It's a Wonderful Life in Europe: By The Sea, By The Bodensee

Just before one of the hottest weekends in August, we did what the Germans do...we headed for the lake. In this case, it's The Bodensee or Lake Konstanz which forms a border between southern Germany, northeast Switzerland, and western Austria. It was a last minute decision so we had no reservations, just a wing and a prayer. We arrived in the city of Konstanz, the largest on the Bodensee and a university town. The town is divided by the Rhine river that flows out of the lake and north through Germany. The water is crystal clear and cold. Konstanz is a well-preserved medieval town. During the war, the allies were afraid to bomb it because it sits so close to neutral Switzerland. It's claim to fame is the Council of Constance in 1415 held here to settle the Great Schism - a rift in the church caused by the 2 popes ruling from both Rome and Avignon France. The statue of Imperia stands in the harbor to honor or mock this historical event, depending on your point of view.

We arrived in town at the local tourist office who told us that every room in town is booked so we may need to visit one of the other towns on the other side of the lake. So we started walking and I saw a sign! It was restaurant called "Karma." Just a few blocks from there we saw Hotel Bayrischer Hof - an old hotel in the city center. We decided to walk inside and wing it. Sure enough, they just opened a room when a guest cancelled minutes before our arrival !! So Good Karma came our way again.

A view from Konstanz looking toward the lake and the start of the Rhine River.

The Imperia Statue: dressed in revealing clothing, in her hands she holds the Emperor and the Pope. This caused quite the controversy in Germany when it was unveiled in 1993.

Konzil - the old market where fisherman would bring their catch to sell. Now it holds a wonderful restaurant...

...where we sat looking at the Seestrasse. On the menu was an incredible Perch dish, fresh from the lake. We actually came back the next day and had the same meal.

On Saturday evening, we visited a great Bavarian style beer garden on the lakefront.

The band was from Canada! and played some great country and bluegrass. The fiddle player does Irish dancing while she's playing the fiddle... amazing. When she started dancing, everyone stopped talking and stared as only Germans can do.

On Sunday, we took a ferry across the lake to see the beautful but hazy mountain skyline.

The picture tells the story - it got well into the 90s that day.

Across the lake our destination was the romantic small town of Meersburg.

This sea walkway meanders along the shoreline of Meersburg.

Meersburg is steeply terraced and bans cars in the city center.

The Meersburg harbor has its own sculpture that defies description. Nevermind...the Austrian Alps are in the distance.

Our final stop on the ferry was the tiny island of Mainau, a botanical wonder.

I had pot envy.

These are the Italian gardens where I was surrounded by roses.

A view from Botanical Mainau to the Lake.

Das Schmetterlinghaus - the butterfly conservatory was extremely hot, humid and creepy. Butterflies landed on our shoulders. We lasted long enough to get this picture.