Bad Zwischenahn

It was another hot weekend, over 90° both days, though we are thankful for pretty low humidity.  We don't immediately start sweating when going outside.  That of course has a lot to do with the fact that our house is not air conditioned, so there's not the shock to the body from going in to out.  Regardless....hot.

And since the sun comes up and shines - shines!!! - into our bedroom before 5AM, I often wake up early.

(During the day, I forget that I need to put a sleep mask next to me for the next morning. Still trying to change that.)

This morning, I quit trying to sleep around 6AM and started with the laundry.  Then went back to bed to try and get a few more short sleeps. Actually that was moderately successful, and the wash was done when I got out of bed.  That wash got hung on the rack before breakfast even though it is a Sunday and Werner still has this thing about not doing laundry on Sunday.  Sorry, Werner.

Breakfast: pancetta, scrambled eggs with fresh herbs from the little garden, toast (! yes, toast) and the rest of the watermelon.  We are in the USE-UP-WHAT-IS-IN-THE-FRIDGE mode since we'll be leaving on Tuesday morning for 8 days.

Then the first wash was dry and the second wash was almost ready to hang out.

Breakfast on the terrace?  The best.  This morning, we had our first wasp visits.  It seems a bit early, but then again, so is the heat!

Today we were off to Bad Zwischenahn, about an hour away.  It's rehab destination and holiday place.  Very nice and quite upscale.

We went to visit Helga, a friend who recently had a hip replacement.  For Helga, that meant a week plus in the hospital and three weeks at a rehab center with physical therapy or all sorts to get her back to independence.  Cost?  Paid by the health insurance.  With universal health care, that is standard.

And then, a bike around the lake.  Folks picnicking there looked like a Monet painting.

Before we actually got out of town, there was an old church to visit, and worth a stop. 

Though begun earlier, this last iteration was from 1662.

Late afternoon sunshine on the pulpit.

The altar with an intricate altarpiece.

The path around the lake went past hotels and bed and breakfasts and harbors full of sailboats and places where sailboarders congregate.   It's a big lake!

 And the bike path was just wonderful with lots of sun-dappled stretches.

It's worth another trip, and soon.