Sunday Funday

Perfect Sunday morning routine (via Nest Pretty Things)

Sundays in Germany are heavenly.  There is no such thing as the "Sunday Blues."  Even taking into account the fact that the day after Sunday is no longer the weekend, Sundays in Germany are my favorite days. 

There are something that the Germans do very poorly.  Bedding is a good example of that (this is what's very typical).  Customer service is usually another.  But there are some that no one does as well as the Germans...and Sundays are one thing that the Germans just do right.    (Beer, bratwursts and cars come to mind, too.)

Typical Sunday scene taken last weekend.

Sundays in Germany are all about relaxation and fun.  Stores are not open, so there are no errands to be done or money to be wasted.  If you live in an apartment building you cannot vacuum or do anything that makes too much noise.  You are, essentially, chore-less and work-free.  The only thing to be done on Sundays is to sit back and enjoy life. 

If you go to the park on Sundays in Germany, you will find that it is very crowded.  Many families take walks and enjoy the scenery.  Kids are play on the playground, joyfully laughing and running with their friends.  Parents chat away idly as they watch their kids giggle down the slide.  Every dog in the entire city chases sticks through the meadow or walks in the sun proudly with his owner. 

Beauty in the park for fall.

Sundays in Germany are a time for simple things.  I think a love for the simple is something the Germans have done a better job at retaining in this 24/7,  technologically savvy world we are now living in.  They unplug better, unwind better.  They turn off their phones on Sunday and don't worry about responding to email.  They enjoy life and all it's simple moments a little bit more. 

Autumn roads.

This is what I really love about Germany, the ability to spend time on what is really important: one's self and one's family.  And Sunday is their opportunity to do that.  They work hard during the week, and in life in general.  But, come Sunday, it is time to unwind, enjoy.  Sundays are an extra cup of coffee and the morning paper.  They're sitting in the garden and enjoying a beer or a cup of tea.  They're walking in the park with family.  They're a hearty supper with great company and a lot of laughs.  Sundays are you with your thoughts and reflections about the week behind and the week ahead.

Into the wild.

I wish that more places had Sundays like we have them in Germany.  It is such a special time.  This time of year, with the changing weather, the sunny but cool days and the falling leaves, Sundays are even more enchanting.  Sundays give me time to recharge my batteries completely, reboot my imagination and re-inspire my soul.  Sundays give me a chance to take stock of my life and to be thankful for what I have. 

***

The beautiful scene this Sunday during my run.

This Sunday, I had a wonderfully restorative day.  I woke up really late and Peter and I made french toast (our new weekend go-to breakfast).  Then we took our coffees into the living room and looked through the new Ikea catalog together.  He didn't agree with me most of the time, but it was really fun.  After catching up on other blogs for the week, I went for a beautiful run through the park. 

The view on the valley during the run on Sunday.

The run was fantastic.  It was a beautiful day and the landscape was breathtaking.  I don't know that I have seen anything so beautiful in my entire life.  It was about 3 p.m. and the sun was low in the sky, getting ready to set.  It was at the perfect angle and cast a golden, glowing light on everything it touched.  The trees dotting the hills were all red, yellow, orange and gold and were set ablaze by the evening sun.  Leaves were coming off the trees by the hundreds, a fluttering yellow rain onto the damp earth.  Some sheep grazed in a pasture soaking up the last few minutes of warm late-autumn sun.  It was the most soul-quenching beautiful moment in nature.  

A brightly colored tree and some people enjoying their Sunday in the park.

After my beautiful run, which my words have failed to accurately describe, it was time for a relaxing bath and then dinner with the in-laws.  We enjoyed lasagna and a bottle of wine with my wonderful German family.  Then Peter and I came home, made a blanket bed on the living room floor and cuddled while watching a movie.  It was the perfect way to end a perfectly perfect German Sunday! 

Sheep relaxing in the field.

A rustic barn.