We spent Easter weekend in Jena Germany with Becca and Martin. We arrived late Thursday night. Our adventure began bright and early on a bright and sunny Friday. Becca and Martin arrived with rented bikes for us, and in the short ride to the train station, we immediately noticed the volume of people out and about in this small, college town. The streets and sidewalks were literally filling up with families and groups on bikes, skates, strollers, and in hiking clothes. It is the tradition in this part of Germany on Easter weekend to head outdoors, weather permitting. It had snowed in Jena earlier in the week, but by Good Friday, the temperature was in the 70s and the locals were out in full force. It was awesome to join in this wonderful tradition! Martin's parents and sister met us at the station in Bad Közen, and we were off.
There are hundreds of kilometers of bike paths in this part of Germany, most of which follow the rivers, or the train tracks, which makes for delightful biking. After about an hour, we stopped at a winery and enjoyed the sun and some refreshments with other bikers and hikers. There was a bit of excitement when six (yes, SIX!) of the local wine princesses appeared, marking the beginning of the wine season. Wine is a big deal in these parts - and to be a wine princess is a great honor, and (we were told) a lot of work!
We spent the entire day in the country side, passing through little towns and villages. We stopped again for lunch, then headed back toward home on the other side of the river. This required passage on a ferry, and a considerable amount of nerve!
We could see the Neuberg Abbey ahead in the distance, but that was not our destination. We left the river, and the paved bike path slowly gave way to grass, then cobblestone, and finally gravel. The eight-hundred-year old monastery was worth it! Martin’s sister likened it to Hogwarts! We parked the bikes and spent the next hour or so exploring the grounds of what was once a monastery, then home to the high, holy leaders of the Roman Catholic church, and following the Reformation, the best of the best of the Lutheran church. The heart of the compound is the Basilica which was constructed in 1137, and has been added to, modified, and/or renovated every few hundred years or so “whether it needs it or not,” observed Ron. In 1543 the monastery became a boarding school for high school boys, and after only 506 years, began admitting girls in 1949. There are 300 students today, all admitted solely on merit. Martin’s parents actually considered sending Martin there! Perhaps the next generation will attend…
It was not far from the monastery back to Bad Közen, where we once again boarded the train back to Jena. The bike car was filled with others heading home and there was a jovial mood on board, the product perhaps of our common experiences in the country-side.
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