Fall Ride to Schlachtensee

On Monday Marty and I went on a nice bike ride from our house to the lake Schlachtensee.  Just a few weeks back we spent a few days swimming and paddling around the lake.  As the weather has already started to turn a bit fall-like we decided a bike around the perimeter of the lake would be better than a swim in it.
The bike ride to the lake was maybe 20 minutes probably around 6 kilometers.  We didn't know exactly where we were going as we have only ever gotten to the lake by taking the S-bahn.
We found it with minimal effort, often being side tracked down a bumpy (bumpier than normal) cobble stone street or side walk.  We were mesmerized by the huge houses and variety of architecture in this area of Berlin.
Once we arrived we walked our bikes down to the path that runs around the outside of the lake.  The sky was a bright blue and the leaves are just now starting to change.  The water was as still as can be and even the area around the lake was calm.  It was breathtaking.   I'm looking forward to coming back in a few weeks when the leaves have all turned colors.  I bet it will look even better.  Biking around it made me think of Lake Padden in Bellingham (although much bigger) where I have spent countless hours walking around that path. 

The way home is almost always more direct than the way there but we were side tracked again (on purpose this time) in order to check out more of the houses in this area.
On the way home we stopped by the grocery store.  Shopping nearly every day has become routine and not nearly as much as a bother as I would have expected.  Across the street from the grocery store is a newer (to us) Turkish Doner place.  It is the neighborhood hang out and everyone who comes here at lunch time seems to know each other.  They are extremely friendly and the food is delicious.  Marty and I have our regular ( a vegetarian Turkish pizza which is kind of like the Turkish dürüm which is also kind of like a doner but is made with a large flour tortilla with some kind of tomato paste cooked into the tortilla before they load it up with sauce (half spicy half herb sauce) and a ton of chopped vegetables including lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage and onions. Then the entire concoction is rolled up like a burrito.  SO good and fresh and cheap.  3.80€ per dürüm.
Marty continues to meet Benjamin after school and the go to the school cafeteria for lunch together.  It is one of the best parts of both of their days.  And mine, too, if I'm being honest.