Aaaah Vienna de de de de.....

Some of you may remember that song - others will wonder what the hell we are on about....

Today loomed very, very hot and humid again - even worse in the city but we had to do it!

We caught the train into Vienna from just outside the campsite and were very impressed by the trains themselves, the ticket system and the ease of getting around the city. Steve reckons the metro was designed by the Williams Formula One team - thats how fast they went - and how quickly they stopped. But the underground stations were air conned, as were the trains and they were so clean too.

So to Vienna - well firstly it is huge - thats what strikes you first. There is so much beauty and class about the place - but we felt it lacked the character and charm of Prague with it being so spread out over a vast area. It is interspersed with so many modern buildings and shopping areas that it is a bit of a dot to dot city. Having said that the walks or rides to each area are worth it. As it was a very hot day we walked too much in hindsight and should have taken the metro or tram a lot more. It was very draining in the heat but beautiful.

The Naschemarket (fruit, veg, cheese, meat and fish etc) was a spectacle in itself and we wished we could have stocked up - but it was too hot to carry it around. The quality of everything was very high and we had some lunch there - and some testers of course. It was very multi cultural with local food alongside Greek (olives as big as golf balls), Chinese, Japanese, Turkish, spices like the Moroccan markets etc etc. Alongside it there was also a flea market with much bartering going on. The size of the market was immense - about 1 km long and about 3 aisles of temptations. Even chocolate ladies plus wine bars, oils and vinegars, beers.......

Leaving food and drink behind for a mo - the Hofburg Palace was spectacular as a building and it houses the famous Spanish School of Riding although we could not see inside. It also houses the Vienna Boys Choir - behind closed doors or with a very expensive ticket though. The churches were as beautiful as the hundred others we have seen - but the tower of the Stephansdom in the centre of the city is amazingly high. Steve was let off from climbing to the top as it was closed - nearly 400 steps in there so it was a blessing really.

We just had to do the coffee and cake scenario in a famous cafe in the centre - wonderful! And then we had had enough for one day and ready for home.

The train ride back was uneventful and efficient and we will do it again tomorrow when we visit the Summer Palace and gardens on the outskirts of Vienna. That is supposed to be even better than the city.

Back at the camp we relaxed with a drink while we uploaded the photos and had a chat with our neighbours. There is a lot of leaving and arriving on this camp but everyone seems very friendly - very nice. We think it is because there are a lot of Dutch people on the site and they speak English very well and are genuinely friendly too. We are updating the blog in McDonalds again - and we will leave before it gets dark tonight as we are on the bikes!!

On yer bike....

After we left McD's last night it was dark and we had no lights on the bikes - so we decided to ride on the pavement. Halfway home we saw policemen ahead who had stopped to get a young motorcyclist at the side of the road. Off we got and dutifully pushed our bikes past them until we were out of sight again. We rode them further along the road until we reached a place to cross the busy road so got off again. As we were crossing the road we saw the police car who had driven up to see if we were riding the bikes - after he saw we were pushing the bikes again he did a u turn and drove off. That was a near miss for us and a lucky escape. It was a good feeling to get one over on the old bill though.

The sun shone and the heat rose today - big time.... After a few minutes discussion we decided to use today to cycle some more and explore further. We were told that the cycle route from the camp site to Vienna was 14 km so we decided to do that and see how we went on. The ride was delightful - all along the River Danube, amongst the trees and lanes way away from the busy roads. It was flat of course, being along the riverside and there was shade from the trees for some part of it. A strong headwind tested us at times though.

It was great to see the ever changing landscape - one minute was trees and river, the next was superb graffiti on the support posts for the flyover into Vienna. The Danube was not blue today though, as reputed - it was grey really - or green if you had a very romantic view of the vista.

We saw a large flat bottomed container ship that had been converted by ING into a swimming pool and leisure complex and it was being well used in the sunshine today. There were also Danube cruise ships which were beautifully kitted out - see pics. An entertaining ride!

Eventually we stopped off at the Swiss beach at the sid eof the Danube. This is a fantastic area that has been sanded with deckchairs to resemble a beach and it has a bar and a restaurant. People were there in their lunch breaks stripping off and sunbathing - if they had that in the UK we might have considered staying on at work.... not! After beers and some lunch and an entertaining time watching some roadies setting up a stage for an evenings gig we set off back along the cycle path. On the way Steve saw a BMX trail and couldn't resist having a go - even after his 28 km ride.....

On arriving at Essie we had a rest and a read and then had a walk around Klosterneuberg to see what there is there - not a lot but it is very handy for Vienna sightseeing. We had just about had enough anyway as someone must have put some money in the meter - it was steaming hot! Time to return to Essie and treat each other to a pedicure after all the dirt and heat of the day.

Dinner was some lovely pork steaks with potatoes and green beans, sitting outside trying to cool down (sorry UK - we have heard that the weather is bad there)

Tomorrow into Vienna proper for an exploration.

Our Viennese whirl

Prepared for action as are Vienna calls. Not too far to travele this time as it is only about 75 miles to the next camp site in Klosterneuberg. The drive was beautiful - amongst many agricultural areas growing all kind of things - vines a plenty, vegetable crops and cereal crops - with poppies galore to brighten up the field even further. The views were spectacular at times.

Passing from Czech Republic to Austria was strange - there was a no mans land between the two which resembled a strange mans Las Vegas! It was called Excalibur City if you want to google it. Huge plastic tacky attractions - very strange after the beautiful countryside. Steve reckons thats where they exchanged prisoners during the cold war - itwould certainly have sent them mad.

Then back into Euro zone and the German language again. We were both comforted to see familiar signs and words again after all the z,y,lack of vowels etc in the Czech rep. Spargel is still being promoted everywhere - that is asparagus for those who missed it on a previous blog. They are now being accompanied by cherries, strawberries and apricots - all being sold in little huts by the roadside. Difficult to stop and buy one with a caravan though - we would certainly stop the traffic! We will get some though.

The campsite is as different as it can be from the last one - very near to the town centre of Klosterneuberg and only a minutes walk from the bahnhof (train station). It is a very busy bsite with everyone wanting to visit Vienna of course. Caravans are packed in tightly (see pic - that one is reality) but we aren't here for the campsite this time - it is merely a base from which to explore. At the back of our caravan is a little oasis of woodland with chalets in again - I took a photo of that too but it does not resemble reality. The people around us are very friendly though - a lot of Dutch who speak English very well. There are lots of cars flying the Austrian flag as well so we assume they are doing well in the European football.

After setting up Essie we cycled as usual to explore and buy a few provisions. Then we took the bikes out again to explore some more as the afternoon had cooled a little - the temperature has been as high as 25c today. There is a lovely riverside cycle track where we saw a red squirrel and a kingfisher.

We had a celebration drink to herald our arrival in Austria and something to eat. At the moment we are sitting in good old McDonalds - a five minute bike ride from the campsite - with wi fi over a cup of coffee and a milk shake. The camp site has internet but at a cost so this is a lot better for us.

We are now going back to the camp for a nightcap and a good nights sleep before visiting Vienna tomorrow. Pics and an account of that will come later.

"Bitov" recovery!!

Yes - we needed a bit of recuperation after all our travels so far and we got it.

We decamped and drove to Bitov which was in the middle of nowhere on the map with not a lot around it. The road to it was easy enough to navigate but when we got closer it became more difficult to find. The camp site signs disappeared and we found ourselves in limbo with no one around at all. The terrain was hilly with thick coniferous woodland and deep gorges - very narrow roads to manoever in. Eventually we found Bitov village with a hotel there so Steve went to ask directions. Thankfully he found the one person who could speak some English and he told him where the camp was. It was quite close by and we had actually passed it on the road. I had looked out of the window and seen some wonderful sites of chalets dotted among hillsides and along lakesides but didn't want to distract Steve from his driving along the winding narrow lanes to show him. I had actually been looking at the camp site! We didn't really expect much, thinking it would be a repeat of Stalag 13, being so far from civilisation - but oh were we wrong! It was stunning. The campsite was set in a creek amongst grassy fields with so many different kinds of birds around us. Surrounding the creek the cliffs rose dramatically, covered in trees (see pic) and there were birds of prey nesting in them. The wooden chalets were dotted around and about the creek where fish jumped all over the place - tempted Steve no end.

It was peaceful and quiet with just a few caravans about and not much else - not even staff as no one seemed interested in taking our money. A man did arrive but couldn't speak English and gave up - just gave us some tokens for the shower rooms. They were clean and efficient.

That was the start of our rest and recuperation - we did not do a lot - sat and read, sunbathed by the lake and ate and drank to our hearts content. We did go to the lake and bait the fish with some bread - which they thoroughly enjoyed. Unfortunately we couldn't fish as we didn't have a permit. I've suggested to Steve that we don't ask next time - just set up our rods and do it. If someone comes along to complain we will plead ignorance, lack of the language and apologise profusely - but I'm sure no one would have come along there.

Steve did bump into a cyclist from Holland. He had cycled 1600 km so far on his European road trip lasting for 2.5 months - brave man. He was only staying overnight and continuing on his way the following morning. All alone too. We also met a lovely lady from Devon with her son and Czech husband. She was 6 months pregnant and they were having a last trip in their truck before she busied herself with motherhood. You do meet all kinds of people out and about.

We left the camp site after trying hard to find someone to take our camping cheques from us. We could easily have left without paying - and we are sure that the cyclist did as he left very early. There is laid back and then there is unconscious! I don't know how they make a living with that attitude. Such nice people the Czechs though - even if they are so hard to understand.

Refreshed and ready for action we are off to do Vienna.

Prague - day two

After sleeping the sleep of the very well exercised we awoke to face day two of our Prague adventure. The weather blessed us again and we took the same route in as yesterday - its amazing how quickly new transport systems and places become so familiar. We felt like old hands at it. Today we started over the other side of Charles Bridge in Lesser Town. We visited the St Nicholas Church as well as others, umpteen squares, went up the funicular railway to the top of Petrin Hill and walked in the woods to see the whole city from above - that was wonderful. Then we wandered through the monastery area, the castle and St Vitus Cathedral before climbing down all 203 steps to the Lesser Town again. A last walk over Charles Bridge before catching the metro back and Prague was relegated to our memory banks.

There is just so much to see and on every street and around every corner are magnificent statues, facades, churches and monuments. I think we must have covered 90% of Prague over the two days. We haven't seen it by night though but that is how it will stay. As I write this we are truly knackered, spent, brain dead and cultured out of our minds. We feel like Michael Palin on his travels - but without the camera men!

We have put on as many pictures as the blog will allow but we have taken so many more than this I can assure you. At one point we were queuing for the Bankomat (hole in the wall - Prague is very expensive these days) and the shop window was mirrored -I just couldn't resist taking a photo - thinking it would just reflect back on us with the flash - but no!

Tomorrow we move on to near Desov - in the middle of nowhere really - but close to the Austrian border so that we can make that our next destination. We are at Desov for two nights only. Because there is no internet, or anything else associated with civilisation we are taking the opportunity to rest up and recuperate. This pace we have set ourselves is taking its toll and we are exhausted - but happy and very satisfied with life.

The blog will therefore resume after we have hit Austria and returned to human life as we know it - until then...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Mission accomplished - part one

We are in Prague at last. We have been patiently waiting for the beautiful city and the time has come for us to visit it. The sun is shining and the forecast is good for a change - hooray!. There is a 5 mile drive to a park and ride where we leave the car to board the Metro into the city. It cost 100 Krown (£3.00)each to have a day pass on the transport system that includes the Metro, bus and trams - not bad.

The Metro is clean, comfortable and seems to be safe - certainly it is with Steve about anyway. We got off the Metro at St Wenceslas Square, bought an Eye Witness travel guide and off we went. There is so much to see and every corner brings yet another delight so we feasted our senses on everything - all day.

Things have changed since I was last here with Pat though - the prices for one thing. If you want to see the sights these days you have to pay through the nose - ridiculous at times. We did well though, walked our legs off and saw almost everything there is to see on the south side of the river. We go in again tomorrow to go over the Charles Bridge and visit the Castle, Lesser Town etc.

As it was Sunday we treated ourselves to a Sunday dinner local style - we both chose steak, salami and onions in gravy with both bread and potato dumplings and some green beans to keep the meal healthy. Washed down by the obligatory beer the bill was £23 - not bad for a major city. The beef was a bit tough though! As we ate Steve watched the shift change of the local police who were stationed opposite. He giggled knowing he had none of that to contend with any more.

To make our money last a bit longer Steve agreed to work for a few days delivering Subway take aways. You can see his company vehicle in the photo. Although it was parked on a city street it was safe because it had a Crooklock attached! As it should for such a classy car.

The weather has really picked up again. Gorgeous sunshine all day with a temperature of 21c - forecast to climb again during the next few days to as high as 27c - thats better. We can put the fleeces away again for a while.

Back to the caravan for 6pm to put our feet up after a hard days slog and write the blog of course. We need to recuperate this evening for another stint tomorrow.

Moving on

Thankfully the electricity was on this morning so a shower was had. Only downside was that when I was all stripped off and ready to go the water was tepid - and I'm being generous in my description. The shower block itself though was heated and I was committed by then so went ahead. After breakfast we packed up camp and thankfully moved on - we had escaped in one piece!

On the road again to Prague - I have been looking forward to this as I have been before with Pat and we had a wonderful time in this beautiful city. I'm sure Steve will love it. The roads were straightforward yet again - I think we are getting good at map reading and interpreting the directions given to us by Campingcheque. That is the company we bought all the prepaid vouchers from at £10.30 each night. It has proved to be a great saving as most camp sites are double that if you turn up ad hoc. Lots of people are doing just that and paying through the nose. We bought all our vouchers in advance, nearly lost them though when the boys packed them in the container and we had to work on them to retrieve them.

On arrival at the camp site we were very pleased indeed to see that it is a return to civilisation. In fact this is the other extreme. Everything you could want and more is here - very new, very clean and with up to date technology. Wifi is available on the campsite so we are sitting in the caravan writing this blog. It has restored our faith in the country. After setting up we went to the local supermarket and shopped and met a girl who was promoting some food or other and had lived in Oxford for 4 years. So we had a good chat.

Steve wanted to get the car washed but all the east europeans are in the UK so there is no one here to do it. Instead we went back to the caravan and crashed out. We really need to take it a bit easier but there is so much to see and do that we see and do it. A day spent idling seems to us to be a day wasted - but it is catching up on us.

After a lovely meal of chicken salad we have devoted our evening to the computer - hopefully to catch up on Skyping the people who are on Skype and available. We can also do some research on the sites ahead. Tomorrow we hit Prague .....for another Sunday lunch. They do come around quickly.

Karlovy Vary - another spa town

To add insult to injury on this camp site, when we awoke there had been a power cut! Perhaps they had overdone the electric fence or someone had tried to escape overnight and fried. So no shower then. Thank goodness Essie has everything we need so we placed our trust in her yet again. No signs of the guards though in Stalag 13 so we are free.

After breakfast we tunnelled out to visit another spa town called Karlovy Vary - the language is very difficult to understand or speak here. At least in Germany we could get by and be polite - no such luck here.

The road was straightforward but we noted that they are not half as good as in Germany. Also we saw quite a few prostitutes selling their wares on the side of the main road - mid day as well. Have they no shame?? How sad is that?

On arrival in the city we parked on the outskirts and cycled in. As soon as we got to the spa town we saw the grandeur again - there is such an obvious class divide here. Having the bikes enabled us to see a lot more than if we were walking and it was very obvious when the rich part of town came to an end. The buildings again though were magnificent, spas were plentiful and people were roaming around drinking the spa water from strange shaped ceramic cups with spouts - see the pics.

Steve was elated when he recognised one of the top hotels as the one featured in the latest version of Casino Royale. He posed for a photo but was on his bike instead of in an Aston Martin - see pic. We could even see into the restaurant where James Bond and his wench dined. All along that road were jewellers and other shops for ladies and men who have loads a dosh.

After a short spell in a public library to update the blog we headed off back to the ranch for a meal. Steve really wanted to fish but the many lakes around the camp site were for members only! We cooked liver and onions for dinner instead, checked out the Casino Royale DVD extras to see if we could identify the hotel or not - with no luck. Off again tomorrow to Prague - hopefully to a better equipped campsite.

Czech this one out

Thursday 22nd May ...
Today we chose to leave the Wemding campsite. Don't know exactly why but there was a bad vibe about the place. It gave me the spooks, the chill went through to our bones and the whole place seemed oppressive. We were fine when we went out and about but when we returned to the camp the chill set in. So we left - because we can!

On to Czech Republic then - to a place just over the border from Germany called Cheb. The journey was straightforward and within 30 miles of Wemding the sun was shining and the temperature had risen to 16c!! told you it was a devil place back there. As we drove on we climbed steadily and the temperature dropped again. It is clearly a winter resort area as we saw ski lifts etc. Nearing our destination we stopped off at a McDs to pick up and send e mails before making the final step of our journey.

What a difference a day makes - as they say. This campsite, though friendly enough and without the devil chill about it, is basic to say the least. There are rusting wire fences around it, worn out old sheds that are still used as chalets - Steve calls it Stalag 13 - see pics. The toilets and shower blocks are circa 1950 as shown in the photo but are clean and warm - unlike the last place. The barbie was something else - in the picture of the rusted fence you will see them clearly - car wheels on legs!! Fortunately we woke up the following morning and all four wheels were still on our motor. Thank you locking wheel nuts.

After settling in to the camp we cycled a couple of kilometres to Frantiskovy Lazne -a spa town nearby. We were very pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful town filled with elegant and elaborately decorated and designed buildings. This was definitely a place for the haves - and the campsite the have nots. There were spa buildings everywhere and the waters were different in each - only to drink though not to bathe in. We stopped off the get some money from a hole in the wall - they use Kronas here - 24 to the euro for those who are interested. We also had the obligatory coffee and cake to tide us over until dinner time in a lovely palm tree lined avenue with very exclusive shops along each side - see the pic.. We were in our rough gear and on the bikes - scruffs you might call us.

Back to the caravan for a read and an apperitif. Steve is really enjoying his current choice of beer from Germany - Oettinger export - he bought a case of 20 half litre bottles for 6 euros and its 5.5pc proof. It does take effect - so he says - I am sticking to the wine while the weather is cold. A chicken curry followed by another episode of Rome finished us off for the day.

Rain stop play.....not!

Flipping freezing today - not what we ordered at all! Only reached 11c all day and rained for the morning but that thankfully went away around lunchtime. The shower block on the campsite was most unwelcome today and we became chilled to the bone afterwards. If its the same weather tomorrow we are going to stay dirty!

Not to be deterred though we have still been out and about to sightsee around the area - ending up in good old McD's in Norlingen to upload the pictures (see the previous blogs now that photos are on there) - and write up the blog. Also need to send a few emails after this.

First stop was Donauworth, a town about 18km from Wemding. It is a town between two rivers and we had a walk around there. Spent some time at a farmers market - Spargel (asparagus) is everywhere at the moment - white and green. Also a peculiar feature of this and some other towns we have visited is that small branches from larch trees are put outside shops and hotels in buckets of water, or simply fastened to the walls. They do add greenery to the streets but it is a little odd and we don't know why yet - but plan to find out if possible. Also every village and town have a very tall - approx 60ft tall, straight trunked conifer with all but the very top branches stripped bare, leaving only an umbrella type top, looking a bit like a very tall Christmas tree. The trunk is decorated in various ways with all sorts of things. We will try to photograph one for you to see. We don't know what they are about either but need to find a local who can speak some English to explain to us - not many seem to do so around here.

Next on to Harburg which is noted for its old, well preserved castle. You will see in the picture that after Steve had raised the portcullis he had a hard time pushing open the big gates for us to get in - but he did it! There was nothing special about the rest of the town so we moved on to Norlingen.

This town is another walled city with gates at the north, south, east and west and a covered sentry walkway. It does not have half as much charm as some of the other cities though and there is much more new build in it too which dilutes the charm even more. We stopped off for a beer in a most beautiful building which turned out to be a coffee house run by a religious community called the Twelve Tribes. No booze sold so we had a coffee and a long chat with the lady serving us. She told us that all income from members of the community is shared out and they live by the principle of forgiveness and submission. We were pleased to encounter their aspects on life but the no beer scenario did not impress Steve at all - so we won't sign up.

One other interesting point about Germany (and Holland actually) is that there are no independent butchers in the towns. All supermarkets have a butchery counter but the quality is not good - like Tesco I suppose. However, today we found a covered market with what looks like great steaks and even some liver - the first we have seen on our trip. We will eat the steak tonight and let you know. The liver goes in the freezer for later.

Having had our milk shakes and completed this blog we will head off back to the camp and eat the steak - talking about it has made us hungry. We will see what the weather brings tomorrow before we commit ourselves to anything - although it will not keep us from exploring - thats what waterproofs are for.

Wending our way to Wemding

Arrived at the campsite in Wemding after a journey of a couple of hours with no hitches. Lovely campsite yet again with a number of grassed areas, each surrounded by bushes and trees as wind breaks and each one large enough for about 8 caravans. There are not many here at the moment though so we have plenty of space to ourselves. There is also a large lake for swimming when the weather is warm enough - and that is definitely not today. 16c with quite a chilly wind. Rain forecast for tomorrow and cooler still. No other Brits that we can see as yet. Some Germans close to us who were playing boule as we left for the internet room. They seem friendly enough. No wi fi here either but there is a room with two computers to use so that is what we are doing to update the blog.

Wemding is 18 km from Nordlingen where we are going tomorrow. It is still on the Romantische Strasse so there are plenty of lovely towns to visit - but we are getting ready for a day of rest again - lots of driving, walking and cycling means a bit of recuperation needed. At Nordlingen there is a Macdonalds and we will definitely visit it to upload the pictures taken for the recent blog entries and to chat with anyone on Skype if they are around when we are logged on.

We went to a local supermarket for provisions after setting up camp and nearby is a VW dealership and service centre. We took the car in and spoke (or rather had a stilted conversation with) a mechanic regarding the defect that was identified in Waxweiler last week. We thought it would be easy to tell him what we know, ask him to order the part and then take a day to repair it - no such luck. They wanted to take the car in for a couple of days to test it for themselves, then order the part and repair it. We are only here for 3 days and he told us that Thursday is another public holiday! How many do they have? Of course the weekend interrupts too. We would have to write off about a week to get it sorted and we don´t want to do that. Another reason was that the courtesy transport they offered us (see the pic) did not look too trustworthy. So we thanked him and drove off. Steve thinks his old trick of a bit of black insulation tape over the warning light will solve the problem - it will certainly make for an easier life!

So a quiet evening with food, drink and perhaps a film lies ahead for us. I´m making a ratatouille with shnitzel tonight and we may force down a glass or two of vino. We certainly will not eat al fresco but tucked up inside Essie where its warm with some music on until its time for the big movie.

Enough for today then - Nordlingen beckons tomorrow.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber - a must see place

No internet cafe again today folks so pictures will be added to this blog and the previous ones when we hit a more suitable venue. In the meantime we are using the computer in the reception room at the campsite to write our thing.

We have just had the most enjoyable day out to medieval town of Rothenburg ODT. We only intended to stay for a couple of hours before moving on to the next town along the Romantische Strasse but we were so captivated and there was so much to see that we stayed all day.

Rothenburg is a walled city perched on a hill by the River Tauber and dates from the 12th century and has been invaded, bombed etc as all of them have but remains very intact, well preserved and beautiful. Most of the old towns have a small area to visit but this is very large with four gates to the town with steps to the defence wall where you can walk along the covered sentry walk. There is an abundance of very old half timbered buildings now converted into shops and hotels, a beautiful Town Hall with an old tower attached that has endless steps to the top from which you have a birds eye view of the red roofed town and valleys beyond. One small house was found undisturbed after the death of its hermit tenant and has been turned into a museum depicting life as it was in the 17th century - 10 to 15 children were the norm in one small house - and grandma and grandad lived there too!

We walked all day through cobbled streets and saw everything it has to offer - we rested in the church that has altars which are masterpieces, especially the one sculpted from wood depicting the Last Supper. We can thoroughly recommend the town for a visit and apparently they hold Christmas markets in the town which should be spectacular.

We had lunch in a lovely German hotel with just the right atmosphere and we ordered the Tucher beer and explained that Steve was its namesake - the waiter then brought a huge steinpot for him to have his photo taken with - doesn´t he look a happy man with that jug in his hand? I had white asparagus with potatoes and salad, while Steve had veal in gravy with fried potatoes - really enjoyed both.

After yet more walking we treated ourselved to a speciality pastry of the town called a snowball. We chose the chocolate version - just one between us but if filled us more than the lunch! It was only ok - nothing to shout about.

Steve was taken with one particular historical tale of the town. In 1631 the city was attacked and the conquering general was intent on destroying the place. On a whim he promised to spare the town from destruction if one of the councillors was able to empty a 3.25 litre tankard of wine in one go. He managed to do that and therefore saved the city and made himself a hero. This Meistertrunk (master draught) is held annually at Whitsun and we missed it by a week. Steve fancied trying to match the man! I don´t think so.

With regards my own tipple - Steve could not resist taking the photo of me with my empties! No wonder I suffer from headaches.

So a good day again today - the weather has been cloudy and chilly, only managing to reach 16c. This was perfect for walking the town though. Tomorrow we move on again down the Romantische Strasse to a new campsite to sample our last days in Germany for a while.

The Nuremburg trails

Actually it was more of a trial getting in and out of Nuremburg. There were so many exits off the autobahn that it was confusing to say the least and no landmarks to guide us in. But get in we did and stopped at a service station to ask for help. Yes - Steve is a modern man and will ask for directions! how good is that? The girl serving there spoke good English, provided us with a map and generally was very helpful. We had our Sunday lunch first - a typical Frankish meal in a very old German hostelry with wood panelled ceilings and walls and antlers hanging from the ceiling made into light fittings. We drank the dark beer which was very good. The food was good too - we both had braised venison with a currant sauce and home made noodles. Washed down with a couple of coffees our total bill came to 38 euros - and that was with Steve drinking 8 pints of beer!! Only joking - he had 2 and I had 1.

After fuelling ourselves up with food and drink we started our walking tour of the city. The new part with all the shops was clean and modern with designer shops and lots of lovely statues but the old part was what we had travelled to see. Beautiful squares with churches, hanging balconies and bridges all overlooked by the castle at the top of the hill. That was worth a visit and we realised how well fortified the city was in its day. How anyone could have got into that heaven knows!

After suffering another trial to get out of the city we had another cracking drive from Nuremberg on A and B roads and motorway that were really quiet again. One minute we were driving on tarmac and the next we arrived at a village and was driving over cobbled stones. On each side of the road are lovely meadows with an abundance of wild flowers in every colour imaginable. Yesterday we heard crickets cricketing for the first time this year. Steve nearly went cuckoo himself this morning after listening to one endlessly while he was waiting for me to wake up - chinese water torture he said. He said it was going hoarse after a while and instead of calling cuckoo it was calling cuck..ergh. Country living at its best.

Reception provides fresh bread rolls each morning at this camp site - I have ordered croissants for tomorow morning for a change. Usually I have fruit and yoghurt and Steve has cereal and fruit - so a change is lovely, especially when they are fresh croissants!

At this moment in time we are sitting in Macdonalds halfway between Nuremberg and the campsite. We saw it on the way to Nuremberg this morning and planned to visit on the way back to get our free hour of wifi. I left all the wires and headset at the caravan though and typically Lisa tried to contact me on Skype when I didn't have the headset so we couldn't talk. We did chat via Skype though which was good.

So now that we have finished our milk shakes - well we had to buy something didn't we to get the free wifi - and completed the blog, we will set off back to the campsite. Photos will be put on this blog when I can find the next wifi hotspot.
Tomorrow we are travelling along the Romantic Road to see some of the pretty medieval villages, churches and castles along the way. That should be wonderful.