Villa Hügel, 8 May

After visiting the impressive Villa Hügel we went for lunch to the Südtiroler Stuben on the shore of the lake Baldeneynsee. About 10 years ago Metso had some business with Krupp and I visited the Thyssen Krupp office in Essen. The business part was handled quickly so the Krupp manager took me for lunch at a restaurant at the Villa Hügel. The food and wine was excellent with a magnificent view over the lake busy with all kinds of boats. It was a memory that had stuck with me and I am glad I could share it with Leslie today. 

Villa Hugel was built in 1870-73 by Alfred Krupp. It has 269 rooms.

He took over the responsibility of the firm at the age of 14 and turned it into one of the most important companies in the 19th century. Steel making, metal works and canons.

The Krupp company was family owned, and when the last owner Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach died in 1967 it was turned into a trust.

There was an international canoe polo competition going on. 

There was a swedish team called the YellowS. 

But here are all the Berlin teams gathered.

The teams from Berlin

Oberhausen-Duisburg, 7 June

We left Oberhausen Marina early in the morning. After two locks entered the Rhine at Duisburg.  In Duisburg the RHK meets with Ruhr river. 

Out on the Rhine was refreshing with big wide water, heavy traffic in both directions and a quite heavy upstream. To get to Duisberg City Marina we left the Rhine and travelled down a narrow kanal to the inner harbour. 

The Marina is located in the old industrial harbour which is now a historical monument of an industrial era. Fascinating. 

Holiday home in Oberhausen.

We pass Kapstadt. 

On the Ruhr 

On the Rhine. Massive river. Check the size of the bridge. 

More Rhine. 

Monster container barge

Marina Duisburg

Relaxing. 

Marina Recke- Münster- Oberhausen, 5-6 June

Leaving the Mittellandkanal

Entering the Dortmund-Ems canal (DEK)

Next stop Münster. Münster was a pleasant surprise, even in the rain. A student city, 2nd largest number of students in Germany.  Peace of Westfalia was signed here and in Osnabrück bringing the 30 year war to an end 1648.

St Lamberts church. On the church tower three iron cages have been preserved in which the bodies of the anabaptist leaders were displayed in mid 16 th century as a warning to the people not to go against the church. This is also where cardinal von Galen, the Lion of Münster, preached his  sermons critsising the Nazis.

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Church of St Paul on the square in Münster.

The Astronimical clock in St Paul's church. Almost the same as the clock in Prague

Münster is the home of Pinkus Alt Beer, brewed by the same Müller family for many generation. Pinkus brewery is in a street with many other pleasant pubs, probably frequented by students.

Early morning at Monasteria Yacht club in Münster. Took the Bus into Münster, about 15 minutes. Missed our bus stop on the way home and ended up sitting on the bus through all the suburbs for nearly an hour.

Entering Rhine Herne Canal, RHK, this year celebrating 100 years.

Leaving Dortmund Ems Canal

Three locks today. I love locks with schwimmpollen.

Oberhausen marina, after 8 hours travelling, we're happy to take any marina. This one, just outside Duisburg, is a moster of a place. 200 shops, about the same number of eating places, Fun Park, Sea world, Aqua Park, fountains,parks, you name it. Even a little sandy beach next to the canal. Spot Carl maybe on the helicopter?

Bad-Essen to Marina Recke, 3-4 June

Mamma duck adopted two goslings. 

Bad-Essen, a Kurort where you can really get cured. 

Beautiful, calm, peaceful

and healthy

and salt. 

800 m underground is a "220 million year Urmeerwasser" the Bad-Essener Sole.  Salty salty water. 31,8 % salt to be compared with Dead Sea at about 20%. 

The Sole is vaporized and inhaling the mist is a real treat. Only for salty tough guys. 

The Sole Arena an impressive structure. 

Built for health

Our neighbors Karl and Anna invited us for wine. We joined them with our briefcase BBQ. After specifically warning L not to stand up because the table was unstable, I got up to tend to the fire, the table topled over with Anna and Karl falling backwards almost into the water with all their potato salad, food and wine falling over them. Two glasses broke and a knife disappeared in the water. They took it very well. Karl said he had been reading a book about the Vikings and how terrible they were. He can now confirm that that is true, was his comment. 

Took a bike ride for breakfast at the Schloss Hünnefeld. In 1447 Albert von dem Bussche-Ippenburg bought the the place. 

We were welcomed by a lovely Danish Lady from Rungstedt who ran the BB and she was also the curator of the Schloss. An Austrian TV team had just been filming an episode of "So schlaft der Graf." It will be shown in German TV in November. 

Schloss in the background. 

A rope got entangled in the propeller. First dip in the MLK to remove the rope with sharp Moraknife. Carl is now known as Überkapitän Carl von Underwasser auf der Mittellandskanal. 

Marina Recke 10 km from the end/start of the MLK. 

Had a beer at the Panorama Cafe with a local couple and their dog Paula who had just had 12 puppies. 

Wir sprechen deutsch. 

Bad-Essen

Alex, Good Morning and Happy Birthday
🎈🎊🎉
😎😄

Hannover 31 May - Minden 2 June

Information on the British Year 2014 in Hannover. (directly from google)

The ruler of a small German Principality on the British throne and at the helm of the British Empire – an almost incredible story that began in 1714. With the death of Queen Anne and the unsuccessful search for a Protestant heir in England, the British monarchy turned to its distant relatives from the little Principality of Hanover. Four Georges from the House of Hanover wore the British crown from 1714 onwards, giving their name to the 18th century and shaping the history of the British Empire: The "Georgian Era" has left its mark to this very day. The Hanoverian Succession led to a vibrant cultural exchange in the arts and science between London and Hanover. The 300th Anniversary of this British-German royal link in 2014 will be celebrated by numerous exciting and colourful events in Britain and Germany.

Waterloo Underground at Waterloo Platz in Hannover
Waterloo Column in the background

Waterloo Column at Waterloo Platz 

Carl studying the history of the column. 

The Grand ol Duke of York was in command of the Hannoverian troops at the battle of Waterloo.

"...and when they were up they were up and when they were down they were down...." 

Yachthaven Regatta, Hannover

HerrenHausen Castle. 

Kurfurstin Sophia of the Palantinate inspired by by french gardens, built a magnificent barock garden covering 50 hektars. Filled with fountains, mazes, exotic trees etc. 

We were looking for the 350 year old Pommegranate tree which was to be found in a tub outside the orangerie from the end of May, but all we could find was a Hottentott Kirschenbaum. Sudafrika.

Sophia´s Garden with a 70 m high fountain 

Another beautiful part of the Garden

Carl insisting that L is missing home. RUGBY

The avenue towards the HerrenHausen castle

From sjukkassan to hälsokassan

On departure from Hannover we met two lovely Swedish gentleman from Stockholm on the ship Sonja. They were on the way back to Sweden after two years on a similar trip planned for LB.

They said the Black Sea was fantastic, they saw dolphins. This will encourage L to join the BS trip.

MLK crossing the Leine river 

Minden city center.

First mention of Minden in 798. 

1634, during the 30 year war Swedish troops occupied Minden and stayed until 1650-

1915/16 MLK and its crossing point with the river Weser connect Minden with Germany's navigation system.

Carl's cousin Anders Henriksson played in Bundesliga for the the GWD Minden handball team 2007-10.

Beatiful houses in Stadt Mitte

Close up

First braai (grilla) with x-mas present from Alex and John, on their 2nd wedding anniversary.

Carl is in 7th heaven. Hehehe. Spot Carl

All you need for a Braai on the banks of MLK. A big german steak, bottle of Riesling, a packet of Curry Wurst chips and a briefcase Grill.