Day 11: Visiting the BUGA 2021 in Erfurt

Today we planned a relaxing, sunny day without cycling. We only rode 3km in total to the breakfast café. We started before 9am to secure a place at the café 'Füchsen'. However, when we arrived, we were disappointed to find out that it was fully booked and the last available table (probably without a reservation) was taken by another couple right in front of our eyes. That's how it goes! And it's crazy, in Dortmund cafés usually open at 10am. Thankfully, Jörg had already prepared a list of six possible cafés that offered vegan and vegetarian breakfast options. Number 2 on the list was 'Cognito', which boasted fresh organic products and was slightly more expensive than other cafés. There were still plenty of tables available at this café. We could also conveniently park our bikes nearby and it was right next to the Krämerbrücke, so we could enjoy the sightseeing view from our table. The café operated on a self-service basis, so we ordered various edible items and drinks and placed them on the somewhat small table. It was delicious, although there could have been more bread for the tasty spreads.

Afterwards, we brought the bikes back to the apartment (the two bikes found a spot in the kitchen with a view from the window). We hung up the last load of laundry and then headed to the first area of the BUGA, the Zitadelle Petersberg. The signage for the main entrance was a bit confusing (everywhere it said you couldn't enter, but there were no signs pointing to the entrance). The BUGA grounds could only be accessed from there. We wandered around a bit, but eventually found the right way. Along the way, we passed archaeological sites and old geological/soil layer structures of the area. At the bottom of the entrance, various sculptures from an international art symposium were being displayed. From the top, we had a good view of the city and the cathedral. Today was a sunny-hot day and it would be the only really hot day with temperatures up to 28°C throughout our entire tour. As a result, there were many people at the BUGA. Thankfully, almost everything was outdoors with fresh air, so we could mostly forgo wearing masks. The Petersberg area of the BUGA had many colorful beautiful flower beds and small gardens from various eras with a wide variety of flowers and vegetables. The vegetables and herbs could have been picked for a donation. There was also a bee trail with information about different wild bee and bumblebee habitats, as well as various worm bins. It was fascinating to see a hallway where different types of mushrooms were grown. There was also a slide hill, a playground, a traffic garden, various stages, and food stands. So we spent a good 1 1/2 hours at Petersberg before continuing to the second area of the BUGA in the early afternoon, the Egapark. The two areas were about 1.5 km apart and easily accessible on foot. The Egapark was additionally planted for the BUGA and had different themes. There was an area with indoor plants and upcycling options, artistic Japanese flower arrangements (Ikebana), a Japanese garden, a perennial garden, a farm garden, a sculpture park, large animal-shaped hedges and fava bean-shaped hedges, a petting zoo, and much more! A certain highlight was the Danakil, an indoor area that provided insights into desert and jungle life. We had reserved our entry for 4:20pm the previous day. The theme of 'water' served as the connecting element between these two habitats. There were many different types of cacti to admire, a snake, two meerkats, a scorpion (which we unfortunately didn't really see), and cute gundis and elephant shrews, among others. Information about the different plants and animals and desert life in general was also provided. It was quite surprising to learn that more people drown in the desert than die of thirst. In the jungle area of the Danakil, we were greeted by many large butterflies and leaf-cutting ants. Towards the end, bright red birds flew past us. It was definitely a successful and interesting exhibition, although some of the texts about the theme of 'water' were repetitive.

Afterwards, we strolled through various areas of the Egapark. Despite feeling exhausted (even though we enjoyed delicious Asian noodles at the Egapark restaurant and took a break at the Mövenpick store after visiting the Danakil), we headed towards the apartment around 7pm. After mistakenly taking the wrong tram and having to walk through the old town a bit, we bought some falafel wraps at a nearby kebab stand and two beers at the Vollgut-Getränke-Shop, where the owners were their best customers (cheers, Jägermeister!; opening hours from 5pm to 8pm). The BUGA is definitely recommended, as we didn't feel overwhelmed by flowers and plants after the visit, even though that's all we saw in various variations for half of the day. That speaks for the BUGA! In the evening, we packed our bike bags and prepared for the upcoming day with a good night's sleep; it would be the day with the longest distance awaiting us!