Naschtmarkt

I had this class assignment to go and complete a scavenger hunt of sorts with the vendors at the Naschtmarkt. Needless to say I was not thrilled to walk around with a piece of paper in a crowded area-asking stupid questions and pronouncing things wrong. But I wanted to finish the assignment!

I went with a group of three student of my class-our assignment was to order Kase (cheese).

Well, we two very memorable interactions with two very endearing vendors, and I just thought I would share...

Our teacher went on and on about how the Naschtmarkt almost died out; it was originally the "Ashmarkt" where people threw their cinders, than it was the "Ashmarkt" on account of the milk crates made of ashwood that were thrown there, or burned. One day it became the Naschtmarkt that we have today-with vendors and farmers etc.

The Naschmarkt went slowly in decline after the Austrians stopped participating as vendors, it is actually the immigrants that keep the place running by and large, except for a few strong Austrians. The most bold and mighty of them all being the Gherkin/Sauerkrautmann. He sells pickels and sauerkraut. Our teacher warned up about him, how he's very stern and opinionated and don't get on the wrong side of him etc...so what does she do? She inserts a question on the homework-"What is the name of the Sauerkrautmann?"

Well my fellow classmates stood in front of the station all sheepish, while I tried to hide behind another stand and observe what was about to happen, when I started getting hasseled by another vendor a-la-olive-man. So I was like, screw this! I'll talk to the pickel man! So I took out my assignment and in my best german, explained that I had an assignment, and I needed to ask him his name. He pointed at a nearby sign with agitation "Leo." Ha, that was simple. But then something surprising happened!
"You are trying to learn German, then?"
-Yes
-Well, let us conjugate something then.
-*I conjugate something*
-Sehr Gut!
-How do you make the Sauerkraut?
-In german or Enlgish!?
-In...English.?
-Well, I thought you were trying to learn German!
-Umm, this is my third week!
-Okay well *He explains how to make sauerkraut*

Then he dovetailed into this whole discussion about how weak the Italians are-how the men are small and brittle because they are "Spaghetti eaters" and don't get big and strong from the vitamins in things like sauerkraut! They are little puny boys! Like Girls! They run from puppies on the street!
Then there was this lecture he gave us about how the Austrians and Germans don't eat enough sauerkraut and it is a direct correlation to the demise of their culture....

This conversation was absolutely hilarious. One of the girls I was with ended up buying a jar of sauerkraut, and the man gave me a sample (my first sauerkraut!).

Anyways, I need a nap before I begin studying for my Intensive German FINAL!

Tchuss!