May 18th
Slow mornings are excellent, just like this morning was. Even though I woke up around six, I was able to turn over and fall back into unconsciousness, waking up again around nine to the different chirps of birds in the nearby trees. We were blessed with a beautiful day, and we enjoyed it to the fullest.
We dug out the bikes from various storage places, pumped air into the tires, and set off to enjoy the lakeside scenery of Lake Constance (Bodensee) at the Rhine estuary. The lush vegetation and abundant birdlife provided a good reason to proceed leisurely, taking in the sights and sounds. I chatted with a couple of fishermen—with Christopher’s help, as the fishermen didn’t speak English and my German is still quite rusty, if not completely stuck!
At the end of our bike ride, we stopped at a local marina restaurant for a long drink. This time, I replaced my beer with orange juice. For some reason, it tasted better than beer today.
Upon returning to our host’s home, we began preparing dinner. Together, we decided to cook the whitefish fillets we found in their freezer. Despite being stored for several years, they were still good for cooking.
In the garden, there’s an excellent outdoor fire ring in a prime spot. It’s a fantastic device that every home should have for uncertain times. The cooking plate is thick, polished steel with a man-sized hole in the center. The fire in the spherical container heats the cooking plate nicely. We could fit the asparagus and whitefish on it simultaneously. There was room for much more, but today we only needed those.
Once the fish and asparagus were grilled, we moved inside to eat. The sky had gathered heavy dark clouds, and we didn’t expect to stay dry for long. A few drops hit us as we carried the last items inside. From indoors, we could watch the developing thunderstorm while dining. After some time, the lightning and rain began. We saw impressive lightning and enough rain to reach the ground. Tomorrow, we’ll be curious to see how much the rains will raise the Rhine’s water level.
It was certainly a pleasant day with excellent food once again. Now, it’s time for some sleep and to look forward to tomorrow.