After our trip to the castle, Andreas and Angela took us to see an island in the middle of Lake Constance. This island is special for several reasons. First, because it is actually a part of Sweden, right there in the middle of Germany! Second, because it has a climate unique in all Europe. The climate is Mediterranean and many plant grow there that would not grow anywhere else.
Boden See is huge, like an inland sea. Above you see the place we went to board the boat, and a castle looming above it.
The town was clearly a tourist attraction, so there were many bicycles and people wandering the quaint streets.
We boarded this boat to take us to Mainau (MY-now) Island. The boats sail around the lake making stops at various places. We only went as far as the island.
Here are some tourists on the boat, note especially the German cowboy. It was a lovely, sunny day.
Here is the manor or castle or whatever of the dignitary from Sweden who (or whose relative) obtained this island by marriage to a member of the German nobility. All a bit historical and confusing.
Here we have trees and plants that we could see growing in California; date palms, orange and lemon trees, loquats, kumquats, bougainvillea and many ornamental palms, and so on. Outside there were gardens which were made up of portulaca, African daisy, yucca and other plants common to California but which are very unique in this European setting.
And roses! My, there were zillions of lovely roses, all in bloom! Other times of year they have masses of begonias or tulips.
Here is where we rested our feet and enjoyed a very nice picnic lunch. To the right, behind the urn of flowers, there was an old man dozing on the bench while his energetic wife tromped around enjoying the flowers. Later she came back and rather playfully woke him up and off they went.
We both really liked this little guy with a sticker in his foot!
Here are our kind and patient hosts! It was also Angela's birthday!
A reclining gnome...
A floral peacock...
There was a butterfly garden enclosed in a greenhouse type building. There we found just about all the tropical plants we see everyday in the Philippines, along with many and varied butterflies. The climate inside was hot, humid and stifling. Bleah... After a while we had to get out.
Oh yes, and here is an idea for vertical gardening up the wall of your home, if you are short of ground space! Clever, eh? It is on all four walls of this small building.
Boden See is huge, like an inland sea. Above you see the place we went to board the boat, and a castle looming above it.
The town was clearly a tourist attraction, so there were many bicycles and people wandering the quaint streets.
We boarded this boat to take us to Mainau (MY-now) Island. The boats sail around the lake making stops at various places. We only went as far as the island.
Here are some tourists on the boat, note especially the German cowboy. It was a lovely, sunny day.
Here is the manor or castle or whatever of the dignitary from Sweden who (or whose relative) obtained this island by marriage to a member of the German nobility. All a bit historical and confusing.
Here we have trees and plants that we could see growing in California; date palms, orange and lemon trees, loquats, kumquats, bougainvillea and many ornamental palms, and so on. Outside there were gardens which were made up of portulaca, African daisy, yucca and other plants common to California but which are very unique in this European setting.
And roses! My, there were zillions of lovely roses, all in bloom! Other times of year they have masses of begonias or tulips.
Here is where we rested our feet and enjoyed a very nice picnic lunch. To the right, behind the urn of flowers, there was an old man dozing on the bench while his energetic wife tromped around enjoying the flowers. Later she came back and rather playfully woke him up and off they went.
We both really liked this little guy with a sticker in his foot!
Here are our kind and patient hosts! It was also Angela's birthday!
A reclining gnome...
A floral peacock...
There was a butterfly garden enclosed in a greenhouse type building. There we found just about all the tropical plants we see everyday in the Philippines, along with many and varied butterflies. The climate inside was hot, humid and stifling. Bleah... After a while we had to get out.
Oh yes, and here is an idea for vertical gardening up the wall of your home, if you are short of ground space! Clever, eh? It is on all four walls of this small building.
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