Rain drops on a summer morning...!

She lives in a street named Solitude alley. She is quite a dream...I like to think, I enjoy walking alongside her. Even such a thought puts a spring in my step and makes my imagination race...

Today morning, as I was walking past Solitude alley, I caught her at the window. She had just removed the blinds and her face glowed as the rising sun met its match. She looked dressed up and ready. Next moment, perhaps, she would have turned to the mirror and fastened the last strand of unruly hair firmly behind her ears.

I continued my walk to the Rathaus bus stop. The driver is a young chap. He wears his shades no matter what the weather is and he drives with such concentration that I often wonder if he is on a tightrope walk. His face lacks any expression and he saves his gaze only for the road ahead. Anyways, I am dithering from the subject....

I turned back just in case, destiny for once decided to be friends with me! To my utter disbelief, there she was, sauntering down the solitude alley...can you imagine silence whispering in your ear? If you find it difficult, perhaps, you should listen to the sound of the first rain drop that hits the ground on a pleasant summer morning. It is not loud enough to be noisy but it qualifies for a sweet whisper...I strained my ears, yes, it was beginning to drizzle.

Our dream did not have an umbrella and neither did she care. She lifted her head slowly and looked up - a movement that appeared to me choreographed to perfection. Just then, a drop caressed her eyelid. She batted her eyelashes, a gesture that can look only sensuous on her.

She began to walk briskly whilst a miracle was underway. The rain drops seemed to single her out. They were gentle on her. It became a spectacle in no time. Right in front of me, the heavens were blessing the dream.

As she stepped inside the bus shelter, the spell was broken. The heavens ceased shedding tears and the sun peeped again emerging from the thin clouds.

A puff to the good old days!

Fiery Elias entering the platform at Korntal

A Puff to the good old days – well, thinking of a name for this post was tough, adjectives to choose from were many! Finally, decided on this one because of the faces I remember from the ride – There was this old gentleman for example, bespectacled and pale; he sat looking wistful, but with a slight hint of a smile on his face. Never once did I see him move during the entire length of the ride; he was admiring the landscape but it was something more than that – Yearning? Nostalgia? I know not. What I did realize was, some events by sheer dint of circumstances bring back good times…this ride certainly did! 

Chugging along

The ride is organized by the by the GES on the first Sunday of every month from Korntal till Weissach in the Stuttgart region. Thanks to the efforts of the society, tourists and natives alike get to experience a rich flavour from the past. We boarded the first service of the day at 9.05 AM from Korntal. A schedule of all the services with the travel fare is available here. The stretch spanning 25 kms takes 1 hour by the train. 

A charming machine

The chugging of the engine was a black and white melody, the whistles and the steam it breathed out while evoking many a movie scene also had a soothing effect. Perhaps, it made us all long for a world where things moved slowly and surely, nerves were less frayed, people were more content with whatever little they had and grittiness of character was given its due. 

There were scores of kids with their grandfathers and grandmothers. The way two generations -which seem to have little in common at first sight – connected made for quite a sight! It was drizzling all through the brief journey till Weissach adding to the beauty of the landscape. People leaned on the rails between carriages clicking pictures, smoking or cuddling their children. One hour went by in a jiffy and we were in Weissach. 

Carriages at the rear

It took nearly 40 minutes before we were all set for the return journey. We had a peep into the engine and people from this charming town gathered around the train to click more pictures. On the way back, the carriages were more silent. Perhaps, nobody wants good things to come to an end!