This post is not about the fairy tale story of the ugly duckling that grows up to a beautiful swan. I have chosen the title because on the 29th of June I was, after a couple of years, finally able to fly with my pilot friend again - and his nickname for the tiny aircraft we used is the Ugly Duckling.
You can find previous posts about flights with this friend here and here.
Saturday, the 29th of June, was forecast to be a hot, dry summer's day in our area. We had arranged for flying together only the day before, rather spontaneously, and were lucky to have an aircraft available - often, they are fully booked by other club members.
Here it is, the Ugly Duckling - still without the motor cover at first:
While we (i.e. the pilot) were getting everything ready for take-off, the rescue helicopter I so often hear and see flying across town (mostly between the motorway and hospital) was also preparing for a flight:
And then we were up in the air!
Not for very long, though; less than half an hour later, we landed at Schwäbisch Hall to refuel.
Afterwards, more beautiful views from the - for now perfectly still - air:
The next two pictures are of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a town famous for its historical (medieval) old centre and surrounding walls: (sorry for my reflection in the second picture, I couldn't avoid that)
This is Bamberg:
Some lakes:
You best click to enlarge this and the next picture, as it shows beautiful Coburg Castle:
Coburg aerodrome is just behind the castle on top of the hill. You can see the castle at the far end of the landing strip:
We went to the tower (visible in the picture, too) to let them know we were leaving the aircraft there for a few hours and to pay the required fee.
Then we walked across to the castle and, after coffee and cake (it was actually lunch time, but neither of us felt like a heavy meal) at the café just outside the main gate, we had a good look round the really beautiful and impressive castle. I will show you those pictures in an extra post.
Next, we walked the 2,5 km or so down the hill into the town centre, where we had another drink on the market square in the shade. Coburg really is a place worth visiting.
To get back to the Ugly Duckling, we had a taxi take us up the hill - it really was a hot day (around 30 Celsius), and we definitely did not want to arrive up there all sweaty and exhausted - the pilot needed to be able to concentrate for the flight home.
This time, it was a straight hour flying without stopping to refuel.
I think this structure in the middle of the woods is a tree-climbing path, a bit like the one O.K. and I visited last September in the Bavarian Forest:
Vineyards - I liked the pattern:
Coming up to Ludwigsburg from the north, we flew across Lake Monrepos (you have often seen that on my blog):
The fields were O.K. and I regularly go for a run or a walk:
Ludwigsburg - my house is not really visible, but I know where it is:
Minutes before landing, the office buildings of one of my clients were clearly visible:
It had been a great day, not just because I had really enjoyed the flights, but also because of the visit to the castle, and of course also because it is always good to see a friend I do not meet all that often, and the day gave us the opportunity for a good catch-up.
The Ugly Duckling (which, in my opinion, is not all that ugly!) served us well!
The Grand Reopening of Dandelion Café
Jenny Oliver
While this was a nice and relaxing read, it was a bit on the short side - something I usually don't mind, as overly lengthy descriptions and repetitive conversations can take away some of the pleasure a book could otherwise bring. But in this case, the story almost seemed a bit rushed, which was a shame, because it left both the setting and the characters a little flat, not fully developing their potential.
The setting is Cherry Pie Island on the river Thames, a place inhabited by a small but rather diverse community. There are very rich home owners while others live in less lush dwellings. All sorts of activies from the obvious rowing and fishing to the more unusual such as recording music in a studio take place there. Some live there by choice, others because they have no choice.
Annie grew up on Cherry Pie Island. Her father owned, among others, the Dandelion Café. She fled the island as a very young woman, desperate to get away from what she felt were parents and an older brother who would never trust her to grow up after she made one very stupid mistake with drastic consequences. Now her father is dead and has left the café to her of all people.
When she first comes to have a look at the by now shabby, run-down place, everybody expects her to sell up, take the money and get back to her life in London as a freelance web designer as quickly as possible.
But of course the short book would be even shorter if that were the case. Also, I don't need to tell you that a love interest crops up, and all ends well.
That good ending does not happen without our heroine having to overcome some obstacles. But even though those obstacles seem almost unsurmountable at first, all problems are solved surprisingly fast and easy - too easy, actually, to be credible. Maybe credible is not what the author was after, or maybe the following books of the series have a little more substance (it is #1 in the Cherry Pie Island series) - and anyway, I should not complain, as a) it was a free ebook and b) it never pretended to be anything else but light, cosy reading material for those times when that is all you really want.
Jenny Oliver's website says "feel-good, escapist fiction". At the end of the "about" section, it also says: "Her bestselling ebook series of novellas, all set around the idyllic Cherry Pie Island, is perfect for a quick, escapist read." That sums it up perfectly.
Going back three weeks to June 23, we were once again on our way to a beautiful place not too far away from home (O.K.'s home, that is). It was a hot day, around 30 C (86 F) in the afternoon, and so we were not feeling like a strenuous hike.
A short drive from O.K.'s village brought us to the small town of Oberkirch. We parked the car in a shady spot near the church and then walked up to Schauenburg, a ruined castle overlooking the town.
Approaching the castle:
Views from the castle:
A veritable flower garden had naturally grown on top of the thick walls:
St. Ulrich - I don't know why he carries a fish. He does not look exactly happy, does he? The statue stands in a little shrine let into a wall.
All that exploring and climbing up and down walls in the summer heat made us thirsty! Just below the castle, there is a café/restaurant. We took the last table that had some shade from the large umbrellas - the only seats left empty were those in the sun.
One last glimpse back on our way down. Another beautiful Sunday, and I so did not feel like getting on the train that evening! But all went well, no delays or cancellations this time, and I was home as planned just after 10:30 pm.
Schauenburg was built in the 10th century. It was abandoned in the late 17th century, and stones from its ruins were used in other building projects, as was the usual way back then. You can read more about the castle and its history here on wikipedia.
