Postings from Germany

Ready, Set, Sun, Bikes

It's been such a long time since we've taken a really good little tour on the bikes, and to tell the truth, biking back from Bremen (approximately 18 miles) is not such a challenge anymore - even Hunter and Hannah can manage that!  But it was great to get out nonetheless.  

But first breakfast!  We dusted off the Egg Coddlers that Werner brought back from England an eon ago, added chives from the garden and some lovely cured ham.  What we hadn't planned  for was NO BREAD for Werner's butter sculpture!  It was May 1, a holiday, and all the bakeries were closed.  We had to make do with baguette.

Since it was the first semi-lengthy trip and since it was incredibly windy, we took the train into town and then biked through City Park, past the Stage in the Woods where Sunday jazz wafted our way, and then went through the Riensburg Cemetery.

I'd not been there before - it's an old city cemetery, not associated with a church, and there are some impressive mausoleums there.  It's a bit more tended than Pére LaChaise, but beautiful as well.  We'll have to go back again.

Then on to the Rhododendron Park.  

It was a holiday, and a Sunday, and gloriously sunny and not too cool, so the place was packed.  People of all ages strolling with or without canes, sticks and rollators, children and older folks in strollers and wheelchairs, photographers with ladders and lots of good cheer. 

And it's not just rhododendrons.  There are all sorts of herbs and medicinals and lovely ferns getting ready to show their own stuff.

Not all the rhododendrons were out by a long shot, but there was enough of a show to enjoy and lots of hints of the show to come. 

Heading home, we sorta missed the turn through the park to the train station and just kept going.  The wind was at our backs and we took a favorite way home along the small gardens near a stream.  Here's one just FULL of tulips!

And the lilacs are out.  Full.  Perhaps you noticed them on the breakfast table.  I can't get enough of their wonderful scent - it's such a fleeting time.  

We got home still in the sunshine and refreshed from the ride, but maybe just a little tired, too.  But a nice kind of tired.  

Happy May.