On a weekend in summer, the three of us spontaneously decided to go on a Lost Place tour. It was supposed to be this unobtrusive  apartment building in the nearby Eifel, standing empty for decades, hardly known and not spoiled.

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A colleague wanted to get to the back of the house through extensive gardens and let us in through the front door. I didn't want to know more...

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Then he sits on a nearby wall, the dog seems to know this, and... actually does nothing, he just lies there.
Is that so good? We just want to look. We do that too and stroll into the adjoining very pretty park. Strange is the man with the dog who comes towards us and looks us up and down, after all we were wearing robust hiking clothes.
Well, let's take a look at the situation, maybe find a parking space right in front of the house.

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"No, that's not good at all." says our gut feeling. "Let's get out of here and at least find another parking space." After we found it and delivered the local colleague to the appropriate fence, the two of us start a leisurely walk to the park. I devotedly photograph the cozy atmosphere, my partner keeps an eye out for the same gentleman. Everything very relaxed.

Still ...

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The two of us split up and try to keep an eye on this gentleman. Together again we are stopped by a passing postman and asked what we are doing here, he would have already seen such photo people today?!? Ok, I showed him the photos on the camera. He probably liked these, he now tells us trusting and very vivid stories from the area, about the country and its people, the water table and everything else that people don't want to know.

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When passing the object of desire, the front door suddenly opens. The colleague has obviously successfully completed her tour through the undergrowth and can open the front door from the inside. So, against my better conviction, I enter the house without any action on my part, so completely innocent.
I like human encounters... In the meantime, the attentive citizen seems to have disappeared. Relatively relaxed, I do one more lap.

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While we let the atmosphere sink in, the message comes from the third party that the good citizen is probably on his balcony.
An unreal atmosphere of sunlight and dust surrounds me. Half-dark light reveals the old German chic of the apartment. The very own spirit of this spot captivates me immediately. It's jumbled and untidy, but nothing messed up or smudged. What might have prompted the former residents to flee so quickly?  

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Ok, our man outside stays outside. We try to take some photos quickly. But first: where is the escape route? Well, bathroom with stepladder and there should be a ladder outside. That seems doable.
What to do?!? It's really a pity to have to get hectic now.

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Where should I start? Little time and little experience with the situation, no time to change the lens, bad light. A completely normal job description of an Urbexer.

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After a few hectic attempts to photograph the facility, I discovered these photos. Old family photos, black and white, bright people, loving memories, that's exactly what inspires me. Just don't try it for a long time, hold the camera on it and pull the trigger. Then quickly on to the stairs. There should be several floors. What treasures can be discovered there...

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It's a pity that I can't handle it so well with the little light. Take another deep breath and try it again from the beginning, try it with a flash... Nice, it works better. Stupid that you can probably see flashing lights from outside through not fully closed blinds ...

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Searching the rest of the lower floor, I am reluctant to part from this sight.

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But we wanted at least one more flight of stairs up...

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A quick look back to the apartment door, in the setting sun everything looks so peaceful too....

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The colleague comes running, excitedly grabbing her equipment. "There's someone at the door. They want in, we should open it..." Needless to say: "We should have ;-)" Oops, where was the escape route...
But as it is in such situations, appearances can be deceptive.

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Backpack on, camera wrapped around my neck, monopod dragging behind me. Don't feel sorry for the equipment, it's fun :-). It's been a while since the last relay race at school. Windows open, a bit small, but ok. But where the hell is the promised ladder? Well, a good 1m next to the window. I can't do it that fast. A look down: 2m? This is faster. So fell out the window, jump. No, thorn bushes have never bothered me either.

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Only the colleague knows the way. She also supports me diligently from behind, where I should turn, preferably a little faster. Interesting what big and overgrown backyard gardens such a city has. Short stop, the camera in the backpack. It has to be that much time, the old Nikon can't do anything about it. Quick check, everything there, nothing broken and no one follows us. A few more steps and we are at the final fence. I can still do this, albeit with a lot of shaky knees.

 

Well, what can I say, it was cool...