" If I'm not here, then I'm on the sun deck " was Peter Licht's summer hit in 2001. But where is "here"? Professionally, that's usually easy to explain. A librarian belongs in a library. But while librarians are busy sorting and organizing and providing people with the information they need, they don't get to what outsiders would first think of: reading !
Water hike towards Lübeck
Media consumption, like for most working people, falls under the category of leisure time. At least from spring to autumn, much of this writer's leisure time takes place on the water. The home port of Travemünde naturally has a local library. And so, it's off upstream on the Trave River towards the Dummersdorf shore for a first coffee at anchor and a read of the day's newspaper on a tablet, with a view of the soft, rolling grasslands along the riverbank. Just a few minutes away from the tourist bustle, one is often almost alone.
The library's digital services provide access to the newspaper. The journey then continues past Kücknitz , where another branch library is located, towards Schlutup . The weather is perfect for relaxing on the sun deck, and you can continue listening to the next exciting chapter of your audiobook on your smartphone. As you might have guessed, you're also using the library's digital services here. Right on the water, surrounded by greenery, right in the heart of a major city. The canoe trip up the Trave River brings the towers of the old town ever closer.
Continue along the Trave
The old town island offers recreational boaters several mooring options. One could enjoy an ice cream, a second breakfast, or even visit the city library . Guided tours of the old halls are offered regularly, where, as early as 1620, books were accessible to all Lübeck residents.
Around early afternoon, we Moisling, . There's a local library there too, but by afternoon tea on the sun deck, I'd found a short story to read on my e-reader. The pile of unread books (TBR) and the pile of half-finished books (SHWB) would be heavy in paper form, but the e-reader (Swedish for "Läsplatta") doesn't cause any list on a boat. We continued cruising right through the heart of the city Elbe-Lübeck Canal
The return journey via the Kanaltrave offers another view of the Wakenitz , the next water area for the people of Lübeck, before heading back to Travemünde Schellbruch nature reserve and the picturesque port of Gothmund
The decision to spend the evening on the boat is spontaneous. There's an unwatched film on the tablet, which now brings the evening to a close. The film is from a media library—you guessed it—the library.
Water hiking to a World Heritage Site among the happiest Germans – on the Trave you get relaxation from every side.