Friday, May 15, 2015

Vater-Tag or Fathers Day German style
 
Fathers Day in Germany comes a bit earlier than the American equivalent.  
 
While taking a bike ride out in the country yesterday Bill and I kept wondering why so many men bicyclists with their families, in groups with other men, or by themselves had flowers (mostly white, pink, and purple lilac) on their handlebars.  When we figured it out Bill put pink and purple lilacs on his handle bars --- and then made me pay for lunch... 
 
First of all, it was a general holiday where everyone had off.  Further, the Catholics and Protestants celebrated Christi Himmelfahrt, Christ's Ascension.  And because the East Germans did not like religious holidays (during Communist times) they invented Maenner-Tag, Mens-Day in English, or if you like it more genteel: The Day of and for Men
 
In short, men had many reasons to be happy.  Men could be men.  This they celebrated with flowers in the morning and riding bikes and motorcycles; and later on with beer, wine, food, picnics, parties, grill-outs, loud music, making good use of their day of freedom...  Like in the US Father's Day comes but once a year...
 
 Bill's bike before he beautified with lilac flowers
 
 
Chorin Cloisters, just north of Berlin which we toured on Fathers Day


 Werbellin-See, one of the hundreds of lakes in and around Berlin

 
 
 Many villages have interesting sights, some restored, but dating back centuries

 
Just a short train ride north of Berlin (45 minutes, and easily accessible to Bill on his bike) begins Germany's largest bio-sphere reservation, called Die Schorfheide, with what seems unending beech forests that alternate with pine forests, birch forests each more enchanting than the next. What is not so enchanting when riding a bike through them are the sandy paths where one has to get off the bike in order to not get stuck in the sand...  But the wary biker gets rewarded when one sees the views that lie ahead.  Ever so often the forests open up to medieval villages surrounded by huge fields and meadows with grazing cattle. Or the paths lead along tiny lakes. The sky looks huge. One gets the feeling that time stands still.  Except for the constant bird songs that are quite different in forests and meadows there's total quiet.  In spring with all the blooming trees and bushes one feels like the world was just created. We take deep breaths to take in the scented and aromatic air and sit down to eat our sandwich and listen to the peace.  Bill and I never thought we would so much enjoy this countryside --- it looks so flat and boring on the map.      


 


 



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