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LOCATION: Vienna, Austria. We have reached Vienna after cycling over 3,000 kilometres. This report covers the events from our arrival in Munich through to our arrival in Vienna.
After leaving the Rhine River, we took the train the 100 kilometres over the mountains in the Black Forest to Donaueschingen, where the Danube River begins. There was no way that we could get through those mountains, let alone in the one or 2 days that we had allotted for the task, so, being the mature individuals that we are, we took the train.
In Munich we stayed with Gerd Mischler, his partner Doerte and Leon, renewing a friendship that began in the Jakarta airport in 1994.
Together with Gerd and Doertre, we visited two of King Ludwig's castles, the most famous being Neushwanstein. King Ludig is known as "mad king Ludwig" becuase 9of his verz strange behaivour. He avoided state events and generally avoided people. In one castle he had a mechanism that enabled him to lower his dining table from his dining room into the kitchen where it was set and raised back uip to the dining room in order that he could avoid contact with his servants.
This is a view of King Ludwig's parents home, below the castle of Neuschwanstein.
The visit to Dachau Concentration Camp was a moving experience. The camp displays the personal stories of several individuials who died and who survived in this camp, where 30,000 people died between 1933 and 1945, most in the final years of the war. The processing rooms, the barracks, gas chamber and crematoria are displayed in a straight-forward manner. In our discussions with Gerd and from watching German television, we have been impressed with how the German government has taken the responsibility to educate the nation's children about this horrid aspect of the county's past.
The rain that started when we reached the Danube, continued all week. By the time we left Munich, the rivers were swollen and manz cycle paths and highways flooded. This caused numerous detours. Several times we had to wade or ride through water up calves.
Travelling along the major rivers (Rhine and Danube) was quite simple, unless there were detours. However, travelling cross country (e.g., from the Ulm on the Danube River to Traubling, south of Munich where Gerd and Doerte live) was much different. There were hills to contend with, more towns and villages to get through and a million more ways to get lost. We found the trip from Traubling back to the Danube near Passau on the German-Austrian boarder to be very challenging. Theere were the afore-mentioned navigation issues, as well as the constant rain and the many detours. However, we made it!
These two photos show some of the picturesque scenery along the Danube Cycle Path up to Vienna. Many stretcvhes are flat and boring, but others are maked with great castles or monestaries, quaint villages or beautifuil vineyards and orchards.
LOCATION: We have reached Vienna after cycling over 3,000 kms.
SCHEDULE: We are on schedule.
DISTANCE: 3, 123 kilometres
WEATHER: During the pate 2 weeks it has rained 13 days, although on a few of those days it rained either before we started or after we had finished cycling. However, on several days it rained ALL DAY!
FLAT TIRES: 2 - we had our first two flat tires.
One week to go. We are enjoying the adventure, but have begun to look forward to seeing everyone at home.
1 comment:
Hi Wayne, hi Jos!
It is good to read that you reached Vienna safely. Once we had found out how bad the floods had hit the Isar and Danube valleys we were really worried that you might encounter a lot of problems along the way. But you made it :-)) Last Saturday, after another night of continuous rain the little river in front of our house almost flooded the whole street as well as our basement.
We hope you had some sunny and relaxed days in Vienna and wish you that you will get to Budapest safe and dry. At least the weather forecast predicts only a couple of thunderstorms in the afternoons for the next days and not endless hours of pouring rain.
Dörte, Gerd and Leon
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