Today Bob and I continued our journey through northern Thuringia. First stop, though, was the church. Mirror image, the outside was a little different to the norm. A quick snapshot of some slate covered buildings. Sighting three spires, a snap decision to make a stop in Bad Langensalza was made. This was a town of crooked rooves. […]
The coming week will see Bob and I journey by car to the Thuringianwald. This, our first day, took us to Halle (Saale). Situated on the Saale River, it was a town steeped in history. Arriving on the outskirts of the Alt Stadt, Bob and I exited the car, where upon our ears were […]
The 2017 season in Gratis will soon be underway for us. Connected to the tractor in preparation. Bob keeping an eye out as the crane is readied. Up she goes and the last of the supports is removed. Out over the water goes Gratis. Down she goes. Fully down.
Bob spent the day in the engine room readying Big Bertha. For me, it was scrubbing the cabin top and sides. It’s amazing how much grime collects on surfaces. Big G is set to return to the water tomorrow.
Well, here it is! With the aid of books by Tom Sommers (http://eurocanals.com/), the initial route planning options for our 2017 tour through northern Germany and the Netherlands is completed. By Car: Mecklenburg Lakes in first Gratis, then Little G2 Canal River Route Take 2 through the Netherlands. Take 3 Distances.
From Mittelland Kanal to Havel Canal through lake district to Potsdam in August, then Potsdam to Zehdenick, September. Car journeys Nancy, France to Germany, Austria, Switzerland and return Potsdam, Germany to Poland and Return
Preparing this year’s route from Spandau, Germany to Basel, Switzerland. We thought the mapping for last year was a bit tricky. Working out the best route through Holland and Belgium is even more difficult! It turns out, the shortest route is heading upstream via mostly rivers. Hmmmmmmm!!!!!!!! Maybe not the fastest after all. Need to […]
Brrrrr!!!!!! It’s freezing here in Berlin! Gratis has been winterised and is awaiting a lift from the water. We in the meantime are awaiting at Tegel Airport for our flight to Hong Kong. The 2016 journey has come to a close. Image: Sunset at Lehnitz
This morning saw Gratis make her last trip of the season as we took her to her winter mooring in Spandau in glorious weather. All that remains to do is the final cleaning, winterising the engine and packing for the trip to Oz.
After a relaxing few days our trip to the Mecklenburg region came to an end and to Potsdam Gratis returned. Our visitors departed, the preparation of Gratis for winter has commenced. We depart for Oz on the 6th November and will be in Adelaide by the 14th. Then the missing spiels will come.
Sorry it’s been a while, but life is extremely hectic. Since the last post, we have explored the sights of Berlin and motored Gratis to Zehdenick which is situated in the lower region of the Meckelnburg Lakes. One word describes this landscape: picturesque!
The Porzellanmuseum in Meissen was well worth the visit as we saw priceless pieces that had been painstakingly hand painted – yes, it’s the only place in the world where porcelain is hand painted. Prior to departing for the Spreewald, a trip to the Konditorei Zieger cafe to purchase the Fummel, a hollow type of bread created no […]
Meissen, town where German porcelain was born. What a treasure is found here. Another place well worth visiting – for more than its porcelain factory (Staatliche Porzellan-Manufaktur): the architecture; the first residential palace in Germany with its innovations; the delicacy, the Fummel, the Dom with its organ recital, the atmosphere and more……….
Narrow one vehicle roads led us through tiny villages and farming country where surprisingly large fields had replaced those typical tiny land plots that Europe was so well known for. Farmers here were busy turning the stubble. By mid – morning we had entered the region renowned for Dresden China. A bit of prior reading […]
A relaxed day with a delightful wander through the old town of Bautzen. Whilst the upper town has been well restored, it was in the lower section at the base of the old fortification wall that we delighted in. This wall mural was so lifelike. ‘To our amazement, we actually caught sight one of these elusive Kingfishers […]
This morning took us to the Bautzen Stadt Museum, where the main aim was to visit the Flickenteppich, a 1776 quilt created by Prussian soldiers. Upon arrival, we spoke to the person at the entrance who proceeded to introduce us to a Ms Pohl. On learning we had come all the way from Australia to […]
Prior to departing Legnica, we visited the archives office which happened to be just around the corner, I discovered after a search on the net. The people here couldn’t have been more helpful – quite different to the Polish of earlier days. Taken into a large room, we were told to wait whilst the receptionist […]
Some years past, my (Karyle) father had commenced researching his family tree and arrived at a dead – end on the eve prior to their point of departure at Hamburg, Germany. Basic information – such as birth dates and place of birth – on the family members that made the journey was gleaned from the […]
We have been enjoying the days of relaxation that have been interspersed with undertaking small work projects. Yachthafen Potsdam is a lovely mooring, with walk paths and a swim beach just out the door. The toilet now has a small tap that means the guess work of closing the inlet/outlet valves for our guests is no longer […]
We have done it!!!!! 1700+km from Port St Louis France to Spandau – just outside Berlin. Nine days until our visitors arrive gives us time to find a winter berth for our beautiful girl.
