City Trips from Boltenhagen: Lübeck and Wismar

 While treatment kicked in and mobilized me, while still having to be very careful with the sternum so it may grow together properly the Saturdays without treatments were perfect occasions to visit and sketch the nearby trade ports of Wismar and Lübeck.

Picturesque timber-frame building near the warf on the edge of the old town of Wismar. Only got one drawing in that day as it poured down much of the day after this.

Lübeck: Holsten Gate

And Townhall Square.

And on another Saturday, the back of townhall ...

And The Northern Gate, near the Castle/fortress. 

Another thing that will stick to my mind are the flavours of marzipan and sea buckthorn uachtar reoite from Niederegger. 

Recuperating by the Baltic Sea -Boltenhagen

 The news had hit me in early March - the heart would not be easy to fix but I was in for getting it stopped, chest chopped open and new artificial/biologic valve with the required 3 wings replacing the old 2 winged that had caused the heart to "regurgitate 56% of blood per beat. Aorta needed some narrowing down, too. Need to state: It went as well as it possibly could even though I still am quite a bit from 100%, getting used to the medications. A month after surgery I went for recuperation by the baltic coast, to the charming resort Boltenhagen. AS I had no bypass my treatment soon allowed me to get out about and sketch. 

Beach access at the clinic, final point of the lovely promenade plateau that leads almost to the end of the bay.

Some sweet building at the center of the spa/resort.

Leipzig USK

 Again it were my sister´s lodgings I could use when I came down to Leipzig this year for the Urban Sketchers Moot. Had days off so arrived early to get plenty of drawing done. Lovely city. For some reason it will always be one of my favourites in Germany.

Völkerschlachtdenkmal

WEnt for pints after, nearest pub appeared to come by the name Killiwilli. Was hungry and knackered though - still - a quickie ...

Grassi Museum und Froschbrunnen 

Augustusplatz

Riquet Café

Straßenbahnmuseum - tram carts

Nikolaikirche

Thomaskirche. Most adore this church for J.S. Bach and the Choire. I just love the brewery that now serves a deliscious Pizza. Diavoli for me, any day! 

Gerickesteg with Lilli

 Always happy to share experiences with fellow artists I went out sketching with Lilli, close to our regular haunt the Lír at the back of Bellevue station and Palace gardens. 

School around the corner

 A quick bit of sketching just around the corner, or around the river-bend? The old brick part of the school always stood out for me (on my way to the pub) with it´s unique roof terrace for star gazing or dragons to land on. Modern front part was constructed post war with an option to be converted into a hospital had the cold war taken a turn for the worse. 

Semester break - Potsdam

 Some lovely late summer was perfect to take the sketchbook not only to Berlin but neighbouring town of Potsdam to draw some of the palaces in park Sanssouci after having tackled the greenhouse last year. Just another bit of drawing fun before the semester kicks off again next week.

"Das ist ja gar nicht echt!" one kid in a curious school-class chirped up that surrounded me as I finished the elaborate Neues Palais yard here in truly sweltering heat. That was so ridiculous I actually let some feel the marks of my pen in the paper of my sketch-book. Hey - I don´t always bite!!!

On a whim - Dresden

 It was on a whim for sure! After celebrating my Birthday in Thursday night my slightly hung-over brains were too tempted by the idea of using my holidays for another City trip: As my Munich friend Paul had a gig in Dresden I quickly made up my mind, booked lodgings and hotel and showed up unannounced. Big surprise and cheers of Phil and Mr Wombles-Gubbins as well (I was so knackered from sketching in the aternoon, though, I caused an embarrassing mishap with my harmonica case flying open, tossing my nearly full pint right on Paul´s pants. Total disaster) 

Frauenkirche (bit of a dramatic angle - hard to find spots to sit and draw for hours on a busy narrow square. Only found out later a rstaurant had an upstairs terrace they were serving from)

Zwinger (just one of the sides of the famous leisure enclousure) My Graduation project in DElft was a fictional design for a location just to the left of this, just behind the bridge. Was glad to find the actual building had respected similar stances I had been taking, even though the "density"(appartments) was much higher, now. 

Semper Opera. Yes - when drawing on a spot like this - even on early morning with earplugs in, listening to trad Muggles passing by can´t stop themselves from bombarding one with stupid questions. "Sind Sie ein Berühmter Künstler?" - wtf does it matter? Would he even know if I were? So I told him I was, but it was a secret!