One Year Gauting

5/8/2020

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We moved from Görresstrasse in Munich to Gauting exactly one year ago. It was a big decision after living in the same apartment for 35 years, and it entailed a lot of work. Now after a year of life in the suburbs I can say, yes, it was a good idea. We like it here, the apartment is fine and the best part is that we can either walk or cycle from our door. We also enjoy that we no longer have to climb the three flights of stairs when we get home.

Still, sometimes I am homesick for Munich and our life there. Those were happy years and we had our favorite places that we visited regularly. I miss them, so on this first anniversary of our new home, I got on my bike and rode to Westpark in Munich, one of our favorite haunts before we had the woods at our back door.

Dipping even further into the past, I remembered that there is dogwood in Westpark, not a common tree here in Germany. Where I grew up in New Jersey, the woods were full of them and I knew they should be blooming now. I had my goal for the day.

I planned a route through many streets that I wasn't familiar with. It might not have been the shortest way to Westpark, but I love to discover new neighborhoods, small connecting pathways, unexpected parks only the size of a block and insider shortcuts.

I discovered the campus of the university's Department of Biomedicine in Grosshadern. Interesting, colorful facades but no students these days.

The weather was perfect. Fortunately it was a weekday and the park wasn't crowded. The first spring blossoms were gone and it was too early for the rose garden to be in bloom, but I wasn't disappointed. The pink and white dogwoods were lovely.

At the lake I saw a hoot hatching its eggs.

The daffodills are gone and have been replaced by allium.

I found a nice secluded spot to enjoy my little picnic.

Park visitors are keeping social distance under the tremendous red horse chestnuts in full bloom

It was a happy and satisfying ride. How nice it is to be able to ride into the past and back again and it's only 40 kilometers.

Not related to my ride, but gone home.

RIP Little Richard

6 Comments

Nancy Graham

5/10/2020 16:50:58

Fantastic. How nice you can revisit you ‘old’ neighborhood by bike. Tribute to Little Richard ;’-)

Suzanne

5/10/2020 21:25:48

THanks, Nancy!

Cathryn Ramsden

5/10/2020 18:27:27

Has it really been a year already? Crazy. So glad you're happy there and glad you're okay in these weird times! We bought a tandem last week off eBay - no idea when we'll be able to pick it up but tours are ahead for my giant son and I (and Richard!)

5/10/2020 21:28:38

A tandem! What an adventure that will be! Who's going to be the captain and who the stoker?

Laura F Roberts

5/11/2020 04:38:12

My young dogwood tree didn't make it, but my neighbors have a lovely one they said they'd had for twenty years. It is right by the property line so I do get to enjoy it. Everything bloomed here and then we had a rapid decrease in temperature. My azalea blooms died even though I thought I had them covered well enough. I'm so glad you are enjoying your new home. Even though I can't ride from mine as easily as when we were in the condo, I'm so much more at peace with the quiet, the green all around me, and the feathered and furried friends that play behind us.

Did I ever tell you I met Little Richard? I was a volunteer in a women's prison (not an inmate!) and he was doing a show there on my visitation day. My "prisoner" asked a guard if I could go to the show with her and they said yes. We had to go separately and meet as it was across the yard, but inside the fence. Let me tell you, it was very interesting. I'm sure he had a lot of stuff in it that he didn't put in his normal shows. I always liked his music.

5/11/2020 11:09:36

What an interesting story, Laura! That must have been some experience to see Little Richard live!

One Year Gauting

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