We were initially camping on a private ground, which, still, was part of a landscape conservation area. So, even though we had the permission of the land owner, we were in violation of the preservation rules by pitching tents, a yurt and a teepee there. The IDs of the Family Folk present there were checked, names and addresses taken down, and we were allotted a lot of time to break camp and move to another place by next day afternoon.

Apart from that interruption, I was happy to be there, and greet the Family Folk already being there.

September 5, 2000

On the next morning, the Bavarian authority returned - and they were sure to show, that they were the authority. There was a small squad of riot police - or at least they dressed the part, with their light battle gear - and dogs. However, they did not come to appease possible riot, but rather to search the Family tents for drugs. It seems, that the ID check on the day before, had triggered some obscure alarm in their system. Funny incident: at one tent, a policeman asked the sleepy Brother lying inside to step outside. He complied, stepping out of the tent skyclad. By the time, they reached my tent, the first thing I heard was not "Please step out of the tent with your ID", but the question "Are you dressed?"

As a small success the police was able to find a few grams of Cannabis products, which is not enough to open charges against the owner. It was, however, enough to make its way into the regional newspaper police report. A bit later on the same day we moved into the orchard of the farm owned by the father of one Brother. This farmer also owns the pasture we originally planned to camp on.

September 6, 2000

Waking up in an orchard... Milk, fresh from the cow... Sunshine - the first real sunshine since arrival... A morning bath in a brook behind the garden.

Muscle ache and travel fatigue? Gone completely.

I have come home!