So first I went to Rona's, and had a really nice time. It was a fairly small group, pretty calm (I think everyone else split 2-3 bottles of wine, while I drank several beers), and she'd laid out quite a spread of food. We got talking, and I completely lost track of time. The next I knew it was 2:30 in the morning. Now I wasn't sure if I should go to someone else's party that late at night, so I decided to call first. I was pretty sure that I remembered the number correctly, but I got only a recorded message in German, which of course I didn't understand. Nonetheless, I decided that I should just show up and ring their doorbell. If they were already asleep, they probably wouldn't get up to answer anyhow, and then I could just head home.
I hadn't actually been to their apartment before, but I had their address written down and I had a vague notion where it was. (I couldn't check a map before leaving because at supper I was chatting with Jeremi over Skype, and I wanted to show him how nice my Greek salad looked, and instead of moving the webcam I tipped the salad, spilling oil and salty vinegar all over my laptop, so my computer was drying out.)
I was riding my bike slowly down the street, checking the names of all the cross streets, when I passed a group of three people who I could hear were speaking English. (This is not so common in Jena.) I turned my bike around, and found the it was Corene and two of her friends. Corene had just gone out to find some cigarettes for her drinking-induced craving, and the others were planning on heading home. But upon finding me arriving, they decided to head back up to the party as well. There were still several other people there, and it turned out that showing up at 3:00 am wasn't such a bad idea after all. In the end I got home around 6:15, just as the sky was beginning to lighten.
Needless to say, I didn't spring from my bed early Sunday morning to make the most of the day. In fact, I slept until 3:15. I woke up groggy, but not feeling too badly, and I decided to make the most of the remaining sunlight by taking a long bike ride. I left quickly, before I had a chance to think better of it, and before I thought to drink any water to rehydrate.
My plan was to head south east, away from the city and on the other side of the river, to Lobdeburg, the ruins of an old castle from the 12th century or so. I didn't know exactly where it was, but I was hoping there would be signs or something. The first part of the trip went really smoothly - I made it to the old city of Lobeda, maybe 5 km to the south from the institute. This town is just down the hill from Lobdeburg, and from there I found a trail running along the side of the hill. (Because of course the castle is at the very top of the hill.)
From this trail I had a great view of all the old Soviet-era apartment buildings (Plattbau) for which Lobeda is famous (or infamous). They've fixed them up a lot recently, painting them bright colours and this sort of thing, but the vacancy rate is considerably higher in these than in the old-style apartments.
The path was rather muddy, so I left my bike and walked for a ways. I could see Lobdeburg now, just up the hill, so I figured it wasn't much further. (Here you can see it through the trees at the top of the hill.)
See, that doesn't look so far away, does it? But I couldn't quite figure out how to get through all the trees and up to the top. At this point I'd been walking for a few kilometers, and I started to worry that this road only skirted along the hill at this height, and that I was going to end up walking all the way to Drackendorf, the next town to the south. (I think this town sounds very Harry Potter.) But then I saw a small path sneaking up through some trees and across a field. This path looked like it was going somewhere! So I followed it along until it sort of ended at a little patch of forest. At this point I was ridiculously close, and I wasn't about to turn around. But the terrain here was really steep, and I had to scramble up using my hands at least half the time. I was not looking forward to going back down, especially as the sun was getting lower in the sky. This is also when I started to get really thirsty. The kind of thirst you only get after an hour of physical activity the day after drinking for 10 hours or so. I really hadn't thought that one through. But still, I made it through the forest, to find myself on a broad path, more like a road really. And there were lots of people walking here, old people too, most of whom were looking at me strangely for climbing up from the midst of the trees. Of course there was an easier route up the hill, I just had no idea where it was or where to find it. (This is the story of my life here - I never know what the hell is going on.) Here's a view down the steep part of the hill I climbed. The picture really doesn't capture it. I'm telling you, it was steep.
From here it was just a short walk up the road to the ruins. I got a couple of pictures there, just to prove I'd really made it:
You can even see my shadow in that last one! (I am not a photographer. Merely an amateur chronicler.)The way down was much more pleasant, following the gradually-sloping path that snaked around the side of the hill, finally meeting up with the road that I was on earlier. There were even signs along these paths, indicating the distance to various things. I really need to find myself a decent map, that actually shows these trails.
And then I made my way back home, also following much more pleasant bike trails than the roads I'd taken on the way there. Except that I was on the wrong side of the river, and I misjudged the distance and had to overshoot to cross at the next bridge and then double back. (Again, I really need a map. I'm heading to the tourist office next Saturday morning for sure.) I made it back to the institute not long after sundown, quite proud of myself for not wasting the few hours of sunlight I had left. The next sunny weekend I'm hoping to make a big day trip, either north to Camburg or west to Weimar, both of which are roughly 20 km away. And if I get too tired or it gets too late, I can always go back on the train, with my bike, for less than 5 euros. I'll let you know how it goes!
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