Uelzen with Flat Susan

For her last jaunt with us we took Flat Susan to Uelzen for a day trip by double decker train. We have been here before, but not for some years, so it was good to take a fresh look at the last project by one of my favourite artists, Hundertwasser from Austria. 

Whilst he painted and created textiles he had some extreme theories about the way people should live and that buildings should be ecologically sustainable and as naturalistic as possible to enhance the quality of life.

The project to revamp the station was commissioned for the Millennium but Hundertwasser died in 2000, not long before it was completed.

Trees and grass grow on the roof tops.

Here's Flat Susan admiring the multi coloured tiled pillars, everyone different.

 I think that I wore a rather appropriate dress that day!

Inside the building

One of several shops

The underground passageways between platforms showing how he contoured all the straight edges.
I quite forgot to photograph the toilets, which are amazing, and usually it is difficult to use them for the reason intended as people queue to just admire them!

From the station, we walked into the small town and were happy to discover a series of 21 painted rocks en route to the town centre.... Der Weg der Steine, which defined the route from the station to the town hall. 
They are the creations of a Swedish artist Dagmar Glemmes. 
Some were over 10 feet high and each one had a different subject... music, the elements, fish, aspects of love and luck, Nature etc. 

Although the town was otherwise quite uninteresting, it made our day special to find so much art around.

We shared a super huge ice cream with Flat Susan and had our last minutes together before she was popped in her suitcase and sealed into the envelope for her flight to "Schottland" (as the Germans call it!)

Bon Voyage and Farewell Flat Susan

Here's the parting of the ways, (boo hoo!) but you can see, below across the road, that it was such a lovely, big, modern, yellow post office that she was entrusted to (stifled sob) and I asked the nice man to take good care of her (sniff, sniff) as I handed her over (wiping away my tears) and paid my few euros in postage. It was still so hard to let her go all alone on her next adventure to Elizabeth but I know we'll meet again one day when she eventually comes back to England.

Here's the tag I made for her to take with her...
the front....

and the back

She arrived safely and so the saga continues now with Elizabeth so, pop over to join them in Scotland and, find out all about her latest escapades at Silverscrappers or at Hickydorums.

Thanks Flat Susan for all your company and good luck on your travels around the world. Over 30 people have offered to host her and soon she will travel to South Africa, America, Australia and Spain before she starts an extensive tour of the British Isles.
Thanks go to Neet for creating her and giving us this wonderful insight into life in so many countries.

Flat Susan's German Jaunt

We took Flat Susan out shopping to the market in the Rathaus Square.

It's Spargel season and she was fascinated to see the stall where they strip it on the machine while you wait. She said that she loves it but I didn't ask if it has the same effect on her as it does for me!! Eeeewww!

     What a thrill for her to see the tour carriage going around the town.....

         and even more excitement as they stopped to say "Hello" to her!

                            Peter and Reudi were so friendly and Flat Susan really loved them.

This special little Fraulein loved this fountain down near the river and wanted to step in with the children but I didn't scare Flat Susan by letting her too close to  even more water, after her previous experiences.         

This is the first time I've spotted "Love Locks" fastened to the railings, as has become popular in many other countries. Couples attach a padlock, engraved with their names, to symbolise their everlasting love. I was shouting after DH (there crossing the bridge in the beige jacket) "Which one's mine!?" but he just walked on without a cursory backward glance. 
The tower is part of the Bergenstraum hotel and looks like Rapunzel should be hanging her locks from the top window. It's a very romantic honeymoon suite up there and my DD stayed in it after her wedding.

We took her around to see the town. Above is one of the main streets and below is this old Apotheke (the chemist).

Some of the other old lovley buildings

This optician's windows were filled with yellow pansies.

Later we went to the kindergarten's Summer Barbeque which was held in the forest. It was at another kindergarten which teaches the children in the open air, whenever possible, all year round. 

There were peacocks roaming freely amongst us.

Quite an unusual set up in such a lovely environment and we enjoyed a very happy evening.

The campfire area

So sorry that, due to lack of internet access, I couldn't post these last days of Flat Susan's time with us whilst I was still there and before she was posted to Scotland to continue her adventure with Elizabeth. It means that her story overlaps somewhat but there was too much to miss if I didn't post them on my return.

One more post to finish this part of her saga and you can follow her travels via Neet's blog... hickydorums!

Flat Susan Visits the Caves!

Sorry I didn't manage to get in for WOYWW but it looks like a great time was had by all who managed to get to the CROP.

Having trouble getting internet connection here in Germany but at last I'm in yet another bar catching up for a wee while and having a snifter or two... well, I'm on me jollies for goodness sake!

Here's the last leg of Flat Susan's adventures in Italy and Slovenia which I had prepped before I came here.

Italy....Abana Terme Market 

We loved this old Italian sports bar and the coffee was GREAT!

Moving on from Italy to the Postojnska Caves. What an experience!

We rode into the caves for15 min on a fast, very rickety open train with strict instructions not to stand up as, at times, the cave tunnels were only a few inches away from our heads. Scary!

It was an amazing labyrinth of huge passages, and when we arrived at the heart of the caves we walked the guided route for about an hour. Water dripped on our heads here and there but it all added to the atmosphere of this fantastic experience. The stalagmites took the forms of hobbits, trees, folds of fabric, Moomins and my imagination ran riot. 

I could not cope with the vastness of time and size when it took 100 years for just 1 cm of a stalagtite  to form.  

Through all this Flat Susan was very brave and quite amazed at the whole experience... as were we!

I wasn't supposed to take pics but didn't I do well? Amazing what no flash and a bit of editing can do!

See the little bridge, middle left, I remember whizzing over there with eyes shut with Donna last year!!

I still have a few pics to share, of Flat Susan's adventures with us, taken in Germany before she winged off airmail to Elizabeth. It may take a while as I don't know when we will have access to the net.

I really do have to have a think when I wake each morning to decide what day it is and where I am. Alzheimers coming on? No just the results of a whirlwind few weeks of travel.

Watch this space but thanks for all your comments to all of you who are following me and Flat Susan!

Lueneburg Birthday

My lovely DH was 70 today and we've had a superb celebration with our German branch of the family, here in Lueneburg. We started the day German style by going out for a treat from DD2... a birthday breakfast, which we both love.

In the afternoon we had a yummy strawberry birthday cake made by our SIL, and that isn't a bought sponge base... he did the lot himself. The filling under the almond sponge was marzipan beaten up with mashed strawberries, then topped with fresh strawberries and cream. Deee Lish Ous.

Need I say Flat Susan was quick to that cake, she didn't want to miss out on her first birthday party!! We only had one candle as it was hot enough in the sunny garden and we didn't want a heatwave with 70!!!

Later on we sat by the river in a really good restaurant, in the sunshine, for a special dinner.

Here's the Old Dude birthday boy sharing his brecky with Flat Susan...... easy to see there's food around as she always straight out of her suitcase when she smells something good and she was in out, in out, doing the okey kokey today for sure.

The family now are back home tucking the little fraulein up in bed so we popped out to our favourite bar/restaurant for a nightcap to finish off a lovely day. A beer for the Old Dude and an Aperol Spritzer for me. (Dolores introduced me to this in Slovenia and a love it!)

Served by Tania here below, one of the really friendly staff of Bar Central.

She quickly made good friends with... Guess Who??? Right first time... It's Flat Susan. Never mind the food, she's out of that suitcase quick as a rabbit when there's a drink going! 

She's going in her suitcase tomorrow for a long postal ride to Scotland so I hope she doesn't mind the trip as she's never been packaged up for so long before. 

I hope she behaves herself but most of all I hope she has a great time with her next hostess, Elizabeth.

Bon Voyage Flat Susan and Auf Weidersehen! 

It's been wonderful to host the first 4 countries of your world tour.

England, Slovenia, Italy, Germany

Ljubljana Lakes with Flat Susan

This was a really spectacular part of Flat Susan's wonderful visit to Dolores's beautiful country. Dolores was so kind to drive us to some amazing places and this series of photos shows some of their  spectacular lakes.

  Here's the Hotel Bor in Preddvor  where we stopped for refreshments.

It was offering an amazing 3 night package, including meals, pool and spar facilities for 99 euros!! 

It's just amazing what you can find out on the back of a loo door!

The water was just like glass and not a mosquito about either!

Dolores kindly shared her coffee and cake with Flat Susan.

We didn't risk unnerving Susan on a boat trip.. maybe next time!

Dave held her a bit too close to the water so, after her traumatic puddle incident in Italy, she was so shaken that we gave her a beer. Didn't take much before she was back in her suitcase asleep!

We also visited Lake Bled with Flat Susan... not too near the edge although there were shouts of "Back a bit" when the photo was being taken!

and here's Dolores by the crystal clear Lake Bohinj

The church roof has wooden tiles.

The water is so green from the pebbles beneath ..... 

and so clear that the fish can be seen swimming about.

All this water had Flat Susan rushing to church to say a prayer or two. 

Last leg of her visit comes next with our visit to the caves.