Having my commitments in the clinic, I couldn't possibly visit Bamberg on a daily basis. However, it wasn't even necessary as Erlangen itself offered lots of distraction. The city center might be small as such and I never made it to see any of its museums or churches from the inside, but what I loved most were its huge green areas. The Stadtpark turned out to be one of the first sights when I arrived, and served as an excellent orientation point during my discoveries.
What fascinated me even more however, was right next door: the city's Botanical garden, home to about 4000 plants from all over the world. Due to its size of 2 hectares it really is an oasis of peace in the middle of the lively city. And even though most of its bloom was gone already by the end of September, it gave the impression of a well-kept garden that must be beyond stunning in times of summer and spring.
From Alpine plants to neatly trimmed grass, savannah-like grounds, a miniature forest, ponds and even an artificial cave - one will probably never get the feeling of "I've seen it all before".
The other day, an exhibition of apples made sure a lovely scent of autumn spread across the area :)
Apart from that, traces of color could still be found outdoors as well.
Spines in all shapes and sizes
In front of the greenhouses, a couple of pools house fish and frogs...
... Maybe even a frog-prince?
And while some prefer to hide their looks under giant leafs...
... Others display their tropical colours for everyone to see.
Is it time to get dressed already?
While most of the visitors seem to end up in the front part of the garden, the less-known areas include spices and poisonous plants, as well as a lovely pagoda, a perect place to relax and boost ones vitamin D production :)
However, the peaceful corner might as well turn into a crime scene.
Have you noticed anything unusual, Mr. Squirrel?
Inside the greenhouses, the jungle has its charms - from cacti to colourful hibiscus blooms, orchids and giant trees...
... During particular cold and windy days, the tropical warmth turned out to be particularly handy for a short warm-up stop underneath bamboo and palm trees :)
And when I say bamboo I certainly mean the actual, more than 30 m high trees, not the tiny things that are sold in an average flower shop.
AED in the greenhouse - how cool is that? Way. Beyond. Cool.
~ to be continued ~
