Last days in England and then Germany 1.

I walked from Winkfield to Ascot and took this of Ascot Race Course as I was passing. Quite spectacular.

Ascot High street with flowers along the road as in most Southern English towns. They get watered every day by a long nozzle from a truck, all very civilized.

Ascot Race Track from the road side. Spectacular building.

Another view.

The main entrance with the dates of its existence. 1711 and the opening of the new entrance gateway 2006. Love the antiquity of England. Wish more English and British in general would.

Twickenham. The entrance. another of my Bucket List checked off. Wonderful to be here thanks to William Lewis who I coached in 2nd X1 Cricket  at SACS 33 years ago!

Crowd behind us.

Crowd building up accross the field during warm-up. Grew to 66,211 supporters of Saracens (winners. yay!), Wasps, Harlequins (winners too) and London Irish. First game of the season and much hype.

London Irish emblem on one of the BIG screens. Looks a little like an Alfa Romeo emblem.

Inevitably - Boerie rolls!

Love it when Saracens play they get this.

Leaving Heathrow for Stuttgart on BA.

In the town of Esslinger where I am staying. Quiet Sunday where it is frowned upon to drive a car on that day every week. Used to be a law that you could not!

Spectacular theater building, but so out of place in this historic town.

One of the many narrow and beautiful paved streets in the town.

Town Square. Love the old German architecture.

Looking down from the Schloss (Castle) above the town. These vineyards go on for a number of miles on this narrow strip along the slopes of these hills. Full of grapes. Esslingen below.

Grant Gouws (2001) and I on the Schloss ramparts. So good to be with him here in Germany where he is a very successful self employed businessman and married to a wonderful German lady, Johanna, with equally wonderful parents; Petra and Hans, with whom I am staying.

A little spot in the Schloss gardens.

One of the many beautifully carved doors in Esselingen

Over a beer we watch a pair of Swans and their single Cygnet. The Cygnet was having a wonderful time playing in the eddies even rolling right over in the stream. The Cygnet on the right.

Where I had my first beer! Where else but a Biergarten!

Yes, that is what it is, an onion! It is one of the symbols of the town and they have an onion festival each year.

Another view of the onion and the lane beyond.

One of three Apple trees in Hans and Petra's garden. They also have many Berry trees and plant many vegetables too.

Grant and Johanna's puppy, Marley. He is a giant of a dog and is a cross Labrador and Turkish Sheep Dog. He is much taller than a labrador. To give you some idea, he can stand next to the dinner table and his chin is above the table level. He is one year old! So, the pumpkin is flippen big!

Pear tree hanging over from the neighbours. Nice!

Another laden Apple tree. They taste really good. More to come from my German visit as the journey continues.