TdE - Day 10-16 Bad Homburg

Routes: in and around Bad Homburg 

Walking: 44 km

Cycling: 17 km
Weather: Getting colder, generally cloudy, but not that much rain as the weather announcers promised 

This last week a welcome break at my parents house, with a washing machine, my mothers cooking, late starts, some shopping and a lot of walking.

As on the bike I only bring one “off bike” set of clothes I had shipped a small parcel to my parents with more normal clothes. 

On the Monday (TdE Day 10) my mother wanted to go shopping for her, and we found 3 very nice dresses here in Bad Homburg for her which she has been wearing ever since. And I also found a nice dress for me. 

The next day (TdE Day 11) we wanted to do some hiking and took the city bus up to Saalburg, an ancient Roman fortress, which however this time we didn’t visit (we went there with Matteo only a few weeks ago). Instead we hiked over to Hessenpark, an open air museum and then back. On the way out we got slightly lost in the forest, not really lost but didn’t find the most logical way, so when we arrived at the Hessenpark we were hungry. Since the 23/August the “3G rule” applies which in German stands for vaccinated, recovered or tested (geimpft, genesen, getestet) when visiting an indoor location or a restaurant. In some places they just ask in others they duly check at the entrance. At Hessenpark they checked in detail, but we were all in the “geimpft” (vaccinated) category and could proof it, so had no problems. 

After lunch we hiked back taking a slightly different path and this time following an officially indicated hiking path, which came by this newly created pond complete with a bench, where we observed a caterpillar  crawling up and down the table in front of us, apparently without a clear idea where he actually wanted to go. We couldn’t help either. 

In the evening Matteo came for one night and on Wednesday (TdE Day 12) we made a trip together to the newly built “Altstadt” (old town) of Frankfurt. Scenic it is, and for sure nicer than the ugly post war city hall that was occupying that space before. 

We had lunch together and then Matteo departed while we went for some long planned shopping in the city. Due to Covid-19 my parents weren’t in Frankfurt for over a year, maybe even 2 years. Not that they were going to Frankfurt frequently before then either, but since Covid they avoided to take public transport plus most shops were closed for a long time. Nevertheless the shopping list of my mother wasn’t that long either and we managed to get everything in a single street and then had cake in the same street as well before returning home by commuter train. I was surprised how much the busy city center of Frankfurt did stress me out. Living 4 years now in small Leiden and never going to Amsterdam has had an effect. And we’ll, Tokyo or Osaka is just not the same stress level (for me) as a busy European town. Maybe the fact that we needed to look constantly not to loose my father was also an additional stress factor. He orientates himself well in Bad Homburg in areas where he always is, but he wouldn’t be able any longer to orientate himself in Frankfurt or be capable of taking some actions to get back home. 

On Thursday (TdE Day 13) my mother wanted some time at home, I wanted to do some bicycle related shopping, so I took my father along on a bike ride that would bring us midway through to a huge bicycle shop. Actually the same bicycle shop where I bought a lot of equipment for my 2 month ride through Japan 4 years ago. This time I got a new helmet (same model as before as I find it quite comfortable) and a pump, as the old one at my parents place was loosing more air than putting in the tubes.

In the afternoon the weather was still fine (although the weather forecast was warning since days that it would like early autumn and rainy), so all 3 of us went for a walk through the park. Heidi and I each wearing one blue and white shoe as she has two identical pairs of barefoot shoes. (We we’re also wearing our new blue dresses bought on Monday).

We also admired a lot an electric substation that recently got painted as if it were a small temple. The “background” is actually the real background that would be visible if the substation didn’t block the view.

On Friday (TdE Day 14) we had an appointment at a restaurant at Saalburg where my parents first met and where they now 52 years later will celebrate their Golden wedding anniversary. Now it was only the organization what menu to choose, where the table will be… As the appointment was at 11:30 it was too early for us to have lunch right away, so we hiked instead to Herzberg (“heart mountain”) and had lunch there. My parents already told me, but really nearly all the thick forest that once covered the entire hike between Saalburg and Herzberg had gone. Fallen victim to a hurricane and the destructive forces of the bark beetle. 

As it was rather cold that day, all the sun was actually quite welcome but if you are expecting to hike in a nice, lush forest away from the heat, you are up for a big disappointment. 

Yesterday (TdE Day 15) we stayed in Bad Homburg and had a look at the extremely low key edition of the Laternenfest (“lantern festival”). In normal times THE festival of my home town, but this year a quite depressive affair. 

And no, this picture was NOT taken when it was still closed.

And finally today (TdE Day 16) we hardly moved, but we did go down to the nearest park where a traditional dog racing event was held. Although I am afraid of dogs, I do remember it fondly of my childhood days. 

And it was funny again. The best scene being one of these dogs deciding mid race, to take a poop. 

In the afternoon I helped my father to write the text for the invites to their Golden wedding anniversary and packed everything for departure tomorrow.