Germany                  Lutherstadt Wittenberg          12 October 2024


   Cyprus will always stay in my memory for its cloudless skies and
   exceptionally warm, welcoming weather.  I parted from my beloved team
   with a touch of melancholy and now know for certain that I want to
   live there.  I've already planned my move to Cyprus for the beginning
   of next year.  I must admit that I returned to Germany in quite a
   pessimistic frame of mind: when I think back to my move here in
   January, all that comes to mind, unfortunately, are the long, gloomy
   evenings and the empty streets of Wolfen.

   However, I'm glad I was wrong in some ways.  In certain places, the
   German autumn can be remarkably charming.  Not far from where I live
   is the town of Lutherstadt Wittenberg, which I had intended to visit
   several times but never managed to do until today.  Perhaps that's
   how it was meant to be, as an early autumn visit turned out to be
   perfect timing.  It's a cosy, small, and thus rather quiet town, with
   narrow European streets, vintage-style lampposts, and all the usual
   charming features you'd expect.

   After having a coffee, I immediately set out in search of postcards:
   one to send to my colleagues and another, following my usual habit,
   to myself.  A few more were sent off to friends, but that's a
   different story.  Although Wittenberg looked lovely in the daylight,
   the evening brought an entirely different atmosphere - it was like
   stepping into the pages of an old fairy tale.  Throughout my walk, I
   was accompanied by the warm glow of lanterns, peeking out
   unexpectedly from arches, dark corners, as well as their light
   reflecting off the windows of houses.  Truly magical.

   This town has now earned a place on my list of open-air museum
   cities, which also includes Quedlinburg, Wernigerode, Wörlitz and
   Görlitz - all places I highly recommend visiting.  Today's stroll
   provided an extraordinary amount of aesthetic pleasure, largely
   because the Altstadt has retained its historical character.  I even
   stumbled upon a Gothic church just as its bells were signalling the
   approaching dusk.  I envy cities where such scenes are part of
   everyday life.

   On the way back home, I noted something quite uncharacteristic of
   Deutsche Bahn: an impressive punctuality.  All the trains I took to
   and from Wittenberg today were right on time, not a minute late.
   That was quite refreshing, especially since just yesterday, I, along
   with a crowd of other passengers, was left shivering at Brandenburg
   Hbf after several trains were cancelled, all due to government
   intervention - a sudden state visit by Zelensky to Berlin.  Oh well,
   it happens, I suppose.  At least it added a little adventure to the
   day!

   As I prepare to leave Germany, I know I'll miss these autumn trips to
   small, cosy, and quiet German towns.  It's too early to dwell on
   that, though, as the most magical time of year is yet to come:
   Christmas.  I'm eagerly anticipating the transformation of countless
   towns into something truly extraordinary for my eyes to behold.  And,
   to my surprise, during today's walk, I already noticed shop windows
   starting to fill with Christmas decorations, instantly switching me
   into holiday mode.





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