Sunday - Wednesday, July 22 - 25 2012 (diary)

Indeed Saturday evening I did have my last dinner in Sankt Peter at the Waldcafe with Wivica, we both having delicious Ochsenzunge of course. I said goodbye to both ladies (Christa and Gabby) and was much touched when Christa gave me a bottle of Hönig Likö as Farewell gift. I promised to be back in two years time.

Sunday a last day in the Caracalla spas of Baden Baden (staying in different Hotel this time, Hotel Bischoff also quite good and conveniently located, and then finally Monday afternoon by train to Frankfurt and on the plane home.

Despite the predominantly bad weather throughout the past 9 weeks I have enjoyed my stay in Europe, especially my Camino walk, the various reunions with my friends in Holland and my stay in Sankt Peter, where I have become quite befriended with several people there.

I have brought home with me quite a selection of novels written in German, including 4 written by the Austrian detective novelist Alfred Komarek.

I enjoy his books in particular because of several reasons.
Firstly he writes very entertainingly in the local (South Austrian) idiom, using authentic colourful expressions like for example ".... da kannst du Gift drauf nehmen !" ("you can take poison on that" - meaning : "that's for sure !").

Secondly he describes the typical (gradually disappearing) culture of small local wine growers communities in Southern Austria, with their "Kellergassen" (Cellar streets) of individual "Presshausen" and underground wine cellars.

And thirdly the intimate, cosy bar and cellar oriented atmosphere remind me so strongly of my own days at Cafe Beuse that I feel very comfortable and nostalgic "fitting" as it were easily into the community Komarek brings to live.

Here is a cute ages old riddle (taken from Komarek's novel Polt muss weinen), apparently quite commonly floating through the wine cellars there.   You must be able to speak German to find the solution to it.

Solution

Thursday - Tuesday, July 26 - 31 2012 (diary)

It is good to be back. After walking amongst the (commonly) elegantly dressed, well groomed people in Baden Baden it is quite a change to find myself back amongst the rough and ready Northern Territorians, in their familiar rubber thongs, old T-shirts, crumply shorts.
The sky is blue, we are reaching the end of the dry season and the grass, not covered by sprinklers, is brown, crying out for rain.

At the mango farm Gordon and Iris have come up from down South and have their caravan now standing next to my cabin so that we share a coffee or two on a regular basis.   The dogs are also happy I am back, and I have settled back in the weekly routine of our local bridge clubs. Yes, it is definitely nice to be back.
A small group from the Arafura Bridge Club gathered last Friday to enjoy the sunset at Dripstone Cave Cliffs while consuming plenty of bubbly and various things to eat. Life in the NT has its own unique charms, "da kannst du Gift drauf nehmen!"