Wismar

We love and treasure our holidays with family and friends.  They are central to how we operate and function and live.  Can't do without them.  BUT we really like a vacation alone now and again.  Just us two.

Our last just-us-alone trip was in August 2012,  sooooo very long ago, when we visited Celle with our bikes.  Compared to life-before-Werner's-retirement, it's almost an eternity since our last just-us-two vacation!  Before retirement, we usually took two not-so-little vacations a year on our own, in addition to visiting family in the US twice or more a year!.  Now, well, not so much.  I confess, I miss our little vacations.  Obviously, I am spoiled. Very.

Anyway, here we are, going on a little vacation to Wismar, one of the first of the Hanseatic free-market towns, those cities along the North Sea and the Baltic Sea who got together and formed a trade and mutual protection union.  Almost an early NATO, but not quite. Lots of maritime interests here.

Our little holiday apartment was only steps from the old town square, a way easy point for orientation. There you'll find the famous town well, used regularly by the residents until into the 18th c.  And the lovely old restaurants and hotels and shops and the town hall.

The area around Wismar and the Baltic Sea is known today for its Brick Gothic architecture, buildings both public and private, religious and secular. The churches are a major attraction, all in the Brick Gothic style.  The two larger churches in the city used more than 5 MILLION bricks each in the construction, all locally made (without slave labor unless you consider the fact that folks weren't really paid so well in those days).  Amazing work.

On day two we took advantage of a guided tour up the tower that remains from the 14th century Church of Our Lady (St. Marienkirche in German or Notre Dame in French).  The nave of the church was seriously damaged in WWII and never restored.  After a while it was too damaged to do much about and since the East German government had little money and less interest in churches, up they blew it.

We had a wonderfully clear day to see over the whole city and to the Baltic Sea.  Lovely, but I was glad when the guide said we weren't going further up!

In the former side chapels of the church, there were exhibits that were so well done.  These are philosophers, set in terracotta (the brick of course) discussing the religious questions of the time, and over time, since they were from different epochs.

The next day, cold and rainy though it was, we went to the beach.  Ah.  NOT Florida.  The sand is not white and there are mountains of shells from mussels, lots of seaweed and cliffs of clay and chalk.  But the sea air is wonderful and the gentle sound of the water is my lullaby.

We ate of course.  Fish of course.  Twice we opted to eat in our little apartment and enjoy reading or sewing or watching some TV.

We even bought a souvenir!  And here they are on our breakfast table this morning: felted egg warmers.  I know it's silly and totally not necessary, but fun.  We all need a little fun, even when it comes in small packages.