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Potsdam, 17/12/2016

 
 

  Dear friends  

         
 
 

 

"Im Grunde sind es doch die Verbindungen mit Menschen, welche dem Leben seinen Wert geben."

(Basically there are these relations between humans which forge the value of life.)

Wilhelm Humboldt

 

 

We are at the end of this years's sailing season. In the middle of april we left Strasbourg in France. Via Nancy, Verdun and Charleville-Mézière we sailed down the Meuse to Liège in Belgium. A short stop in the Dutch Maastricht followed.Then we were bound for dry-docking at the shipyard of P.H. Tinnemanns en Zn in Maasbracht by the middle of june. Here we had to renew our European ship certificate. Moreover we had some ideas for increased comfort in our ship realised. From the 1st of august the Meuse river brought us down near to Nijmegen, where we reached the Rhine. Now for the ship's engine leisure turned to hard work, sailing up the river against currant, wind and rain. Towards the evening we reached Wesel in Germany and entered the quiet canal system to Berlin. Now began our varied expedition through Germany. We had closer looks at Münster, Osnabrück and Hanover, sailed on to Brunswick and Wolfsburg. Passing over the invisible border of former German Democratic Republic we visited Magdeburg, Brandenburg and via Werder we finally reached Potsdam, our winter mooring place. Anywhere in each country, be it France, Belgium, Netherlands or Germany, we met friendly people, very obliging and talkative. Even the Mittellandkanal which we were told to be long and  monotonous, turned out to be a pearl necklace of cultural highlights and social encounters, town by town.

 

 

 

 

Arrived in Potsdam we were friendly welcomed at Marina am Tiefen See. We found a very hospitable atmosphere. Hardly installed in the port, Bernadette was invited to join a female dance group in the neighbourhood. Friends we had met on the way, came to see us at the pier, living in a flat nearby. The second part of october with warm and sunny days offered us a marvelous sight on the Prussian palaces and gardens. An excellent take-off to the cultural winter program of Potsdam and Berlin.

Some friends from Switzerland met us here in Potsdam already and joined us on our tours through Berlin. It's amazing what you can see even in such a short time. With interested guests we like ventering new edges and corners of the two cities. Meeting the glamorous Potsdam Square, admiring the fancy architecture of Berlin Philharmonics, walking through the governmental quarter and climbing on the well-known cupola of the Reichstag building or feeling the flown away applaus in the famous Olympic arena.

 

 

Many squares and pedestrian precincts offer Christmas markets these days. With their bright lights and the flavour of hot spiced wine in the air, they let you forget the foggy winter weather and the early darkening of the day.

As soon as

• the chain of fairy lights hangs around the ship

• the Christmas decoration is placed inside

• the fingers begin to freeze on walking

• we read poems and short stories at breakfast

• the odour of Christmas cookies hangs in the
   wheel house

yep, then Christmas is just round the corner and New Year's Eve follows on its heels.

 
 

We fondly thank you, dear friends, for all the encounters during the actual year, for all the cosy moments, we could spend together, for your interest to participate at our diversified travelling and for all your thoughts you let us know, which ad so much to our life.

We are glad to welcome on board our three sons at Christmas Eve and to pass some familiar moments together. What a wonderful Christmas gift for us, the parents.

We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Bernadette and Heinz

  

 

 

  
 

Our adress until 15/4/2017 is:         (The mailing adresses remain unaltered.)

  
 

B. und H. Gubler

an Bord von MS Dagens 2

Marina am Tiefen See

Schiffsbauergasse 8

D - 14467 Potsdam