On the Baltic coast

Exploring the coast of Mecklenburg and Vorpommern, we drove from Heiligendamm eastwards, towards the islands of Rügen and Usedom.

One of the white villas at Heiligendamm, still to be converted into luxurious living spaces.

at Heiligendamm

The Baltic coast at Heiligendamm, although they have a very good hotel complex, is probably the least attractive one - mostly pebbled beach and rough water. Further on eastwards, we found Rügen to be much more attractive with its chalk cliffs and varied wide vistas. 

 Rügen at Cap Arkona

the lighthouse at Cap Arkona

The Königstuhl is Rügen's most famous chalk cliff. Jasmund National Park has been created around it. 

 Swallows nesting in the chalk cliffs

Dense beech forests grow up to the cliffs' edge. One has to strictly stay on the marked trails. Accidents happen every year when tourists, who think themselves on solid ground, become victims of natural cliff erosion. 

... wobbly experiments ... 

Further to the east lies the peninsula Fischland-Darß with long sandy beaches and a string of small villages. The largest of them is Zingst, well-known from its photography festival and crane populations, that fly in during the short autumn months on their way south and use the shallow waters around to stock up with fish. We were too early to see any - I have to go back later in the year. 

Ahrenshoop

The next island to the east on the border with Poland is Usedom. Sandy beaches and some famous spa towns like Zinnowitz and Heringsdorf are here, that were frequented from the end of the 19th century. 

Zinnowitz has a very strange "diving bell" at its pier, where you can visit the sea floor staying dry ..

... it is still the Baltic, not the mediterranean ...

The large "Kulturhaus" in Zinnowitz from 1953 built in a socialist-classicist style still lies in its slumber and waits for the prince (or investor) to kiss it awake.