The groundsman from the Camping Resort on the Weißen See calls the lake district east of the Müritz a 'sun trap'… The meteorologists tell us he is right. The Müritz, the "small sea" in the language of the Wends, who lived here in earlier times, is actually large enough to modify the regional climate. In summer one observes showers and thunderstorms to the south and north again and again being redirected around the Müritz.

Only many miles to the east do meet up again. In consequence, between Waren and Neustrelitz the sun really appears to shine more over Mecklenburg even if bad weather in Wesenberg and Zwenzow aren't completely unknown.

Overall, the local climate is strongly influenced by the large expanses of water. Like seas, the lakes tend to compensate for and to moderate temperature swings.

The result: Sunlovers who cannot tolerate the heat of the Mediterranean are happier here. For example, at the Camping Resort on Weißen See between Wesenberg and Zwenzow.

Before booking, sanitary facilities usually are carefully studied. Haveltourist can live well with this custom of many experienced camping friends. The buildings in question on its 9 camping sites are thoroughly organised, bright and clean. The ADAC (General German Automobile Association) camping guide for example grades the facilities of the Drewensee camping site as "exceptional".

The new sanitary block at the Woblitzsee has also become truly impressive. The welcoming and attractive entrance area can, so to speak, be measured against the client area of a respectable bank: bright, inviting and with large green plants and benches.

With the practical SepKey the gates open wide to a comfortable bathing world: Family baths, a baby-changing room, a cosmetics room and the roomy children's bath experience make up an ideal offer.

The Havelberge Camping and Holiday Resort has been given five stars by the DTV (The German Tourism Association). At Haveltourist we know what guests appreciate. Comfortable sanitary blocks are high on the list.

Please wash and dry!

That impresses even Cora, the six-year old Hovawart dog: The new sanitary building at the Havelberge Camping and Holiday Resort even has an extra dog shower. Cora, incidentally, is known at Havelberge as the proverbial colourful mutt because she loves to ride around the grounds on the electric trolley. In the end, she's not so good at walking.

There's often something happening on the Havelberge stage below the restaurant: Disco, Livebands and shows that members of the audience participate in. But perhaps the best of all is the weekly gala evening of the entertainment troupe. If you take your vacation at Havelberge, this is something you really mustn't miss. Incredibly professional, what these amateurs put on in their dance and music shows!

How can such a thing be put on, we asked someone who should know: Andrea Lichterfeld.

On the morning after the last show of the previous year we met up with the entertainment chief in front of the empty stage. Was she proud and content after yesterday's success of "Timewarp Starlights", the musical voyage round the world?

"No," she laughed. "When you're satisfied, you make no progress. The public was enthusiastic again, but I saw too many little mistakes." Besides, she confessed, she was already busy planning for 2007: "The first trial runs start in October." Three shows alternate per season: first of all a reprise from the previous year, secondly a completely new show, and thirdly the reworked 'Timewarp Starlights' programme. 

How do you trim such a good troupe out of your team of 'animators'? "The core has been training with me for years, either in my dance school or in a Neustrelitze school programme, which I lead."  A good co-operation has developed, which also allows for plain talk if necessary.  "I push them along sometimes quite nicely", admits the lively Andrea Lichterfeld, and looks suddenly completely energetic. She grins again: "But they can also bite back." Behind every good idea is plain hard work that pushes the team to their limits, and the cheers of the public compensate for everything. As an offshoot of an artistic family Andrea Lichterfeld already imbibed this rule with her mother's milk. The teacher of dance and martial arts is also responsible for the fitness and wellness programmes at Havelberge.

What does the future hold? Lichterfeld is working with a partner on a musical of their own, for some time in the future. But first she is fully focused on the new Musicalshow for 2007. Knock on wood!

(Havelberge) The drum strikes the rhythm of the oars and Dennis intones the antiphony. The dragonboat speeds out onto the water. Once a year the team from the canoe centre puts on a special evening tour of the Woblitzsee for the Havelberge staff. They should at last try for themselves what they recommend for their guests.

Tours in a rustic dragonboat are a group event. The original Chinese boat type evolved in Europe into a 'Canadian', or an open rowing boat with single-blade paddles and seating for 22.

Drums and antiphonies are part of the guided tours, when groups of guests head through the Kammer Canal for the district capital of Neustrelitz. Do all the guests sing along? "Of course", says Mike Stoltenfeldt from the Canoe centre: "A few take it up right away, and the rest are carried away by it and join in, even if they think they can't sing." High art doesn't really come into it in the singing or the rowing, because the fun factor is pretty high. In the trip through the Kammer Canal and over the Zierker See the powerful boat is always a big favourite with the vacationers.

The dragonboats are relatively rare, even though they've been in world and European championships. Mecklenburg is by the way a centre of this rowing discipline; the crews of the MV Team from Waren on the Müritz are at the top internationally and the Neustrelitzer aren't far behind.

Arriving at Neustrelitz there still remained two and a half hours to visit the reconstructed Slawendorf and to craft small mementoes using the traditional handicraft techniques. Then it's back on the boat and out onto the water, with gusto, drums and a good mood, and the resounding dragonboat antiphony : "Now we're voyaging out over the Woblitzsee…"

Tip: Special offer: a two-day works outing on the Dragonboat with an overnight stay in a holiday home.

 Dragonboats
A dragonboat is a relatively large canoe in the form of a stylised dragon. They originated in China, but today have fans all over the world.

 European dragonboats of today measure (not counting the decorative head and tail) 12.49 m in length and 1.16 m in width, and weigh 250 kg (the European norm). They are propelled with single-blade paddles.  A traditional motif of a crafted dragon's head adorns the bow. The stern is in the form of a stylised dragon's tail.

 Up to 20 paddlers, sitting in pairs on benches next to each, move the boat forwards. A drummer sitting in front picks up the rhythm of the foremost pair of paddlers (the 'beat row') and lays down an even beat for all the paddlers in the boat. The helmsman stands in the stern.

 Traditional boats
Traditional dragonboats are works of art, heavy and hewn from solid wood. Their builders decorated them with large, artistic and colourful dragonheads and designs that showed the special character of the boat.

 Sport boats
The dragonboat built to the international standard has little in common with the
ancient Chinese dragonboats.
It's a 12.50 m Canadian, with seating for 20 paddlers.
The hull is usually made of reinforced fibreglass. Dragonheads and tails are the same for all boats, detachable and usually fitted only at the completion of the boat.

This article is based on the dragonboat article from the free Encyclopedia Wikipedia under the terms of the GNU license for free documentation. A list of authors is obtainable at Wikipedia.

Read more at: www.drachenboot.haveltourist.de

"I see my kids around here just before mealtimes. The whole day they're busy around the place." The mother who laments this actually looks really quite relaxed and amused. With so many offers for every age group bored kids are rare, and the parents have a little time for themselves. "There's so much done here (the Havelberge Camping and Holiday Resort) for kids," she says, "but my kids are drawn mostly to the children's play house."

Her kids are well known at the 'Animation House': "Many kids aren't here for the first time," say the young women of the team. "We recognise them from last year too."

The new kids feel equally at ease in the friendly bustle. They quickly let go of

their mother's or father's hand or slip from the lap.

The young women of the team are eager to offer something for every age level and temperament: "With almost a hundred children in the summer that's not so easy, but it is fun," they say.

There's a lot happening on the theme days: Knight and witches, Indians and pirates - fantasy land is only a blink of the eyes away.

Children from six years of age may also go on excursions, to the zoo, to the horse stables or to the fairy tale museum.

Late in the afternoons there is usually a kids' disco, and sometimes there's a whole week of practice for the children's shows on the stage at the restaurant. And so a full programme!

The mother who so freely lamented engaged in a little deception. Because naturally between mealtimes she would like to know where the next generation has hidden itself away: It's like that, because you never know where they take off to from the playhouse." And so the children have clear orders to stop by between games and tell her where they want to go. Otherwise the mother in truth happily spends time with the children: "Often we're at the new beach and playing in the sand. Or the kids are climbing over the big new playing ship."