Frankfurt's Fog and Flea Markets: A Botanist's Bewilderment
okay, so frankfurt. i didn’t plan to be here, not really. a last-minute gig fell through in berlin, and my friend elara (she’s a ceramicist, super cool, check out her stuff [https://www.instagram.com/elara.ceramics/]) said i could crash on her sofa. she lives just outside the city, near some seriously overgrown allotments - my kind of place, honestly.
and the weather? i just checked and it’s…a damp, clinging sort of grey. like the city’s wrapped in a wet wool blanket. feels like 9.67 degrees, which is…fine, i guess. i’ve dealt with worse. the humidity is insane though, 96%. my hair is currently rebelling.
my main mission, besides not being a burden to elara, was to find some interesting plants. i’m a botanist, obviously. not the glamorous kind, more the ‘wandering around looking at weeds and getting muddy’ kind. and frankfurt…well, it’s not exactly the amazon rainforest. but it does have pockets.
I spent most of yesterday wandering around the flea markets. oh my god, the flea markets. there’s this one, Kleinmarkthalle, it’s insane. [https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g18864-d188763-Reviews-Kleinmarkthalle-Frankfurt_Hessen.html] Seriously, the smells alone! Sausage, spices, flowers…it’s a sensory overload. I was hoping to find some antique seed packets or something, but mostly it was just…stuff. Lots and lots of stuff.
“Someone told me that if you want real vintage finds, you need to hit up the markets in Offenbach on a Saturday. Apparently, the collectors are ruthless.”
I did find a really cool old botanical illustration, though. It’s of some obscure alpine flower. I’m trying to identify it. It’s currently taped to my laptop screen.
I overheard some drunk guys arguing about the best place to get schnitzel. Apparently, there’s a place near the Römerberg that’s legendary. “Best schnitzel in the world, I’m telling you!” one of them slurred. I’m not sure about that, but I might check it out. I need sustenance after all this plant-hunting.
Elara’s neighbors are…interesting. There’s a guy who keeps pigeons. Lots of pigeons. And a woman who plays the accordion at all hours. It’s…a vibe. If you get bored, cologne is just a short drive away. I’m thinking of taking a day trip there.
“A local warned me about the banking district. Apparently, it’s all glass and steel and soul-crushing. Not a single decent flower to be found.”
I’ve been trying to find some native wildflowers growing in the city parks. It’s surprisingly difficult. Everything seems to be meticulously manicured. I did spot a few dandelions, though. Always a win. I’m also checking out the botanical garden - [https://www.frankfurt-botanischer-garten.de/en/] - hopefully, they’ll have something a little more exciting than dandelions.
Someone told me that the best coffee in the city is at a tiny place called ‘Kaffee & Klang’ near the Hauptwache. [https://www.yelp.com/biz/kaffee-und-klang-frankfurt] Apparently, they roast their own beans. I’m definitely going to investigate that. I need caffeine to fuel my botanical adventures.
Honestly, frankfurt is…unexpected. It’s not as flashy as berlin, but it has a quiet charm. And the pigeons are…something else. I’m still searching for those elusive wildflowers, but for now, i’m enjoying the damp grey and the flea market chaos.
Oh! And one last thing: apparently, there’s a really good vintage clothing store in Sachsenhausen. Elara says it’s full of treasures. I might have to check it out. You know, for research purposes. Definitely research.