Ok so there’s these tidal islands in Northern Germany that are connected by little tiny trains that you have to drive yourself, which is already delightfully ghibli-esque.
But then I found out UNTIL THE 196OS, THE TRAINS HAD LITTLE SAILS AND WERE WIND-POWERED?
THAT’S THE MOST GHIBLI THING TO EVER EXIST ON THIS PLANET, BRING IT BACK YOU MONSTERS.
Ok clearly, we just need a ghibli movie set in a world inspired by East Frisia, because in addition to the Sail-Wagons, they also have:
Windmills
Lighthouses
The world’s highest per capita tea consumption, with adorably ghibliesque tea ceremonies
Houses that look like this
Farms that look like this
Heart-shaped waffles (ok that’s everywhere in Northern Germany, but our adorable waffles deserve a ghibli cameo).
SEALS
Guys! GUYS! you have no idea!! We also have al lot of beautiful moors and marshlands! The landscape is very flat which means you get endless horizons an beautiful sunsets...
To be able to cultivate the land people built canals (called “Fehne”), and the bridges look like this:
We also have the cutest little lighthouse you can ever imagine...
And this is what the historical city center of the town I was born in looks like
Btw, you can see them on the tea ceremony picture above but these little ice cream cone shaped waffles are called “Neujahrskuchen” (new years cakes), but you traditionally eat them during the winter months from December to February. They are made with cardamom and/or anise, very crunchy and absolutles delicious...
The history of East Frisia and and the “Frisian Freedom” is also very interesting because basically from the 9th to the 16th century, after the Frisians succesfully defended themselves and their lands against the Vikings, no feudal or aristrocratic structures emerged like in the rest of Europe. Instead, they established a democratic system where all Frisians were granted the title of 'freemen', and given the right to elect their own potestaat (magistrate-governor), a person that acted as a representative of the emperor who could organize the defense of Frisia, but whom held no executive power of their own.
