my life is full of castles.

yes, it really is. and full of cats, too. and nature. and i love it.

one month ago we made a castle trip at its best: kochberg palace & ranis castle were on our agenda. it contained everything that i love about our trips: old buildings in idyllic sceneries, cats, history, nature and good food. the day started out cloudy and ended up very sunny.

spring was still in its early stage.

everything is ephemeral.

and then there was this cat. he saw me, ran to me, and wanted to be cuddled. it was almost love at first sight.

he followed us around, but eventually stayed behind.

kochberg palace. i've never been to this castle before. it was also very hidden, a true gem in southern thuringia.

liebhabertheater ( a very small theatre ).

and the second cat of the day, climbing down vines.

and anticipating tender loving care.

quite a beauty.

in front of the castle this motorcycle waited for us to be admired.

the whole village großkochberg was so old and medieval in its appearance. it felt like we were thrown back in time.

the next castle was in ranis: ranis castle. situated high up on cliffs.

there was a cavern you could go into right UNDER the castle - the ilsenhöhle.

and that was when the next cats had their appearance. two black friends.

watching out for its companion.

there he is. they seemed very close.

salutatory kisses.

torture methods.

castle kitchen.

the view was incredible.

the small town ranis.

Comments

in the forests.

it's that time of the year again.

july '20: lake petersdorf discoveries and a plea against genocide.

the green wild meadows of malchow's sandfeld. in the west of malchow there is a big chunk of forest that spans towards plauer see, a widely 'uncultivated' area these days, but it hasn't always been this way. in my last post i mentioned the nazi munition factory that had been built in these woods, away from prying eyes of their enemies and where they also built an external subcamp for the concentration camp ravensbrück. exactly these woods we explored on a pretty sunny day, betraying the darkness that happened around these parts. isn't it weird that there are places in this world that were built or used by dark forces and horrible regimes and you vist them 80 years later and they are the most peaceful places you can imagine? sometimes my brain can't cope with the contrast of knowing what was in the past and what the present looks and feels like. it definitely leaves me with a strange impression often, kind of like a little sting in my heart and brain that is not ...

july '20: a boat ride across the lakes.

starting point in malchow harbour. when you're in the mecklenburg lakelands you need to do some of the many boat rides they offer up all around the various lakes! that's really sort of the best way to get a little overview over the many lake destinations and being on the water and feeling the wind on your face ( or the rain 😂 ) and seeing the life in the water and the landscapes around you, it's just special, i think! they often also tell you historic bits and pieces of the lakes, informing you on possible sights you should seek out, too! when you book a tour, you can choose between big day trips crossing several lakes, depending from where you start, or you can choose short rides that last a couple of hours and perhaps even have a theme like a sunset tour or a romance tour ( possibly with romantic dinner for two options 😉 ). from malchow you can choose between two tour providers: reederei pickran & the blau-weiße-flotte . there are tours that include up to 7 lakes, ...

ghost of nature.

Search This Blog