Expedition report Tour 1.1

High Black Forest / Markgräfler Beekeeping South Baden

Fly, as fast as a bee and as high as a bird...

These weeks, no, months in my homeland turned out to be partly a 'voluntary ecological and social year...or...a few months' that I learned to enjoy.

Having time in my homeland and 'taking a vacation' turned out to be a delightful alternative to my (min.) 4-month bus trip, which could not take place (see LOMV Expedition Report 1.1).

Among other things, I met long-time friends who have great (new) hobbies and generously let me participate in their passion.

For one thing, I was able to visit a long-time friend and her father, who have housed three newly moved-in beehives, and participate in beekeeping.

I was able to help with the 'initially assumed' Linden flower harvest and learned a lot about the amazing bees and the wonderful art of beekeeping:

The honey obtained was relatively light after the first liters, and after the first visual expert examination, it did not fit into the well-known color scheme of linden blossom honey.

So, the surrounding vegetation of the beehives had to be examined more closely again and behold - what the scout bee had also discovered about 6 weeks ago - ta-daa- summer flower fields, which had successfully been processed into 106 liters of honey by about 150,000 worker bees up to now. And not, as initially assumed, collected from the nearby linden trees. Oh, you beautiful nature you :)

Something I always wanted to experience.

Paragliding, preferably from the 'house mountain' of the Markgräflerland, the Blauen with an elevation of 1165 m.

When I met a long-time friend by chance, observing the sunset on the edge of the Black Forest, who is a paraglider and had time for a tandem flight, the 'finally flying day' was soon found.

Minimalistic and comfortably sitting in complete tranquility while flying at an altitude of 1300 m.

Thanks to a lucky thermal, we were able to gain a few hundred meters in altitude again and were able to fly for 60 minutes until shortly before the valley and landed completely satisfied and deeply relaxed.

It's pretty crazy when you're supposed to just run down a slope when there's a good wind phase, and then suddenly, not immediately comprehensible, lift off the ground and fly and fly and fly at about 25 km/h away from the mountain.

Take care. Warm regards, Vanessa

South Baden, June 26, 2018