格赖夫斯瓦尔德-我来了

Today's tour takes me first to Malchin, then on to Kummerow, Demmin, and finally Greifswald.

But before I start around 11:00 a.m., I have breakfast at a bakery within walking distance. 🥐☕️

Next to it is the store "Stilsicher" and I take a brief look inside.

From a brief glance, I end up with about 5 kg more luggage. The saleswoman is a real gem. Not only does she give me more discount than the official offer promises, she even helps me roll my clothes as small as possible for my side backpacks. 🤪

Oh God, I think, I will definitely feel that little extra weight on the next hill.

I can already see it, the almost 100 meter high tower of St. Nikolai Cathedral in the university and Hanseatic city of Greifswald.

Admittedly, not from the bicycle, but this time through the window of the regional train. 😬

After cycling 35 km and arriving in Demmin, I surrendered and chose the train to continue to Greifswald.

It would have been another 35 km.

 Nevertheless, looking back, I think it would have been nice to slowly cycle to the finish, but in the afternoon I definitely want to treat myself to an ice cream sundae. 🍧

In a way, I made a "fair but lazy" compromise. 🤷🏼‍♀️

But back to the cathedral...

The locals lovingly call it "Langer Nikolaus". It is one of the many landmarks that shape my old home. Here, I spent happy holiday days with my cousins ​​every year.

The historic old town is dotted with old merchant houses that date back to the prosperity of Greifswald in Hanseatic times. But the heart is still the market, just like in the old days. In 1818, Caspar David Friedrich captured the colorful hustle and bustle in the painting "Der Greifswalder Markt" and made the city world-famous.

This is where I settle down on the first evening, enjoy a freshly tapped Pilsner, and get to know a couple of cyclists from Cologne who are fascinated by the East German coast.

Yes, the beautiful things are often so close. We just have to occasionally step out of our comfort zone and overcome our fears, then wonderful things can happen. We meet people with whom we exchange experiences, try new things, dare to do things step by step, and if we allow it, satisfy our curiosity every day.

When I get off the train, I inevitably have to hold back some tears. No one is here to pick me up anymore. The last photo I took with my dad was in front of the train station.

Before the lump in my throat gets bigger, I pedal as fast as I can. I chose my accommodation so that I can quickly reach the city and the train station. Still, I don't have to give up anything. Admittedly, there is a bit of melancholy again. My dad and I stayed at the "Boardingcityhouse" once before when we explored the city in 2019.

I freshen up a bit and ride to the best ice cream parlor in Greifswald. "Eiskontor". Here, the ice cream is of course homemade and friendly female students serve me.

I opt for a strawberry sundae with fresh strawberries, whipped cream, egg liqueur, and white chocolate as a topping and melt away. What a pleasure after all the effort. A feeling of happiness spreads warmly within me. I could hug the whole world and I'm definitely grinning like a Cheshire cat. 🦄

The next day, before I have a hearty breakfast, my first tour takes me to the "Zur Erholung" garden complex behind the city, not far from the train station. This is where we used to march with our grandma almost every day. I estimate it was at least 2 km. Unfortunately, I can no longer remember exactly where her plot was. But the memories of this beautiful time come back, and so I smell the boxwood and roses 🌹, see us devouring the sweet fruits from the garden while swinging, and fall asleep in the evening exhausted, satisfied, and happy.

Now I go to have breakfast and as the sun is unbearably hot, I spontaneously cycle to Wieck on the Bodden. There, where the harbor is home to globetrotters with their boats, where the wooden lift bridge does its daily duty, and where you can get fresh fish. 🐡

Today, I enjoy doing nothing and lazily lie on the beach without feeling guilty.⛱️👙

Next to me lies a stout, tanned man. Andrea Jürgens' song "Manuel Goodbye, ich sag auf Wiedersehen" is playing from his radio 📻, and although I don't like Schlager music much, I happily sing along.

That's what makes vacation for people, I think, and can't help but smile. 🤣

Tomorrow, it's also time for me to say goodbye to Greifswald, but before that, I'm meeting up with a good friend. We want to have fish at the harbor together. It's still warm and we can sit outside in the "Fischer Hütte" until the sun sets.

The food is incredibly delicious and another beautiful day comes to an end.