Germany Day 8: Tübingen and Naturpark Schönbuch
It was a Sunday, so we decided to spend the day doing what a lot of Germans do on a Sunday, go on a Wanderung (hike) in Naturpark Schönbuch. Instead of driving our car to the trailhead back in Bebenhausen, we decided to try the local bus system. Even though it takes a little longer, it gives us a chance to get a better feel of what local life is like. It was also fun to try to interpret the conversations that we overheard.
The trail we went on was not too busy, but we came across quite a few families and groups walking and biking. At one rest stop, there was a tree stump with a built-in cabinet full of books to read and swap. There was also a Grillplatz (grill area) with a wood fire pit that contained an active fire. When we passed it on the way out, we did not see anyone tending to the fire. This seemed rather strange to us, being from the dry climate of Colorado and always being concerned about wildfires. Was there a park official that lit the fire and checks on it? Did someone light the fire and then leave it? We are not quite sure. When we passed it on the way back, there was a family grilling their wursts on the ends of sticks over the fire for their lunch in the woods. It is refreshing to witness others that appreciate connecting and enjoying the natural world as much as we do.
When we got back to Tübingen and had our afternoon coffee and kuchen, there was still time to kill before dinner, so we took a boat ride on the Neckar river in a Stocherkahn. Stocherkahn is an interesting flat bottom boat that the Stocherer (boat driver) stands at one end and pushes off the bottom of the shallow river with a long pole, somewhat similar to a Venetian gondola. The riders sit across from each other on wooden planks that run across the width of the boat and rest their backs on other planks that are resting somewhat vertical at an angle against the sides of the boat. When not in use, all the planks can be pulled out and stacked flat. Leave it to the Germans to invent such a simple, functional, yet beautiful piece of engineering. Balance is key as the boat tips easily. We saw one person end up in the river while they were trying to load all the guests into a boat, but we managed to stay dry. However, I was very conscious of how I was holding my camera, being prepared to keep it over my head and dry if the boat tipped. We took the one hour ride past many of the picturesque buildings among the ducks and the tree branches overhanging the river's edge. We found ourselves enjoying the peaceful, natural surroundings for the second time that day. We were thankful that the ride was not longer though, not because we were tired of the views and peaceful ride, but because our tailbones started complaining about being against the hardwood plank.
Tübingen is one of our favorite old towns to visit. It is a university town with a very relaxed atmosphere and interesting old, detailed architecture. We have a picture hanging in our kitchen at home of the Hölderlinturm, covered in ivy, reflecting in the Neckar river that we took thirty years ago which reminds us of how much we enjoyed exploring the old town center of Tübingen. We were hoping to recreate that picture on this trip, but instead of being covered in ivy, the tower was covered with scaffolding. We’re assuming that there was some type of restoration in progress. Oh well, we guess that just means we’ll have to come back again someday. Even though we could not recreate the picture, we still were able to relive the experience of wandering around the old town. After our evening stroll after dinner, we sat down at an outdoor table in the Marktplatz across from the Rathaus for a late beer and glass of wine, relaxing in the fresh air while people watching. The perfect ending to a perfect day.
(RB)