My first trip in 2016 was to Borkum- an island in the North Sea.
Niklas had the idea, and took the initiative to plan everything. One of my favorite parts was getting to take a ferry across the sea to the island. It wasn’t too long- about two hours. Just enough time to eat lunch and enjoy a coffee.
When we arrived on the island, we were only a short train ride from our hotel and the “city center.”
It’s a small, but charming island. A population of less than 6,000. We expected it to be a quiet weekend, since after all it was winter. That wasn’t the case, though. Our first day in Borkum the weather was beautiful. Everyone was walking the beach, and enjoying the sunny day. So, we did the same.
There were three lighthouses on the island- one of which was right near our hotel.
For a spectacular view of the island, we climbed 400-something stairs to the top. Worth it? The pictures say so. But for me, I don’t enjoy heights too much.
Borkum is known for being able to watch the seals (Seehunde) right on the sandbank. It turns out, they like to take a vacation in the winter, too. No seals could be found that weekend, and Niklas is still upset about it.
Since the weather was a little cold and rainy, we decided to check out the aquarium. It was right next to the beach. That’s where I got to hold a starfish for the first time. It reminds me of the time my parents brought home a starfish (dead, obviously) from Florida and hung it in our fish-themed bathroom. Weird? Yeah, you could say so.
We also did something I’ve always wanted to do. Throw a message in a bottle into the sea. We each wrote something creative and then watched it float out into the sea. No address or phone numbers though- only our names. We’re hoping whoever finds it can use the power of social media to find us. So, who knows. Maybe we’ll get a message in 20 years.
Throughout the weekend we ate delicious fish. I think it’s a must to eat seafood when you’re on an island.
After such a great weekend, fate didn’t want us to leave the island. An ice storm made it a little difficult getting home. Although it took almost twice as long to get back to Münster, it was still an amazing trip, and one that I won’t forget. Maybe I’ll visit Borkum again when the seals are home. 🙂
Kristen Lehmann 