Yesterday, 18 August, was the opening day of the 2017 Weimar Kunst Fest. It was a dark rainy day, all day, In fact, I ate at home and almost didn't go. But at about 8:00pm I decided "what the hell?" It was a good decision.
I walked down tot he Markt and was there about 15 minutes early. So I just stood and wondered because it started to rain. But at 9:00 they began, There was a stage in the corner in front of the Hotel Elephant and they wheeled an actor dressed like an old man to the center of the square. Then a woman was wheeled out and sang a song. Then the others climbed on the scaffolding on the stage. I imagine it was supposed to be meaningful but to me it was a little boring.
Then they moved diagonally across. One of the men climbed a pole that had a ring on the end and did swinging and such on the ring. Then 3 of them were each on a pole with a counter weight and swung back and forth while the other 2 were oh the ring poles. Then they all had lights and fireworks attached to them and there were 2 giant semi-circles lit with fire and they set off other fireworks! It was very exciting!
Everyone left when it was over and I was home at 10:20 pm. A good evening. Tonight there was nothing and I ate dinner ate Sachsische Hof - sehr gut-wie immer!!
Saturday, August 19, 2017
Friday, August 11, 2017
Gastehaus Wolfsbrunn II
Well, after my expensive evening in the hotel restaurant, it cost me as much as one night in the hotel but I did eat and drink a lot, I decided to go to Altenburg the next day. I have wanted to go there for a while but to make a day trip from Weimar would have meant about 4 hours on the train each way. From Hartenstein it was under 2 hours with one change.
I wanted to, and did, go to the Schloss museum and the art museum. Both were fine. I do not think I need to ever go to a german palace again although I cannot think of one I would have wanted to visit that I have not. The art museum, the Lindenaur, was fine. Not a huge or important collection but nice enough to spend an hour.
I walked to the center of town and ate at the Ratskeller. 2 beers and delicious stuffed peppers and a huge green salad. It was in the town square and the service was good and I knew to eat a big meal because the only choice at the hotel is their restaurant. The next day it was dark and overcast and I walked to the town of Hartenstein. It was maybe a 25 minute walk - not bad- and I did not mind. The town itself is nothing but a small town. The only place to eat I could find was a doner store. So I boought a doner and a beer to go and walked back. I ate on the balconey and watched Rachael Maddow on my chromebook.
In a way this hotel was nuts. Absolutely nothing to do. From 10:00 am till 6:00 pm there is nothing to eat or drink available. And, there is no one around. When I returned from my walk into town I walked in and came to my room, and went to the balcony and ate and saw absolutely no one!! Very odd. That night I went down to eat in the restaurant and it was CLOSED! So I went to the reception desk and asked the woman there. I said there is no food or drink available all day and now the restaurant is closed, how can I eat. She started to look for other restaurants but I told her I did not have a car and one could see that she was starting to freak out a little. Of course, I am not the most pleasant person to begin with and I was aggravated. It works in german as well as english. But a man came hurrying out of the back and told her to make the reservation and he would drive me. So, they called an Italian restaurant and drove me there. About 25 minutes. It was a nice place and the food was good and the waiter called the man to come for me when I asked for the check.
Of course then I felt bad. He told me on the way in that many restaurants can not afford to stay open and they can not find the staff for these places because people go to work where they can make more money. That explains why there was no staff around and why the restaurant is closed on Thursday. In any event, I think my days of visiting small german towns are over.
I wanted to, and did, go to the Schloss museum and the art museum. Both were fine. I do not think I need to ever go to a german palace again although I cannot think of one I would have wanted to visit that I have not. The art museum, the Lindenaur, was fine. Not a huge or important collection but nice enough to spend an hour.
I walked to the center of town and ate at the Ratskeller. 2 beers and delicious stuffed peppers and a huge green salad. It was in the town square and the service was good and I knew to eat a big meal because the only choice at the hotel is their restaurant. The next day it was dark and overcast and I walked to the town of Hartenstein. It was maybe a 25 minute walk - not bad- and I did not mind. The town itself is nothing but a small town. The only place to eat I could find was a doner store. So I boought a doner and a beer to go and walked back. I ate on the balconey and watched Rachael Maddow on my chromebook.
In a way this hotel was nuts. Absolutely nothing to do. From 10:00 am till 6:00 pm there is nothing to eat or drink available. And, there is no one around. When I returned from my walk into town I walked in and came to my room, and went to the balcony and ate and saw absolutely no one!! Very odd. That night I went down to eat in the restaurant and it was CLOSED! So I went to the reception desk and asked the woman there. I said there is no food or drink available all day and now the restaurant is closed, how can I eat. She started to look for other restaurants but I told her I did not have a car and one could see that she was starting to freak out a little. Of course, I am not the most pleasant person to begin with and I was aggravated. It works in german as well as english. But a man came hurrying out of the back and told her to make the reservation and he would drive me. So, they called an Italian restaurant and drove me there. About 25 minutes. It was a nice place and the food was good and the waiter called the man to come for me when I asked for the check.
Of course then I felt bad. He told me on the way in that many restaurants can not afford to stay open and they can not find the staff for these places because people go to work where they can make more money. That explains why there was no staff around and why the restaurant is closed on Thursday. In any event, I think my days of visiting small german towns are over.
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Gastehaus Wolfsbrunn
I left today for my 3 night stay at the resort hotel Gastehaus Wolfsbrunn. It took only 2 hours to get here and that was with 2 changes, it is hard to write in English at this point. The hotel is beautiful as are the grounds, My room is huge and with breakfast included I am paying less than $100 dollars a night.
However.... there is NO air conditioning!! How many times am I going to fall for a website that says they have AC when they really do not? Also, there is no where to go and I mean that literally. We are in the middle of no where and even on trip advisor and google maps there are no restaurants or any thing else within walking or driving distance.
So, I am at the over priced hotel restaurant, with no other choice, eating and drinking for over 3 hours now,
I did see that I can travel to Altenburg from here fairly easily so I think that i will do that.
However.... there is NO air conditioning!! How many times am I going to fall for a website that says they have AC when they really do not? Also, there is no where to go and I mean that literally. We are in the middle of no where and even on trip advisor and google maps there are no restaurants or any thing else within walking or driving distance.
So, I am at the over priced hotel restaurant, with no other choice, eating and drinking for over 3 hours now,
I did see that I can travel to Altenburg from here fairly easily so I think that i will do that.
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Weimar August 2017
I have now been in Germany for 5 weeks and have spent 31 nights in Weimar. This is the longest that I have stayed in the apartment and I am here until the end of the month. I have made a 2 night trip to Kassel and a three night trip to Leipzig. I have booked a three night trip to a resort hotel in Hartenstein, Saxony for next week. I will be staying at the Gastehaus Wolfsbrunn. For a double room with breakfast included it is less than $100 a night! I do not expect to leave the property and while I am there i will ride horses, ( which I have not done since I thundered down the beach on Amelia Island years ago), swim in the pool, eat and drink. Every review I have read says how nice it is there and I have discovered that the hotel is the most important thing to me at this point.
I was a little worried, thanks to Cindy and her crazy sister, about my pension. But after much hemming and hawing and many emails, when I checked my account this morning the money was there! So everything that was already pretty good is even better. I may go to Gotha for the day on Thursday.
I was a little worried, thanks to Cindy and her crazy sister, about my pension. But after much hemming and hawing and many emails, when I checked my account this morning the money was there! So everything that was already pretty good is even better. I may go to Gotha for the day on Thursday.
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