OUR MAN in EUROPE: dave delacroix: part 43: Axel's Castle

Part 43: Axel's Castle

Atop "La Phad", an ancient corner bar built around the time of Columbus's 1st voyage to the New World, though last named (La Phad) by Napoleon's troops who winter quartered in these parts prior to marching all the way to Moscow, Axel resides and hosts a weekly "Salon" of Deutsche bohemians, some distinguished, some not. Some? Downright infamous!
That...would be me.

We sit at a round table arrayed with Sekt, "alt" beers, cheese ot tatare on brutchen, 80's Brit pop, interspersed with J.S.Bach (the Brandenburgs) pumping. The chatter is festive; 6 ladies, 3 guys...and a black cat in his antique, oak-timbered chambers.
A tad like partying in the Tower of London or some other history soaked hospice; I feel quite honored to be invited and...AM invited by old Roman Holiday friend, Gabi, with whose family I am enjoying visiting for 2 weeks, at this time on the cusp of Spring, 30 minutes West of Dusseldorf.

Axel, recently retired, by x by, is a dead ringer for Benjamin Franklin, an ex-world traveler, fluent in several languages...and like ALL great hosts has a talent for currying the most interesting conversation-anecdotes from his guests; their glasses (beer, wine or champas) he never allows to stand empty.

It's a travellers moment.

Actually!!! - It's Axel's castle!

And like the moral-philosophy from the novel of the same name: why LIVE if we have EVERYTHING!?
...We drink, love, eat, talk feverishly, embrace...for tomorrow, we may die!... And, subject to the effects of Axel's imported Dominican (dark) Rum...we just very well might!....:)

c 2011 March/ourmanineurope/davedelacroix