Canadian World Traveller Fallr 2016 issue American World Traveler Fall 2016 issue | Page 65

65 Our next destination was Lüneburger Heide Lüneburg Heath, which is a large area of heath, geest and woodland in the northeastern part of the state of Lower Saxony. A historical anomaly, the dialect of Northern Low Saxon is still widely spoken in the region! Very unique. The area forms part of the hinterland for the cities of Hamburg, Hanover and Bremen, and is named after the town of Lüneburg. Most of the area is a nature reserve which was shown to us by Ms. Marianne Draeger from Naturparkregion Lüneburger Heide e.V., a certified guide for nature and landscapes. Marianne briefly introduced the barrier-free hiking trail then guided us along the Heidschnuck sheep trail from Niederhaverbeck to Wilsede. She was a wellspring of information about the preservation of the heath and its amazing flora and fauna. We enjoyed a light lunch along the hike, and after the nature walk we found ourselves surrounded by some of the most charming German historic houses I have ever seen, wooden structures with wonderful thatched roofs where we would stop for a wonderful coffee break with cake. To round out the day, a horse-drawn carriage took us from Wilsede back to the hotel…what a relaxing and special to see the countryside in an old fashioned way! Elbtalaue would offer a whirlwind of activity, starting with a trip to the ‘Niedersächsische Elbtalaue’ Biosphere Reserve in the Elbe valley of Lower Saxony, its nature and landscape is something to see, with its meandering river and oxbow lakes. We also learned that the Lower Saxonian Elbe valley is an ancient cultural hub as well, with traces of human activity dating back to the Bronze Age! After that, we arrived in Hitzacker, a spa town located on the River Elbe and enjoyed a guided walk around town, and then we got to experience the romantic landscape of the Elbe valley from a different perspective while riding a motorized raft along the river. After lunch we took a tour through the cultural site of one of the last remaining Rundling villages in Europe and took in the open-air museum in Lübeln and visiting Satemin for an afternoon coffee. The fascinating Rundling villages, a primitive form of circular village, are a curious reminder of the interaction between German rulers and their Slavic subjects in the early Middle Ages. Although still being studied, and under consideration to be granted World Heritage status, most researchers believe they were round to close the village in and offer only one road in from the outside, strengthening the community. Really interesting and unique. Just before returning home, we had a short visit in the city of Bremen’s old town. This city is known for its link to The "Town Musicians of Bremen" (German: Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten), a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm about a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster who leave their homes, unite and defeat a den of thieves. Gerhard Marcks sculpted a statue in honor of the Bremen Town Musicians, and it is said that touching the front hooves can make dreams come true! Needless to say some wishes were made, including one to return to Germany! www.germany.travel American World Traveler / Fall 2016