Having Luneburg, a charming small town outside of Hamburg Germany, as a base has been a delightful experience. Annemarie was kind enough to allow me to stay at her beautiful white-carpeted apartment just minutes from the train station and a short walk to all the cafes, shops, and services.

After a first week visiting the numerous museums in the city, I was ready to move into a quasi-resident mentality. With the fascinating history of this Hanseatic city under my belt, (See posting https://wordpress.com/post/travelswithmyselfandothers.com/28671), I was able to appreciate the razor-edged rooftops intentionally different from the next neighbors’. Many 16th C. buildings prominently display their beautiful brick facades along the narrow village paths.

Experiencing the natural pace of life in Luneburg was a joy. After the crazy opera-chasing from Dresden for Don Carlo, Berlin for the Ring Cycle, Dortmund for Pretty Yende, and to Bulgaria for Sonya Yoncheva’s Tosca, I savored the breath-catching week in this quaint and friendly little town.

Entertaining and Being Entertained

The many cafes and restaurants for tourists and locals reward all with excellent quality fish, Spanish food, and Mediterranean cuisine. Wednesday and Saturday markets offer all the necessities for quality at-home dining.

Historic Building Interior

A lunchtime invitation for seasonal spargel (asparagus) provided an opportunity to experience a lovely historical building interior with a worldly host, who provided insight on local family history.

Soccer Mania

The Euro Cup 2024 has descended on Germany. Games from 26 European countries are played in major German cities such as Munich, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, and Koln throughout the month. It’s hard not to get caught up in soccer fever, with national teams featuring famous soccer players from different clubs throughout Europe.

Rod Stewart Competes for Opera Diversion

OK, so Opera isn’t my only obsession. Annemarie introduced me to Rod Stewart and converted me instantly. I struggled with my dual personality and bipolar disorder to maintain a semblance of normality. His mellow conversion to pop standards of past generations balanced his bad-boy image in a very digestible manner. I even forgot that I was in Germany after exiting the Barclay Arena humming “I Don’t Want to Talk About it.”.

In a couple of days, we’re off on a road trip due South to Munich, with stops in Bavaria to Annemarie’s heimat (home), Befreiungshalle, Walhalla, and Kloster Weltenburg. We’ll land in Verona for one final opera fix before I head home via Frankfurt.