Visit to Stade

We've been there before, and it is such a lovely small town.

Sunday was pretty.  Lots of sun, temperatures mild.  A day worth a day trip.  Off to Stade, where there was an interesting exhibit.  We really have to go by car - it's over an hour with the car, but over two with the train. Oh, well.

But the car can be fun. I'd discovered some time ago that we could program the Google Maps site to use as a navigation app even though we don't have internet along the way.  This time, however, we discovered there's a talking part to the App.  WHAT A HOOT!!!!!

This "voice"  (she's not Siri and she's not Alexa but she is a bot) tells us where to turn and whatever.  But she's English speaking, trying to say German words in English. OMG. I warned Werner ahead so he wouldn't laugh so hard that he went off the road!!  I wish I could record her!

We are easily entertained...

We arrived and walked through the old monastery where there was a haunting bronze of a monk, reading.

There is a gallery, part public, part private, that highlights interesting artists that may not get attention from major galleries.

So, Wolfgang Herrndorf.  He started out as an artist and illustrator and then got into cartooning and then journalism and then writing.  Then he got a brain tumor and blogged about his treatment and his thoughts.  He didn't wait for the tumor to take him, but took his own life when it suited him to do that.

He accomplished a lot in his too short life.  I was impressed by his painting - almost photographic realism, but he was not constrained by genre.

I had read a book he wrote - Tschick - the nickname of the main character.  The novel was aimed at the young adult market, but it worked for me.  Fun, and sad, it was.  If you want to read it, it's been translated into English:  Why We took the Car.

There were paintings and cartoons and drawings.  I was so glad we took the time to go.

But of course it doesn't end with the gallery.  We have to check out the churches!

There are two main (old) churches there. This is the protestant one, quite impressive with lovely stained glass.  Probably planned, but it was interesting that the sun was shining through the depiction of the virgin and child as we were there.

Then we took a little walk around the harbor and found a place to sit and have coffee and of course cake.  Cake was OK, nothing to write home about.

Then a stop at the Rathaus and the Rathauskeller, where they have lovely old gothic arches and their own brewery!  Next weekend we have beer-loving guests, so we bought a liter. 

Back home, driving through the changing light. Fall is on the way...