Day 22: Wismar to Warnemünde

Our last day's cycling of this holiday. Unlike the day before, it was extremely relaxed, varied and very beautiful.



We knew the route well since we had done the ride before, but in late summer. Now, the fields were full of poppies and camomile blooms.

The weather improved as the day continued and by the evening, we could take a stroll on the lovely beach in Warnemünde. A beach bar provided a romantic end to our holiday.







And that was that.

Scores on the doors:

Today's run: 73 km

Total: 1423 km

Also:

11 ferries
3 border crossings
17 different schnaps varieties
471 squashed slugs
37 swallowed flies
1 crash
1 en-route argument (not bad for 3 weeks)
0 break-downs
0 swimming days :-(

Plus a huge array of wildlife including seals, jelly fish, oyster catchers, martens, hares, deers, buzzards, herons, storks, pheasants, mice and much much more...

Day 21: Lübeck to Wismar

A hearty breakfast with Sabine and Christopher was followed by a merry photo session on their balcony:



We enjoyed ourselves so much, we left Lübeck a bit late and were playing catch up all day. There were some quite strenuous climbs along the way and Tina's mood turned really sour when we discovered that there had been a booking error with our room in Wismar. So we had to call around and get into town quickly. I hasten to add that the mistake had nothing to do with me or my Navi!

So we had to splash out on a fancy hotel, which I was happy to do to improve Tina's spirits. Wismar is often overlooked despite having an old town that rivals Lübeck and Stralsund. We enjoyed our room with a view as the sun began to set.



The hotel receptionist gave us a good tip for dinner in another historical building that used to belong to a hanseatic wine dealer.



Fantastic food! I had duck with red cabbage, while Tina tucked into her Mecklenburg roast with plums, raisins and more red cabbage.



As you can see, we are making the most of our last couple of days on holiday.

Today's run: 82 km

Total so far: 1350 km

Day 20: Dahme to Lübeck

Our hotel's motto: "Good eeten, good drinken, good slapen" gives you an idea of how similar the local dialect is to English. Before anyone asks, it's not an incitement to slap people around.

We were both feeling a bit weary as we headed off towards Lübeck. Tina explained it was due to the one and a half schnapses too many we had the night before, but I think that's rubbish... Speaking of which, note the lack of stories to tell about my Extremely Reliable GPS. It is working perfectly!

After only 7 km, we had to get off the dyke since a nasty looking thunder storm was approaching and we didn't want to take any risks. It was also an excuse to enjoy a nice shrimp soup and a coke by the seaside as we watched everyone run for cover.

From then on it was one of those days where you kept on taking jackets on and off in changing conditions. It was a laborious approach to Lübeck. We thought of Marly and decided to take a short cut, which meant climbing some steep hills and negotiating a motorway. Just before reaching the city, a railway building site meant we had to ride through course gravel for about 10 km.

Unfortunately, Tina got her tire stuck in a tram line and "had to use her nose to slow down" as she later put it. She was lucky to fall on a patch of grass, so no serious harm done.

Eventually we arrived at our hotel and called up Sabine, who arranged a great meal in a typical building near the Güntre Grass Museum:



It was a very pleasant end to a difficult day.

Today's run: 68 km

Total so far: 1268 km

Day 19: Hohwacht to Dahme

We can't believe our luck! While the rest of Germany is having cool, rainy weather, we are still being treated to beautiful sunshine along the cost.

We've decided to end our holiday in Rostock-Warnemünde, which gives us more time to explore this neck of the woods. Today, we continued east past some well known beach resorts, some of which were filled with ugly 70s blocks that were already crumbling to bits. We cut across country towards Dahme, a more low key, attractive location.

Going inland inevitably means climbing some hills, but the rewards are everywhere to be seen: The fields are extremely colourful at this time of the year:



Dahme itself has an unobtrusive promenade with plenty of opportunities for me to enjoy my new hobby: photographing beach baskets.







Tina checked out which of the local fish she was going to eat, before heading off to the best looking restaurant. We ended the evening with a "Fischergeist" schnaps, a cheap immitation of the infinitely superior "Friesengeist". The empty glasses made me feel like I'd won the World Cup and the UEFA Cup at the same time:



There is a film of this dirinking scene, but we have decided it is not for public viewing.

Today's run: 67 km

Total so far: 1200 km

Day 18: Strande to Hohwacht

Our warmest day so far - and very eventful. We had breakfast on the sunny hotel patio...



before heading off towards Kiel. The whole bay was filling up with historical boats in preparation for the world famous "Kieler Woche" regatta. So there was plenty to see on the way. Click on this photo for a closer look at the "Gorch Fock".



We were meant to take a shuttle ferry across a canal. But a huge explosion right by the ferry harbour a week earlier made that impossible. A paraffin depot blew up big time and still stank when we got there.



Fortunately, there was a well organised shuttle bus with a bike trailer, which gave us a lift to the other side for free.

Kiel is my brother's birthplace and like him, the town centre is not considered attractive. So we hopped onto another ferry across the bay, thereby gaining time to visit one of Tina's many relatives. Fortunately it was lunch time, so her aunt conjured up some flaky pastry snacks and a salad.

We stayed too long and had to hurry to our day's destination, Hohwacht, in time for dindins - which turned out to be extremely yummy: 2 different types of fish in a rhubarb, honey and lemon grass sauce. Maybe a little experimental for some people, but right up our street.

And naturally the "Ostholsteiners" have their own local schnaps, the "Lütjenberger". The clear grain spirit comes in two varieties, a smoother, weaker version (for girlies) and the rough and ready stronger type (which Tina had).

Today's run: 64 km

Total so far: 1133 km

Day 17: Kappeln to Strande

(Apologies for the posting delay - we have been through some small places without any Internet cafés.)



We were briefly held up by a draw bridge leaving Kappeln, but apart from ruining my average speed for the day, it hardly bothered us since the weather was glorious again. It also gave us the chance to observe a large number of jelly fish in the water - a problem the entire region is suffering from at the moment.

For the third day in a row, we were treated to a beautiful ride. The thin purple line on my ERG's display was back in top form today, flawlessly guiding us to our destination. Tina had a few map reading problems (heehee) and sometimes had to ask Navi the way. It generously obliged despite the unwarranted abuse it has be getting in the last 2 weeks.

So we arrived in good time for an evening stroll down the promenade in Strande . I am getting hooked on taking photos of these German beach baskets, so brace yourselves for more.



We had dinner in a down to earth pub before heading back to the hotel for a night cap: a couple of Malteser Akvavits on the terrace overlooking the beach.

Today's run: 74 km

Total so far: 1069 km

16.tag

dieser tag war für ben genau das richtige. ich hatte ihm schon vorher erzählt,daß es in schleswig-holstein recht hügelig werden kann, aber er wollte mir nicht glauben, bis jetzt. hätte ich nicht schon 2 wochen training in den beinen,würde ich wohl den ganzen tag geschimpft haben wie ein rohrspatz. nun es hat mir aber auch spaß gemacht. das wetter war sonnig und warm und die landschaft geprägt von saftigen feldern,die sich die hügel hochzogen. da wir so oft oben waren hatten wir auch häufig einen blick auf die schöne flensburger förde und endlich konnten wir auch wasser,sprich meer,sehen. die ganze zeit an der nordsee war uns das verwehrt,weil wir einerseits immer hinter dem deich und 2meter unter dem meeresspiegel fuhren oder es war gerade ebbe und sowieso kein meer zu sehen. an der ostsee kommt also sofort ein meeresfeeling,urlaub ,sonne ,strand auf. kurz und gut es war ein wunderschöner tag.

bens navi allerdings ist ziemlich blöd. entweder schickt er uns ins meer oder zwischen die deiche ins hohe gras oder er führt uns per fluglinie durch die ortschaften. oft ist er ganz überfordert und gibt ganz auf. ben sagt,daß liegt daran das überall militärisches oder grenzgebiet ist,aber das ist BLÖDSINN. es geht nichts über die gute alte karte.