A Walk in the Park

As I write this (long overdue) blog I am by an open window listening to a pianist and violinist practicing at the Orff Center next door to our apartment. We often hear musicians practice. We also get our share of free concerts during the fair weather when all windows are open. Two beautiful woodpeckers are hard at work snacking on one of the trees just outside. The larger of the two is primarily black and white, but has a prominent orange or red spot on the underside near its tail.

I just got back from a walk around the English Gardens. It's a gorgeous day. I'm not sure if this is too early for Indian Summer, but that's what it feels like on the tail the blood red moon.

Though it's crowded, I love the park on days like this. It's the opportunity to do things like dance and sing in a circle and no one thinks it odd. You won't get a second look if you just throw up your arms to the sun and spin around smiling. No one here thinks it out of place to strip off your clothes and lie out in the grass either. You may get some second looks, however, especially from the tourists of whom some are so rude they'll walk right up and take your picture. I always want to yell at them when I see them do this, but I never know which language to use.

Musicians come out in droves and play alone or in groups. I passed a particularly talented duo today - one on guitar and one on clarinet. There is always an accordion to be heard and, of course the band at the Chinese Tower Beer Garden known as 'The World's Drunkest Oom-pah Band'.

I suppose one could easily see the English Gardens as the world's largest dog park. German's dogs are rarely on leashes so they wander around freely making friends, chasing each other, rolling and romping in the grass.

It's hard to tell if people just congregate and things happen spontaneously or if they call each other and plan activities like soccer games. I once saw a group of men playing soccer wearing nothing but their BVDs. Who makes that call?

"Hey, you wanna play soccer in your undies?"

"Sure! I'll call Hans."

"Okay, I'll call Dieter."

"Great, see you there."

Often I see a strap strung tightly between trees where people practice tightrope walking. Once I saw a young woman sitting with a little girl and stringing dandelions in a garland for her hair.In the spring, wild garlic grows in patches around the garden and people gather it. There are horse-drawn carriage rides, bicycle rickshaws and Pedal Pubs where you sit in a circle pedaling while drinking beer. I'm sure there was a long line to surf in the Isar today, though I didn't go see them. There is no fishing in the river that I've seen, but there is swimming. People hang their clothes and towels, get into the river float down a mile or so, climb out and either take a tram or walk back and do it again and again. Lulu visited me (a future blog) and she and I saw a couple of men playing Ladder Golf (a game which has many, many names). You toss two balls connected by a thin rope onto a ladder-like apparatus. Which rung it wraps around or hangs on determines your score.

I can honesty say that I've never heard a cross word spoken in this park. (Come to think of it, my German isn't that good. Maybe I'm overhearing cross words all the time. If I am, they are spoken most congenially.) It's like magic; people are so relaxed, content and high when they are in it. Every city needs a place like this.

This is a typical path in the English Garden in the autumn. This, I confess, is an old picture (note the absence of people.) I love wandering off the path into a area with many tall trees. I lie under them and watch the leaves fall down on and around me.

Paddle boats and canoes are available to use on the Schwannensee (Swan Lake). There are swans on the lake as well as a great paddling of ducks and gaggles and gaggles of geese.