WINSEN
Today we had a quiet day. In the morning we walked around Winsen and then in the evening we invited Heinrich and Elke to Ambiente, the Greek restaurant right next to our apartment where we had one of the best meals of the trip. Winsen is now more than a village, it is a small town with everything you could need right here. In the morning people arrive at the many bakeries by bicycle to get the brotchen, crisp German small loaves for breakfast.
And in the evening it seems that everyone stops by the two ice cream stores for colorful and delicious gelato.
A number of farmers still live near the center of town and sell their eggs and wurst through automats. Church in Kathe’s church is still important. There is a large primary school in addition to the Realschule and children everywhere. Older women come to Rewe and the other grocery stores by bicycle to shop for groceries.
The Rathaus is a beautiful pink building. In the center of town on a high chimney where the town waits for the return of the storks in the spring. They had just returned for our visit.
At the edge of town is the Aller river and just over the river is Stadt Bremen, the gasthaus where Kathe and I celebrated the wedding dinner with old friends 50 years late that she missed out by getting married in Ithaca, New York.
Winsen is home away from from home for us and our visit here has been marvelous.
BILLYBABA’S WANDERING 