Greetings from Erfurt

I am writing this from the Fischmarkt in front of the Rathaus in Erfurt, the capital of the German Land (state) of Thüringen (Thuringia).

Despite some significant wartime damage and years of stagnation in the DDR, Erfurt today is a highly characterful and charming place. The vibe on the street seems more lively than in Dresden, and the people here seem more brash and sociable than their more reserved Saxon neighbors.

The historic streetplan in Erfurt appears to be intact (something that has been lost in the many German cities that sustained wholesale destruction in WWII), and the city remains a network of winding cobbled streets with tiny side lanes with a wonderful mix of architectural styles. Much of the Altstadt is closed to traffic except for trams, which further preserves the historical feel.

[The excellence of the streetcars all over Germany makes one rue their demise in New York even more. In both Erfurt and Dresden, sleek Siemens trams glide quickly and quietly throughout the center and whisk riders right to the inner suburbs in comfort and style, without spewing exhaust, screeching brakes and inscrutable schedules. Most stops in the center have illuminated signs that tick down the minutes until the next tram arrives and also indicate the line and any extra messages. It makes urban travel here a complete pleasure.]

In front of the Domplatz (Cathedral Square) they are having an "Erfurter Oktoberfest", which is actually an elaborate carnival. The rides, game booths and food stalls are all immaculate, brightly painted and lit up with tons of flashing lights, which makes for an arresting contrast with the massive Dom and the triple-towered Severikirche looming silently above, their ancient illuminated silhouettes glowing gold and sentry-like against a deep indigo sky.

I am staying in a TINY  inn on a curving wisp of a street. It's called Haus zur Pfauen and has a micro-brewery that for once lives up to the name, since it could pretty much fit in my living room. They claim to brew their beers according to a recipe from 1587. They probably only produce enough to slake the thirst of the adjoining restaurant, and even that might be a stretch given the amount of beer consumed around here.

I had dinner at a restaurant called Feuerkugel, which serves local specialties. I passed on the Thüringer Pferdegoulasch mit Apfelrotkraut und hausgemachte Thüringer Klöße (Thuringian Horse Goulash with Apple-Red Cabbage and homemade Thuringian dumplings). Instead I had a dark Köstritzer beer vom Faß (on tap), a  small salad and a plate of delicious Erfurter Schwarzbierfleisch. This was a beef stew in a glossy dark beer sauce accompanied by dumplings and green beans. The dumplings were two glistening handball-sized spheres, soft and moist, with browned bread cubes tucked into the center, a crown of toasted breadcrumbs and a sprinkling of chopped parsley. The texture was almost rice-like but neither glutinous nor gluey; I think they are made from potatoes, but they also seemed to contain farina. Very tender and not at all breadlike as their Czech cousins usually are. The beans were cloaked in a light white-sauce glaze with tiny pieces of speck (German bacon) and chopped chervil. The atmosphere was relaxed and convivial, and the waiters friendly and attentive. While this is not food for every day, it's hard to beat on a blustery fall evening, and it's too bad that good German cooking is so hard to find in the U.S.

Tomorrow I am off to the Schwarza Valley and then Saalfeld, and on Sunday to Eisenach.