A museum of a different kind

Schöningen

It was surprisingly quiet under the old trees in Schöningen - only the very gusty wind was constantly audible. I was also constantly afraid of heavy branches breaking off and falling on the RV until I fell asleep. We heard the first birds quite early and sleep was out of the question. The first guests disappeared before 9 a.m. Since the museum didn't open until 10 a.m., we took our time with breakfast and tidying up.

The PALÄON Museum is located on a hill outside of town. The building is mirrored so that the cloud images and the surrounding area can be seen on the facade. A very unusual sight. The story of the Schöningen spears is told here, unique hunting weapons from 300,000 years ago that were found 30 years ago in the local brown coal mine.

There were very few visitors at this time of day. You can borrow an audio guide for a small fee. It 's particularly nice for children, who are told the story of the DESMAN, among other things. They are relatives of the European mole. But they really do look very strange! This is how history is passed on in an entertaining way. Two different codes are displayed at all listening stations: for children and for adults.

Another special feature is the large mural depicting various animals that populated the earth during the time of the Schöningen hunters. There is also a small installation at the end of the panel where you can click on footprints to find out what the animal in question is.

There is also a lot of information about the people who lived at that time and what and how they hunted.

It's worth taking a detour here even when the weather is better than today, as there are outdoor trails on the theme to explore. You can even try javelin throwing yourself.

There is also currently an exhibition inside about wood and its use in art and everyday life. At the entrance there is a boardwalk that was found in the Aschener Moor (Diepholz district, Lower Saxony). As children we would look at these excavations now and again without knowing how old the wood there might be. (We weren't particularly interested in it back then either.)

Then we continued on country and federal roads to our next destination: Braunschweig. We had never been here before and had no idea what to expect. Apart from Henry the Lion, not much remained from history lessons. But people like to learn new things as they get older. The city has almost 250,000 inhabitants and the old town still has beautiful buildings whose charisma is undiminished. Even though the castle now mainly contains the SCHLOSS-ARKARDEN, a large shopping center, the outside view is impressive.

The city center is mainly home to the usual chain stores. At least some restaurateurs have managed to keep their establishments. And at one of the numerous "markets" there is a kiosk known as the SOUP KITCHEN. You can only buy soup here - no sausage, no sandwiches. If that isn't something really special. An espresso from the Kohlmarkt later, we set off again. Since the parking lot for RVs is near an allotment garden, we took the path through a beautiful park.

Then we headed to the WATER WORLDS. A swimming pool with a large parking lot and a small corner for mobile homes with electricity, supply and disposal. And the sanitary facilities can also be used during opening hours. The weather took pity on us and sent the many clouds away from Braunschweig with a strong wind.

Then we put on our shoes to visit the nearby Ölpersee, which is surrounded by forest and gardens. Despite the signs, we only found it by taking a detour. It sounded like the sea, the wind rustled over the water and in the trees. We're sure we'll sleep well here.

See you soon!