two lines

 Today's walk through the nature preserve, this used to be a training area for the military.

There is a white plume of steam in the background, that is from the cooling tower of a nuclear reactor.

no pictures

What was a field of maize three days ago has been harvested to a field of stumps and has now been ploughed to an earthen field of clods.

The work of three men and some farm machinery, such are modern days. The farmer with a horse drawn plough would be slower.

The walk has become more open as a result, instead of a path through greenery it has turned into a path a winding it's way at the edge of a field.

There is a new weekend waitress at the Italian place, she is friendly, but just not as happy in her work as the one from the weekdays.

Home - today is the day to do the washing, and to pack away all the clothes.

And there is no flow to anything today.

No pictures either.

a few stalks left

Take the old circuit starting at the castle and through the park. At the Carrosahöhe continue without a pause, the town is covered in cold grey fog. The woods are nice in the fog, the leaves all colours from green to bright red. All the yellows in between these two poles.

And after the woods there should be the maize, or the corn.  It is all gone now, a  late harvest. There is nothing but a few stalks left at the border of the field

walkabout

 Today's breakfast was taken in a luxury hotel in Passau, in the centre of the old town, in the breakfast room on the top floor, overlooking the town.

A good start to the day.

The brother had been up at four in the morning to walk his dog, which had spent the night in the car, not being admitted to the hotel.

And after breakfast the town was looked at, and then the road to Austria taken. At the border a sticker for the windshield, to allow for ten minutes drive on the motorway. Still, a days permit is cheaper than taking any risks. The rest of the morning and the early afternoon is spent looking at plants, the brother selecting those that he wants to propagate in his plant nursery, Soon there are two trays full, and after a conversation with the Austrian plant grower, return to Passau.

A small meal in the centre of town, and a walk up to the castle, and the excursion is done.

Finally return home using a train.

From Regensburg.

yesterday was a busy day.

Yesterday the brother arrived after the mornings spent with a colleague in Munich. The colleague informed me on the state of himself, and some of this was interesting to hear.

The brother arrived and during the following long walk things were discussed. It all ended with a good cup of coffee in the Italian place. The good looking waitress was not working in the evening.

Back at home, a bag packed and it was agreed to go to Passau, and then onwards to a place in Austria called Ort.

There was heavy fog, and it was dark. The turnoff for Passau was missed, and because of the delay, the last meal of the day was taken in a strange bar that was still open at midnight in the middle of this city.

And so that day slipped  on to today

handles

 Take the cup of coffee inside the Italian café today. Without movement, it is cold outside, the weather is turning wintry, now that Autumn is so present everywhere. The friendly waitress brings the coffee again today, she talks about sports and health. The coffee is good, as good as always, and she has put an extra biscuit onto the saucer. She really is very friendly.

Think about the telephone call from the brother, he seems eager to have a conversation. He will be visiting tomorrow.

After the coffee take a walk through town and go into the toilet articles shop for some masks. Comparing the prices realise that the ones in the bulk packages are the most expensive ones, the ones on display at the entrance are the cheapest. This is interesting, it was to be expected that this would be the other way round.

Town is busy, one would never believe that there is a recession and a pandemic going on. Go into the Grimm's shop to see if they have a glass cheese cover in stock. The only one they have is a strangely shaped one, not bell-shaped. Leave, promising to return and see if the bell shaped ones are back in stock.

It was a short walk today, and a short extra excursion to the hareware store to see if there are any handles available.

no objections

 Pause at the castle and talk to the gardener. He sends me on to the head gardener. Tell him about the branch hanging above the path by its twigs only, the main branch having broken of the trunk. It is more visible now that the leaves have all thinned out, and the remaining ones are all yellow and red.

Walk on to the usual viewpoint and meet the gardener there. He is making good the promise to inspect the tree. The branch looks insignificant up in the crown of the tree, but it would be deadly if it struck somebody.

Later, a man approaches out of the distance, hurrying along the path. The light is nice, so take a picture. He is walking through the carpet of dead leaves. When he comes closer, ask him if he has any objections to having been on the photograph. He says that he has none.

It is still early in the day, and he is the only passer by this Monday.

two encounters

On the second walk of the day, make a 'phone call at the castle. It is a luxury to make this calls in a variety of pleasant  surroundings, like the park, or the sculpture garden. This is no luxury for younger people, but having been cable-bound in halls up until now it represents a luxury.

Call the friend in Munich and we arrange to meet at nine forty-five on the coming Wednesday. This is the same friend who nearly killed himself on the Klausenberg some months ago. People with weak hearts should not run up hills. Look forward to meeting him again, there are no hills there were he lives in Munich.

When the call is finished and the appointment made, walk around the usual way to the big park. There are many people out walking today, families, some with children, some with dogs and some with both. The recent strong winds took down a large branch from one of the trees. Looking up, identify the tree from which the branch had come, and see that a second branch has broken off and is somehow in a state of suspension in the crown of the tree. The broken end of the branch, at the junction of the trunk and the branch, is clearly visible. Wonder if this is a danger to the users of the path below.

Finally, take a seat on a park bench overlooking the duck ponds. Using a program on the 'phone, start to improve my language. After a while a woman comes by and strikes up a conversation. It is a pleasant enough talk, she tells of her time as an au pair in England, and her times in France. Listen, and tell her a little about the times in Ireland, and England and France.

As it gets darker, it is six in the evening, the peacocks come out of their enclosures and start to pick at the gravel, perhaps looking for leftovers. Then, as it gets darker, we say goodbye, and she goes up towards the playground and that exit.

Go down through the park and enjoy the last of the evening light. The leaves are crunching underfoot, as they always do on a dry autumn evening. Leave the park by the entrance behind the sculpture museum.

The encounter by the duck pond reminds of a similar encounter earlier today, walking along the river after the mornings walk. A lady with a wheeled walking aid smiles, says hello and strikes up a conversation. She is German, she is unhappy with her old persons home. She talks of the time that she was in Ireland, in Connemara and in Galway. She remembers the early pubclosing times, and that these were a major imposition for Germans. Standing there near the bridge in the middle of town, we talk for about half an hour. She is unhappy because the people in the home do not take her seriously, she says.

Then she blames herself for expecting people to have too much time for her.

Oh well 

long walk

 A long walk, over the hills and the bluffs along the steep side of the valley along by the river named Isar. Finally, an illegal turnoff through the nature reserve, past the old military radio mast and  through the beech woods. The path is badly washed out, it is hardly there any more. This used to be an educational path, there are still notices on small pedestals informing the walker of what kind of tree or frog or whatever he is just passing.

The wood is fantastic, old beech trees on the long slope, all incredibly tall. The ground is brown with all the fallen leaves, and the wood is silent and deserted.

It is very peaceful.

Down in the valley the wood comes to an end, and there is the one-time training ground of the military, now turned into an open plain of grassland. This is a nature preserve, it is forbidden to walk across the wild grass because doing so would disturb the animals and the birds. 

Near Auloh find a path that leads across the plain, cross the main road, and walk through a suburban housing estate that is there. After a search, find the bridge over the canal, and climb the embankment around the reservoir. This is the direct path back home, five or six kilometres. The reservoir has hundreds of swans congregating on its surface, whole families, older cygnets and all. Many are feeding off the bottom of the reservoir, their tail ends up in the air. Try to imagine what it looks like underwater, with the swan head on its long neck reaching down from above to root in the mud.

Be back in Landshut at one o'clock,  after having walked for twenty one kilometres.

night

 An evening walk through the town, people after work, all the street cafés busy. They have strange new electric heaters in the street cafés, since the gas heaters were forbidden. All the customers faces turn a deep ruby red, it is really rather strange.

The aim is to get to Lidl in the Stetthaimerstrasse in time to buy some cat food and then to see what kind of a package is waiting there in the package depot. Why the post people chose that depot and not another one that is closer, is unclear.

On the way, a traffic light that quite clearly favours cars and not pedestrians. It seems as if the pedestrian light turns green only every second cycle. Standing still in the dark dilates time too, it seems to take an age before the lights change. Finally, they do, and it is possible to cross half the junction. Then one has to wait again until the lights change to cross the street. It is a slightly complex junction with two main roads meeting in a tee shape. Still, it feels very much as if pedestrians are discriminated by the system.

Enter the supermarket and buy cat food and apples. The woman at the till is impatient, she is probably tired. It is seven in the evening, she has probably been working all day. And so many people are buying large amounts, filling their trollies with all kinds of things.

With a cloth bag full of tins of cat food and a net bag of apples walk around the corner to the package depot. This is a large yellow structure with many small doors. Show the collection docket to the scanner, type the name onto the monitor, and use the finger to sign on the monitor. With a click a door opens and the package is there for collection. The package contains a modem, a device neither ordered nor required, which is supposed to replace the perfectly good device at home. The son had explained that these new devices give the telecommunications firm more control over their clients. The whole walk turns out to have been a waste of time.

But it was nice to see the town at night.

plumber

 not today, yes it is today.

today is the day that the heating repair man comes. A man with two buckets rings on the door, tools in one bucket and rags in the other. Take him up through the house to the room in which the heating is kept. He turns off the heating, releases the pressure on a valve, placing rags underneath it to catch excess water, and removes the defective valve. There is a short delay because of a seized up screw thread. So he goes back to his van to collect a new part, and then the whole lot is installed, with grease here, hemp there, and the system functions the way it should. That is all, that is that.

Nothing like a professional for getting things done right.

And today is the day that the legs are frozen, and there is a cold. So go back to bed until it is cured.

What is retirement for if you cannot take care of yourself?

Post for Wednesday 20th

 It was a late day, and somehow there was no wish to do anything.

But it must be done, the daily walk, the leaving of the house, the going out into the world.

It will be too easy to turn the back on all of that otherwise.

It must be done.

At the castle, they were steaming the weeds again to destroy them.

It was cold enough for the steam to be visible

Here is a picture

noisy nordic walker

 it is late today, it is hard to leave the room with the bed. The son is up, he is clattering around in the background, his latest madness is that he screams when he sees his father. Avoid him, there is no wish to cause discomfort. The scream is is based on discomfort and not fear. Hopefully this is so.

It makes it difficult though. After he has gone, hang about and make coffee after coffee using the tiny coffee maker. It is only good for one cup, one strong cup.

Up at the viewpoint hear  a strange noise. A clicking noise that is loud rhythmic and seems almost agressive.

And it is approaching. Turn the back on the town and see two nordic walkers approach. The man has a hard expression on his face and he is making the noise with his sticks, driving them into the gravel steadily with every nordic step.

Walk back up the path  in the hope that the couple will stay and admire the view for a while. Walk up the path quickly. 

The clicking never stops. The couple just turned about, it is now following. The two of them are not going fast enough to catch up, and the noise is really disturbing. This is the noisiest nordic walker!

Turn left, away from the usual main path. They follow, such it is with bad luck. Take a right, and with relief hear the clicking proceed along the other path.

Later on, at the Rhea enclosure, meet them again, he agressive and noisy, she just smiles.

And later still, in the mulberry garden, meet her alone, nordic walking silently, and the same smile. Around the next bend meet the man, furiously clicking, trying to catch up. 

And that is the last time to see them today.

cold coffee

a feeling of uselessness this morning, but nonetheless go out for the walk. Sometimes it just takes willpower to get out and move. Still, movement is more difficult today, for whatever reason. Look over the balustrade at the fog this morning. The town that is usually there is invisible today, simply gone.

Look for a few more chestnuts, but there are none. That is too bad, people are keen on them.

Complete the walk, think about the reasons for the difficulty with the camera. The monochromatic machine has no tolerance whatsoever for overexposure, but seemingly great tolerance to underexposure. Therefore it is better to err on the side of darkness.

Walk on, and on. There is the café by the river, sit down with the jacket on and just put a coin on the table as always. The charming Italian waitress is back, she was on holidays and her child fell ill and she had to stay at home. She is charming, and gives this guest the feeling that she is glad to see him. That is nice.

The coffee is good too.

Answer a questionnaire whilst drinking the coffee. The questionnaire is on the mobile 'phone, and by the time it is finished, the last drops of coffee are cold.

2 Pugs

 The head sings the song of tinnitus, it is louder and more present today, it would be so nice to just remain in bed, but that would be a waste of time, not a thing to be done so lightly. Take up the warm jeans today, the weather is probably to cold to wear the hiking trousers.

Walking is somehow harder today, even if the breath is not as short. Climb the keyboard of the oxen to the castle without stopping, there is the satisfaction there of having overtaken a gaggle of tourists on the way. They are all puffing and blowing.

Still, do not feel right. At the viewpoint by the castle the town is lost in fog, Return to the park, and take the path up to the parking space, then take the walk the same as every day. There is just tiredness in all the bones, just a sense of sadness. Pick up a couple of eating chestnuts in the small park, the tree is slowly shedding its crop of the things in their spiny cases.

The steep path with the stairs to the Carrosahöhe viewpoint is not a problem today either. But still there is disappointment and a generally unhappy feeling. Take pictures of leaves, they never turn out right, but they never will if you just give up. The walk continues, but the depressed listlessness will not depart, neither will the tinnitus's hisses. Down by the river two small dogs full of life run around the legs yapping. They are both pugs, and they are fun.

A distraction, but not enough

old haunts

 the old town of Fürth has been revamped, it is all cleaned up. All the buildings that used to be black with soot are pristine sandstone colour now, many look as good as new. Walk through the town with the old friend, she shows the way to many of the old haunts, there are hardly any of them left now. The town has a  fair colony of artists, they all have time for their art and do not have to work for the rent so hard because rents here are still lower than elsewhere.

It is strange to see the things as they were after thirty years, so much has been renewed and so much has gone.

The drive back in the dark is long and troublesome, nearly one and half hours of steady concentration. 

But the day was pleasant.

steam

At the entrance to the castle there is a gardener with a large machine on a trailer behind a small tractor. He is holding a long pole with a wide nozzle on it, the machine rumbles intermittently and the nozzle spouts clouds of steam. Think of Saint George, he would have drawn his sword. That machine would have been a perfect fit for his favourite prey profile.

Watch for a while, there are puddles at the corners of the buildings where the  nozzle had been steaming. It seems to be a way of getting rid of the weeds. When the gardener has stopped working on the section he was busy steaming go over and ask him how this works. He is a helpful and friendly young man, he explains that it is really nothing but hot water, literally boiling hot, that is sprayed on the weeds under pressure. This causes the upper foliage to be destroyed, and cauterises the roots of the plants, especially the grass, slowing regrowth. They tested numerous machines, and chose the one with the lowest water consumption

He says it works well on most weeds, but for the dandelion. The dandelion needs to be hoed. He says it is generally better than using a hoe to remove the grass and weeds, as this instrument leaves open soil behind ready for any seeds that may come along. He also says that it is generally better than chemical methods which have all kinds of unwanted side effects.

Thank him, and carry on with the walk, the next stop will be at the viewpoint on the other side of the castle wall.

tags

 Today's walk is like yesterday's morning walk, following the same path over the same hills. There is the case of a dog straining at his leash to show aggression to the stranger and to impress his owner. She states that he normally goes for squirrels. It is a nice occasion to feel good about the size and the weight, both of which are quite definitely not like a squirrel.

Later on, on the stretch by the river, that is to say on the final two kilometres, stop to talk to a man in a red high visibility outfit. He is standing in front of a tree making notes. Ask him if he does this as an annual thing, and if it has to do with the numbers on tags that are nailed to the tree's trunk. He says it is, that he is assessing all the trees, measuring their girth, looking at the size of the crown and looking to see if there are any signs of disease. He points out a large black fungus on a nearby maple, and says that that is the first of those that he has come across in this row of trees. Ask whether there is any damage by beavers, and he explains that the local beavers do not appear to like maple. He explained that the animals appear more partial to poplar trunks.

Thank him for all his information, and walk on up the long alley beside the river bank. See now that every slightly more significant tree has a small tag with a number nailed to it using stainless steel nails.

Take the cup of coffee at the Italian place, try to take it out of doors today. It is not a problem, but it is unpleasantly cold.

13

The Thirteenth, another day spent walking. In the morning the habitual walk over the castle and the Carossa heights, and then an afternoon walk up the Isar.

A notice at the side of the river informs of the things that have been done to keep it in a tight bed, to stop it spreading all over the valley. The river has been forced into a corset of stones, from which it breaks out of every few years causing more or less devastating floods.

At two in the afternoon start to walk along the path on the left hand side of the river, towards it's source. The traffic on the trunk road on the other side of the river is loud for as long as that road follows the course of the river. A few kilometres later the river splits into a canal delivering the outflow from yet another power plant and the river proper. The traffic noise dies down, and the walk continues for a few miles in silence. At this time the path is deserted, and after a final rain shower the sun comes out.

There are many tree stumps lying upended in the river. The river is not deep now, and they have all grounded, waiting for the next flood to take them further downstream.

After an hour there is a distant rumble from the traffic on the nearby motorway. There is a sign on the path pointing out the way to a popular beer garden close to the small local airport at Ellermühle. Promptly the distant rumble is augmented by the sound of aircraft, small private aircraft, taking to the air and flying overhead. The noise of autobahn and aircraft increases all the way to the point where the path goes under the bridge over the motorway. The traffic noise is now a constant roar.

Turn around, and head back home. The sound fades as the light fades,  and by the time the town is visible it is dark. There is a half moon today.

Apparently many dog owners take their animals out to walk at night. Maybe so that the dogs may defecate in the bushes without anybody seeing this. One of the dogs, a small white poodle, has a red light on its collar, as a result of which nothing is visible but a red glow rushing about the paths and the bushes.

It is eight in the evening by the time home is reached. That was a total distance of nearly forty kilometres, and the exhaustion was too great to pay any attention to these notes

day of nowt

 For the first time the weather is just too unpleasant to sit outside the café. So put on the mask and go indoors. The waiter asks to look into the yellow book, point out the two stickers placed there by the doctor. He says thank you in Italian, and then, shortly afterwards, the cup of coffee and the little biscuit arrive at the table. There is no asking any more. The pretty waitress has gone, she has probably returned to Italy for the winter. But the coffee is fine, and it warms the mind after the short walk. Think about how, three months ago, this walk would have been nearly impossible. Even at the age of sixty-six it is worth taking exercise and taking long walks. Maybe that is why so many elderly people do it. It is nice to lose weight, at least some of the excess that has been added to the body over the years in the office.

Finish the coffee and go home. The day has turned rainy, and it will not change until evening. There is a short rest to be taken in the afternoon, and then perhaps a second walk. It is time to catch up with the ideas, to work out what needs to be done next.

no relief

 This mornings weakness is greater than on most days. It makes getting out of the bed more difficult, and the confrontation with the mess in the kitchen makes it worse.

From bad to worse, put on the day clothes anyway, make a cup of coffee in the kitchen using the small noiseless machine, the little Italian cafeteria for one cup, and drink the strong brew in four sips. This is old-fashioned technology, but this is not a problem. Go into the room where the items that are for sale on Ebay are kept, and find the thing that was sold last night. Wrap it in bubble wrap, put it in a freshly folded cardboard box and fill this with crushed paper scraps. Take it all downstairs again and print the address label. Stick this onto the box, and together with the sale from the weekend, walk to the post office.

Stand in line untill the clerk can accept both packages, take the reciept, and go back home. At home, find the wife still asleep and the son gone to school. Consider starting to clear the mess, then consider this a poor idea. Put on the black jacket, and walk away, through the park, and take the short cut up to the viewing platform. From there follow the usual path past the parking lot and the animal enclosures, and, much later, take a short cut to the river.

Not even the coffee in the Italian's brings any relief today.

in the early morning of the following day

 Follow the path away from the main road, it leads into a collection of buildings,  the map on the mobile phone shows that it leads to the correct place by the river. There is loud barking, and a black dog rushes around tqhe corner. He makes to attack, but see that it is a sheep dog, a well fed black and white animal. A man follows, and he inquires as to who is required. The answer is that nobody is really required. He  indicates that this intruder should leave the property.

Then curiousity gets the better of him, and he asks as to what the aim of the trespassers incursion had been. Explain that it had been to find the way down to the river, to finish the walk all the way to Landshut. He observes that this is a long way. He is a big man, and he starts to explain that he has had enormous difficulties with people entering his property. His dog had been kicked by a cyclist, and this cyclist had then complained to the police that the dog was vicious. This had caused great bother. The cyclist had kicked the dog so hard that a visit to the vet had been necessary.

Listen and talk, Without any further ado, the man then showed the way through his property to the river. Thank him for his kindness and start the remainder of what will have been a thirty three kilometre long walk. The last stretch is along the lake with the swans, and then along the lake with the fishermen.

After the journey and the excitement of the day fall asleep in bed until midnight, and these notes are made in the early morning of the following day

obsession

 In the late afternoon go out into the town with the son to have a cup of coffee. This is the first time in quite some time that he has found time to go out with his father. His father is suitably pleased. Because it is Saturday with a clear sky, and even reasonably warm in those places where the sun shines, the  usual cafe is packed.

Go to another one, and the cakes are stale and the coffee is in smaller cups, so that everything is not as it should be. Apart from that, they are quite expensive. This is too bad, But both father and son enjoy each others company.

Take a walk down to the river and walk along the river into the bright light of the sun. There is chaos with all the bicycles and pedestrians. It is pleasant all the same.

Meet the tenant, she is outside her flat. She compliments the son on his hard work for school, and then declares how happy she is to have her small office in the house. Everyone is happy and that is good. The son returns home, he is worried about the work that he needs to do for school.

But today is the first day in which the nearing Autumn makes itself felt, and the long walk this morning confirmed that with all the fallen leaves crunching underfoot. The woods are becoming brighter, there just are not the leaves anymore to block off the sunlight. Still, the daily walks are so pleasant that they are turning into an obsession.

breath

 The family walks to the psychologist, the child and youth psychologist for the son. The son had been suffering from his compulsions, and maybe the psychologist can help. There is tension on the way, the wife had been in charge of all this because of the work in the university taking the husbands time. Now all three are on their way. The wife rushes ahead pushing her bicycle, the son is on the street riding his. 

Walk, as every day, and this is another kilometre for the tally.

The practice is in a startlingly whitewashed building, there are no directions anywhere. The son rushes ahead, and - just like that (-) - lose sight of him. Now wonder if it should be upstairs or downstairs. Go upstairs, such practices are seldom in cellars. Three stories farther up there is a door with a sign on it, and that is the way in. Knock on the door and go in. There is an explanation "Ah, there is the Papa" This is rubbish, the son always uses first names to refer to anyone, including his father. There is the usual thing of waiting rooms and so forth, and then there is space with the psychologist.

She is a small, dark haired woman who is really most professional. She explains the results of the tests, it all seems to have gone rather well.

After all that climbing of stairs, there is no shortage of breath.

The daily exercise has been of some use after all.

Everything is in some kind of order now.

The son seems happier, now that a few things have been spoken of.

four little amaretti

 The collector of cameras is collecting edible chestnuts from the lawn of the small park to the one side of the big Hofgarten. He explains that there are always some to collect here. A loud thump proves him right, a large chestnut in its spiny coat has just hit the ground behind him. He talks about walking, and health and losing weight. He is in his element, he is a believer. Though it is true to say that he is in really good shape for his eighty-three years.

He enthusiastically recommends a book by a Berlin Doctor that should be read attentively.

During the conversation more of the chestnuts fall, and he adds to his collection.

Complete the circuit of the small park and carry on past the house in which he lives. He says "wait" and goes into the house. The book has a typical medical cover to it, all smiles on the part of the author, the professor in Berlin. It is a book that is obviously written for the general population, many things appear overly simplified. Promise to get a copy and read it, whilst resolving to read a bit of it online first, just to make sure that is is really of interest.

The walk seems to go more quickly today, despite taking a slightly longer diversion using the new bridge over the main road. They are still building the bridge, but they do not mind the occasional pedestrian crossing it. 

The waitress in the café is too busy today, so one of her colleagues comes out and serves the coffee, and says, with a big Italian smile, that the collega asked him to serve it that way, no sugar, no milk, but with four little amaretti in the saucer.

telephone call in the garden

 Walk in the museum park whilst making a telephone call, there are sculptures placed in the park. They are all by Fritz König, the museum was set up by him and is now named after him. Sit on the pedestal of one of the sculptures, talk, listen, and think. There is a break in the conversation, check a few details on the camera. Then the conversation resumes, the partner had to deal with a matter on her land line.

Two girls wander across the park and sit down on the other side of the sculpture's pedestal. They start to talk loudly and giggle a lot. Get up and move out to the centre of the lawn. There is a long and low sculpture on the other side of the lawn, eight more girls are now sitting upon that and singing. This is a bit unreal.

Continue with the phone call, as another group of girls arrive in the park. It seems to be a school outing of some kind, they are all very lively. Decide that it is time to leave the sculpture garden, and upon leaving, look back. The group on the long low sculpture are still singing, slapping their thighs in time. One of the girls has rolle over onto her stomach, and is having her backside slapped by the ones to the right and to the left of her. This is ridiculous. This is silliness that has almost gone beyond high spirits.

Leave the garden, and finish the phone call.

Left on the table.

 The red brick track known as the keyboard of the oxen (German: Ochsenklavier) is more exausting today, all those flat steps transporting the climber up those fifty metres more or less, up to the castle. Arrive at the top and walk to the corner of the moat, that is the touch point. Then walk around the inside of the castle, circle around, then leave by the gate, and still going around the castle wall see the stick man admiring the city from the viewpoint. Turn, undecided, then decide that it is better to go rather than to visit the second touchpoint and let the old man suspect that he is being stalked. It would be a strange and unfortunate thing to be known as a stalker of old men. The two women in red are also there, just turn the back and continue the path. At the parking space see that he has parked his car in a completely different place than the one he usually lets his car occupy. The usual space is quite empty. 

Walk around the rhea enclosure, see that the birds are all bedraggled in the rain. Meet the camera collector, and take the opporunity to thank him for his recommendation as to the repair of that fifty millimeter one point four lens which had a propensity for jamming when the focus was set near infinity. He is happy to hear that his advice had been followed. There are things to chatter about. Then he has to hurry on, his wife is waiting for him. And he still has his round about the park to finish.

Carry on with the walk, the steps to the Carrosahoehe are difficult today, but no bother,just take a few breaks. It is cloudy today, and there is some rain.

The usual walk take its ten-kilometre course, up along the river and to the café. The waitress is her absolutely charming self, and for the second time she forgets to take her money. Later, when she is on her rounds, remind her that she has left the price of a cup of coffee on the table. 

all sore

 Yesterdays walk, at all of thirty seven kilometres long placed a load on the body that was almost more than it could deal with. And so it is today, the morning was spent making excuses for the afternoons inactivity. Now it is evening, and all there is to show for it is a visit to the café, the charming Italian waitress sorrows for the passing of the summer, and says that guests will need to be vaccinated or have documentation proving that they are recovered, or at least that they have been tested negative against the covid pandemic. She explains that this is better than last year where they had to close shop, and that was tough.

Why do people always explain their problems? Listen, and agree.

As such, there is little else to be done.

Resolve to walk again tomorrow.

But not all of thirty seven kilometres, not anywhere near that distance. The legs are sore, and so is the back.

no details

It is ten in the morning, arrive at the country beer garden. All the tables have been decked for the day, but the only customers are the proprietor and his cronies, already drinking and playing cards. Two portly cyclists arrive on their electric steeds, and proceed to take a table too.

Order a glass of water and a portion of coffee, and a fresh doughnut. The doughnuts are a speciality here, and they really are good. The coffee is not special, but drinkable.

A chestnut falls from it's tree and strikes one of the cyclists, the one with the bald head. He screams, more in shock than anything else. The two cyclists talk for a few seconds, and then the other one goes to the bicycles and collects their helmets. Now they are both sitting there with their helmets on.

There is a grey cat here, she settles down beside the table and lets her head be scratched.

When all is done, pay and go.

Todays walk will be altogether thirty seven kilometres, it will be exhausting, and there is no need to go into detail now.

trouble

 Take the shortcut through the park to the viewing platform by the castle. Do not take the  oxen's keyboard today, that path would have taken too long.

The gravel path through the trees is shorter, but steep enough to take the breath away completely. Rest at the top. The man with the sticks comes by, and says that he needs to be alone today, so carry on to look out over Landshut, to admire the town. Farther down the river, towards Dingolfing, there are banks of fog. They are fast being melted away by the morning sun.

Continue along the path as usual, with a short break by the tulip tree. There is no need to disturb the two stick man in his deliberations, whatever these may be. He walks on ahead with his two sticks. Pass him with a short farewell and best wishes for the day. He mentions that if the day turns out as he expects, he is going to need them. It is not clear what he means by this.

Take the circuit around the enclosure where the rheas and the Bambis are kept. The deer are frisky, and are running around.

Take the higher path over the Moniberg today, and take the path leading straight down to Schweinebach. Consider climbing up to the hilly landscape at the top of the hill, but realise that without water this would be a silly thing to do. Walk down the road to Schönbrunn, and along the road to the university. Turn left here and follow the path towards the municipal heating plant. There is a path between the trees there, quite overgrown and barely visible.  Try this path, and it turns out to be a most pleasant way of avoiding the industrial landscape around the heating plant.

The cup of coffee served by the Saturday waiter is ok, but there is a suspicion that he does not understand much German at all.

Oh well, no trouble.

off for the weekend

The steps in the path climbed, and the gate to the parking lot passed, see that the man with the two sticks has arrived. He is later than usual today. Wish him a good morning, and let him go on his way to the castle on his daily walk. We shall meet later. Go to the public bathrooms on the one side of the parking lot, over by the wagons for the nature kindergarten. After washing the hands leave the small house and follow the man down the steps. Stay with him and accompany him . He is talking all the while, the difficult family situation that he is in is an important part of his account. It has all to do with relationships, the dynamics of families, pride and prejudice, greed and fear. All of these things, things that are illogical from one perspective and absolutely self-evident from another.

Return to the viewpoint's platform and look out over the town. It is clear cut in the sunlight today. Then, take the path back to the parking lot.

There are crowds of school children in the park today, out walking with their teachers. They are on an excursion, seeing the sights of the town, and learning a bit about the trees and the monuments in the park. A group of about sixty pass by, step aside to let the crowd pass. The sight of all the young children led the two stick man cheer up, and by the time the steps in the path are climbed and the gate to the parking lot is passed, the man is in a cheerful enough humour.

Say goodbye and pass on through the park, past the clinic and down to the brewery in the valley. Then climb up the Carossa bluffs and continue the walk as every day now.

By the time the waitress comes with the coffee, and wishes a pleasant weekend. She is off duty every weekend she says.