen certainly seems to be a city of ease with itself and I like their history of being an independent city state. I’m sure that shows the value of subsidiarity, but that’s an argument for somewhere else.
[This post was originally from April 2018, but I’ve reposted it to fix the broken image link. And, I know there has since been a lot of McRib content on this blog, but there we go, it’s the best thing they sell!]
I had to pop in once for the best thing on the McDonald’s menu – and something rarely on the UK menu. The McRib meal. It’s about the taste, not the presentation 🙂
[Reposting this old post from April 2018 to fix the broken image links]
After lunch I thought, since it’s my last day in Bremen, to get a little ice cream.
Marginally larger than I had expected….
But beautifully presented. Friendly service, nice and cold outside, very lovely.
[I posted this in April 2018, but have reposted it to fix the broken image links]
I remember going to Blaze Pizza in Pasadena in January and they had a set-up where you order pizza in a Subway style. They’re not the only ones doing it, but they did it well with excellent customer service and a high quality product.
Well, here is the German version, but with burgers. And it’s quite excellent, with the staff being really welcoming and engaging.
Whilst waiting, you can try the various sauces for free. The bacon mayo was of Greggs standard, world class.
I arrived just before 12 so it was understandably quiet, but I think it’s a generally busy restaurant judging from the reviews.
The counters where you can choose which items you want in the burger.
The finished product. I asked for the burger to be medium and perhaps it verged towards well done, but it was still tender with lots of flavour. The bacon mayo was evident in the burger and the roll had lots of texture to add to the whole meal. Crispy fries and a generous portion of mayo to go along with them. And, when paying, they give out free packs of Skittles.
Spotlessly clean restaurant, friendly staff and excellent food, I hope they go on to open more than the two restaurants in Germany that they currently have.
[This is a repost of an post that I made in April 2018 with the broken image links restored]
Bremen does suffer a little from graffiti, but it’d have been nice if they could have cleaned up this sign….. It was given the name Nelson Mandela Park in 2014, with the area not having a name before then. It’s the area of former common land which connects the railway station to Burgerpark.
This elephant was constructed in 1932 and was originally called the colonial monument, but was renamed the anti-colonial monument in 1989. I’m not sure if these name changes achieve much, but the important thing is that the structure is still there and there’s signage explaining a little about the background of its history.
Another graffiti ridden sign.
These red sandstones are here to commemorate the genocide of the Herero and Nama. This seems a more positive solution to dealing with the problems of colonialism, which is by placing something which invites further investigation. It comes from the rebellions suppressed by the Germans in what was then German South West Africa, but is now part of South Africa.
[I originally posted this in April 2018, but am reposting to fix the broken image links]
Bürgerpark is a large park which is just to the north of the old town, near to the railway station. It’s all very well tended and even has a mini-zoo.
[I originally posted this in April 2018, but have reposted to fix the broken image links]
Just by Bremen cathedral is this nice little restaurant and bar. I’m being brave and sitting outside, although I can see a giant bee in the distance.
This is lovely – Nathan has never mentioned this. He should have, it may be mainstream, but it’s delicious. Franziskaner Weissbier from the barrel.
They make a lot of McCain’s here. I might bring my suitably branded bag back here tomorrow…..
[Originally posted in April 2018, but I’ve reposted to fix the broken image links]
In Bürgerpark there is a rather pleasant little zoo. There are only a few enclosures and no exotic animals, but it’s well tended. It’s also free of charge and the animals looked content.
The plan of the zoo, which actually only takes about fifteen minutes to explore.
Very lovely.
Pigs.
[I originally posted this in April 2018 and obviously didn’t feel the love….. I’m reposting now with the fixed image links, but what has been a plus to my travels is how rarely this sort of thing happens. And when it does, it’s usually for a localised and temporary reason.]
This one was easy. Staff looked miserable and clearly didn’t want to be there. So on that basis, nor did I, I just left.
However, glad I went as the cellar is full of character. It’s several hundred years old and I noticed the wine selection was excellent. Not that I got chance to try it….
[I originally posted this in April 2018, but I’m reposting it now with the fixed image links]
I’m assuming that some of these collections are from the earlier part of the twentieth century, given that many of them appear to have been placed back in the storerooms. The whole museum felt modern and rather contemporary in its style, with these animals actually fitting in well.
