Since I left Roy at Zwartlois just north of Zwolle in Holland´s biblebelt (so Roy tells me), it seems a long time but that was only Sunday. In four days I rode 450 km and that is probably enough. Today I ended up close to Lübeck so it was easy to get here by lunchtime. Made easier because I took the train for the last 10 km! Just to see how it was.
Lubeck is a fantastic city but more on that in a later posting. Ironically, the hectic riding was aimed at avoiding cities, particularly the big one - Hamburg. I rode through northern Holland, Northwest Germany threading my way between the cities of Oldernburg, Bremen, Bremerhaven and Hamburg. Even the towns are a pain in Germany because they have labelled the footpaths bikepaths and they arn´t and they shake the hell out of my bike and me! Very wearing. Almost as bad as getting used to this German keyboard which has z where the y should be and vice versa.
However the countryside is great and on the smaller roads when I was "allowed" on the road I made good progress with generally tail winds and no rain. This area is fantastically rich agriculturally. I am planning a separate posting which will be labelled "La pastorale". I bet everyone is dying to read it. Yeh, whatever!
One of the reasons I felt so tired may have been that I camped on three of the four nights and sleep is difficult when the light doesn´t really go until 11 pm and it is light at 5.00 am. Some nights I can hear roosters at 4.00 am. The other night was at a Gasthaus which was interesting as no one spoke any English. However more on that later as i am planning a posting on accomodation. Yeh whatever! It was here I had the best breakfast I have had. More on this later as I am planning a posting on the best of this and that. Yeh, whatever!
After finding a nice hotel here, having a shower and lunch of asparagus soup (the Northern Europeans are big on asparagus and it is in season as I know from having camped on an asparagus farm) and English Breakfast tea (i am really a coffee man but tea is great for dehydration), the fatigue ebbed away enough for a quick wander. I think I am getting quite fit but still climbing the stairs of the main land mark the Holsentor, made me puff. Strange, I guess it is different muscles. Sophie, as a budding physio, what is your view?
I will stay two nights here just to rest up and because it is such a nice place. I also need to do some washing and it is really at the end of five socks and undies ration. Some may say too much info.
The AFL footy sounds miserable so I am no longer interested. The "World" game is the go. In Holland everyone was driving around with flags stuck to their cars (well not Roy) and now in Germany I see everyone drives round with flags stuck to their cars. Of course the Germans are still winning so in keeping with my position of being with the winner - Deutschland uber Europa!
These patterns suggest that whilst the buildings and landscape change across Europe, the people are doing the same things. That is, they drive around with flags stuck to their cars, they watch innane morning and daytime TV just as we do.
On Saturday, I will start the move north to Copenhagen which may not be reached until Monday. I am looking forward to this particularly catching up with my old and good Danish friends. But tomorrow is a layday.
I bet you have alway wanted to do the German ß - well there I can with this kezboard! Before zou laugh the y was deliberate! Oops.
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1 comment:
Bernie, glad to hear you have arrived at the next destination.
About the flags, do you have any on the back of the bike?
About the washing - funny about that - someone asked me how you managed washing and I had to say I didn't know!
Maria Sharapova is out of the Wimbledon tournament.
Loved the 'photos of The Hague.
Take care,love Edith
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