Blogs from Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, Europe - page 3

Checked out of the hotel and back on the road again. Had some time before our appointment so thought we would check out Arendsee on the way. Nice little town right on a lake. We got to the mill just as a couple of people from the Muhle Society turned up. It was pretty hard with communication as their English was as good as our German. They went and got Bernhard Sasse who knew a little bit of English. He said he met Bernard when he first came over and made the mill known to the family back in NZ. They opened up the mill and got it working to show us how it all worked. It certainly shakes, rattles and rolls. Next thing, there were a few more people turned up and also a reporter ... read more

We arrived in Germany early yesterday morning after a night flight and after assorted trials and tribulations in Frankfurt Airport...you gave away our rental car because our flight was an hour late?? and circling the airport 3 times in the car we finally got because we couldnt get back to Hertz to get a gps because Rita couldnt get the verizon international plan to work on her phone (and who would think to bring a paper map or handwritten directions??) By 10:30 we found Meir's hotel and the 3 of us were on the road to Weimar, about a 2 hour drive north. We checked in to a small Pension and decided to dive right in to the purpose of this trip and go to the museum and grounds of Buchenwald Concentration Camp. The ride up ... read more

Heute bin ich nach dem Frühstück im Hotel nach Nebra gefahren. Im Gegensatz zu den beiden vorherigen Tagen gab es Schnee und Schneefall. Ich habe die Arche Nebra ohne große Probleme erreicht, konnte aber nicht weiter zur 3-4 Km entfernten Fundstelle der Himmelsscheibe fahren. Der Aussichtsturm wäre allerdings eh geschlossen gewesen. Danach bin ich zurück nach Weimar und habe dort die Tortenkreation Maria Pawlowna mit einem orientalischem Mokkain meinem Hotel probiert. Anschließend bin ich noch durch Weimar spaziert. Ich war vor dem Nationaltheater, stand vor der kurz davor geschlossenen Fürstengruft und bin durch den Park an der Ilm mit dem Liszt-Haus gegangen. Dann bin ich zurück ins Hotel und habe in einem Restaurant traditionell thüringisch gegessen bevor ich erst einmal zum letzten Mal in der Hotelbar einen Cocktail getrunken habe. Jetzt bin ich zurück auf meinem ... read more

From Berlin to Koln 19 to 21 September 2014 Driving out of Berlin with showery rain we drove south on the A115 and then on a secondary road towards Lutherstadt Wittenberg, a UNESCO World Heritage town. Thus area was where Martin Luther joined the local monastery and contributed much towards developing the region in the 1400s such as starting a school for all children, building several churches, expanding the monastery ans generally improving the lives of others. We later visited the town, Eisleben in which he was born and died. He traveled extensively throughout his adult life. His father was a copper miner. As we walked around Lutherstadt Wittenberg, we noticed extensive renovation to many of the buildings, but the notable one was the Castle Church which was massive. We couldn't go in there as they ... read more

Bus to Berlin 1pm June 27 2014 There is one more thing to recommend at Quedlinberg and that is the Cheesecake (kasekurchen) shop below the castle. We missed it yesterday having arrived just after 6pm closing. We there today for its opening at 10am. They kindly allowed us two half slices which in truth was ample. There was a kaleidoscope of flavours supplemented by new cheesecakes being cooked in the entrance. They were neatly packed for us and became our incentive for getting to the bus stop. Our bags are no lighter and the thought of cheesecake spurred us on. Umm it was good. If you ever get to Quedlinburg I recommend you indulge.... read more