Rainy Days and Mondays

 

Rain! Looking out my window sort of feels like Groundhog Day. 

Stadt Ratzeburg

Stadt Ratzeburg is a city surrounded by four lakes resulting in an isthmus between the lakes which forms the access lanes to the town. Today, Ratzenburg is a popular tourist destination especially for all kinds of water sports. I must say, a perfect destination for a Sunday drive also.

Always love these ancient maps. 

This town was founded in the 11th century by Christian missionaries. Sadly their monastery was destroyed in a pagan rebellion in 1066 when the monks were stoned to death.

Typical North German style government building built in 1694.

For the most part, the buildings around the town square and throughout the town are not the most impressive.

St. Peter Church.

From 1945 to 1989 the Iron Curtain ran just east of the town, putting it on the border with the German Democratic Republic.

An old pub.

Oh yes, the jokes on you if your plan was getting a cake from this bakery.

Always window shopping. No other option.

Sock it to me.

Vitamin D-Day

 Clear blue skies brought the opportunity for collecting some Vitamin D. Tomorrow the forecast is for 100% snow so of course get out there quickly and soak up what you can before the white stuff.

Windows of Germany so often have delicate lace curtains.  Rarely do they cover more than a portion of the window.

More anarchy tagging.

Do you also see a Charlie Brown Christmas tree?

Notice the live roof on this house.

Colorful houses.

Early planning another German stereotype supported.

Who is He?

Yesterday, after too many days of challenging the clouds, the sun had a win. More of a compromise actually. The skies remained mainly cloud covered but the sun did make a short appearance. So, we along with most of Hamburg headed out to celebrate the sighting. We drove past this statue in Wedel, then added him to the who is he list. Wedel is another city in the state of Schleswig-Holstein where we are still allowed to travel. It is only about 11 miles west of Hamburg on the River Elbe.

Now we know that Roland is an iconic eighth-century knight. This Roland statue stands proudly in the town marketplace symbolizing freedom and justice? In the epic 11th-century French poem Chanson de Roland (Song of Roland) based on Charlemagne's Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778,  Roland is the hero after losing his life. He has become a popular figure in many other parts of Germany and other countries as well. The first Roland statue was most likely a simple wooden one erected in 1450. It is believed that the Roland now standing was commissioned by Count Otto IV in 1558.  

With the current state of affairs in the US Roland holds a strong message.

Roland is another man who became a hero after traveling through Basque lands with Charlemagne the founder of the HOLY Roman empire, killing, plundering, looting, and pillaging. How do these men ever rise to hero status?

 

Fish Feeders Arrive

 Auntie Annie Kicks It Up a Notch. 

Sorry Uncle Bob, Annie is by the big red X but not feeding your Walleyes.

Very Funny Annie. Rubbing It In On Mom Style of Skiing.

The Fish Feeders Arrive and Report All Are Alive and Well.

Saturday Market Day

 

Today I had to wait until after the market was closed for picture taking.  Too many people were shopping for my Covid distance safety. With the very long queues at the stalls, it looked like a successful business day.

Kruses Hofmilch (farm milk) sells many kinds of cheese. 

Normally the horse meat stall is located there.

Closing time for the Wurst Stall.

No coffee today from my favorite coffee man.

Too late to beamed up.

Next chance for spacey coffee is Tuesday. Not referring to Amsterdam Annie. I just like his unique style and theme. The latte macchiato is perfect.

Pick-up trucks are rare here. After almost 3 months, I am up to 19 pick-up truck sightings and still counting. 

Hoping to break away from the addictive news and there this was. 

Even the video screen has a reminder.

For such an orderly, clean, and manicured country it is surprising how there can be so much tagging and graffiti everywhere.

Saturday market day was not a complete get-away from the appalling insurrection news coming from America.

Hamburg Kulture

These pillars are located around the city providing poster space for the arts.

REVENANTS. Hamburg choreographer Ursina Tossi awakens figures from history(s) and (pop) culture and illuminates conflicts with patriarchy and capitalist power relations from a feminist perspective. Add this to the Hamburg no shortage of avant-garde theater.

Oh, Hell!

Theater of the past.

St. Pauli offers a culture that might be defined as outside of the box. Um, well, maybe it's Hamburg's famous nightlife district with all types of entertainment.

Past kulture.

So What If

Strong message.

Strange looking German mosquito.

The new Hamburg Elbphilharmonie has canceled or postponed all of January events and at this point, tickets are not marked canceled but are not available to purchase for February performances.

Unique vineyard style seating allows audience members sitting no farther away from the conductor than 98 feet. Acoustics could easily be questioned when looking at this unique style. I guess the special wall construction holds the answer to that with their coatings of 10,000 white-gray computer-programmed honeycombed gypsum fiber panels which reflect and disperse the sound. Since opening in January 2017 tickets have been difficult to obtain. After the hard lockdown tickets will most likely continue to be scarce.  

You might think just listen to Pandora for now. No way! Not an option here in Germany - Pandora is banned.

Culture has been put on hold with the Hard Lockdown.