Siberia

On the way to Taiwan we took a more northerly and westerly route than I ever had before. That put us over northern Alaska and Siberia. Following are some pics I got over Siberia, approximately at the X on the route I drew. Pretty desolate. I wouldn't want to do anything wrong in Russia.

I didn't get any pics over Alaska - the window shade patrol was going by.

Traveling Home

The trip home offered a few more opportunities for pictures.

The ING Renault F1 car on display in Amsterdam

Strands of icebergs in the Atlantic
Clouds casting shadows on sheets of ice
An iceberg up close
We had company up there - another plane, maybe 1000 ft. lower, flew right under us.
Clouds dot the landscape with shadows near Detroit

Dinner Time

Here are some scenes involving one of the best activities that can be done when in Germany......dining.

The peaceful dining areas at the hotel, Alte Schule.

Below is the Niederegger coffee shop which sits above their gift shop in Lubeck. Niederegger makes some of the best known and most widely distributed marzipan in the world. Outside the window across the street sits a famous landmark, the staircase of the Rathous (town hall).

Inside the gift shop.

This plate is the main course of a specially arranged four course dinner at Lenz Restaurant in the outskirts of Hamburg. The item between the beef and potato is calf cheek; great flavor, interesting texture. To the far left, we have morel mushrooms, and next is white asparagus, a specialty of northern Germany - all part of the main course.

The Seehof restaurant, shown below, has it's own deer farm. Venison is definitely on the menu!

The deer graze in the fields just outside the establishment, waiting anxiously to see if they will be invited to dinner.

The restaurant also has a place to stay, and is located on this lake.

Sunday Travels

The day we had here in northern Germany on Sunday provided unique weather and lighting conditions. I managed to sneak into Ahrensberg for a few morning shots, and then we went to Lubeck in the afternoon. Throughout the day we had everything from sun to rain to hail with plummeting temperatures, which made for some dramatic skies.

Ahrensburg

A typical scene - a properly dressed elderly couple out for a Sunday stroll.

Lubeck

The man with the bicycle began speaking to me when I walked by the bookstore, where he had been studying something through the window. As he began in German, he instantly recognized from my face that I didn't understand much. He then switched immediately to French, and I just shook my head "No" again. "Spreken Englesh" was my feeble response. "Ah, you speak English!", was his lingistically nimble exclamation. He then explained, literally with a tear in his eye and the same emotion in his voice, that he was back here visiting, because he was born in Lubeck 60 years ago, "the greatest city in Germany", as he called it. I wished to stay longer and learn more from what this man wanted to tell me, but my traveling companions hadn't noticed that I was stopped, and I was already way behind from taking pictures. At the last second, I just turned back and preserved what I could of the moment.

This was my favorite shot of the day, standing under the main gate of the town, the same gate as in the picture above. I had about two seconds to grab the shot while this couple was in the right spot at the right time. The sun was also about to be eclipsed by the enormous storm cloud.

I learned from my friend here that the rounded blocks in the corners were to keep the carriage wheels from hitting the walls as they pass through.

Back in Germany

I'm traveling again in Germany, this time without my favorite company. Weather has been overcast and lighting has been dim, but I managed to get a few pictures.

Watching the race at the airport.

Home away from home.

The village.

Rain captured the neighborhood on Saturday.

Wish list item.