Life's a Stitch

Sept 6th Linz to Saxen 59.1k (35.5 miles)

Another bad night of sleep, this time due to late night Diet Coke. I think the caffeine levels might be higher here. No breakfast included with our room so it was tea kettle eggs on bread w/mayo. 

 

Our first stop was a bike shop to buy padded seat covers. The rental bikes came with terribly uncomfortable seats and if I had thought about it, I would have brought my own. We also got some advice re handlebar adjustments.

 

There are times you’ll need to cross the river to get to your accommodation or to avoid riding along a busy road. Today’s bike ferry ride was a happy accident. We had crossed over a dam and rode through beautiful farmland, but must have missed a sign and ended up at a ferry crossing. We intended to return to that side by bridge today anyway so we paid the 5e and took the boat.

 

A short distance later we stopped at another campground for lunch and enjoyed the beautiful view.

 

The afternoon took us through forest and farm fields, it was my favourite day so far. Then we reached the turnoff for our hotel and had 1.9k through a small village, half of that on a real highway without a bike path, not my preference, but I survived.

 

We had dinner at the inn we chose and you can tell we were thirsty. We discovered a rule in Austria after we had been paying high amounts for bottled water. They have to serve you a free glass of water with each glass of wine to help people avoid dehydration from alcohol. Some places bring it automatically. And Germany has a law that there has to be a drink on the menu less expensive than beer so people aren’t drinking beer because it’s the cheapest drink available.

Our pension, the Kulturzentrum  Sturmmuhle, overlooked a creek with a little waterfall. That sound and the extremely comfortable bed lead to the best night’s sleep.

 

 

Sept 5th Inzell to Linz 63k (38 miles)

It was a bad night with elbow pain from an overextended arm, which reinforced the need for further bike adjustments.

The pension included a typical Austrian breakfast buffet with eggs, ham, salami, cheeses, breads, jams, cereal, yogurt, muesli, coffee and juice. I quickly learned that decaf isn’t a thing here and was glad to be carrying along a jar of instant.

The first 2/3 of the ride was along a quiet paved path.

We passed another beautiful campground along the Danube the sites by the river on manicured lawns.  There were sites for campers or you could rent a camping barrel to sleep in. When we camp at home, we’ve met many German and Austrian families who fly over and rent RV’s. We’re wondering if they are disappointed with Canadian camping standards compared to what they are used to at home.

We entered the flat area along the Danube with a very strong headwind, which slows us down and takes more energy.

We then headed into the urban area of Linz where the bike trail was barely separated from a busy highway for awhile, but then turned into a city park path almost all the way to our hotel. There was a music festival in town so rooms rates were high. This was the most expensive room of the bike trip at a hotel chain called “Harry’s Home.”

A grocery store next to the hotel was a good choice for dinner in the room. We had lox on bread, peaches, dark chocolate, wine and Diet Coke. 

We decided to book our accommodation ahead as leaving it to chance was nerve wracking. The rest of the evening was spent on researching and reserving places to stay.

Sept 4th Passau to Inzell 46k (28 miles)

We said goodbye to our friends. It was wonderful being together again and we appreciate that Anne, Janett and Emma drove seven hours from Berlin to meet us. 

Anne drove us to the bike rental, located across the street from Deutsche Post, where we shipped our luggage to Austria, not without hassle. Turns out the quote we received was too low and they only take cash. 

We picked up our bikes at Rent-A-Bike, Passau. We opted for e-bikes, which are different from the ones we have at home. They were heavier, had a narrower range of pedal assist and no throttle, something I use at home if I have to walk the bike up a hill.  I was surprised that our bikes were the same size, but we were told it was appropriate for my height. My toes barely touched the ground so we made every possible adjustment. We had read that the bikes were Dutch style for comfortable “sit up and beg” positioning. Not so. The whole fit required getting used to and many adjustments beyond the shop’s recommendation.

All packed up and ready to go:

It was a beautiful day and a short ride out of Passau:

and we quickly crossed the Austrian border through rolling forested hills and farmland, and quaint villages across the river. 

We passed an artist’s dream, one of the Farber Castell factories, but didn’t stop.

Without a reservation, we were lucky in finding accommodation at Pension Zum Heilogan Nikolaus, which included a nicely manicured Dunube-side campground. 

The rooms were comfortable.

Even the birds had decent accommodation.

Dinner was reasonable and delicious: pumpkin ginger soup and a shared schnitzel. It was a family operation, a teen boy serving and 9 yr old girl delivering beer to tables.

After dinner we had a quiet evening. Tomorrow’s route will be longer.

After hotel room breakfast, including the famous tea kettle eggs, the five of us spent the day touring Passau, first walking to the old town. Emma was excited to shop for ice cream and souvenirs. That girl moves quickly, but she was quite visable wearing her red Canada jersey that we brought her from home.

After touring the St. Stephen's Cathedral again, we found it was well worth a second look.

We took a Danube sightseeing cruise followed by lunch in a genuine Bavarian beer garden – Das Wirtshaus und Biergarten, if you make it to Passau, you must eat here.

I had a huge haxen (smoked and fried pork hock), with Reibeknödel (delicious potato dumpling), sauerkraut, and beer sauce, plenty for everyone to try. Looking back, it was the best meal of our Passau to Vienna trip.

Tired from a long day, we bussed back to the hotel, and had a light snack for dinner in their family sized room, followed by several rounds of Left, Center, Right. Tomorrow begins the great bike adventure, Passau to Vienna, for eight days.

We were up at 4:40 am for our early flight to Munich. I have flown hundreds of times and this was the first time I remember a flight taking off so ahead of schedule. The captain announced that the bags were loaded, everyone’s onboard so we might as well leave. Go Lufthansa! It was a short flight and water and chocolate were served.

 

It was only one train to Passau, our last stop in Germany where we will start our eight day Danube bike trip and meet up with another former student and her family.

 

The GPS showed the hotel within walking distance. The trouble is it wasn’t a topographical map and we basically pushed and pulled our bags straight uphill. We checked in then took a walk to the grocery store for dinner supplies.

 

Having walked three Camino routes we have hotel room eating down. From tea kettle boiled eggs to avocado halves filled with deli shrimp salad I have a stash of simple meal ideas when no kitchen or fridge are available.

 

The next morning we checked out the bike rentals, the old town area and specifically the cathedral’s world’s second largest pipe organ with over 17,000 pipes! Unfortunately we won’t be in town for a concert and during the church’s renovation the organ wasn’t running on all pipes. We took a bus up that dreaded hill to wait for Janett and Anne’s arrival.

 

In the meantime we packed our panniers and one medium backpack for eight days of cycling. Now that was a challenge. Chuck’s matching grey pannier is missing from the picture.

We also packed our carry on into one of our two pieces of luggage to be shipped, at an exorbitant price by Deutsche Post, to our hotel located outside of Vienna. 

I heard a child’s voice in the parking lot below at the same time receiving a text re their arrival. An enthusiastic 9 year old Emma ran to greet us. The last time we saw her she was 18 mos old. We went across the street for an excellent pizza dinner. 

Ulrich indulged us today starting with a visit to Gerstaecker, Bremen’s art supply store. I have been to art stores in many parts of the world, but this was the largest. Bigger than Blick in Manhattan. I found a clearance section of Winsor Newton professional brushes and indulged. As I’m hard on my brushes I usually can’t justify expensive ones, but at this price…

I also bought three kinds of paper, which pack easily, but are heavy. C beat me weight-wise with his purchase of copper sheets for his heated copper wall sculptures.

 

Next stop was just north of the city, in Vegesack, where we visited their former coworker and friend, Dagmar. We walked and wheeled to Salento Classico for an excellent lunch of grilled calimari, chanterelles w/thin slices of roast beef on arugula and might-as-well-have-been homemade gnocchi. 

Dagmar then guided us through the town’s arboretum. With specimens from around the world. I can imagine her as her students’ favourite teacher.

 

The last stop, a somber one, was a WW2 German submarine bunker that was under construction from 1943-45, but was damaged by enemy fire and never completed. 10-12,000 workers were forced labourers living at nearby concentration camps. It lead to interesting stories from Ulrich, who remembered people from his childhood and the roles they played in the war.

The reunion continued when Lotta, her wife, Anne and their two children came to see us in Bremen, but Betty and family were away on vacation. I knit hats for the kids – two pumpkins and a blueberry, and crocheted a scarf and attached one of C’s shawl pins for Ingrid.

We had a lovely visit, a long walk in the Burgerpark and a farewell dinner. Thanks to Ingrid and Ulrich for their generous hospitality as always. 

25 (!) years ago, eldest daughter Elina participated in a three month high school exchange program in Germany. At her school in North Vancouver she met one of the German students, Lotta. Since then we have hosted Lotta’s sister, Betty, and become friends with her parents, Ingrid and Ulrich. Our family members and friends have visited each other in both countries, and a visit was long overdue. 

One day’s outing included getting together with their friends, Maria and Gerherd, whose daughter also visited us in Canada. We met up at Schloss-Erbhof in Thedinghausen where there is an arboretum, museum, and the Romance Restaurant. 

The story, a tragic love tale of love, condensed: the Lutheran archbishop meets woman on the estate of her husband. The year before he dies, the husband bequeaths the estate to the archbishop in return for favours. In 1619 archbishop builds a castle for the widow, who happens to be his mistress. After moving in she dies in the following year. 

The next stop was Verden, a quaint town on the Vesser river, to visit two churches in different styles. We started with the dom, the Cathedral of St. Mary and St Celia, built between 1290 and 1490 in the Gothic style.

 

It is home to the statue of the “petrified man.” Legend says the sexton embezzled from the church and when he had to appear before the bishop and authorities he swore his innocence while invoking the devil to prove it. There were three howls and evil laughter and the devil appeared, grabbing the man and hurling him through the cathedral wall where he turned to stone halfway through.

St. Andreas, a Romanesque church built in the 900’s was our next stop. We always appreciate the simplicity of this era.

A final stop was the cafe at the Schröder Obstplantagen, an organic orchard with a tiny coffee shop, but plenty of outside tables. We ordered three different apple cakes. 

With the first bite came the deluge of a sudden thunder storm. We were able to run to the shop and sit at its only table where we met the manager who had stories to tell about her family’s experiences in Canada. She was so cheerful despite the impact the rain was having on her business. Two more pieces of cake arrived at our table and the rest of the pot of coffee. 

The rain let up and she took us on a tour of the property. Her son let her know that she needed to be working instead of socializing! She was working, just not what he had in mind.

It was a long, but satisfying day of getting together with long term friends (notice I didn’t say “old” friends), sightseeing and learning.

After so much touring we took it easy for the remaining time in Norway, planning the next stages of the trip, running a few errands in the nearby mall, walking around the local lake, which of course included geocaching.

 

We said goodbye to our fantastic hosts and guides, Svein and Ragnhild, hoping to meet up again to travel together. 

We flew to Hamburg and took three trains to visit our former student, Helga and her family, in Detmold. Helga homestayed with us 20 years ago in North Vancouver, and she and her husband are both teachers. They now have little Lukas (enjoying his first doughnut). Consider his options, smile for the camera or basque in the delight of his first donut deliciousness?

Helga arranged for us to be guest presenters for a grade 9 class regarding life in Canada. Not something you normally do on vacation, but it was fun.

 

We visited Detmold’s Hermannsdenkmal, a monument to a chieftain of the Cherusci tribe, who defeated three Roman legions in the nearby forest in 9 AD.

 

Another historic site, close to Delmold is the Externsteine, a sandstone formation used over the centuries as sacred sites. We had a nice walk, climbed lots of stairs and even found some geocaches. 



Now it was our turn to homestay, at the lovely house of Helga’s parents. The garden and artwork particularly left an impression on us as well as our host’s hospitality. And one item really fascinated us. The 

“eierschalensollbruchstellenverursacher,” which translates to “eggshell predetermined breaking point cause.” A true example of German engineering. 

 

Our last night together we had a barbecue on the patio. 

The next day we moved on the Bremen. 

Two nights in Vinstra included a visit to Ringebou’s stave church and series of art galleries in former farm buildings.

Our trip to Lillehammer, home to the 1994 Winter Olympics, was thwarted due to closed roads from recent catastrophic flooding. 

The return trip to Alesund, on the Geiranger scenic highway, completed our circle tour. The first stop was in Grotli, home to another stave church.

 

Here we learned that every waterfall in Norway was named for Svein’s family 😉as his surname translates to waterfall. For the equivalent of $24 Cdn you could zip line over the small falls in a matter of seconds. I’ll pass. 

The other expensive item was a bit shocking. We’re used to carrying coins to use public restrooms. It generally assures they’ll be clean and stocked with appropriate paper products. In Grotli the washrooms cost the equivalent of $3 Cdn ($2.20 US). You’d think this might encourage unsanitary behaviour (in at least half the population).

 

We stopped by the campground of my dreams. Set next to the river, they built a pool in the rocks.

 

 

The clouds cleared in time for the drive up to the Geiranger Fjord viewpoint at the top of the mountain. Spectacular!

 

Driving down felt like being in the cockpit of a plane.

Geiranger, most photographed fjord in Norway.

We took the ferry back from whence we came, the town of the famous strawberry cake, and were a short 45 minutes from home.

Our second experience on one of Norway’s spectacular scenic routes, this time on the Geiranger-Trollstigen (the troll’s path) Highway. 

 

Stop #1 was outside of the village of Valldall for world famous strawberry cake.

Then on to Gudbrandsiuvet gorge. 

Across the road is the spectacular Juvet Landscape Hotel, with simple but luxurious cabins built to blend with the land. Many have this spectacular view.

The scenic highway took us to the Trollstigen viewpoint, which was the highlight in terms of breathtaking views.

 

 

Yes we drove down those hairpin turns without guardrails, only stones to keep us on the road.

 

We arrived at our friends’ hillside cabin in Vinstra. This is the view followed by  the painting I gave them as a gift, based on a photo of the house taken last winter.