Friesoythe, a small town in Lower Saxony situated in the recreation area Thülsfelder Talsperre, is a good place to use a base to explore the area. If you love walking, bicycling or fishing the forests, meadows, lakes and brooks give plenty of opportunities to enjoy a blessing time.
Friesoythe itself offers some quirky sights. How about a 300 year old ham that is supposed to defend the town against the pest?
The story goes that the ham in some miraculous way absorbed the pest that scourged the area. The pest, which took the form of a blue cloud, was locked in the ham and the people stopped dying. As a result of that the pest ham became imperishable and is still on display for the interested visitor — in the Maria School.
For something more mundane head to the Post Museum where you will learn everything you always wanted to know (and never dared to ask…) — about the history of the postal service in this region from 1750 until the present.
Visitors with an interest in “green” energy should go to the Information Center of Renewable Energy. This info center is build around an old water mill and shows how water can be used as a source of energy. Even if you’re less eco-minded it is fun to see the old water wheels in full swing.
If you visit Friesoythe with your family the obvious place to go to is the zoo and theme park Thüle. There are more than 120 different kinds of animals, among them a couple of imposing tigers. The ape enclosure is one of the highlights of the zoo; taking the walkway straight through the enclosure gets you up-close to the monkeys.
The petting zoo is also great fun for the kiddies.
