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Travels with Harry - a Photo Journal—Germany
Harry's Further Adventures in Stuttgart and Cologne, January, 2008
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 Like most horses, plastic and otherwise, Harry isn't much of a wine drinker. He is, however, an adventurous sort, and was pleased with the red wine offered at Husarenhof, or Hussars Farm (or yard), a besen near Stuttgart in southern Germany. Facing Harry is his host and culinary guide, Mr. Michael Handrich.
"Besen", is German for "Broom". In Swabia and other southern German states, farmers who grew grapes and made wine would often find themselves with time on their hands between harvest and planting. They would traditionally remove all the furniture from one room in their house, sweep it out, install a table and some chairs for guests, then hang the broom outside the door. People passing by and seeing the broom would know that the occupants of the house were serving meals.
A Besen is usually licensed to operate only for a few weeks at a time, so that it doesn't compete unfairly with established restaurants. Several such establishments will coordinate their operating times so that one will always be open. Schedules are posted in newspapers so that diners can find a besen.
 Although Husarenhof features a variety of traditional, Swabian farm food, Harry couldn't resist a plate of bratwurst and sauerkraut, with a big basket of good, German bread (right). All of Harry's German friends seem to agree that the one thing they miss most when they're away from home is German bread, and we agree that it's a difficult thing to learn to live without. Living without German bread is almost as difficult as living without German beer.
Harry's very fond of transportation museums. He appreciates any mechanical device designed to relieve horses from work, and he is particularly fond of trucks and automobiles.
Thus, he was especially pleased to tour the  Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart. Located right across the street from athletic stadiums named for Gottlieb Daimler, Carl Benz and Ferdinand Porsche, the museum has an extensive collection of Daimler and Mercedes vehicles.
If Harry is fortunate enough to find himself in Stuttgart again, he'll make a point of visiting the Porsche Museum, which wasn't yet open at the time of this trip.
It's perhaps inappropriate to mention here that in this photograph, Harry is standing on the roof of a Seat Leon (a very nice, Spanish automobile), but we'll mention it, anyway.
 At right, inside the museum, is one of Harry's favorite vehicles - a very early Unimog truck. It doesn't go any faster than a horse, but it will climb trees, and it's definitely a labor-saver for horses. Descendants of this truck are in service on every continent, busily doing humanity's dirty work, while self-respecting horses look on appreciatively, sipping their margaritas.
Harry's friend Stark thinks that the Unimog is Mercedes-Benz' most important contribution to the advancement of the human condition. He and Harry would also be happy to provide a home for one at no charge, in case anyone has a Unimog that's making a nuisance of itself, or is just in the way.
 But life isn't all work, and when it's time to play, the truly discriminating horse rides in the 500K Special Roadster. This thing leaves triple-crown winners coughing in the dust, and when you start the engine, it's really fast.
In all seriousness, though, burning lots of hydrocarbon fuels probably isn't the most environmentally-responsible thing for a politically-correct horse to do. Not only does the added atmospheric carbon load contribute to global warming and speed our way toward the next ice age, but air pollutants associated with hydrocarbon fuels can cause deterioration of priceless stone monuments.
 Carbon soot from diesel and heating fuel has produced dark stains on the stones of the Cologne cathedral, and sulfur dioxide from the same fuels is causing deterioration of the cathedral's stonework. Still, Harry finds this magnificent structure truly awe-inspiring.
The cathedral is the biggest attraction in Cologne, and photographs cannot do it justice. You need a serious wide-angle lens just to get it all in one photograph unless you're a quarter mile away. The twin spires are each 157 metres high.
Construction of the cathedral was begun in 1248, and completed in 1880. At the time of it's completion, it was the world's tallest building. It lost that title when the Washington Monument was constructed in 1884.
Although the cathedral suffered severe damage during the second world war, it remained standing, while virtually every structure around it was flattened by aerial bombing. Reconstruction was completed by 1956.
The building is large enough that not one, but a whole herd of horses could easily stroll around comfortably inside. But Harry wouldn't consider that - if Harry knows anything, he knows his place.
Join Harry as he travels to
England,
Alaska, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand,
or
Return to Harry's First German Page, or
Return to
Harry's page
17 January, 2008
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WOODEX Bearing Company, Inc. 216 Bay
Point Road, Georgetown, ME 04548 USA
800 526 8800 toll-free in North America or +1 207 371 2210 Fax: +1 207
371 2169
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