Paris in vacation mood

Wonderful ancient 'shopping mall' Palais Royale, a restful place not far from the Louvre is now, in the middle of August deserted. The shutters of the elegant boutiques are down and quickly written notes tell you that you have to wait at least another week until they return from their vacation.




A chance not to spend any money but to enjoy the trees which can not leave for vacation.

New and old fashion in Versailles

An interesting show of old and new beautiful dresses is now installed in the halls of the Grand Trianon in the Park of Versailles. The dresses of the 18th Century have the size of childrens clothes compared with the creations by Chanel, Dior etc. More:
In contrast with all these exquisite robes, the tourists (and me) looked kind of in 'shabby chic'.

Home sweet home

We stayed in 'our' hotel in Aachen again and then in the morning this headline.....
Time to drive home and to end the vacation -


and when we saw the Eiffel tower and the rainbow from the kitchen window we felt very blessed.

Germany - former East-Germany

Talk with someone who visited the former DDR and - like us - everybody admires the beautiful tree lined streets. Not only linden trees but large oak trees.
Our goal was to meet with the 'Hausherr' of Schloss Grube who we know from long time. He had bought a 'fixer upper' and restored this 'Herrenhaus' in the last four years in such a careful way that they got the Brandenburgischen Denkmalpreis 2010!



The all day festivities in Schloss Grube with sunshine and ca 1000 visitors was a moving theater performance by a few professional actors and many lay actors from the village Grube.

Sausages, fish and a grilled pig was the food and
the ladies of the village baked many cakes:


This cake was explained to me as a one known during DDR times and made with red, yellow and blue food coloring...... mmmmm.

Following our friends advices

Driving back to the ferry in Trelleborg in the South we visited all the places which were recommended to us by our Swedish friends:


Loefstad slott for lunch,

We admired Vadstena church (and lit two candles) and then visited the Wasa castle,


In Boraas we took a stroll to admire the sculptures here Paal Svensson's "slits".


After the last dinner in Skanoer we took a stroll around the harbor and admired the boats from all around the Baltic sea: Finland, Germany, Denmark, Norway and of course Sweden.

Venice of the North

Once again the boat/hostel/restaurant/landmark "Af Chapman" which is right in the middle of Stockholm - one of the Venices of the North. (St. Petersburg and Bruges are VoN too...)


As you can see - opposite from the castle and the opera.

Summer Stockholm

There is a lot to do in Stockholm and if the weather is sunny with the cool breeze, it is the best city to visit with children. All the museums - and there a many - are prepared to welcome them and make them interested. Like here in the National museum.


Of course it may be nicer to just take a stroll around the water and perhaps sit on a boat . "Af Chapman" for example which is both a restaurant and a hostel. More