There is one thing you never say to a German: just wing it. Just wing it? You mean like be spontaneous? No planning? That just goes against a German’s sensibilities — and not gonna happen.
All this proper planning is why you’ll know a festival or market is going to take place at a specific time and place, like in the town of Sittensen, found right between Bremen and Hamburg.
For instance, you can set a clock to the fact that exactly two weeks before Easter, Sittensen is going to hold its Spring Market.
And you’re comfortable in the fact that the Erntedankfest (Harvest Festival) comes the first weekend of October. Or what about the Bayrische Abend (Bavarian Night) in August. Not to mention the traditional Labor Day festivities on May 1st.
Plus, knowing beforehand you’ll find Sittensen’s landmark, the tower of the St. Dionysius Church — and the Heimathaus (Local History Museum) are conveniently located by the town’s Mill Pond, makes for great German efficiency.
The rest of Sittensen can be enjoyed at your leisure. Take your time hiking along the bogs of the Nature Reserve Ekelmoor, where you can make a game of identifying birch trees and cranes.
The Moorbahn Burgsittensen is also a wonderful place to be outdoors. For over sixty years peat was taken from here along an old narrow-gauge railway line, now it’s filled with hikers who want views from a lookout tower.
What have I missed? See, you forget when you don’t plan properly…
I left out mentioning the Low German Theater performances, and I left out the Melkhus — a place where the weary traveler can grab a delicious cold milk, ice cream, or milkshake.
That sounds like a good idea after playing a round at Sittensen’s golf course, or after a fun summer day at the local swimming pool.
Visitors to Sittensen will find much more to see and do if you add in the towns that belong to the Collective Municipality Sittensen — and that, my friends, brings on another round of planning. ;-)
