![Picture](/uploads/1/6/7/8/16787882/fp1060505_orig.jpg)
Wednesday 15 August
Good sleep. Minuk a bit better this morning. Buffet breakfast was pretty reasonable. We went at 8:30, missing the worst of the queues. Spent the morning reading ‘City of Miracles’, interspersed with walks around the ferry. Windy indeed on the helipad, but there was a spot outside deck 6 with a view to the rear of the ship (Deck 4 packed with lorries), which was both sheltered and sunny. Sat there for a while, watching the Baltic Sea go by.
Lunch at 1:30pm. Workmanlike buffet, of which the chips and pork ribs were best (though smoked chicken also acceptable). Souvenired some for later. Reprised the morning activities. Saw many wind farms out in the open sea, and also some on land. More islands as we neared Kiel. Nice view of Kiel/North sea canal as the ferry approached dock.
Took a while before it was time to disembark, but the process was pretty smooth. Quickly in a taxi to the Hauptbahnhof. Chatty Indian driver was interested in relative costs between Germany & Australia. Traffic made the trip slower than it might have been – came to 18 euro. We caught the 18:04 train to Lubeck. Rolling pasture and harvested field, interspersed with lakes and forests. Train was croded when we left Kiel, but slowly emptied out. Arrived bang on time at Lubeck. This time the taxi was 8 euro. A very attractive looking old town, with grand decorative gables in evidence, and more cobbled streets.
Our new apartment is HUGE. Nice after the cramped confines of the ferry. We had noodles and leftovers for dinner. I did some minimal shopping at the nearby ‘Sky’ supermarket. Confusing organisation of products.
Beer of the Day: Leikeim Premium Pilsner
Thursday 16 August
We again eschew eggs for breakfast. I prepare pan fried cheese and ham toasties instead.
Afterward, we take ourselves off for a walk around the town. Minuk is twinging a lot this morning unfortunately, and today the walk has only a minimal effect. Our walk takes us up to the main street, Breitestrasse, and we pop our heads into the Rathaus Markt square, whilst admiring the soaring façade, and the arcades. There are the ubiquitous shields and sigils of the guilds and trading houses on the Rathaus, because we are once more in a major city of the Hanseatic League.
We divert around the Marienkirche, with its enormous brick towers (partially obscured by scaffolds). Minuk wanted to see it for its association with composer Buxtehudde (an inspiration to none other than JS Bach apparently). We chose to just peep our heads inside, spying the soaring columns bearing attractive decorative motifs and colour on the ribs of the vaults. The lightness of the walls means the church is less oppressive than some. Across the street is the ‘Buddenbrook Haus’, associated with author Thomas Mann.
St Jacobs Church, a little further down the street is a smaller version on Marienkirche. The massive organ was impressively decorated.
Across the street, the Seamans Guild house (Schiffergessellschaft) is distinctively decorated with ships and nautical symbols. It is now a fancy restaurant. Close by was the Heiligen-Geist Hospital, an example of the charitable medical foundation, which developed into modern hospitals. The establishment perhaps in the mold of St Pau in Barcelona (though not as grand). The entrance hall was decorated in the same light colour scheme as the churches we had poked our heads into. The hall of the main hospital was under renovation, but examples of the small open roofed cells for patients could be seen.
Finally, at the end of Breite Strasse stands the Burgtor, a massive city gate. We diverted through the back streets, seeing ancient buildings mixed in with the new. Hollyhocks and roses grow up from cracks in the footpaths.
Lubeck is also famous for its narrow alleyways or ‘gangs’ leading to internal courtyards. Stepped into one off Glockengeisserstrasse know as the Glandorps yard. (Ihornstift).
Did shopping in the supermarket of Karstadt, brought home pork sausages for lunch, and supplies for the train journey tomorrow.
I took a quick look inside the massive Dom Cathedral, its huge brick towers soaring over the southern end of the Old Town. The interior by contrast is stark and white, reflecting the destruction wrought by a RAAF bombing raid on the Lubeck city centre in 1942
Lunch – pork sausages, salad and mash. Washed down with a beer.
Beer of the Day: Lubzer Pilsener
Whilst Minuk rested form the heat of the afternoon, I took a walk to Mulenteich, one of the laggons surrounding the island that hosts Lubeck Old town. Fine view of Dom reflected in the water (which was swarming with insects!) I continued walking around the parks to the promenade on the banks of Stadttrave with attractive views of the city and its distinctive gables (and of folk sunbaking on the grassy banks). Eventually reached Holstentor, the iconic and easily recognisable town gate which has become a symbol of Lubeck. Thence back to the apartment.
Reprised a shortened version of the walk with Minuk later in the afternoon, walking along the Stadttrave to Holstentor, then looking for food. We eventually chose Korfu, serving OK Greek food. Our selections of Gyros were big and tasty. Minuk most disturbed that the German version of Tzatziki is not much different to straight yoghurt. Garlic very mind indeed. An annoying thing we discovered about outdoor eating areas. Folk inside the restaurant (where smoking isn’t allowed), will come outside to smoke! Meal was 22.5 Euro.
Afterwards, I went for another circuit of the town to take evening shots. Lubeck is very quiet after 9pm, streets deserted and shops shuttered!
Good sleep. Minuk a bit better this morning. Buffet breakfast was pretty reasonable. We went at 8:30, missing the worst of the queues. Spent the morning reading ‘City of Miracles’, interspersed with walks around the ferry. Windy indeed on the helipad, but there was a spot outside deck 6 with a view to the rear of the ship (Deck 4 packed with lorries), which was both sheltered and sunny. Sat there for a while, watching the Baltic Sea go by.
Lunch at 1:30pm. Workmanlike buffet, of which the chips and pork ribs were best (though smoked chicken also acceptable). Souvenired some for later. Reprised the morning activities. Saw many wind farms out in the open sea, and also some on land. More islands as we neared Kiel. Nice view of Kiel/North sea canal as the ferry approached dock.
Took a while before it was time to disembark, but the process was pretty smooth. Quickly in a taxi to the Hauptbahnhof. Chatty Indian driver was interested in relative costs between Germany & Australia. Traffic made the trip slower than it might have been – came to 18 euro. We caught the 18:04 train to Lubeck. Rolling pasture and harvested field, interspersed with lakes and forests. Train was croded when we left Kiel, but slowly emptied out. Arrived bang on time at Lubeck. This time the taxi was 8 euro. A very attractive looking old town, with grand decorative gables in evidence, and more cobbled streets.
Our new apartment is HUGE. Nice after the cramped confines of the ferry. We had noodles and leftovers for dinner. I did some minimal shopping at the nearby ‘Sky’ supermarket. Confusing organisation of products.
Beer of the Day: Leikeim Premium Pilsner
Thursday 16 August
We again eschew eggs for breakfast. I prepare pan fried cheese and ham toasties instead.
Afterward, we take ourselves off for a walk around the town. Minuk is twinging a lot this morning unfortunately, and today the walk has only a minimal effect. Our walk takes us up to the main street, Breitestrasse, and we pop our heads into the Rathaus Markt square, whilst admiring the soaring façade, and the arcades. There are the ubiquitous shields and sigils of the guilds and trading houses on the Rathaus, because we are once more in a major city of the Hanseatic League.
We divert around the Marienkirche, with its enormous brick towers (partially obscured by scaffolds). Minuk wanted to see it for its association with composer Buxtehudde (an inspiration to none other than JS Bach apparently). We chose to just peep our heads inside, spying the soaring columns bearing attractive decorative motifs and colour on the ribs of the vaults. The lightness of the walls means the church is less oppressive than some. Across the street is the ‘Buddenbrook Haus’, associated with author Thomas Mann.
St Jacobs Church, a little further down the street is a smaller version on Marienkirche. The massive organ was impressively decorated.
Across the street, the Seamans Guild house (Schiffergessellschaft) is distinctively decorated with ships and nautical symbols. It is now a fancy restaurant. Close by was the Heiligen-Geist Hospital, an example of the charitable medical foundation, which developed into modern hospitals. The establishment perhaps in the mold of St Pau in Barcelona (though not as grand). The entrance hall was decorated in the same light colour scheme as the churches we had poked our heads into. The hall of the main hospital was under renovation, but examples of the small open roofed cells for patients could be seen.
Finally, at the end of Breite Strasse stands the Burgtor, a massive city gate. We diverted through the back streets, seeing ancient buildings mixed in with the new. Hollyhocks and roses grow up from cracks in the footpaths.
Lubeck is also famous for its narrow alleyways or ‘gangs’ leading to internal courtyards. Stepped into one off Glockengeisserstrasse know as the Glandorps yard. (Ihornstift).
Did shopping in the supermarket of Karstadt, brought home pork sausages for lunch, and supplies for the train journey tomorrow.
I took a quick look inside the massive Dom Cathedral, its huge brick towers soaring over the southern end of the Old Town. The interior by contrast is stark and white, reflecting the destruction wrought by a RAAF bombing raid on the Lubeck city centre in 1942
Lunch – pork sausages, salad and mash. Washed down with a beer.
Beer of the Day: Lubzer Pilsener
Whilst Minuk rested form the heat of the afternoon, I took a walk to Mulenteich, one of the laggons surrounding the island that hosts Lubeck Old town. Fine view of Dom reflected in the water (which was swarming with insects!) I continued walking around the parks to the promenade on the banks of Stadttrave with attractive views of the city and its distinctive gables (and of folk sunbaking on the grassy banks). Eventually reached Holstentor, the iconic and easily recognisable town gate which has become a symbol of Lubeck. Thence back to the apartment.
Reprised a shortened version of the walk with Minuk later in the afternoon, walking along the Stadttrave to Holstentor, then looking for food. We eventually chose Korfu, serving OK Greek food. Our selections of Gyros were big and tasty. Minuk most disturbed that the German version of Tzatziki is not much different to straight yoghurt. Garlic very mind indeed. An annoying thing we discovered about outdoor eating areas. Folk inside the restaurant (where smoking isn’t allowed), will come outside to smoke! Meal was 22.5 Euro.
Afterwards, I went for another circuit of the town to take evening shots. Lubeck is very quiet after 9pm, streets deserted and shops shuttered!