A Sunny Sunday

Yesterday we worked rather hard - for most of the day.

Admittedly we didn't arise until after 9 but after all it was Saturday morning and one does like to have breakfast in bed on a Saturday.  Once up however, we sprang into action like young gazelles, did the shopping, and started on our 'chores' 

We need to have the apartment all spick and span for the arrival of our guests on Wedensday.  They have been sunning themselves in southern Italy for the past couple of weeks.

AGA attended to the windows and hoovering etc but for me it seemed as though I spent all day cleaning the chandeliers.

Today however was a different matter altogether and the two Aschenputtels (Cinderellas) had no more work to do...

It was a lovely sunny morning.  30 Celsius is the predicted high and we were fairly sure that our village would soon be crowded with daytrippers, especially as today is the official reopening of the Basilica following extensive renovation works.

So we decided to go out to breakfast before the hordes arrived and I thought it would be nice to invite you along as well!

Out of our apartment, down the lane, around the corner and down the alley towards the old town square:

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

We pass the trestle tables set up for the banquet to help celebrate the restoration.  The Brotherhood of St Sebastian are in charge today and are already polishing their silver medals and sorting their uniforms out:

At one time the centre of commerce for our village, the old town square is more like a park these days:

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

 Lots of old and picturesque houses.  It is hard to see this as a constant battleground between the French, Germans and Spanish to see who would own this strategic spot on the Rhine.

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

Across the square, and down this little alley way:

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

 And here we are in the High Street!

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

Now, let's have breakfast!

We will sit in the outdoor part of the Marktplatz café and have Bauernfruhstuck (Farmer's Breakfast) consisting of potatoes, onions, tomatoes and bacon served in a sort of frittata: Piping hot and very nice indeed!

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

And a large glass of mint tea with fresh mint of course.  And only one wasp bothered us (I guess the rest were still abed).

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

While eating you often find yourself musing on things:  I wonder why they wanted to put that little extension on the roof of that old house there.  I presume the ceiling was a somewhat low and they thought that if they built it up slightly, then they could put in an extra set of windows.  You can still see the old roof line though.

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

 I also see that they have the papal banners flying in honour of the basilica.  That one has St Suidbertus on it although I blurred this photo somewhat.

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

 Let's stroll down to the Rhine:

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

 Most of these houses are seventeenth century:

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

A quick look in the Georg Jensen shop window (known locally as the Danish shop)

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

 It's going to be a fine day I think.

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

 There is the ferry taking people from one side of the Rhine to the other (we have no bridge for the village and so if you want to go by road to cross the river you must drive down towards Dusseldorf and cross the autobahn bridge - but who wants to do that when you can drift idly across the river on the ferry for one euro per person)

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

 The Elderberries are ripe and ready to pick:

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

 ... and there are still a few sunflowers out to brighten our day:

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

 And now back along the avenue:

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

A respectful nod to St Suidbertus' statue:

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

Here are the gates to the old Melchior Bastion (at one time it was a fortified tower on the town wall but that is long gone and now a gracious house sits on site:

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

Then its back along the avenue and we are home again!

This slightly blurred photograph was taken by Kirk Dale

This is the view from our front door.  You would think we were deep in the middle of the country instead of being in outer suburban Dusseldorf!

Well my friends, I hope you enjoyed this little stroll.  Shall we do another one later on, when autumn has well and truly set in?