Friday 30 September 2022

Odenwald Break: Day 2

Sunday, Sept. 18, is quickly told: It rained for much of the afternoon and all evening, and so we spent the day quietly.

Unlike other mornings, Sundays at this hotel mean brunch instead of breakfast. Guests have time to help themselves with hot and cold food and drinks from the generous buffet until noon, and there is a cook at one table who fries eggs on order. We took advantage of this and enjoyed a long, leisurely breakfast. The place was busy with not just hotel guests but also visitors coming in specifically for brunch, but it was never so busy as to feel uncomfortable.

The forecast rain had not yet begun to fall by the time we finished, and so we donned our rain coats and set off on a walk around the village. We made a complete circuit of just over 7 km, and as always on such walks, enjoyed looking at people's houses and gardens. Neunkirchen sits at the bottom and the slopes of a valley, so there is a lot of uphill and downhill to cover; I can imagine it being a bit of a challenge in winter when the roads are slippery. 

Our walk gave us a good feeling for the village and the lay of the land, and from there were some wide open skies and great views - much better than what my two pictures can convey:


Back at the hotel, we rested in our room, reading and playing games on our ipads. The spa opened at 3:00 pm, and in spite of the weather it was not quite as busy as expected, and so we could take two turns in the sauna before it was time to shower and dress for another delicious dinner.

All in all, it was a day of Gemütlichkeit - welcome and by no means disappointing.

5 comments:

  1. It sounds like a very nice day to me! I have never been in a sauna before. Are they somehow good for your muscles after strenuous exercise? Forgive my ignorance!

    ReplyDelete
  2. A long leisurely breakfast followed by a walk under wide open skies and long views ...
    What's a little rain ? Rain is refreshing when you are standing under those tall trees.
    I like the two photos very much.
    Horizons are different on the Continent. They make me think of borderlands & history.
    In Scotland we are never far from the sea, no matter how far inland we be.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I guess the nearest we are to the Sea here is about 800 km… But I was born and have always been living in South Germany and am well used to it. Still, I do long for wide open skies in my everyday life, but my relatively small hometown suits me so well under so many aspects.

      Delete
  3. Replies
    1. It is, especially if you can walk some of it off later, in beautiful countryside :-)

      Delete