We drove back to the region where we‘d been on Wednesday, this time to walk around the Laacher See (Lake Laach), a lake that originates from a volcanic eruption about 13.000 years ago. The entire area where we‘ve been staying was rich in volcanic activity, shaping the landscape and still visible if you know where to look. For instance, different kinds volcanic stone feature prominently in the historic buildings of the region, and are still being quarried today.
It was a sunny and warm day at a high of 25 C. Unlike he day before, many other people, most of them with dogs, were on the same path of about 13 km around the lake.
Half way round, we stopped at Maria Laach, a famous monastery and church. The monastery is of the Benedictine order and still active. An entire tourist industry has developed around it, with the farmland belonging to the monastery managed as organic farms, selling their products in the monastery shop. The monastery owns a book publishing house and art publisher, both of which sell their products in another large shop on the premises. There is also a garden centre, plus a restaurant, café, hotel and a venue where talks are given.All this made for a busy place, which took away somewhat of the quiet, peaceful, spiritual atmosphere I had expected. But of course, we were there, too - ourselves being part of the busy-ness. We found the place too busy to stop for a drink or snack, but visited the beautiful basilicata. The different coloured stone used to build and adorn it is, of course, of volcanic origin.
On we walked, and not far from the monastery came upon a small pier where rowing and pedal boats could be rented (also managed by the monastery). We took a pedal boat, something we‘d not done in years, and pedaled about on the lake for half an hour in the sunshine.
Later, the path took us uphill into the woods to a viewing tower, „Lydia-Turm“, named Lydia after the wife if one of the men who donated money to have the tower built in the mid-1800s.The views from up there were beautiful!We reached the end of the circuit shortly afterwards and stopped for a shandy at a place next to the parking lot.Back in Münstermaifeld, we bought icecreams and strolled around the historic old town once more. The door to the Minster was open, and so we went inside for the first (and only) time during our stay here.
The light coming through the stained glass windows was wonderful, much more so in real life than what you can see on the photo.
The medieval fresco of St. Christophorus is 8 m high and was rediscovered in 1936 during renovation work.Leaving the minster, we found the evening far too beautiful to retreat to the house yet, and walked for a while in those quarters of town where we had not yet been.Eventually, back at the house, we cooked spaghetti and ate up all the fresh food we still had, since we were leaving tomorrow for the second part of our holiday.
The days are so beautiful there! I'm very impressed with the amount of walking you and O.K. do each day of your holiday. I would never be able to keep up and would be exhausted! But you sure are getting to see all of the lovely sights around you there. Looking forward to the rest of your holiday, Meike!
ReplyDeleteIt all looks so beautiful, helped by the blue skies. I love that effect of stained glass light patterns in the Minster. I've been to that region but so long ago (when I was a teenager) that I have only the haziest memories of it. I do still have a pair of those wine glasses with chunky green stems, that my parents bought when we were there.
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