09. Jul 2023

Buch am Erlbach - Lain

The countdown that was on the webpage was for the moment I would leave my home in Buch. Yesterday's trek was just a short one from Moosburg to Buch. Today I thought of another verse from Ecclesiastes 3:1... "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven..." There is a time to prepare, and then there is the time to go. There is a time to carry a backpack, and there is a time to put it back down again. There is a time to day good bye and leave the trusted, loved and known, and there is a time to embrace an unknown future, walk an unwalked path and to enter a different world as a complete stranger. The first step of a pilgrimage is into a totally new time zone. Today was that day.

Photo 2: Astrid and Sorin joined me for an official send-off by the mayor of the town where we live, Elisabeth Winkelmaier-Wenzl. Pastor Ben came as well. Again I wanted to leave my home town by giving a blessing to the mayor and the community.

Photo 3: Astrid walked with me and Sorin for the first few kilometers from our home, and Sorin went the whole first stretch (Photo 1). It was a real hot day and the first blisters popped their heads up on my right heel and small toe.

Photo 4: Old US license plates mounted on a wooden gate. I am pointing to the one from Ohio from the year 1957.

Photo 5: Countryside of southern Germany