Sunny mornings - sunny days

At the window this morning.


Being housebound I enjoy the wonders of the sunny mornings, those glorious late summer days with a stillness in the air!

Little salt and pepper pigs from Berlin...

I love the dark blue sky above me as I recline on an easy-on-my-back-chair in the garden.
The children are jumping with much delight on the new trampoline, truly a live saver for my son, who misses his soccer pals and structured exercises. I am amazed how they enjoy literally hours of jumping...

Just one more day and school resumes! Hallelujah!

I have begun to edit the thousands of pictures we have taken over the last 8 weeks and there is so much, so many memories attached, so many things I want to show you still...
But, life goes on and somehow I feel we must go with it and therefore I will only show pictures which fit into the context of the coming blog posts.
While I am still under the last German design impressions I'll show you some rooms from the homes of my friends, all no decorators and true showcases of styles in Germany!

First the newly renovated house of our good friends in Munich:







And here some impressions from my wonderful girlfriend's home in Berlin, where I have enjoyed many happy times of hospitality!
She is a whirlwind of energy and joyfulness, her home a mirror image of her happy attitude to life.









Some images of my parent's lovely little nest, in which they have lived for the last twenty years! When I see their place, warm memories of my childhood years come back to me, since my parents kept many of their original pieces from the years in Dresden and brought all with them after their move to Munich! This always reminds me how wonderful continuity can be. When I visit, it is always like coming back home, even it is neither the location nor the era of my childhood...
The set up of this living/dining room has not much changed since I have been a little girl! I love this room!
The year clock, named for the fact, that it only needs winding once a year, has fascinated me since I was small. Do you love coming back (home) and finding all in it's place? Somewhere else? I feel often like that when I go back to former familiar places, where I feel a little pang, when things have much changed...I love to find what I remembered!






The embroidered linen table cloth and napkins which my sister and I gave my parent's to their beautifully celebrated 50th weddding anniversary in August!


All these places are very different and yet, they all demonstrate quite clearly a certain German way to live. Modern, bohemian, traditional. And there is so much in between!

I hope you liked this little insight into German homes.

XX
Victoria



All pictures taken by me.

Arriving home

Here we are! What an amazing, happy and successful journey it has been!
From here to places in Bavaria, Germany. Then to Italy and last but not least to Berlin...and home...

With my mom in Volkach am Main, Germany.

Coming back home has been wonderful and somewhat slow. It took me a few days to get back to my regular life, not to talk of Euros and finally coming round to unpack every last bit and to part with stuff I carried around as souvenirs, like my weekly transportation pass from Berlin (a bargain at Euro 34,00 for one adult and all children for 5 days with endless discounts for all kinds of entertainments and places of interest)

All my children and my oldest son's charming girlfriend 'wired' on the small couch in the kitchen in Berlin...I miss you darlings!

Ach, I am still returning there in my mind. At home I have been showered with all my mail, catalogs, magazines and my emails, which I somewhat neglected over the last weeks. But we also have been awaited longingly by husband/papa too, which was lovely, returning to flowers and the knowledge to have been missed!

I am so curious to return to you all and see, what you all are up to at the beginning of September!
September 1st! I love September, it's the month of new beginnings, school, traditionally studies, a refreshing feeling of shortening days, apple picking and cooler nights. It helps that is also the month of the VIP birthdays in our family...
Beginning today, when I remember my grandma, she would have been today 109 years old. I still miss her. She died 2001, she was my soul mate and I recall endless memories.

I am back to gardening, small renovations in the house, some new clients and readying the children for school.

Southampton beach yesterday!

Yet we still enjoy those great summer days, last pool hours, yesterday a short visit to the Hampton's... The ocean was wild, but not cold and I love the comforts of soul calming whenever I am at one of the beaches of the Atlantic! I love that feeling of something so much larger then me, it puts easily all into a different prospective!

Are you all good? And thank you all for travelling with me and being patient!
I am working on sorting my pictures and there will be some I'll show you in the coming days!


XX
Victoria


Pictures by V.Zlotkowski

German ways

Arrival at Farnkfurt

Our first week almost behind us it has brought family reunions, celebration of my parents 50th wedding anniversary and a landscape which is summer warm and absolutely wonderful.

Volkach on Main

It was wonderful to be reunited with my second oldest son, my parents, sisters and all their families! We talked and laughed together until the sun came up in the morning...



Hotel Four Seasons, Volkach

Brothers reunited...

Me and my sisters...


The region of Franconia in northern Bavaria filled with vineyards and soft rolling hills along the Main river! The food is excellent and the wine even better!




We visited Wuerzburg, the next big city and attractive university town with a most impressive former prince bishop residence.




Horsebackriding in the country side...



Today we left the area to drive towards Munich to visit old friends and here we are now, me just now squeezing a few minutes to tell a little about it!
Via a small thermal bath town south of Munich, where we spend one day, we will go on route to Italy!

So, dear readers, I will report back in a few days, when we reach Venice...


XX
Victoria




All pictures by V.Zlotkowski

Our journey

Modern skyline of Frankfurt am Main

Our journey begins actually in Frankfurt (Goethe's birth place), this is where we start our road trip through southern Germany and Italy! The places we are going to visit are not necessarily well known outside Germany, so I will give you a little introduction and a taste of the region. Germany is a wonderful vacation country, simply due to it's many regions with very particular landscapes, architectural styles and culinary specialities.
Wuerzburg is perhaps better known to Americans, since many American soldiers were stationed there after WWII. By now American military presence in Germany has ended, but many families might remember their stay.
The city is well known for its castle and Wuerzburg residence, the University and lovely location on the river Main.
And on our way to Volkach we will pick up one of our older sons arriving from Berlin in Wuerzburg! Yeah!

Map of Bavaria, Wuerzburg almost at the border on the northwestern corner of Bavaria, Volkach is just 20 minutes away from there towards east along the Main!




Wuerzburg

From a travel guide:

"Volkacher Mainschleife" (Sinuosity) - Wine Culture, Arts, and Sports All in One Place:

The Volkacher Mainschleife is one of a kind in Germany; only here, the River Main has built this sinuosity over Millions of years. Around the Mainschleife, a Vacation Paradise has evolved in Volkach and its quarters of Astheim, Escherndorf, Fahr, Köhler, Dimbach, Eichfeld, Gaibach, Krautheim, Obervolkach, and Rimbach, as well as in Nordheim, Sommerach, Obereisenheim, Untereisenheim, Stammheim, and Wipfeld: Idyllic villages and spots in every season.

Volkach, town hall.

The Mainschleife is also THE region for wine, fruit, and asparagus in the Franconian Wine Country. Between late April and late June, the Volkacher Mainschleife is a Mecca for asparagus fans. Seamlessly the wine season follows: vintner and wine festivals offer wine to taste, before fall brings the peak season and the wine harvest. To watch the vintners do their work first-hand is a special experience.


When it comes to culinary treats, the Mainschleife is just as unique: Enjoy typical, Franconian meals, as well as selected asparagus and fish dishes, along with the matching wine.

Bocksbeutel wine

And, of course, there are the cultural highlights: The Pilgrimage Church "St. Mary in the Vineyard" with its Riemenschneider-Madonna, the baroque "Schelfenhaus", and the "Barockscheune" ("baroque barn") museum in Volkach for instance, or the "Kartause" museum in Astheim with its church treasures; just a few of the many unique destinations.

Tilman Riemenschneider(c. 1460 – 7 July 1531) Madonna and Child.

For those who prefer a more athletic approach, the region offers an excellent network of biking trails which are also great for inline-skating. The Main River itself also offers a variety of activities such as fishing or sailing. If you want to learn more about the region, the Tourist Information of Volkach will be happy to help out. Telephone: +49 (0)9381/40112 or online: www.volkach.de
End of quote.

My parents have spent many happy vacation times in Volkach, enjoying the walks and the wine.
They choose this lovely place to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary and I am so glad their beloved destination is for all of us to enjoy!

From there it goes after 6 days towards Munich


and then we will continue our journey towards Bad Toelz, a small town in the Alpen region.


It's thermal baths have attracted us before and we will stop and take a dip!



From here we will begin our travels into Italy and I will give you a small preview on Sunday!

You can imagine how excited we all are and that I sit here, apart from squeezing some time at the blog, having my hands full and my head in suitcases! :) Only a few more days!!!

image

Well, I do not mind at all!

My check list is almost complete:

Pick clothes to take (for all 4 of us!!!)- check
Pick shoes to take - check
Hairdresser - check, this morning....:D
Nail salon together with my daughter: still to do
Drop off dog at bording home: next week
Major house cleaning: I know, will do as late as possible...and all the odds and ends, which pop up when you need it least, like the just broken water boiler.....Yikes!

I so love getting ready!!!

XX
Victoria



All images via google image.