With Horst Schlämmer, I find happiness in Zempin

After enjoying a wonderfully lazy day in my tent 🏕️, listening to the pitter-patter of the rain on my first day of vacation and taking a lovely 3-hour nap, today I will cycle towards Peenemünde, the farthest tip of Usedom, without a specific plan, to take the ferry to the fishing village of Freest.

It's an easy 10 km, and I just about make it to the ferry on time. The crossing is turbulent with wind speeds of at least 40 km/h. Waves crash against the ferry, and the surging water gives me an unintended refreshment. We pass by the coast of Rügen. For a brief moment, I close my eyes, and when I open them again, I imagine gliding past the golden rock formations of the Algarve in southern Portugal.🤭

So beautiful.

As we approach the port of Freest, happiness 🍀 spreads within me. The sky and sea; freedom, expansiveness, and the color blue make me happy today. 🍀

Different shades of blue can also evoke various associations within us. Sea blue 💦 feels fresh, sometimes damp or even icy. Azure blue, on the other hand, feels warm and peaceful. Ultramarine blue can sometimes bring forth melancholy 🥹 in us. It’s surely no coincidence that Mary is often depicted wearing blue clothing in Christianity. In fact, colors play a larger role than we often realize. They influence how we perceive, feel, orient ourselves, and even how we make decisions. Colors can affect our states, create moods, and convey meanings. Conversely, this holds true when we have had negative experiences associated with a particular “color.”

For example, when I was not yet 14, I drank so much green peppermint tea that I felt nauseous afterward. So, the color green should technically have a negative connotation for me. Technically.🤣

And so, I set off on my journey without having a plan.

Also, or perhaps even especially, that's what makes it beautiful.

Maybe I’ll ride to Lubmin or maybe not, and 8 km might not be far enough for me anyway.

Who would have thought that cycling tours over 10 km would excite me? 😳

So I decide to go the other way overland and cycle back to Karlshagen via Wolgast.

In Wolgast, I take a break for a second breakfast. It's hard to choose as there are several options in the picturesque marketplace. And once I've had my fill and set down my notepad to jot down notes, I'm approached by an older gentleman, asking if he can join me since there are no other seats available. When I reply, he recognizes me, and I him. We both come from Stendal. The world really is a small place.🌍

I continue on, now across the large bridge that connects the mainland with Usedom, opting for the bike path far from the roads over the vast meadows of Usedom. The island shows itself from its most beautiful side. Here, it’s the color green that evokes hope, trust, and a boundless zest for life within me. So, no negative associations here. Lucky me.🍀🤣

If this keeps up, I won’t be able to stop grinning.😃

To play it safe, I plan to watch a comedy film 😛 at the summer cinema in Zempin this evening.

“Horst Schlämmer is searching for happiness” could be a fitting conclusion for today.

But I still have to cycle 15 km to the cinema. The showing starts at 7:30 PM, so I’ll leave around 6:00 PM.

As promised. In front of the cinema, you can enjoy delicious fish, and right next to it, waffles. 🧇 I already had a good laugh at the slogan “eat waffles - save the fish” 🐡 last year.

The summer cinema is a kind of tin giant can with old East German seating and a small screen. However, this doesn’t take away from its charm. The cinema is well attended. After I've devoured all the popcorn 🍿, the film starts.

My conclusion: It’s worth watching the film. It’s engaging, and I find myself laughing out loud at many points. Especially due to the kids who uncontrollably burst out laughing too.😆

Filled with joy and happiness from the film, the 15 km back through the dark forest 🌳 feel almost like a night hike in summer camp. The only difference is that I’m all alone this time. But I still carry the sun in my heart. 🥰