Visit to Monreal

\We visited the village of Monreal today - it's only about an hour from where we live. Monreal existed as a village in 1008; it has already had its own millennium as a community. That sends shivers up my back. Although our snow has melted, it was still quite icy there and we couldn't walk up to the ruined castle and go up the tower - that will be for another visit when it is warmer.

The villagers called this the Schiffhaus (Shiphouse) because of its triangular shape and its place on the water. Very pretty but diffficult to furnish and use those sharply triangular corners.

This is the side of the Schiffhaus and the little door is the Ziegentür (goat door) where the goats went into their own quarters at the bottom of the house. We saw lots of these doors in Monreal but, sadly, no goats.

The painting on the house is interesting. It is St. George, the patron saint of England who killed a dragon. I don't know why he is here in a German village. I'm wondering if once you kill a dragon you get emergency requests from all over (the way a good plumber gets recommended). Need to do some research on this, I think.

This is such a doll's house.

Charming cafe/cake shop, one of many - how to choose?

This is the village fire station; the prettiest we've ever seen.

This was a lovely little trip to round off my half-term holiday. I've had such a restful week doing all the things I love (sewing, sewing, reading, sewing, sewing) and all the Valentine stuff, and I've slept much better than usual. It's true that sometimes staying home is more of a holiday than going away. Though not always!