Jakob Backerei

We are really lucky to have the Jakob Backerei right next door to our house on Beinengutstrasse. In the mornings, the smell of bread wafts through our open window. The smell of car exhaust comes along too as people throughout the neighborhood come to the Jakob Backerei  for their daily fix.The ladies at the backerei see me often, and they have learned that I am not a "native speaker" :). What I love about them is how friendly they are, an how we have begun to enjoy a little connection.

This morning, I prepped coffee in the french press, and then slipped off next door while the beans did their magic. Hair wet, wallet in hand, sandals on (finally warm enough), walking past bikes, a motorcycle, and people with the familiar bread bags in hand, I arrived in a few short steps to the Jakob. Speaking of familiar bread bags, I love how they "tuck" the bag around the bread or sweet or sandwich. No one else does that quite like the Germans. Nice touch.

A younger baker woman was there this morning. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail, and the loose strands fell around her face (she's in the back on the photo). My guess is that she'd been there since early morning. On her exposed arms, she boasted a slew of tattoos. My baker has tattoos! Now we're talking! I started to place my order, and couldn't find my German words, so opted for a smile and "ich spreche nur ein bisschen Deutsch" in an apologetic tone. She smiled big and said, "I speak some English!"

As soon as we began our transaction, other baker ladies gathered round. Other customers would have to wait. The one with the short red hair whom I see all the time joined her colleague trying her own English and smiling as we all participated in the buying/selling bread project. I said in German that I think she might remember me? And she said in German, "yes, the one who likes ham sandwiches!" Big laugh for all of us.

Another baker lady joined in the fun (in the photo, she's the one in the glasses). While she unloaded a haul of baked goods onto the shelves, she told us in German about traveling to Canada where she learned how to speak some English. She said that she spoke a lot there, but then returned to Germany and couldn't remember a stitch of what she learned. All of the backerei-frauen giggled. I did too! I said in German to the ladies that I will come to the Jakob Backerei to practice my German, and they can practice their English with me. "Ja!" "Ja!" "Ja! Das ist gut!" they said all around.

The tattooed baker finished my transaction - bread (with "sunflower seeds!" the red-headed baker lady piped up proudly in English, looking up from the counter to smile at me, to which I replied smilingly, "genau! sehr gut!"), some sweet something for my breakfast, and a small sandwich thing with spinach in the middle, which I'll eat on my way into town.

Bread, totaled: 4,53 euro
Hanging out with the bakery ladies: priceless