Köthen or Cothen

Friday 2 September

End of our journey, (though at times it has seemed more like a pilgrimage of sorts than a holiday). We arrived in Köthen Friday afternoon after a windy cycle on cycle paths mainly. Stopped for a break at a village hall that would not have been out of place in England. Each stop, I am asked a question in German by the 68-year old economist. My German learning on Duolingo by smartphone started in April and one of the recent phrases is "Das Elefant mag das Badzimmer nicht“ . I expect you can guess the translation - it has not been a huge amount of use. The German word for mobile phone is “Handy”.

Köthen is a town the size of Shaftesbury, Gillingham and Stur combined. Every year they put on a four day Bach festival - that has been our destination. Last night we went to a concert In the old ducal palace for an oboe concerto, an aria and it started with a flute solo that I can get 'the right notes in the right order'. The flautist was excellent and played on a baroque wooden flute. We all ate together and a few of us went to an atmospheric late night harpsichord recital by candlelight in St Agnes Church.

All wonderful.

Memories