Off to Germany...
We crossed the Rhine River by foot passenger ferry into Millingen aan de Rijn and cycled into the small German village of Bimmen. It was a seamless border crossing and the only thing reminding us that we might have crossed a border was the fact that coffee all of a sudden was served without whipped cream and a shot of coffee liqueur and the quality of cycle routes went from a 10/10 to a 7/10!
Not that there is a lack of cycle routes in Germany. Oh no, we are still very impressed and considering Oxfordshire gets a 4/10, the 7/10 in Germany is still cyclists paradise!
What has slightly changed though is the maintenance of the dedicated cycling paths. In urban areas we came across quite a bit of glass on the road, and here and there, roots are pushing through the tarmac which can make the ride a bit bumpy and the sweeping of the dedicated cycle routes is definitely not done a regularly as in Holland.
However, we are not complaining, just trying to give you an impression of how cycling has been the past few days!
Since entering Germany, we followed the Rhine River Eurovelo Route 15 on and off.
On, when we don’t get distracted and missed any crucial directional signpost. Off, when we did miss those crucial directional signposts or when taking a presumed shortcut (which didn’t always work out…).
The navigation through the industrial regions around the cities of Duisburg, Duesseldorf, Cologne and Bonn was not that straight forward and took some time.
Duisburg...
Nevertheless, cycling through Duisburg, renowned for its steel industry and place of the largest inland port in the world was very interesting! The endless cycling around docks & waterways, the views of large river ships, laden with containers, coal, steel or liquid goods going in and out of the port, was a real contrast to the more natural looking landscapes we usually prefer! Not to mention the industrial smell of the town…
What I did find interesting and enjoyable, is to go through places like this and at one point it feels like one is in Turkey and soon after it feels like being somewhere in the Far East or Africa – travelling through the different ethnic areas of a city. Different cultures, making up the character of a place!
Duesseldorf...
Duesseldorf appeared to be more open, greener and less congested. The 240 meters tall Rhine Tower and the interesting looking ‘Hundertwasserhaus’ wrapped in silver were both on our route.
Cologne...
We must have arrived in Cologne on the same day as spring did! It looked like all the sun deprived people were out to get a fresh dose of vitamin D!
It has been a long time since I have seen so many people in one place! Trying to walk around the Cathedral with a fully loaded bike was about as straightforward as pushing the bike through the Westgate Shopping Centre in Oxford on their busiest shopping day!
Feeling hungry didn’t help the situation and therefore we made a quick escape back down to the river and indulged into our first German ‘curry-wurscht mit pommes’ served with complimentary vitamin D!
Being the country bumkin as I am, cycling into a city through urban areas, thinking we must be near the center by now and discovering it’s still 12 km to go does make me appreciate how small and accessible places like Oxford or Bern are!
Diverting from the Rhine to the Mosel River now!
The first glass of Riesling can't be far to go...
More soon!
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