blauboy’s posthaven

About six miles (roughly ten kilometers) west of Ulm, at the entrance to the small village of Blaustein-Wippingen, one is offered a giorgious panorama of the city of Ulm, embedded picturesquely in between the foothills of the Swabian Alps. But only a few days a year this picture is worth being photographed, since most of the time the sky is not bright enough for a clear view. It is exactly one if these rare moments, that you're supposed to stand there with a camera in your hands. During the last three years I failed quite often to be there at the right time; this January morning, I didn't.

Besides the German Rail Corporation (Deutsche Bahn AG), who serves most of Germany, there are some mostly unknown, smaller private railway companies existing, which operate abandoned or historical sections with ancient steam trains. One is the Swabian Alb Rail (Schwäbische Alb Bahn, SAB) which operates the section of line between Schelklingen - Engstingen - Gammertingen, all of those smaller villages located on the Swabian Alb. Last weekend, we had the chance not only to watch the steam locomotive, but also to take a ride with the old train during an extra winter tour.

It's been only two years, since we went to the capital of Catalonia the last time. But for us, it felt like decades... Barcelona for us is the city of architecture, a metropolis of design, a megacity of style and flair, the home of the world's best soccer club, an outstanding location for food and wine and - last but not least - a fantastic place for leisure! Anything, I forgot? Oh, yes: Compared to Germnay, it's warm and sunny there at the end of November. So this was only the third time in my life, that I was able to spend my birthday in a short-sleeved shirt...

This month is supposed to be the November with the least precipitation since meteorologists started to document wheather records (whenever that was...). At least it was the driest November here since 1953, according to the local newspaper. Instead of rain, we had lots of intense fog. On the other hand, when the sun did come out, the multicolores beauty of autumn became obvious. And those changes were impressive.

When I was a kid, we used to stroll through the woods to collect mushrooms. We almost never ate them, that was the delight only of the adults - our fun was to find them. 35 years later, being back in the forrest with my kids now, I remember some mushrooms - like those, the Germans call Hexeneier, eggs of the stinkhorn (Phallus impudicus, in German: Stinkmorchel). We found a handful of those, one already fawning. Clever me, I checked the internet for some recipes, before I pealed, sliced and roasted the white balls in a pan. According to others, who tried to eat them before, stinkhorn eggs taste like... well, they taste different. Appearently and a convincing hint, it was a recipe of the postwar years; something people ate, when there was nothing else to eat (my parents were born 1940 and 1944).

There were two things, we did not exspect on our trip to Rot an der Rot, a small town (population 4400) in the Allgäu-region. One was the perfect wheather - Indian summer at its best. The other was this beautiful church in the middle of the town, Saint Verena. One of the most impressive fanes, we've ever seen!

Strolling jauntily through woods and meadows. Appreciating the late Indian summer sun. Wondering why life can't be always that easy. Discovering colorful, but unknown berries in the bushes. Remembering some of the them from my childhood: Rose hip (rosa rugosa, in German: "Hagebutte"). Black elder (sambucus nigra, "Holunder"). Sloe (prunus spinosa, "Schlehe"). Taking pictures.

Autumn holidays in southern Germany: Just for a change (and for the kids) we book a few nights in a small dairy farm in the hamlet Mühlberg near Rot (an der Rot), Allgäu. The area is known for its beautiful, green landscapes as well as for its population of cows, which - according to my rule of thumb estimate - is at least triple the number of people living here. Our daughters are delighted with all the animals around - their parents enjoy the warmth and colours of some gorgeous Indian summer days.

The first car parents buy for their kid should be something very special. It could be a save van, a classic car or a fancy jeep. We for instance picked a small convertible. It's a roadster, oneseater, best Italian make and its colour is bright yellow. Sophia loved it from the very first moment she saw it. And, yes, it certainly is a pre-owned automobile. You wouldn't buy a brandnew car as the first vehicle for your kid, would you!

Autumn slowly conquers the country. It's getting chilly, especially during the nights. In the morning, the water of the Blau-river gives off its warmth into the cold air - and creates enchanted landscapes. Their mystic atmosphere can be watched for instance in the Blau valley, the Altental, between Blaubeuren and Blaustein-Arnegg (Thursday, Oct 6th, 2011).