Die Hochszeit

This weekend there was a wedding at Proitzer Muehle.  We had around 70 guests who stayed for 2 nights, so we provided brekky x 2, tea the first night, fingerfood lunch yesterday (after the ceremony which was held nearby) and then a massive wedding feast last night.  I did so many dishes!  Lots of carrying to and fro - tables, tablecloths, plates, food....

Cold food on the table, hot food will go in the dishes at the back

Almost ready, with the candles lit

I didn't take any photos of the hot food as there was no time, but the following pics are of the spread on the centre table.  All made here by the kitchen staff.  Awesome!!

Das Baumhaus

We had lunch in the treehouse today.  Completed in 2010, it's 12 metres off the ground.

Not easy to see from the road and the main mill buildings...

...but from around the side it's awesome

It's in a massive oak tree and is attached to the trunk

From the ground looking up.  The elevator is currently at the top

Looking down at the elevator bringing up Zsuzska and Bence

The doorway.  Dodge the branches!

The bedroom with views to the mill

The living area.  The ropes and harnesses are for the rope ladder

Of course I had to climb the tree!

Branches are incorporated.  The whole treehouse sways a little in the wind

Heike sending the others down in the elevator

Quedlinburg - in the Harz Mountains National Park

I'm back at Proitzer Mühle now, but the next couple of posts will be about Quedlinburg, and not necessarily in order.

On Wednesday morning we took a train to Thale (pronounced Taala), which is at the foot of the Harz Mountains on the northern side.  It’s only 12 minutes from Quedlinburg.  From there we walked to the Seilbahn station (gondola), past a huge tree-top ropes course and family games area.  The gondola was recently renovated, and there were lovely views on the way up, including through the floor of the gondola.

Looking up towards the top of the valley

Looking back down at Thale

Going over the creek

Our combi-ticket included one run on the Harzbob, which is a Sommerrodelbahn (all weather bobsled).

Look, Ma - no hands!

The Harz Mountains are heavily associated with witches.  Walpurgisnacht, 30^th April, is still celebrated here, with as many as 25,000 people coming to Hexentanzplatz or the Brocken (the highest peak in the Harz at 1124m).  Hexentanzplatz (witches’ dancing place) is quite touristy, but very few English-speaking tourists – mainly Germans.

With the devil and some other critter

Even witches need a helping hand.  Her hands and feet are massive!

Nice views looking down towards Thale

And towards the mountains and the Seilbahn

This is the Saxon Wall.  Built around 750 BC, it’s 150 metres long, 4 metres wide at the base and 2 metres high.

Looks like a drystone wall, but it's survived a very long time

Going down now

The red gondolas don't have glass floors

After that we went on the Sesselbahn, the chairlift, which goes to Rosstrappe on the opposite side of the valley.  Legend has it that Brunhilde, on her horse, jumped from one side of the valley to the other to escape an unwanted marriage.  Her fiance, Prince Bodo, tried to follow and plunged to his death, giving his name to the Bode River.

When the sun shines through the forest, it's an incredible green colour

And the view from the chairlift.  It's actually really steep

Quedlinburg

This will be a really short post as I'm in a restaurant accessing their wi-fi (the only reason we're eating here).  We have no internet at our B&B.

It was lovely to be met with a hug at the station by Kirily.  She suggested a taxi to the B&B due to the cobbles.  It's only about a kilometre but the whole way is rough and cobbled, and my suitcase wheels are kaputt (what a lovely German word!!)

We're staying in a lovely old Fachwerkhaus.  Notice that it's crooked!

Quite a spacious apartment...

...complete with couch and kitchen.  Bathroom is separate off to the right

Afterwards we just wandered around Quedlinburg.  It has around 1500 Fachwerhaeuser (half-timbered houses) in the Altstadt, and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List (pretty much the entire old town).  Quedlinburg survived WWII intact.  Most of the houses were built in the 16th and 17th centuries, and the churches and Stadtmauer (city walls) are even older.

Das Rathaus, the Town Hall, at one end of the Markt (Market Square)

Lots of half-timbered houses

This one is gorgeous

Burgberg Schloss dates from the 10th century

Wonderful views over Quedlinburg from up here

We've just been hit with a flash storm - gusts of wind blowing chairs down the square with desperate staff chasing after them and getting drenched in the process, and lightning flashes making things interesting.  So...we're staying here a little longer, and I have time for a couple more photos...

It's strange to see a Fachwerkhaus standing on its own

Cantilevered...

Crooked houses, crooked streets......I love it!

Bites'n'Pieces

For those of you who think that Australia has a monopoly on bities and stingers, let me assure you that Europe has quite a number of its own, most of which have taken a piece out of me.  This includes stinging ants – pretty small but very nasty, biting flies (a lot like March flies), ticks (which apparently carry Lymes Disease), and stinging nettles that are as tall as I am.  I currently have welts from all of these, plus one more that I didn’t see, but certainly felt, and which has given me the largest welt of all (and it’s just starting to get itchy today).

We are currently enjoying (not) a heatwave.  Summer didn’t actually start until Sunday when the weather turned mild (and the temperature actually got higher than 15!), and it’s been picking up in temperature until today (Thursday), which is around 32 degrees.  Friday, Saturday and Sunday we are looking at 35 to 37 degrees.  I didn’t think northern Europe got that hot!!  Might have to go for a swim.  There are a couple of ponds here which are very cold, but I’ve noticed that some people have already been in.  

With a ladder on the end of the jetty for easy access

Since Monday, I’ve been weeding.  There’s a garden here that’s a bit overgrown, so that’s been my project.  Downside is no-one to talk to.  Upside is being outside in lovely weather with birds all around.  The next few days, however, might be given over to watering!  

Notice how full the wheelbarrow on the left is!

Wildlife I’ve seen so far – hare, deer and red squirrel (which has a white tummy and likes cherries).  I missed out on the badger, which Heike and Sally saw last night.  There’s also a stork’s nest in Schnega (about 6km away), and it has at least two well-grown youngsters in it.  I’ve caught a (very brief) glimpse of the kingfisher twice, and I’ve finally gotten a decent look at the woodpecker – it’s a Great Spotted Woodpecker (as opposed to Middle Spotted and Lesser Spotted, which are also in the area and look like triplets).