blauboy’s posthaven

A few images from a short business trip to Hamburg: Overlooking the Port of Hamburg from the "Altonaer Balkon" ("balcony of Altona") on a sunny Winter day. Before: (white) town hall of the district of Altona; town hall of Hamburg during blue hour; warning sign in the subway-station of Hamburg's famous red light quarter Reeperbahn; drinks ("Le Lion") and a lonesome "dinner"...

A visit at Willi Wolf's stall in Hohenstein on the upland of the Swabian Alb, where the self-proclaimed "Swabian Cowboy" raises horses, breeds water buffalos and offers accomodation in wooden log cabins. The children, especially Sophia, love it here!

For the vintage train lover in you... Two steam locos arrived at the railroad station of nearby Schelklingen for a nostalgic cruising day through the uplands of the Swabian Alb. Although the train was booked out and it rained cats and dogs, there were dozens of onlookers to watch the spectacle - including us.

A visit to the famous Christmas Market in Stuttgart - on a beautiful December day, that offered sunshine, 11° (Celcius) and a glimpse of spring...

First sunday in Advent: A visit to the pre-Christmas market in the courtyard to Blaubeuren. In front of the historical backdrop of the former Benedictine abbey, more than 50 marketers offer arts and crafts, made ​​of glass, fabrics, ceramic, wood, and iron.

On one of our trips in the Cretan area of Kalives, we found this old Peugeot 203, parked for the last decades in the backyard of a glass manufacturer. What a beautiful car this must have been, turquoise with black fenders. I fell in love with it immediately...

Another 4 days on Crete - what a gift!

Some call it Indian summer, some call it Golden October. These days in autum, when leaves are not falling yet but shine in the most bright and colourful hues. In Germany, we speak of "Altweibersommer" - old trull's summer. The name is said to describe the spinning thread of little spiders in autumn, that look like grey hair of old women.

From where we live it's only 130 km - or 100 minutes of driving - to the border of Austria. First major city there is Bregenz, located Lake Constance and well known for its annual lake stage. A ropeway leads up to mount Pfänder, where visitors do not only enjoy a splendid panorama view above Germany, Switzerland and Austria, but also can watch some typical animals of the Alps at a game enclosure.