BLAST OFF: Leipzig, Germany

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Germany - Leipzig
9/17 - 9/21

So Pavel drove us from Cheb, Czech Republic to Leipzig, Germany where our wonderful friends Andreas and Julie live, with their new angel baby Tara. Julie and Tara were home when we arrived, and welcomed us with SO much love. We hadn’t seen Julie since Earth Dance in California last year, and now we had come to her house in Germany! And Tara, with her unbelievably beautiful blue eyes, welcomed us with curiosity and brilliant cuteness. So, we put our gear away and then all headed out to take a walk around the city and to the park to eventually meet Andreas. Leipzig is really a neat city - not too big and has a huge park that stretches for miles.

After Andreas met us and we hung out in the park for a while, we walked back and picked up some groceries. Phoenix wanted to make gnocchi for them and I would make the sauce. It was a beautiful evening and wonderful to slip into the world we create when we are all together.

The next day we all took a ride through Leipzig to see the buildings and forests then went to a big lake near by. As we rode we saw several people skinny dipping, which seemed completely normal, it was great! So we pulled over the bikes and went for a swim. The water was so cold, but again how can you deny that adventure - to go skinny dipping in a huge lake in Germany? So fun! And even Tara took a chilly dip. Then we all dried in the sun before heading to a tower to get some buffalo meat! Unfortunately, they didn’t have any delivered that day, so we got some tasty sausage crepes instead.

On the way home Andreas took us to the co-op that they shop from. Such a wonderful system to be part of where you buy things at a cheap price, and all you need to do is volunteer to work there once every 3 months to be a member. Andreas also told us about a new social system that is being voted on in Germany. With this plan the government would provide a monthly stipend to everyone that would cover their rent and basic needs. That way people are able to live freely without having to work so much. And in order to pay for this- consumer taxes would increase to something very high, like 70%. So, it wouldn’t come out of the income tax, but the consumer tax. I guess the theory behind this is, it is your choice to buy extra things like a new car or lots of clothes. Also, if you want these things you will have to work more. If you don’t want or need extra, then you wont have to work for the extra money to buy it. I’m not quite sure how I feel about this system, or how sustainable it is…but it is definitely interesting.

So after our exciting, but exhausting, day outside we were supposed to go to bonfire but we were extremely exhausted. But it wasn’t going to be our only opportunity to celebrate with these wonderful people. The next day, Sunday the 20th, was a huge street market. Andreas and Julie are pretty deeply involved in a beautiful community house there that was giving chai tea and muffins away for donations, but really their station seemed mostly centered around the drum circle. There were many drums and other instruments around and people would just sit down and play. It was beautiful! Phoenix and I strolled around the market to see if there were any magical things for us, and we found a pretty wooden recorder flute! Just like the folk music maker at Pia’s jam session in Copenhagen. Phoenix negotiated the price down from €10 to €3, hooray! And since she has all that experience with the saxophone, she was able to start making some wonderful music with the flute immediately. So the whole day and into the night was filled with lovely music and beautiful rainbow people, ahh what a great day!

The next day was filled with just as much awesomeness, but also some pain. There was another gathering to happen this night, a big birthday bash in an alternative trailer park by the train tracks. There would be all kinds of music, acoustic and technic with more rainbow family and a bonfire at night. How fun! In order to get there we took the bikes and rode across the city. On the way though, Phoenix had TWO bike crashes! The first one was a heroic dodge in order to not hit Tara’s little bike chariot, which ended in a graceful tumble to the street leaving her with a few scratches on her palms. Luckily she had a backpack on, so was relatively cushioned from behind. So we continued on, but THEN we got to a point where there were tram tracks in the road, you know the imbedded ones. Even though Andreas, myself, AND her all thought “Woa better watch out not to get stuck in that!” her tire did. I watched from behind as she wobbled and managed to pull herself out of the track, however in doing so she over compensated…hit the sidewalk curb…and slammed directly into a light pole! It happened in slow motion, and as she spun off the bike we connected eyes as she landed pretty hard on her ass. YIKES! I jumped off the bike and went running to her, prepared for the worst. Luckily though, she managed to only get a few more bumps and scratches. The bike tire wasn’t so lucky though, and we had to replace the squirrely thing the next day.

Anyway, we made it to the beautiful birthday jam packed with wonderful hippies and babies, people juggling, dancing, and later fire spinning. Super awesome time with super beautiful people. We danced late into the night and then all rode our bikes home at the end. Phoenix’ was able to wobble back by releasing the break.

The next, and last day in Leipzig, was no less eventful and marvelous. After fixing the bike we went to get some Spaghetti ice cream! Sounds crazy, but basically it’s just vanilla ice cream squeezed through a play’doh thing to make it look like noodles. Then strawberry sauce and chopped nuts to look like sauce and cheese. An expensive but fun treat! Then onward to the park to meet Julie and head home to prepare for the wonderful dinner at the community house, Wachterhaus. Wow, that was such an incredible night. We got there right as the dinner circle was sitting down and passing out food. About 20 people sharing their meal together, gathered on pillows on the floor and enjoying a peaceful atmosphere that we all contributed to. The food was delicious, followed by magical music making.

I wish I could describe that type of music making for those who haven’t felt the power of it before. Everyone gathered around, musical instruments open for playing by anyone, usually someone leading by voice and guitar. All contribute by instrument, voice, or just their energy. Incredible. Very similar to the energy of the Rainbow Gatherings. Later in the evening I made an announcement about the hitchhiking documentary, asking if anyone wanted to contribute to it. We thought that it was a wonderful opportunity to get information from very experienced travelers and hitchhikers. And of course it went super well, tons of information and stories. Also, one of our new friends was Italian and has a brother that we could stay with when we got there - PERFECT!

So, early Tuesday, the 22nd of September, we began our trip to Berlin leaving our beautiful family in Leipzig. Andreas dropped us off at the best spot for the adventure, and we got picked up within 5 minutes. It could have had something to do with the cheery dancing, singing, and sign holding going on by Phoenix. So our ride was a very sweet, fatherly man that owned his own business providing and fitting the glass for the Potsdam Castle, which he took us to see for a few minutes! Then before bringing us to the train station for the quick ride from Potsdam to Berlin, he treated us to a wonderful lunch out! Hooray! Another one of the wonderful benefits of hitchhiking is that you meet such open and loving people that sometimes will involve you in their world and treat you to some delicious food. He didn’t speak any English, so Phoenix had to translate the whole time, but it was terribly fun.

After lunch we hoped on the train and made a quick trip to Berlin to meet up with Ramona, Phoenix’ long time friend that used to be an exchange student that lived with her. I’d love for her to tell the story of Berlin, so I’ll leave it to her!

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