This has, therefore, greatly restricted my world and I mostly walk around the periphery of the large park near me (circumference just over 5 km) or , at the weekends, to the Rhine and back (6 km in total).
In order not to get completely bored, I vary the route. Sometimes, I even enter courtyards to see what there is there - and am surprised by what is tucked away behind the buildings that face the street. I also go down side streets and alleyways, through parks I normally only pass by and again, I am amazed by what I find there.
Today, I decided to go out on my bike. I don't normally use the bike as I think walking is the better exercise.
I had a vague idea of going to Benrath and round the Urdenbacher Kämpe, but I went down roads I'd never been before out of sheer curiosity, found areas that were surprisingly lovely (I had thought that that area would be grim and industrial) and then discovered that I had found a third way to get to Himmelgeist, which is a delightful little district as it is on the Rhine. I arrived there at about 8.45 a.m. and I rolled my jeans up, took off my socks and shoes, paddled in the Rhine and walked up and down the sandy shore.
A chat with a young fisherman casting his line, 10 minutes spent watching mama duck and 7 ducklings paddle around near the shore and even come on land for a while to nibble at heaven knows what, another chat with an older lady and minutes just spent sitting and listening to the water lap against the shore, it was bliss.
The little things are what make the difference.
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