A Quick Roadtrip to East Germany

Hi everyone,

So this year, we had not planned on traveling anywhere while we are in Germany, but we just had to do something.  We decided to take a trip to the Harz.  It is a National Park area of East Germany and neither one of us had ever been to the area so we planned a short four day trip.  It was wonderful!!!  It took about 4 hours by Autobahn to get there and then at the end of the trip we drove the backroads home.  We took a Steam train up to the top of the Brocken, which is one of the highest mountains in the Harz and toured some wonderful towns.

We stayed in Wernigerode and visited Quedlinburg.  Both are located in East Germany and have been beautifully restored after the removal of the wall between East and West Germany.  They were like fairy tale towns.  Something we would imagine that they would have in Disneyland.

The East Germans are different from the West Germans.  In the "free" side of Germany, the people always say hello when they walk by but East Germans avoid you at all costs.  Years of training in "don't trust anyone", I believe.   Nevertheless, they were not unfriendly when you asked a question or needed help, just very reserved.

So the Blog is in four sections, our visit to Wernigerode, the train trip to Brocken, our visit to Quedlinburg and our wandering ride home.  Hope it isn't too long.

WERNIGERODE

Sewer tops are interesting aren't they.

Our Hotel.  Our room was just behind the signs.  Those are our windows.

OK, so I grew up in a house with steep steps but this set wins.  Just one under climbing a ladder!

Our room.  It was huge!  Less than a €100 a night.

The room included a full size couch.  We could have hosted a party.

A party sized bottle of wine - Perfect!

This is the town square with the Rathaus.  Beautifully restored after the reunification of Germany in 1989.  Tuesday is the Farmer's market.  I believe the van on the right was selling Sausages.

Those this house.  It is no a museum.  Notice that it has an interesting shape.  Was built this way.

The little train we took up to the castle.  Definitely worth taking instead of walking up to the castle in almost 90 degree weather.

Beautifully restored row houses.  The entire area looked like this and yep, incredibly clean.  Welcome to Germany.

Top of the mountain.  Ready to check out the Castle.

Everywhere in Germany there are castles.  I always think it must be interesting to think about growing up with a view of a castle.

Isn't this much better than viewing the Golden Arches.

Always fun to stand in front like it is yours.

A view of the Brocken from the castle.  This is mountain that we visited by stream train and then walked down.

Always a picture of a beer.  The Germans have a saying that they only drank two beers, the first and the last.

This is a real house.  Famous for being the smallest house in the town.  I am around 5'9" to give you an idea.

So this tells you about the smallest house.  It is 2.95 meters wide and 1.70 meters tall and was occupied until 1976 when the last owner past away.   See tiny houses have always been around!

Just thought this was an outstanding house.  All the beautiful woodwork.

Our hotel.

As you know, Wolfgang is a hiker.  Hiked Kilimanjaro at 60 but this backpack would work better for me.

Just another view of the town.  Horse and carriage is also an option to the castle.

This man was a street performer.  His puppet played the most beautiful violin music or at least that is how it felt.

There is art everywhere here.  Just loved this one!

This is from a German fairy tale.  Notice that they have six legs

Loved that every few seconds the female spit water.

If you look closely, you can see that this is the back of the male.

OK, my favorite.  A snail with breasts.  Hmmmm!

THE TRAIN TO THE BROCKEN

Took the first train up at 8:55.  About 80 degrees at the start of our journey. 

Everywhere a view of the castle in the backround

Off we go!  It is a 2 1/2 hour ride up.  Oh and as always, dogs are allowed but you have to buy them a dog ticket.

We sat in an old dining car.

A picture of me impersonating my mother.

Riding through the forest.

Looking forward to the top!

Thank God for National Parks keeping the world beautiful.

This is usually the view I have when we travel.

Almost there.  The tower at the top is now a weather station.  The Brocken was part of the border between East and West Germany.  I think you can guess what it was before.

Our arrival at the top.  Termperature 50 degrees and windy.

There is only one track up and back so the engine has to back up and connect to the other end for the ride down.  There is a hotel but why would you want to stay up on top, I don't know.

Here it is, the Little Engine that Could!

I have no idea why but the symbol for this region of Germany is a witch or a Hexen.  So the first is witch and the second is the devil.  These are hiking trail symbols.

A view from the top.

This was built in the 1700 for those hiking to the top to stay in just in case of weather.  I think it is still true now just nicely restored.

Here we are at the top.  About 3,000 feet.  Don't I look like a real hiker with the cool hiking poles.  A gift to Wolfgang from my brother.  A great gift!

The train station at the top.

Here comes the next train.  We did not take the train.  We walked down.

Starting the 9 kilometers down.  Love the train crossing sign.

Something about a train, right!

Second section of our walk down.

Nothing better than fresh air and pine trees.

The Bark Beetle has found it's way to Europe too.  Just devastating.

OK, this a picture for my sister Lorraine.  These are wild blueberry plants.

A few blueberries still there.

Wild raspberries.

Made to our end point.  We will take the bus back to Wernigerode.

East Germany is famous for hand made Nut Crackers.  Cannot say why this guy was here but he needed to be recognized.

QUEDLINBURG

Again, something wonderful.

Another town we visited by bus.  When we stayed in Wernigerode, we had free passes for public transit so we took the bus to Quedlinburg.  A incredibly restored town.  It was never hit by bombs in either war but was decimated during the time of communism.  Just sad that people had to live through something so terrible but had to believe when you see how beautiful it is now.

Love this bear.  It is the a very old hotel, still owned by the same family for hundreds of years.

The Rathaus.  Love how the vines are trimmed around the windows.

The rest of the square

How the place looked at end of 1989.

This is a Quickli.  Love the name.  A real stinker when it comes to fumes but a real collector's items.

This is the town crest.  One of my favorites of all time.

A mosaic of the town crest and yes, that is a dog sitting at the door of the castle.

A mausoleum from someone who was obviously wealthy and important.

Inside the one of the churches.

Loved this.  He must have been an incredible Harpist right.

Beautiful wooden Triptic.  One of the best preserved and complete I have seen.

OK, this is our guide for the town tour but I took this picture because of the stroller.  I have always said that I want to come back as a dog in Germany because you get to go everywhere but church.  I am now wrong.  You can go everywhere.  That is a Boston Terrier.

Wonderful wood.

More fantastic wood facade.

This was a giggle for me.  The green sign is the tourist information office for the town.  The office next to it is the red sign for the German Tourist bureau.  Both have tours of the town and they start at the same time.  It was like dueling tours.  We of course supported the town and went on their tour.

This is the entrance to the smallest street in the town.  Actually goes through to a whole new area.

This drunken crow plays a big role in the story of the town and of course how the poor girl meets her prince.  I want one for our house.  Not for the story but love the art.

This is a part of the Rathaus.  The stainglass window is from 1901.  I love the heads at the top

You know that you have made it to the top when they put a copy of your head on the Rathaus.

Love the architecture of this house.

This is the oldest building in Quedlinburg.  It is now the museum for the town.

This is on one of the ceilings in one of the churches.  The item between the men is Coat of Arms for the town.  Those are not swords, they are baker's spatulas.  The town is known for their Cheesecake (Kasekuchen)

Do not know the significance of this but it is a handle on an outside door to the castle church.  Obviously rubbing the ass of the dog or pig must bring you luck.

OK, this is a pigeon tower.  OK, so maybe major cities should start building these because I never saw a pigeon anywhere.

Just had to take a picture with this wonderfully carved wild boar.  All wood.

Picture at the top by the castle.  Always the best view of the town.

Kind of reminds me of Mary Poppins with all the red roofs.

Again, great vine control.  Notice the boar.  This is a shop that only sells mustard.  The Germans love their mustard.

Every town has a river so I guess this is the Riverwalk.  A little different than the one in San Antonio, Texas.

Waiting for the bus to take us back to Wernigerode.

THE RIDE HOME

Took the back roads home.  Crossed over what used to be the border between east and west many times during our ride.

The town of Braunlage.  It is a real tourist town.  Hiking in summer, skiing in winter.  Love the front of this building.

As I said, crossed over where the wall stood.  This signs says that on the 10th of December 1989 at 8am, the wall was taken down

This stone was placed by the people in the area to mark where the line stood.

An old tower.  It is now on private land but whoever owns has an odd sense of humor.  There is a manniquen at the top looking out like a guard.

Same spot.  Love the are just placed out for all to enjoy.

The ultimate Chopper. 

We stopped at what was a major access point from east to west.  It has been turned into a museum.  We wandered around a bit and found a room with all kinds of pictures of when it was opened.  Unbelievable and scary all a the same time.

Left is a west German car, a VW bug, and right is an east German car.  The right is a  real collectable here.

The day it was opened.

How the wall cut through the area.

An old electrical station on the east German side.

OK, so I found a large bottle of wine before, how about a large bottle of Schnapps.

So that was our quick, unplanned trip to a terrific area of Germany.  For those of you who love to travel, please think about a ride through this area of Germany.  Not as famous but incredible.  We are so glad we went and enjoyed it all.

Auf Wiedersehen!