Events 2007

Raw Gathering - Southern Spain

16 Mar – 8 Apr 2007  ★ On a remote beach, 50 km east of Malaga, about 20 people camped in changing camps; altogether about 80 sisters and brothers came. Since we also invited Rainbow circles to this meeting, many people from this alternative scene were there. Among them were both longtime raw foodists and people who just wanted to try the raw food for a few days. The latter have already reported positive effects. Many were young in their 20s or 30s; warm-hearted people who enthusiastically sang Indian mantras and other songs by the evening fire. Many did yoga; some seemed downright acrobatic to me. Gert Buttermann treated with Reiki almost every day and did initiations. The neighboring mountains encouraged hiking. There were also workshops such as herbal hikes, an introduction to the raw food scene, survival equipment and string making. The Bio-Finca Aurelio is right next to the beach and we got fruit and vegetables from them at reasonable prices. “For me, the raw food gathering was one of the most beautiful meetings of my life. I would like to invite all raw foodists worldwide to the next Rainbow.” Sven Rohark, consistent raw foodist for 12 years. A detailed review of the rainbow can be found at Manuel Kodrun: https://www.rainbow- healing.blogspot.com/

Walkabout near Hanover

12 - 19 Aug 2007  ★ 8 to 12 people aged 29 to 66 hiked from Rinteln on the Weser to Bordenau near Hanover. We passed small mountains with large forests, bathed in rivers and bathing lakes and crossed a natural moor area. Nature provided us with plenty of fruit and herbs, but we also went shopping - e.g. because of the avocados. We spent the nights in the forest or on the edge of the forest. In the moorland we stopped all conversations and were silent. So we were better receptive to the voices of the birds, the rustling of the trees, the somewhat eerie sight of the mostly dead birch trees... I recommend hiking alone through a natural area for a few days; this is a very special experience! For me, the walkabout was a special experience in another respect, because I fell in love with one of the participants. However, what will become of our relationship remains a mystery for the future. I estimate about a quarter of the women and men who attend the events are single. On the one hand it is probably due to certain fears, on the other hand many only want to fall in love if they find a permanent partner. Actually that's a shame. Because if two people only fall in love for a short time, that has the great advantage that they can soon fall in love again! And that is something wonderful.
Diary:
Saturday, 11 Aug: Rinteln train station - Doktorsee near Rinteln, overnight stay there on a meadow -
Sunday: a bathing lake near the Weser south-east of Rinteln, bathing break there and checking Christiane's luggage, divided into groups - Engern - Steinbergen (divided into 2 groups at the church; one picks up Kathrin from Rinteln train station ; meeting again) - Wiehengebirge (forest) - Berrsen - break at the river Aue, Christoph bathes - Rolfshagen - Bückeberge (forest), overnight stay there -
Monday: We look for the caves marked on the map and discover them: inaccessible mining caves - sulfur spring in the forest - Obernwöhren, Brigitte picks up Claudia, some walk to Stadthagen to shop - back into the forest, there Overnight -
Tuesday: as always, morning exercise with Christiane - we leave the forest to the east, beautiful hilly landscape (that's where the photo I use for NL was taken) - we come back to the edge of the forest and spend the night there, Brigitte and I walk to Bad Nenndorf -
Wednesday: Foret misses us, I catch up with him - break in Bad Nenndorf - Ohndorf - somewhat difficult underpass under the railway (ditch, Foret chooses another route) - conversation with forester at the edge of the forest - swimming break at the Mittelland Canal - Overnight in the forest -
Thursday: Hagenburg, at the entrance to town break and farewell to Kathrin, things dried - bathing break in the moor lake, we meet Karl nearby - Steinhude - bathing island - overnight stay in the forest "Hohe Holz" -
Friday: Hike to a bathing spot, separate into groups, swim break - Overnight at the same spot as the previous night -
Saturday: Farewell to Marion (foot blisters) - observation tower at the Steinhuder Meer - moor area with silence - Poggenhagen - Bordenau - bathing lake - overnight stay at the edge of the forest -
Sunday: Badesee - Meeting with visitors of the "Wild Week".

Wild week near Hanover

19 - 26 Aug 2007  ★  This week had a little more participants than the hike. I called them "wild" because we wanted to eat only wild herbs and wild fruits. In terms of wild fruits, the fruits of the Canadian bird cherry, hawthorn berries and the rose hips of the potato rose were available to us in abundance; now and then blackberries, cornel cherries, yew fruits, whiteberries, hazelnuts and half-wild pears were added. However, we also ate cultivated fruits such as apples and plums, especially as these were also available in large numbers. We hiked in the nearby forest, swam in a bathing lake and made small raft trips. The nights were also of a special quality. Many of the participants were quite liberal in cuddling, which I have not experienced in previous years. It can only be a good thing to allow more physical and emotional closeness, to try out what cuddling feels like and to release feelings.

Raft tour Hanover - Bremen

26 Aug - 4 Sept 2007  ★ Most people think our raft is too adventurous. However, Lenka, Claudia, Lars and Christoph ventured with me (with changing cast) on this waterway vehicle and drove from Bordenau (near Hanover) down the Leine, Aller and even the Weser to Bremen. The water police discovered us there. Two law enforcement officers spoke to us in a friendly manner, expressed a certain horror at the sight of our ingenious construction, declared the undertaking to be too dangerous in view of shipping and forbade us to continue our journey. Christoph brought the raft back to Bordenau in his car, I visited my parents. They presented me with a newspaper article: "Police stop captain carelessness..." Since the report is written in a very entertaining way, you can find it printed here. But I'll allow myself two sentences in defense: We used strong lines that show no signs of wear even after three years of use. And the narrower canoe boats, which are officially allowed to sail on all shipping lanes, would capsize much faster than our 2.3 m wide raft. So did we always stay dry on our 9-day raft trip? no way! The water was clean, but significantly colder than in a bathtub at home. But Captain Levity and his cronies are hardened; there were several swimming breaks. And shortly before Bremen, Claudia and Christoph chose the direct route into the water: they stepped onto the large styrofoam plate on the raft (which Lenka had discovered in the forest near Bordenau) at the same time and in the middle. The plate cracked and my two buddies slid lengthways into the cool water. I was reminded of Max and Moritz and the tailor Böck... We were able to repair the damage with cords.
Diary:
Sunday, August 26th, 2007, around 12 noon, allotment colony Bordenau: We stow our luggage and other parts for the raft trip in 2 cars. A group drives to the raft that we have hidden in the forest near Bordenau, and Claudia and I drive with the luggage to Neustadt am Rübenberge on the leash and wait for the rafters. But the first group has a problem: the raft is gone! Either someone decided to go on a spontaneous raft ride, or the raft was just pushed into the water. Thankfully, the latter is the case; the group finds the raft after half an hour of searching in the somewhat rough terrain; it got caught in a tree that is sticking out of the water because of the high tide. They manage to free themselves and start with Lenka, Lars and Karl. Due to the flooding, they make quick progress and are soon with Claudia and me. Soon Bärbel and Klaus join them with their car; curiosity grabbed her. For Karl, the trip ends here because of private appointments. We load the luggage and Lenka, Lars and I set out into the river. Soon it's time to watch out: a dangerous weir; Be sure to keep left and drive into the lock canal! Good that I copied such information from the river guide of the German Canoe Association, as well as every place and every bridge, with kilometer information. And I got the navigation rules from another book... In Neustadt we stop for the internet cafe, to snack on cornel cherries and to portage the lock. Overnight at approx. km 81 on a field edge under a large oak tree.
Monday, 27 Aug Another glorious day; Sun and clouds alternate, but there is no rain. Due to the high water we make good progress and can often look over the bank. We land at about km 99, take a longer walk and spend the night there under a tree that stands directly on the bank, on the edge of the forest, in my opinion the most beautiful place to sleep on the raft trip. I find the subtle river flow noises pleasant.
Tuesday, 28 Aug We drive to Schwarmstedt, where we shop, take Lenka to the train and pick up Christoph. However, he came by car and wants to drive a little further; we arrange a meeting point on the Aller. This time we, Lars and I, sleep on a meadow (at km 109) and set up tarps in the damp to be able to enjoy the sunrise in the morning.
Wednesday, 29 Aug The meadow is very damp from the dew; good thing we set up tarps! The sun is obscured by clouds. I find it more pleasant to sleep under a dense tree; it keeps out any dew (except when it's foggy), and if it's not raining I don't even put up my tarp. Lars and I start. After 3 km the Leine flows into the Aller (at km 52.4). There we meet a small motorboat for the first time; on the line we only saw 3 canoe boats. In Bosse at km 75 Christoph gets on. rain coming up Nevertheless, we continue, let ourselves be carried away by the current and only occasionally correct the direction. Wonderful, we are doing nothing and are making good progress, solely through the forces of nature! A 3 x 4 m tarp (many thanks to Lenka), which we stretch over the entire raft, has proved its worth as rain protection. We also use it at night; Lars and I both find space underneath. Some nights I first sleep outside the tarp under a tree, but it rains again and again and we flee under the tarp. Overnight at km 84 at the edge of the field under large trees, we assume they are elms.
Thursday, 30 Aug In Verden, Christoph and Lars (when it rains) go for a walk through the town, I look after the raft. Lars buys a better sleeping bag; his previous one gave him cold feelings at night. We can't get any further until it's dark, at least the rain has stopped and we soon find a nice place to sleep: Overnight stay at km 115 under palm trees, pardon me, under poplars.
Friday, 31 Aug Lars and I pick up Claudia from Verden train station, Christoph guards the raft. We collect yellow plums and herbs and the four of us pierce the Aller; we usually eat our breakfast on the raft. After 2 km, the Aller flows into the Weser at km 326.4. We now have to watch out for large ships, but we don't see any, especially since after a kilometer the shipping is directed into a lock canal while we stay on the Weser. We stop due to heavy rain. Now it's not possible to let yourself drift: the weir's weir Langwedel makes itself felt; there is hardly any current and we have a headwind. We don't want to paddle in the rain because we would get wet. The weir comes after another 2 km, there we have to portage the raft. Then we have better flow. Overnight at km 333 at the edge of the field. This is where Claudia and Christoph's involuntary bath happens: They step onto the large styrofoam plate that covers almost half of the raft, at the same time and in the middle. There it has no edition, but only marginally. It cracks, breaks apart and Christoph slides into the water up to his chest, Claudia up to his chest. I feel reminded of Schneider Böckh and Max and Moritz, but my buddies stay healthy - they're tough enough... Luckily we've already cleared most of our luggage apart from a few things to eat (maybe that's why they were in such a hurry ?). The few things to eat land in the water and drift away, Lars and I paddle right behind. It's no problem to collect the apples etc. again, but the way back to the sleeping place against the current... We almost give up, but when we try very close to the bank we succeed.
Saturday, 01 Sept Everyone is well recovered, the four of us drive to Achim. There are beautiful sandy bays; we 3 men go for a walk through town, Claudia stays by the water. We all bathe too. Overnight at km 343 at the edge of the field. Anglers come by in the evenings, walkers in the mornings too.
Sunday, 02 Sept I take Claudia to the train station; the weekend is over and she has to work tomorrow. Christoph and Lars drive on to the Weser weir Bremen-Hastedt, where I meet them again. There is an automatic lock that works at the push of a button - flawlessly! Now the tide is noticeable, i.e. high and low tide from the North Sea. Overnight stay shortly after the weir at km 363 in an allotment colony.
Monday, 03 Sept We spend the whole day in Bremen as there is high tide in the afternoon and stay overnight in the same place. I meet my uncle, who lives in Bremen and is amazed when he sees the raft.
Tuesday, 04 Sept morning rain; Unfortunately, when we set off at noon, the tide is almost over, and after a few kilometers the rising water is noticeable again. We meet a water police boat, we see that the occupants are reaching for binoculars. But they keep going. I can already hear that according to the canoe guide there are no admission restrictions - and I'm wrong. Certainly, the watercraft must be safe. And that doesn't seem to be the case at all, according to the police. So the raft trip is over. We consider whether we want to dispose of the raft, but Christoph finally gets his car, we disassemble the raft into 4 parts, tie it to the roof and Christoph takes it to Bordenau. Lars and I hike for 2 more days in the direction of Hamburg, this time mostly the other way around: Lars walks barefoot and I in his shoes: I have a blister. Apparently, even after a lot of barefoot running, I'm still not immune to blisters! But maybe a thorn or something similar helped. We continue by hitchhiking. I visit Claudia, who shows me the newspaper article I mentioned. Then I visit my parents, who show me a similar newspaper article; my uncle in Bremen discovered it in his newspaper. Here is the hottest version: