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How Close to the Border?

When I started this project, my plan was to always stay within a "stone's throw" of the border, and I meant it literally, not metaphorically.

It traumatised me a bit the first time I had to deviate because of a cliff I couldn’t climb. After a while I started getting used to making deviations due to dangers and time.

Now the issues are different, as today’s photos illustrate. The dilemma has to do with how much to stay in the woods searching out little trails that may or may not lead to the next border stone. The alternative is to take roads–sometimes gravel, usually paved–that lead past farms and through villages.

As you’ve likely seen from past posts, there’s a lot more culture to be seen in the towns. The trees look about the same on both sides of a border stone.

Okay, I often have a hard time telling which side of the border I’m on based on the buildings, too. But wondering why that’s so is it’s own fascination.

In general I’m trying to find a good balance each day between the exact borderline deep in the woods and crossing between sides studying the flower boxes and house colors, looking for cultural differences.

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SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR