The perfect autumn weekend

That was a wonderful weekend. Three free days due to the public holiday (German reunion) and perfect autumn weather. Time to redeem some gift certificates that I received from my wife and son.

First station: Quad driving, OK, that was the weekend before :)

Quad riding on the men playground

A flight lesson around Kassel from the new airport in Kassel Calden

An Alpaka hiking trip - one of our favorite animals

I will not forget these adventures. Love you, Astrid and Matti!

My Cousins Wedding

Anike and Christian got married in Ratzeburg, a small scenic town on the border between Mecklenburg and Schleswig-Holstein. He is the first of my uncles six sons to get married, so some more weddings will follow :)

See Astrid and me in front of the Ratzeburg cathedral...



...and my family on the wedding party.

November

The November is almost over and I haven´t run very much so far due to lot of work and other activities. We have been to concerts of Udo Lindenberg and Die Toten Hosen. Moreover was my sister visiting with Mikael Babajanyan who was singing the Marcello in the La Boheme opera.



Last weekend the the first (and seldom) snow was falling in Mannheim, so I show you one more garden photo for this year, our last wine grapes I harvested 8 days ago.



My haflinger Andor is quickly becoming familiar with his new surrounding. The neighbouring mares are already fallen in love with him. On Sunday I could go on my first small trip outside the riding stables with Andor, yet still on led by Astrid.



The December is already planned with lots of Christmas and birthday parties. I will be in Mecklenburg around Christmas eve before leaving for a weeklong ski trip to France with Astrid and her home ski club.

Home in Mecklenburg & Run to the sky!

A weekend at home in Mecklenburg, a seldom experience these days. It was nice to see the family again and have a nice bbq in the garden.



On the way back to Mannheim I stopped over in Berlin and met my cousin at the Alexander place for participation in the second big stair run in Germany (after the one I ran in Frankfurt last year). The race went up the 39 floors to the Park Inn Hotel, quite exhausting. I succeeded as 26th overall from 500 participants and was 2nd in my age group.



Below you can see my cousin in his sandals on the 20th something floor.

Autumn holidays

Last week Astrid and me did a short family trip. We visited my granny in Thuringia, then made short visit to Berlin before staying some days home in Schwerin. Sadly the weather wasn't that good for holidays and we had a cold. Anyway, it was nice to see the family again. Here are some impressions:


Astrid and Lea in front of the Reichstag, the German parliament building


The Brandenburg Gate


The Park Inn Hotel and the Berlin tv tower. The hotel building is the one where I will perform my house run next year thanks to a nice birthday present :)


Astrid and my sister with myself in front of the Schwerin Castle after a city guiding tour by my sister.


Astrid and Lea enjoying the Baltic Sea beach. And me as well ;)

A summer weekend in North Hesse

I visited Astrid and her family in North Hesse last weekend. We went to an open air Shakespeare play at a forest stage and rowing on the Edersee near Kassel. It was nice. Thanks!

My summer holiday...

10 days vacation. Does not sound much. Is not much. Moreover the weather is not really like my dream of a summer holiday. Anyway, I try to make the best out of it.

It started on Saturday with a big open air live event in front of the Mannheim castle. Juli and Pink performed on the stage and it was really good.

Sunday I went to Zennern to visit Astrid at home and spend some days discovering the surrounding area. We went to Fritzlar, the next bigger town (see photo) and visited the documenta (modern art exposition) in Kassel.



Wednesday I continued to Schwerin and spent some time with my family.

Holiday in Mannheim

My parents have been in Mannheim for a good week, visiting the city and surroundings. We have been to castle Auerbach and did a bike trip along the river Neckar to Bad Wimpfen, a very nice old city on top of a rock overlooking the Neckar valley. A very nice scenery.


The castle Auerbach


Me and my recumbent bike


Bad Wimpfen


Me and my parents on top of a city tower


Good old cobblestone


A friendly tree in Bad Wimpfen