Tuesday 19 May. Cottbus

Well, I have to say I’m feeling pretty pleased with myself today. When I was planning this trip there was one place I wanted to visit that seemed just too difficult to get to, but I got there today!

I blame the internet for sparking my interest in the Rakotzbrücke. Getting myself and my luggage to the tiny village of Kromlau near the Polish border was not going to be a picnic. After much deliberation I hit on the idea of staying in Cottbus and doing a day trip there - no luggage involved.

Found the bus stop and bought a ticket at the ticket machine with my fingers crossed that it didn’t eat my card. Caught the bus to the Cottbus Hbf. Used the Deutsche Bahn app to buy a train ticket to Schleife and travelled there on a very small train with a handful of people who looked like they were going where I was going. Hopped off the train and followed the people around the corner to the local bus station where we all hopped on a tiny bus (cash not card) that dropped us in Kromlau.

A few minutes later I was walking through a rhododendron-laden forest with paths going in all directions. It was a Hansel and Gretel moment, which was funny because I’d already had a Red Riding Hood moment looking out the window of the bus at the rather dense forest and a path winding through it. The Brothers Grimm seem to be a feature of my current travels in Germany.

It was very satisfying to finally achieve my goal and I even asked someone to take my photo, which I very rarely do. There were lots of people at the Rakotzbrücke and wandering about the paths admiring the rhododendrons. I departed by what turned out to be the short route to a car park full of cars and even a bus.

I knew from Google Maps that there was a cafe on the corner so stopped for a photo of the yellow Kavalierhaus and the Herrenhaus before entering the cafe. Turns out it was an eiskafe, so no lunch but cake and an iced chocolate on the terrace instead. I’d earned it!

Did the journey in reverse and stopped for some provisions at the station before returning to 2 Berlinerstrasse and the horrible stairs.

Monday 18 May. Cottbus

Even though my train wasn’t due until about 10.45, I was packed and ready by 9.00 so walked to the station at a very leisurely pace. When I got there I noticed a couple of taxis, so “What the heck!” thinks I, and I ask the driver to take me to the Baumkuchen factory. He said he wouldn’t wait for me there but that they would call him to pick me up.

He didn’t actually take me to the one I’d asked for but it didn’t matter. I went in to the little shop and asked about seeing the cakes being made. (The other factory does tours I believe.) Max, the lovely young man behind the counter said he’d check with his father even though they weren’t baking today. Dad said yes, so in no time I had a paper hair net and gown and he was taking me right through the whole place and telling me all about it.

After thanking Max so much for his kindness I thought I’d better buy a cake, so I got the smallest one they have and shoved it into the top of my backpack. Max had called my taxi and back he came to take me to the station. I still had tons of time waiting on the platform, which was quite pleasant as the weather has been almost warm today.

The first train, a fast intercity, took me to Berlin HBF (main station) and the second was a regional train so much slower and that took me to Cottbus. After failing to get my first Uber, I took a taxi to my accommodation which is quite a long way from the station, in the older part of the town.

Broken glass at the front door didn’t impress me and nor did 3 huge flights of stairs up to my apartment. Fortunately I bought a ham and cheese roll for later while was in Berlin, as I’m certainly not going down and up those stairs again tonight. Once at the door I spent ages trying to unlock it with no luck and contacted the owner to that effect. A few messages back and forth and just when the owner was about to come here and help I got it open. I was deadlocking and undeadlocking instead of just unlocking.

A cup of tea, a piece of Baumkuchen and a good WhatsApp chat to Smith and I was revived. My apartment is huge with a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and living room. The building must be really old as there’s a kachelofen (tiled stove) in the corner of the living room. 

Sunday 17 May. Salzwedel

You will see from the photos that Sunday in Salzwedel is BIG. You take your life in your hands crossing the street. Nevertheless, after failing to do my washing at the laundromat that was closed, I set out to explore the town sights.

The Steintor, from around 1530, is one of the old town gates and is very close to where I’m staying. There is a very old door built into the inside wall of the gate and I’m sure that’s where they stow the prisoners or stash the gold.

A second gate is called the Neuperver Tor and nearby you can see the old red brick town wall. There are little streams all around and I wonder if they formed a moat as they seem to be right by the walls. Near this gate there is also an old water tower.

I wasn’t very hungry after a huge sort of open sandwich for lunch but decided to go out for dinner as I have a big travel day tomorrow. I ended up at a kebab place because, you guessed it, everything else seemed to be closed. 

Wandering back afterwards I poked my nose through the old coach entrance to the back of my Pension and found quite a large yard. The rear of my building has a white tower attached and there were other buildings in there, as well as a memorial stone to Otto von Bismarck.

Early tomorrow morning I was planning to race down to the factory where they make the Baumkuchen and then race back to collect my luggage and get to the train, but I’ve changed my mind. If it isn’t closed (!), it will have only just opened and they will probably still be setting up so there won’t be much to see. Instead, I’m putting a link to a YouTube clip about Baumkuchen for anyone who is interested. My curiosity was satisfied when I tried the cake yesterday.

https://youtu.be/-TLnvxbZh00?si=6WPgImaDM6327Bbq

It’s been a funny sort of day and a reminder that Sunday really is a day of rest in Germany.

Saturday 16 May. Salzwedel

No rain this morning so I walked to the station and arrived very early. My original ticket was for 10.15 but Deutsche Bahn had notified me that it would now be 9.15 because of a timetable change. Lots of long weekend travellers once again and what I didn’t realize was that when they changed my train time they didn’t keep my seat booking. So when I got on the train there was someone in my seat who was not about to give it up. This meant standing near the door for an hour and a quarter with the other poor sods who didn’t get a seat. 

I then had about another hour and a half waiting on the platform for the next train and, of course, the one seat on the platform was taken. I was very grateful that my seat was waiting for me on train number 2 (Hamburg to Salzwedel). 

The sun was actually out ( but not for long) as I walked to my accommodation, Pension Hansehof. I have a lovely big room on the ground floor. What luck! I knew there was a cafe that had Baumkuchen on the menu so I decided to go straight there as who knows what will be open tomorrow. In Germany most things close on a Sunday.

I ordered coffee and Baumkuchen and was looking forward to trying the cake I had seen being made on YouTube. (It’s worth a look.) What a disappointment - it was dry and uninteresting. Perhaps it’s best as soon as it comes off the pole it’s cooked on.

It doesn’t matter anyway, as Salzwedel looks like a charming little town and I’ll enjoy exploring tomorrow. I also found a laundromat next to the supermarket so might grab the opportunity to do some washing.

I walked under a clock while returning to Pension Hansehof, and suddenly it started  chiming right above me. As I write this there are church bells ringing too (6 o’clock).

Baumkuchen close up

Friday 15 May. Bremen

I’m glad I opted for the coat this morning as it has rained on and off all day and the wind has been bitter. After yesterday’s research I was able to head straight into the centre of the old town and to my delight it was market day. 

I love looking at all the stalls. Two things featured at the fruit and veg stalls - strawberries and asparagus. It is definitely Spargelzeit (asparagus time). Apparently Germans consume about 1.3 kg of asparagus a year and the meal I had last night was the classic way it’s served, with hollandaise sauce, potatoes and ham.

The bread stall had an amazing variety of breads and I went back there to buy a Laugenbagel mit Käse for lunch. The man with the little coffee van was an artist in his trade and I visited him twice to warm up with a hot chocolate. Bremen has a special history with coffee. In 1673 the Bremen City Council allowed a Dutchman to establish the first coffee house in Germany and Bremen is a still a major importer of coffee.

Having had a good look at the market I set off to find the Bremen Town Musicians. They were surrounded by a crowd and later in the day they were still surrounded by a crowd. I think that most of the first crowd was waiting to set off on a walking tour, but people were taking turns to have their photos taken with the animals. Most people posed touching the donkey’s legs or nose and these were worn to a bright shine.

Böttcherstrasse was an interesting pedestrian arcade that had a decidedly Art Deco feel with a gilt relief called “Bringer of Light” and a carillon made from Meissen Porcelain. I arrived just in time to hear the carillon. From there it was a short walk to the River Weser. This was an important maritime connection as it goes all the way to the North Sea and is why Bremen became part of the Hanseatic League.

The Schnoor Quarter is Bremen’s oldest district. It has alleys of 15th and 16th century houses which are now mostly cafes and shops, packed with people but very pretty.

There is no HOHO bus in Bremen but there is a little sort of train with a couple of carriages. I decided not to be embarrassed about going on a city tour in something that looked like it was for children. The tour was very popular but I had booked a seat earlier in the day so off I went and listened to a German commentary of which I got very little. There was a bit about the war, a bit about Kelloggs cornflakes(?) and a lot of on your right and on your left.

I don’t know who Roland was but his large statue has UNESCO World Heritage status. … And that’s Bremen.