Cynthia - California Thursday, July 21st 12:15 - 1:00

Well it looks like I am not the only one who has not walked and photographed for awhile. I have just been too busy (translated as too distracted) to walk. I would love to come back. Will you all join me. I have missed this terrific group.

I continue to carry my iPhone with me to take pictures. This is a terrific app called hipstamatic.

I love this bench under the shade of a big old tree. In the bottom corner you can see the natural rock fence. It looks like it has been there forever.

Lola thought it was about time I took her for a walk. She wanted to walk in every direction at once.

Beijing sights

On our first day in Beijing, we got to the heart of the city via train (the subway system is excellent), then decided to walk home. It was a great way to see the city, but as Beijing is a very very very large city, it took us 7 hours to reach our guesthouse!

There was so much to see, as one can imagine. The above is one of the most pleasant areas we passed. The steps to the shops remind me of Manhattan!

We stopped when we got tired. This photo was taken at a very nice shop with free wifi. There were many youngsters with their macs and PCs surfing the net. We sat around people watching…

 

Then we came across a street market.

We crossed a park, and there were lots of lights and activities.

We stopped to watch this sport (sorry about the quality of the photo… can’t do much with a point and shoot). It’s a little like beach volleyball… There were 4 players; 2 players on each side of the court.

The “ball” is an object made of feathers and rubber (maybe other materials too). I couldn’t get a photo, but see the drawing on the left. It will always land on its base, because the base is heavy.

The players kick the object over the net. If someone lets it  fall, the other team gets a point. There were some amazing kicks and smashes.

I am glad to have seen this. When I was a kid growing up in Malaysia, my brothers used to play with this, and tried to kick it as many times as possible, without letting it fall. This is the first time I have seen it played in a competitive setting.

Paula, Munich, 1:00pm - 2:45pm

Through field and forest! Another long walk today!
The field with all the wild flowers was so gorgeous and beautiful that I didnt dare walking into it. Turned completely into a kid again. Loved it!

I found this wooden house and learnt that right there starts an educational path in the forest, explaining all about wood!

From top of hill I had a good view and learnt how dried logs get measured, cut and stored. Looks like pattern doesnt it!

All fascinated about how leaves turn into humus. The honor goes to bacterias, worms and an insect by the name of jumping dick :-)))

Here I should have been learning to play simply kids song! Little Paula was pretty dissappointed when we figured that notes are not our thing at all :-(((

Next station I learned how a squirrel figures that a marten is after it. The squirrel hears the tiniest noise a marten makes on the tree. Amazed how the tiny tiny noise multiplied over the length of the tree!

At a former block of glacier ice - melted over the last 11.000 years! - dragonflies were dancing in the gleaming sun light and the wooden boards explained exactly what was all about!

So much fun to be kid again!

Oh, these three trees are so very wonderful. Being the pristine fruit trees of our ancestors! Back to hunter and collector times!! Left to right: pear, which then were smallish, round and rather white yellowish, cherry tree in the middle, small, slim tree and cherries will be very small with big pit and a apple tree! Never would have thought such tiny apples could be eaten!


Most fun. Chirping, giggling and all excited! I tried my luck barefeet on the sensory path, walking over sand, red soil, humus, wet stones, pine needles and branches.....loved it!



Wonderful day out. How was your day?

Paula, Munich, 1pm - 3:30pm

5 weeks after my foot surgery I put on the big girls shoes...ahhhmm ;-)) mountain boots and went for a brisk walk. Finally I collapsed on this bench. Maybe you join me there and I tell you where I walked today!

Weihenstephan (Mount St. Stephan), well, it is rather a hill, yet 724 St. Corbinian arrived here and found a little chapel sacred to St Stephan. Within 200 years a huge Bendictianen Monastry was built and since 1040 the monks brewed beer.


Means this brewery is today the oldest brewery in the world and the law of purity for beer goes back to the monks here.

Sorry, picture isnt great. Yet I love that the monks prayed between the brewing ;-) Today it isnt just a brewery but a cutting edge university creating the next generation of brewers. The students come from all over the world and it looks so funny seeing this hearty heavy set Bavarian man with a hugs moustache and on his side a petite all smiling, all nodding Japonese man! Think global and act local ;-))

The fountain which served the monks over 1000 years is still going strong, yet doesnt provide enough water to fullfill the needs of beer drinkers from all over the world.

The abbots garden is quite something. The students from all over the world adhere to the tradition and provide guided tours in many languages - currently more then 20!

I love this tree commanding the abbots garden. Wall structures from 9. to the 20. century can be found. It is such fun to walk through all these history, imagining the destiny of these monks as the sound of army boots echoed the holy grounds in 1803 when Napoleon secularized the monastry. Ever since the State of Bavaria holds the tradition of beer brewing alive!

University gardens. A pure pleasure to indulge in all these colors and scents.

Hope you enjoyed this walk through history. Have a wonderful start into the new week! Heckschs...... ;-)))))

Cindy Florida Sunday 2-5 The Beach Again:)

I have been walking a lot lately! However, I don't usually bring my camera. I have become more focused on walking fast and for distance. I save my creatively fit walks for special places and/or occasions. Even if we post once a week or once every other week, I think with the amount of teammates that we have here, we can keep creatively Fit going strong. So please don't feel like you can't post if you haven't been around in a while. We love to see where you've been and hear how you're doing.:)
Another way of looking at CF is like a relay team. Think of it as passing the baton! It's all about motivating one another and encouraging each other to continue on. CF is a constant work in progress, just as we all are. I believe it will grow and evolve into whatever it is meant to be. It is still finding its way. Together we can turn it into something great!

So on to the walk...
It was a long walk to the beach and we took Lucy this time.

Lucy was not feeling the beach:( We tried to talk her into it...

Nope! She's a land lover!

So we joined her up in the dunes...


We did take a nice long walk along the beach and ran and jumped over tide pools, while Lucy chased the birds! It was a great walk and day!

I'm passing the baton!:)


Feel free to grab it!(we are always looking for new teammates too. If you are interested in joining just leave a comment here and let me know)
Happy walking!
Cindy

Paula, Munich, 2pm - 3:30pm

3,5 weeks after my foot surgery and still in my protective shoe we went to Gruenwald, a small place just outside Munich, on the high bank of the river Isar and nowadays best known for the Bavaria Film Studios (Europe's largest and most famous movie production studios) and being one of the most wealthiest community in Germany.

On top a castle of the former ruling house of Wittelsbach can be found.

Well, castle is a bit posh of a name for this 500 year old custom house of the Wittelsbach. Being situated high above the river and surround by lush trees, it certainly called for a walk.

The attached restaurant is famous for its dishes of game as well as for its prices ;-))

The walk soothed my overworked mind. My heart openend to the songs of the birds, the light green of Spring made me feel fresh and alive.

Most of the forest is protected and pristine. Gnarled roots remind me often on a trees trouble in gaining ground and strength.
As per next week I am allowed to do exercises again. Yet not being twenty anymore means I will have to do lots of exercises ;-))
However with this beautiful Spring and sunshine it is calling for exercises anyway, doesnt it?

Hope all of you are having a brilliant start into the week.

Afternoon Walk 3:00 to 4:00 1km

So here we are at Bondi Beach staying with Daughter No. 2 and waiting for the birth of her baby.

While she and Grandpop-to-be were watching a DVD I grabbed my camera and went for a short walk.

Bondi (bond-eye) Beach is a famous eastern suburb beach in Sydney.

It is lovely walking along the beach in Autumn

The young ones still enjoy surfing.

It is relaxing watching them.

Walking along the street to 'home' I came upon this lovely tree.

Cindy Florida Sunday 2-5

This walk is from Sunday April 25. It was my birthday and we decided to go to the beach. I'm not sure how far we walked. I'm guessing about 3 miles. We wanted to check out this beach because it was a beach that allowed dogs and we wanted to see if it would be a fun place to take Lucy. It was an incredible place. The landscape seemed to change from one end to the other. And there were turtles everywhere! It was a great day! We definitely plan on returning, possibly next Sunday:) with Lucy!



My kids never met a skink they didn't like:)



We met a nice retired man,named Bob, who offered to take a family picture for us.
It was a great walk and a very happy birthday!!

Cindy Florida Monday All day!

Today, April 7th, is National Start Walking Day! Sponsored by the American Heart Association!

It's a great day to join Creatively Fit!

It's spring break this week so we decided to take a walk on the wild side!


Well, maybe not the wild side but this is the closest we could get to the wild side!



Each one of these lovely creatures capture the attention of my camera with his/her charming personality.

And these charming creatures always capture my attention!



Since I am not a ride person, it was a perfect opportunity for me to sneak in a creatively fit walk!

Maybe tomorrow, a walk on the beach:)

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A Walk in Town 11:00 am to 2:00 pm

Last saturday we caught a bus into town and then walked with camera at the ready.

Elizabeth Street Mall used to be an ordinary street with traffic but now it is a mall for pedestrians.

We just missed an aboriginal busker playing a didgeridoo. He is checking his earnings.

Although the shops at ground level are fairly modern the old facades had to be kept for heritage sake.

An old Bank of New South Wales

As we left the mall we came to Brisbane Square. This beautiful old building used to be The Treasury Building now it is a casino.

Brisbane Square now houses the Brisbane City Council, while the City hall is refurbished.

The walk will continue in the next post.