Feierabend

If you split the word into two taken literally "Party Evening" but for most Germans and  Bavarians, the best part of the ´Monday to Friday working week, especially in summer, is "Knocking-off time".

Quickly home, change into shorts, t-shirt, sandals and head off by car, bike, underground or on foot to either a beer garden or a stretch of water to chill out and enjoy the evening. Remembering that Germans tend to have their main meal at lunchtime & go for a cold evening snack, you either take some bread/cheese/cold meats with you (bringing own food is allowed in most official beer gardens, you only have to purchase drinks) or buy a snack.

Going to a river, lake, quarry is part of life here. I first encountered it in the mid-80s visiting friends in central Munich & remember well the incredibly relaxed trips we made to the Starnberger See with both sets of our young children. The Bavarian Constitution specifically demands free access to the countryside & in particular waterways.

As in this picture of our local quarry lakes, you will sometimes see notices "No Entry" but they are generally ignored and are put up to protect the landowner should anyone hurt themselves. Ownership of our various quarry lakes is somewhat confusing. Some banks seem to be owned by the parish council and indeed on this particular lake, just out of shot, is a hut with a lifeguard and inflatable lifeboat manned by local volunteers during good bathing weather.

This picture though is the other bank where the quarry company are working during the day (see the excavator far right in shadow) but in the evening, people simply drive down the ramp & set themselves.

You will see it everywhere, even in the middle of Munich with the large River Isar flowing through the centre & the pebble-banks covered in bodies. You can even surf right in the centre of Munich.

If near water you will however almost certainly be confronted with nudity at some point. In a report a year or two back, I heard that Munich's central English Garden park with its official nudist area is much less popular nowadays, especially with the young. The are is cut through by a major path where everyone walks by. But here the matter is treated matter of factly. Today Munich's council has changed the law which forbade 50% of the population - women - to go toplessoutside of the nudist areas. Up until now, it was always tolerated. Now women have the protection of the law to do what the men have always done and almost always a much worse sight to the eyes. Every parish/city has its own laws, few even bother. If someone complains about "public nuisance" then the police would have to sort it out.

I don't know our parish laws in this regard. Dogs are banned in & around all but one quarry. One is unofficially for the nudists but just as many clothed there too. As I have never actually been to the water's edge in summer, I don't know what the situation is like as far as topless is concerned.

Live & Let Live is Bavaria's motto: joie de vivre, tolerance, individual responsibility.

Another hot day, I managed a bee inspection and was over the moon. EVERYTHING perfect, girls wonderfully docile, no sign of any wish to swarm, queen hyperactive throughout the brood chamber & the filling up of the honey chamber going really well. Not sure when I will be able to harvest. Perhaps it may coincide with the grandchildren's visit.

Luna & I went for the evening walk close to the quarries - she caught on & after doing her business she grudgingly followed me for as long as I could put up with calling her to keep up - normally she is ahead. I eventually gave up & we went to one of the lakes for her round of swimming. She can't get enough. I had done my swimming at home at 6:00 pm with the terrace showing 41°C in the shade. On the walk at 8:00 pm it was till 31°C according to the mobile with Feels Like temperature of 34°C.