Germany Clara-Zetkin-Park 19 January 2025 Today was a wonderful day. I had the good fortune to meet my close friend Timofey, who, like me, left Russia due to political persecution by the state and also settled in Saxony-Anhalt here in Germany. Although we don't see each other as often as we'd both like, every time we meet and walk through any of the cities, it becomes a truly special occasion. Today was no exception. We met around three in the afternoon and set off to wander around the vast, boundless Leipzig, and at some point decided to head to Clara- Zetkin-Park. Since leaving my last job, I've been on social benefits, and I must admit, it's not very much money. Living on five hundred euros a month is quite an adventure, but I'm not complaining: it's the authentic artist's life. And, of course, this motivates me to learn German as quickly as possible and find a good job that will bring in more money. By the end of the month, I'm usually penniless and content myself with food I cook in my flat, but today's walk brightened up with an unexpected döner that Timofey treated me to. We had our meal at the beginning of our walk, and it energised us for the rest of the day. Strolling through the park, we discovered that several ponds were covered with the thinnest layer of ice, which was easily broken by throwing a stick or a small stone. A surprising discovery was a Christmas tree that someone had thrown from the bridge into the water. Walking deeper into the park, we came across a tall fire: someone was burning something. We walked straight across the field to the epicentre of the activity and found people burning Christmas trees, of which they had quite a stockpile. An unusual and enchanting sight. Nearby, we discovered a path leading deep into the woods, and I suggested we take a walk. For a few moments, I was reminded of my native Ozyory forest, where I also loved to walk frequently. We didn't particularly keep track of time and chatted about this and that. In total, we walked sixteen kilometres today. As time went on, it began to get dark, and twilight brought fog with it. We walked along a narrow path by the river, and it looked absolutely magical. Turning left, we found ourselves engulfed by an endless forest, through which we continued our journey in absolute darkness. The fog thickened, and in the light of the phone torch, which we occasionally switched on to read the signs on the navigation posts, we could see myriads of tiny fog particles wandering aimlessly through the forest, just like we were. At some point, we came across a lamppost that looked like the one from "The Chronicles of Narnia". It turned out we had discovered the local zoo, which was, of course, closed at this hour, especially on a Sunday. But the place looked simply amazing. In the thick fog, and with the yellow light from the lampposts, this empty place looked as if we had found ourselves on the pages of someone's adventure book. I absolutely love such spontaneous outings and walks to nowhere. Shortly after, we found the park exit, and then the road, and a sign with "Leipzig" crossed out. We had left the city and wandered along an empty and quiet road. Funnily enough, throughout our entire journey, we met only one wanderer, and even then on a bicycle. Apparently, this route isn't popular with locals, especially on a foggy weekend day. How wonderful it is that the Germans have preserved the local nature, thanks to which today we were able to enjoy these incredible views: the fog that spread over the river and enveloped the forest; the crossroads hidden in darkness and unlit by streetlights; the mysterious darkness that accompanied us throughout the journey. Eventually, we reached the Markkleeberg Nord railway station, from where we took the train to Halle, and then headed to our respective homes. Had the most wonderful time with my dear friend today. Copyright (c) 2025 contact@renecoignard.com Powered by Weblog v1.18.6