Last week we went to Europe to visit our son who is spending a few months studying abroad. We started our trip with a weekend in Brussels and then headed to Bremen in northwestern Germany where he is staying. I had never heard of Bremen until he had this opportunity, but it’s a fantastic place with an interesting history. Despite the jet lag and busy sightseeing schedule, I managed to carve out time to go running in Bremen on two of our three mornings there.
Running In Bremen: Reinsburg Cemetery
Our hotel was on a quiet, mostly residential street. As we were walking from the bus stop, we were a bit surprised to pass a shop selling grave markers. It all made sense when we realized that a block past our hotel was Reinsburg Cemetery. I wasn’t planning to run through it, but when I passed by the entrance and saw how lovely it was, I couldn’t resist.
Each grave has a little garden plot, evoking thoughts of the circle of life.
Some of the markers were quite spectacular.
After running through the cemetery, I made my way to BĂĽrgerpark, a 202 acre park with many paths criss-crossing a network of ponds and streams.
So lovely!
All in all, I ended up running 5.5. miles in a bit under an hour. By the time I got back to our hotel, I had just enough time to get ready and have breakfast before we headed to the University of Bremen to see where my son was studying.
Running In Bremen: Rhododendron Park
Thanks to the sightseeing guide we picked up at our hotel, I learned that there was another park about a mile in the other direction, Rhododendron Park. This is a 46 acre park that must be amazing when all the rhododendron are in bloom, but even this time of year it was beautiful.
What an enticing entrance!
A few plants in bloom.
So many ponds!
This run was a bit shorter, but again I got back just in time to get ready for our breakfast plans–my son was going to make us breakfast at his place before he went to work.
It’s really not easy to carve out time for a run when I’m on vacation, but I’m glad I was able to go running in Bremen twice. I saw areas I wouldn’t have seen otherwise, and got more of a taste of what it would be like to live there.
[Tweet “Vacation #Running in Bremen Germany #weeklywrap #runchat”]
Weekly Wrap
Other than these runs, my exercise for the week was walking–lots and lots of walking!
The highest two days were my running days.
The grey days were our travel days.
We got home Thursday evening, and I jumped backed into my usual workouts:
Friday: 5.3 mile neighborhood run
Saturday: Conte’s Hill Ride
This ride is still HARD as HECK, but now that I’ve made it up that hill twice, I’m getting a bit more confident.
Sunday: 50 mile ride on the W&OD trail
I was so sapped after this ride I had to go to McDs for a real Coke. 50 miles is no joke!
Thanks to Holly, Tricia and guest host Christine at Into the Glimmer for hosting the Weekly Wrap link up!
Do you take time for solo workouts when you’re on vacation?
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I had never heard of Bremen Germany either. Your pictures are fabulous sounds like a great time
Thanks, it was fantastic!
That’s so awesome that you were able to visit your son while he is abroad! I’m loving all of the photos from your runs as well.
How pretty is Bremen? I’d love to visit Germany. My youngest son just finished AP German, and he’s pretty fluent. I’d have to bring him with!
It was a neat place. The city center is pretty compact so it makes sight-seeing easy, but there was a surprising amount of things to do. There’s a section of town called Schnoor with tiny cobblestone streets and quant shops that is really cute, and then the main part of town has old churches — including one where you can see mummies in the basement if you dare!
So great that you were able to visit your son! Your pictures are pretty – I’d never heard of Bremen.
I was amazed by it’s history! It’s also a very modern town with several universities, so the contrast is quite interesting.
What an amazing opportunity for both you and your son! It made me smile to see you decided to run through the cemetery cus that’s what I talked about in my post today too.
I saw! What a crazy coincidence. It was really beautiful.
Beautiful pictures! The areas of Germany that you were in look like lovely little places to run. Hope you enjoyed your time there and your visit with your son!
Thanks. We had a great time. It was nice and cool too!
Beautiful places to run! I’ve run through a cemetery during a race before – it wasn’t long and I didn’t think too much about it until after I got through it. I try hard to workout when I’m on vacation with my family. Sometimes, I just need a little bit of time to myself.
Yeah, you can overload on togetherness if you don’t get a break!
Both of your runs in Bremen look lovely. The cemetery looks so nice with the pretty landscaping.. We have a 5k that runs through a cemetery and it is one of my favorites! I know you enjoyed getting to visit your son. I will miss mine when he returns to college.
What spectacular sites to see on a run! And I actually remember reading that particular fairytale in college! I wouldn’t have remembered it from the title alone, but the statue triggered that 30 year old memory!!
You’re right, 50 miles is no joke! The farthest I’ve ever ridden is 55. I’m not completely confident I can do 100 ….but dang, I sure would like to check that off my bucket list!
So, do you remember the significance of the fairytale? I’m struggling to find a moral. Maybe “do what you love”?
I’ve heard of Bremen because of the fairytale, but I’ve never been. I was in Munich with family when I was 2, so I don’t remember, and then I was in a port city during a cruise in 2005.
It sounds like it’s time to go back! There are so many great places to visit.
WOW!! Looks like a couple of very scenic running adventures! That cemetery looks so beautiful; the garden plots are unique!
What a pretty place to run! I always love running on vacation since it’s a nice change of scenery. Thanks for linking! 🙂
I love to run and see the sights while on vacation, it’s pretty much mandatory! Bremen looks absolutely beautiful, I would have loved to explore the parks!
And 50 miles…wow! All the kudos!
Since I’m a morning person & my husband isn’t, it’s not usually all that hard to get in my workouts when we travel.
That all looks soooooo lovely!
That’s how it usually works out at home, but we had less leisure time in the mornings with our itineraries.
These look like some great runs! The rhododendron park especially looks beautiful.
It was really gorgeous. I wish I had more time to explore it.
It looks like you had a lovely place to run! Thanks for sharing lots of pictures!
Such beautiful countryside, and the Germans take such good care of it. Years ago, I lived in Bavaria and used to volksMarch. If you or your son haven’t heard of it, it’s organized walks, ten and twenty Ks through the countryside. Wundebar!
I’ve actually done a Volksmarch around here, many years ago, on and around the grounds at Mt. Vernon (George Washington’s estate). It was pretty neat.
The parks and cemetery look beautiful. I don’t often run when I’m on holiday but I can see that it would be great to explore a slightly different area than you would do walking. You get to see more in the time too!
Yes, it’s a great way to see a different area from the usual sightseeing spots.
Wow, beautiful pictures! Glad you had a great time and some fabulous runs too!
Thanks! It was a nice vacation!
Those areas look so picturesque! I love running in new places and getting to explore things you wouldn’t normally see.
I’m so glad you got to run on vacation and share these pictures! What beautiful places you found.
All that green is sooooo pretty! You picked some great places to explore. The grave markers are very elaborate.
50 miles is a big accomplishment! I still haven’t made it yet.
Bremen looks absolutely beautiful! I’m so glad you were able to fit in a couple runs – that’s my favorite way to explore a new area 🙂 How wonderful that your son goes to school there! Hopefully you can get back for more visits some day. I love that they embrace the Bremen Town Musician’s tale there!
Ah, he’s only there for the summer, but maybe we’ll go back again anyway!
I love that there were beautiful parks you could run through. Exploring by foot is my favorite way to see a new city.
It’s really a great way to see the area – and sights that don’t make the guidebooks.
Bremen has many picturesque places which make running so much fun!Excellent post!