Day 06 : Cheat Day

Day 06: From Treuenbrietzen to Wittenberg 

Date	Jan 8, 2024 ( Monday )
Total This Camino:	59 miles.
Total 2024 Caminos:	59 miles
Total All Caminos:	2059 miles
Lodging:	Marta's @ $68
Total Lodging:	$ 392
Planes:	$ 1300
Total Planes / Travel Insurance:	$ 1470
Buses / Trains / Taxis:	$ 19
Total Buses / Trains / Taxis:	$ 63
Food:	$ 23
Total Food:	$ 178

Meaningful Moment

Patience and persistence pay off.

Pixel 8 Pro phone problem

The camera was not recording location data into the JPG file. So when I went back to review my photos from the previous 5 days, there's no indication of where I was when I took the photo.

To solve the problem I had to disable the camera app, re-enable the camera app and then review the settings. 

I found one setting that said something about not allowing other apps access to the camera location.

When I initially configured the camera, I remember turning that off, but that was the reason that my images had no location data. 

This time I left the setting to allow apps to access the camera.

I took a couple pictures and they all displayed the location data like I had been expecting all along.

I don't know why this would have been the behavior, but I've got about 5 days of pictures where if I don't go in and manually edit it, I will have no idea where I was when I took the picture. Annoying!

Treuenbrietzen

First, I went to find a coffee shop but it was closed. 

Then I went to find the tourist office, but it wasn't where Google maps indicated.

So I asked some people and they indicated to me where I should head. No luck.

But in the process, I came across another coffee shop so I had a latte and donut and relaxed. 

Then as I was walking past the town hall, I saw a lady smoking near the building. 

So I went up and asked her about the tourist office, and she said that it'd been closed for 5 years. 

Hoping that she might have had some experience with pilgrims, I told her I wanted a stamp for my pilgrim's pass. 

She knew what that meant. Told me to wait a minute. 

And then came back out and invited me inside to get my camino credential stamped.

Random Thought of the Day

Lutherstadt-Wittenberg

I have been trying to handle assorted issues in my life, not all that successfully, that have more to do with aging gracefully than any existential problem.

I took a class from Lifespan about personal skills while caring for an elderly parent. 

One of the things I learned in the class was to establish positive thought patterns.

For example, turn misfortune into opportunity.

Today is a classic example. 

First, I skipped two stages of hiking due to the intense cold weather and having a minor infection by taking the train to Wittenberg. Instead of feeling guilty by skipping the stages; I have the opportunity to spend more time exploring Lutherstadt Wittenberg.

My Ticket for a Cheat Day - Visiting Wittenberg

I felt I made the right and safe decision. Pride goes before the fall, and I set my pride aside.

Second, the weather was supposed to become warmer tomorrow, whatever that means in winter, lol. However, that will not be the case, and in fact it may be even slightly colder tomorrow than today was.

I walked around the old part of Wittenberg. I visited the church where Luther posted his 95 Theses. What a moment in history! And what are all the consequences that came from that?

The Reformation in all its entirety, and I am standing where it all began. Now I should note that there is some thought that the 95 Theses on the door is allegorical, and not factual. I need to say that Luther did write the 95 Theses about the reforms needed in the Catholic church. Only that he may not have explicitly posted them on the door.

I think I walked around about 2 hours.

Back at the hotel, as I was sitting in the bathtub taking a warm bath because I was so cold, I decided that I should just pass over the two skipped stages. Instead of returning to Treuenbreitzen, I will continue on from here.

So I booked my room here for a second night.

More opportunity to fully explore Wittenberg. 

I mentioned this because I rang the doorbell of the rectory and, I'm sure, interrupted the priest's day in order to get a stamp for my pilgrim's credential. 

He was so kind and gracious, that even though I was an unexpected intrusion, he engaged me in good conversation and was actually listening to my answers. How could I tell? Because he followed up on what I said.

It made me want to attend a Mass that he gives. So I looked up the mass schedule at the Catholic Church here. Tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. I will attend a Mass in German. Good thing I understand it in English because I won't understand it tomorrow. Lol

It will be nice to take the communion tomorrow morning. Now since the mass is at 9:00 a.m., I better not sleep late 🙂 .

Of course, I'm hoping that the only priest in this particular parish is the priest gives the mass tomorrow morning because that's the priest who was so kind in stamping my credential.

On the Road / Notable memories

Treuenbrietzen

7:30. Woke up after a good night's sleep. Was afraid I was going to cough all night long, but I didn't. Yay!

Walked around Treuenbrietzen in the morning sun. Temperatures are as the forecast said in the high teens. It would have been a mistake to try to hike today.

I promised my granddaughter last year before I came to Germany, that I wouldn't do it anything stupid while hiking in the winter.

City Hall, Treuenbrietzen

Sankt Marien Kirche, Treuenbrietzen

Late Romanesque ( vaulted ceiling and architectural embellishment ) and early Gothic ( ribbed vault with pointed arch, thin walls and large windows ) style. 

10:00 Just killing a couple minutes in the apartment, and then I'm off to catch the train to Wittenberg.

10:29. Getting on the train was easy. Asked some people at the platform where I buy the ticket. And they explained that I ask for the attendant on the train.

When the train arrived, I got on and that's exactly what I did. I also managed to get directions for making my transfer in Jüterbog.

Feeling pretty proud of myself.

10:53. Arrive Jüterbog.

11:24. Depart for Lutherstadt-Wittenberg

12:10 Arrive Lutherstadt-Wittenberg

12:45 At Marta's early, after a brisk 1k walk from the train station, but able to check in.

Lutherstadt-Wittenberg

Lutherstadt-Wittenberg

Today both this tourist information office and the one at Castle square are closed due to the January inventory.

Schlosskirche

Where Martin Luther posted his 95 theses and started the Reformation

The door of Schlosskirche where Martin Luther allegorically, some say, posted his 95 thesis.

I lit two candles in order to shine light on some things that I've been thinking about. While I was lighting the candles, it became a good moment for self-reflection.

Having passed a hamburger shop, I could not resist. I needed something really familiar.

Near the hotel is this coffee and pastry shop. 

I hope you can imagine the hamburger and fries, because I did not take a picture.

Went out for a walk after dark. There's a big contrast between Spain and Germany.

In Spain, after dark, the streets come alive. There's a bar on every corner and a pastry shop on every other block.

In Germany the streets seem deserted. I realize I'm here in January. But I can walk blocks and not meet another person on the street.

And there certainly is not a bar on every corner lol

This was a pretty building that I walked past.

A little later on I came across this political demonstration. I asked the cop if it was about the farmers and workers issues that had just happened in Berlin, and he said yes. I don't have any further info.

I do know that there was a huge demonstration in Berlin because I heard about it somehow on the news, as it was going on while I was up there.