Today was our first day in Copenhagen, somewhat marred by the overcast sky and three short downpours. I decided to wait for a sunny day to visit the Little Mermaid. The last photo is the tree house at our home exchange in Bagsværd, 13 k north of the city. We cycled there of course and …
Author Archives: avril
Day #9 – In transit from Germany to Denmark
Today was a long day because we had to take the long route to our home exchange north of Copenhagen; there were no tickets available for the ferry by the time we thought of booking – 500 k instead of 300 k. There was also a lot of roadwork going on. So instead of our …
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Day #8 Postcard from Germany – Wismar & Insel Poel
We started by driving 40 minutes north to Wismar, a world heritage site on the Baltic Coast then cycled to the neighbouring island of Poel joined to the mainland by a levee. I had the best meal since we left France in a little restaurant next to a marina – a seafood platter with scallops, …
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Day #7 Postcard from Germany – Lübeck
Today we cycled 55 k return from where we are staying in Ziethen near Ratzeburg to Lübeck in the very north of Germany. Brick is the main construction material and some of the buildings are impressively high. The difference between former east and west Germany is obvious – the bike paths are not always paved …
Day #6 Postcard from Germany – Schwerin Castle
This castle inspired by Chambord in the Loire Valley was built between 1847 and 1857 by Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. There is no ressemblance inside as you can see from the throne room. What I really loved was the sunken orangery at the back of the castle. Ce château inspiré de Chambord …
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Day #5 Postcard from Germany – Freckenhost & Vornholz
As we sat down before our well-deserved ice-creams (we had ridden 57 km and had another 19 km to go!) despite the fact that it was only 18°C, we looked up and saw this incredible fortified church that wasn’t even in our guide books. All we know is that it is an excellent example of German pre-Romanesque …
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Day #4 Postcard from Germany – Münster & Burg Hülshoff
Münster means cathedral and this one in the city of Münster certainly deserves its name with its impressive double-nave facade. Inside is an astronomical clock made in 1540. We then cycled to Burg Hülshoff a traditional “water castle” built on two islands and surrounded by a beautiful park. Le mot Münster veut dire cathédrale et …
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Day #3 – Postcard from Germany: Aachen or Aix la Chapelle
On our way to Münster by car today, we stopped off for lunch at Aachen, better known as Aix la Chapelle. For those who have read Browning’s poem, “How They Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix”, it is a well-known name. Charlemagne decided to set up a permanent court there in 800 and started building the …
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Day #2 – Postcard from Belgium: Jehay Castle
Our second day in Belgium was a little less successful. We cycled from Namur along the Meuse in the other direction to Huy and on to Jehay Castle. The route was less scenic with many industrial sites and we were caught in three downpours but our rain gear – capes, pants, overshoes and gloves – …
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Day #1 – Postcard from Belgium – Dinant & the Saxophone
This is day one of our summer cycling holiday culminating in Denmark via Belgium and Germany. We are staying in Namur and cycled today to Dinant which is 25 km south along the Meuse and the birthplace of Adolphe Sax inventor of the saxophone in the 1840s. There are brightly colored saxophones on the bridge …
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