It's 2nd January. Tonight fell the first snow of the New Year. It's only a thin layer, but being followed by a bright winter day it was still reason enough to leave my well heated flat. I took the S21-local-train from Hamburg-Bergedorf to Aumühle to enjoy the christal clear air of the Sachsenwald (saxonian forest). The Sachsenwald is Schleswig-Holstein's largest forrest.

Path no. 6 - Schlangenpfad (the snake trail) is a winding an meandering trail starting in Aumühle and ending at the Bismarck mausoleum, where Imperial Chancellor Prince Otto von Bismarck lies burried. He was the inventor of the German social-insurance system. For his merits and services for the empire Emperor Wilhelm II gave him the Saxonian Forrest as a present.

Same photo as above but in black and white trimmed old (layouted with Photo Filtre)

Very rought translation of the poem:

And when after three thousand years

foreigners are driving along this way,

and get to see the forrest ground secured from the sunlight by being deeply spinned in ivy,

and are amazed by the beauty and cheer happily,

someone shall command respect: "Don't be so noisy! - Down here Bismarck is lying somewhere."

(Theodor Fontane 1898 - German writer and poet)

The Bismarck Mausoleum

Next to the "Garten der Schmetterlinge" - butterfly garden in Friedrichsruh

Path no. 2 from Friedrichsruh back to Aumühle

Water mirrors on the creek Au.

My favorite restaurant in Aumühle: "Italia". It's not cheap, but they have lunch-time offers. In summer you can sit on the terrace and enjoy the lovely view on the "Mühlenteich" (mill pond). Here you are served by professional, very observative Italian waiters who moreover are absolutely gorgeous in dealing with kids, no matter if you a wailing infant in you lap or a 10-year-old boy sitting opposite of you.

Mühlenteich - mill pond

Through the windows

of the restaurant

"Fürst Bismarck Mühle"

Winter evening in Hamburg-Bergedorf

Petri & Pauli church

Alte Holstenstraße

Stadt Hamburg - (nowadays called Block House named after to the residing steak house in the building)

Das Bergedorfer Schloß - the castle of Bergedorf and its park. It is the only castle within the city borders of Hamburg.