September 09, 2011

Walk in the Wald*

This week and a half has been crammed with errands and tasks.  Busy, for sure, but not stressfully so.  Yesterday was the first morning my legs weren't stiff from all the walking I've been doing - daily 3 to 5 miles as I cross town and head back again, from Devin and Merlin's school to Dan's office, to various shops and then back to the guesthouse.  Taxis are much more prevalent than in most US cities, but they're expensive and I haven't figured out the bus system.  Anyway, the walking doesn't hurt at all and it lets me see all sorts of really neat things.

On Sunday we enjoyed ourselves by doing more walking, of course!  Dan's boss invited us to his house for a simple lunch (amazing rolls, cheeses) and a walk in the woods behind his house.  Some of the area is protected (there's a deer park) while in some places the paths pass next to farms and fields.  It was a great way to spend what would be the last mostly-sunny day for a while.

Here's the goofy gang at the beginning of the walk.


 We were heading up and in.


Along the way there were stone markers, including a few with dates.  These woods are actually quite young, having been planted sometime around 1904.


The area around Göttingen** is pastoral, and so green right now.  Coming straight out of the Central Valley heat, we feel like we've been dropped into the late November rainy season. (Here I recommend clicking on the photos if they interest you.  They'll open up in their own window, large enough to actually see).




I admit, I'm a straggler, always at the tail end of the group, dawdling along looking at something (very often a plant, but I'm open to anything, really).  That means a lot of my pictures show the rear of the group and how far I've lagged behind...

 and then they have to wait for me to catch up


<==It's nice that Merlin lags along with me, though of course the speed-walkers are good humored.

Here are the scholars, deep in conversation: ==>





Among the discoveries:

The Banana Slug's German cousin, the Orange-Wedge Slug***





Unintelligible Teutonic Runes










and, The Slightly Sad Cyclops











All in all, we had a great time!




---
* You didn't know you were coming along for German lessons, did you?  Wald means forest or woods and it's pronounced "valt."

** I have to say I am so happy to have discovered my umlaut.

*** not it's real name

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