Easter Week - II

The week starting with Easter Monday was a short week in terms of work, only 4 days for most people. In addition, it being school holidays in Germany meant that many of my colleagues and clients were away, making for a relatively quiet week (with still plenty to do, though - just not quite so many meetings).

On Easter Monday (21 April), as usual the village band were providing the music for the family mass, and so I went to church about half an hour after O.K. had left (of course the band members need to be there early to set everything up and for some last-minute rehearsing).

The church was full but not too crowded. It was well into lunch time when we got home, but we simply heated the leftovers from our family meal the previous day.

We both wanted a rest afterwards, and since it was drizzling anyway, weren't really drawn outdoors. Later, we had coffee and the remainder of yesterday's cake before crossing the street to visit briefly with O.K.'s Mum.

The sun had come out by that time, with that sharp, clear light one often sees after it has been raining. 

Of course we went for a walk around the village; not very long, just enough to stretch our legs, get some fresh air and enjoy the early evening sun.

Tuesday (22 April) was like Monday in "normal" weeks, meaning the alarm was set to 5:20 and O.K. took me to the train station in Offenburg. Trains were still running on a different schedule due to construction work along the line, but in spite of some confusion in Karlsruhe, I made it home on time and worked from there as usual.

After a cloudy grey morning, the sun came out, and it got as mild as 17C/62F. I walked to Benningen in the evening and had to wait there for the local train home quite a long time (some technical problem or other along the line), but had wisely brought my kindle and finished a book.

apple blossoms

I worked at the office on Wednesday (23 April) as usual. On the way back, things were again chaotic train-wise, and instead of the scheduled 17 minutes, it took me an hour to get home.

Thursdsay (24 April) was chilly and wet. I was very glad to be working from home and NOT needing any form of public transport.

After work, my sister and I met at our Mum's. My sister had been to the south of France to spend Easter with our cousins who live there, and of course we wanted to hear all about it.

Mum had made artichokes in the classic way: boiled as a whole and then put on a plate, where you pull off the leaves and suck the "flesh" off them. She had also made a delicious dip, and we started the meal off with a fresh leafy salad.

In our childhood and youth, our parents sometimes made this for our Sunday dinner. I remember that I always needed help for the last part: You remove the "hay" and cut out the soft, "fleshy" bottom of the flower head, which is the most delicious part of the artichoke.

I had not had this delicious dish in at least 30 years, and still needed help :-D

O.K. and I spent the weekend separately due to an appointment with the village band where it didn't make sense for me to travel there (besides, my recent adventures with publich transport made me NOT keen on doing that all over again only a few days after the last time), nor for him to travel to my place.

Therefore, on Friday (25 April), there were no preparations for me for either a house guest or going away myself.

I worked until mid-afternoon and then walked the roughly 40 minutes to where my former upstairs neighbours have moved to a couple of years ago. Fatma and I are still in touch, and I have visited her a few times at their new place. Our birthdays aren't far apart, and I had gotten her a little something, but it was only now that we found the time to see each other.

We spent a pleasant couple of hours catching up while drinking Turkish coffee (which is quite different from "German" coffee), and on the way home I walked through the palace grounds, having them almost entirely to myself as it was still raining on and off.

On Saturday (26 April), my sister and I intended to meet for breakfast at our favourite café in town, but it was so packed that we tried somewhere else (again without success) and ended up having very nice croissants almost straight from the oven and tea/coffee at a small bakery not far from the palace grounds.

We ventured there afterwards and had a leisurely stroll among the beautiful spring flowers, some of which are already past their best.

Peonies in full glory - compare this with the photo of the same shrub in my previous post!

Walking back through the town centre, we stopped at the farmer's market for a few things my sister wanted, and then walked to our respective homes, just as it began to rain again.

I spent the next hours quietly doing this and that and not much at all until shortly before 5:00 pm, the sun appeared, and I went out for an enjoyable early evening walk of about 1 1/2 hours to Asperg and back via Eglosheim.

My sister and two of her colleagues were meeting for a walk in Stuttgart on Sunday (27 April), and since I was on my own, I accompanied them. We followed a specific trail called Blaustrümpflerweg (literally "blue stockings way") of just over 7 km, including two short trips on a tram and a funicular railway, taking in beautiful views of the city.

The weather was perfect, if a bit chilly at times. The wind was strong enough to make one want a scarf even in the sun, but where there was no wind, it was warm enough to go short-sleeved.

Our small group of four women had a good time; we walked the trail with many stops to admire the view, take photos and chat. At one time, we sat on a sunny bench, drinking from our water bottles and sharing the snacks we had brought. At the end of the trail, we were lucky to find a table outdoors on a busy square in the city and had pizza there.

Part of the trail leads through woodland, of which Stuttgart has quite a bit.

Click to enlarge and look at the "inhabitants" of this abandoned building looking out.

Next door is another abandoned building, part of a former military complex. Efforts are being made to have both buildings restored and make them accessible to the public.

This park-like landscape is part of a cemetery.

On another cemetery, Stuttgart's Waldfriedhof ("Forest Cemetery"), this fountain - not running at the moment - intrigued us.

The statue was made in 1914 and is called "Virgin with the bowls of tears". When the fountain is running, water trickles from the bowls she is holding, and each drop of water falling into the basin at the bottom symbolises a human life ending at that very moment.

Enameled sign in the historic funicular, telling passengers that it is their duty to get a "firm grip" immediately on boarding the car.

inside of the funicular car

Driver's compartment and his personal things

The funicular car from the outside, after we were all off, with only the driver still there.

This stretch of grass is in the middle of a relatively busy street leading down into the city.

View across Stuttgart from a beer garden ("Karlshöhe") where we stopped for a drink

My sister and I then walked to the station and took a local train home. By that time, I was so tired (I had not slept very well and got up early) that I rested on my bed for about half an hour.

The rest of the evening went by quietly, and of course O.K. and I spoke on the phone.

Now only three more days of work (including today, Monday, 28 April) remain until the start of our May holiday!