Its a little more than a week since we got back from Frankfurt where Marzipan exhibited for the first time at Ambiente, an international trade fair showcasing products and trends for living, giving and dining. I think there were just over 42 companies from South Africa that went and represented South African Handmade at the fair. So I was very excited to be part of this event and also to be getting out of Simons Town and off to Europe! Yippee!!...(there would also be shopping!!)
We had to organise our own accommodation and I found a little room to rent (you can imagine how expensive hotels in the city are) in an old part of the city where the streets are still cobbled and single lane. My room looked onto Leipziger street, well known for its little shops restaurants and foodie stores. Opposite the entrance to the apartment was a little Illy coffee shop and bakery..heaven.
It was still a twenty minute walk to the fair from Leipziger street and I would enter the back of the exhibition grounds from a little bridge that took me straight over a busy main road and into hall 9 where the jewellery people were. I might add that there were 11 halls altogether, some of which had 3 floors and it took about half an hour at a fast pace to walk the length of the grounds. I only know this because on the first day I got lost in the grounds and ended up walking from one end to the other. Not fun!
Marzipan stand
Once our stands were set up we had some time to go to the main shopping street in Frankfurt which was called the Zeil. Very cool name. I was amazed by the oak trees which were a distinct feature all over Frankfurt. They are oak trees but have had all their smaller branches trimmed off so they look strange but surreal.
The trimmed bare oaks in the Zeil
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| Happy shopper!! |
