Rondenkirchen

One of my absolute favourite things about camping is waking up, lighting the stove and putting the trusty old kettle* on - making coffee then wrapping up in the sleeping bag and watching the world go by. These opportunities have been few and far between over the past couple of weeks because waking up in a tent fully blessed by the sun is very much like waking up in an oven. But this morning, this morning it rained.

 It really rained. I made my coffee snuggled up and watched as very little happened, everyone else choosing the same approach to the morning.  

Obviously, I couldn't stay there forever, I have places to be and as the rain cleared up, so did I. 

I set off along the Rhine, far less industrial than yesterday and rather pretty in parts. I enjoyed a few snack sitting on benches - no need for shade with proper cloud cover - and then turned off the river and into the city. It was a city that hit fast. It's busy, noisy and chaotic, pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, trams heading in all directions. It felt like urban German had suddenly exploded all around me. 

Once I got off the main traffic street the city opened up into squares and cafe lined shopping streets. I wish I'd had a bit more time to properly explore but I only had 2 things on my agenda - food and the Beethoven museum. Lunch was a poke bowl (very much in vogue here, luckily because they're a favourite of mine) then the museum. It was packed with facsimiles of documents and music recordings. There were a few of his instruments (including ear trumpets in increasing sizes) but the most recommended part, a basement of treasures has been closed to those not on a tour. The museum has an audio guide / app thing, not my most favourite way to share information. When I'm in a museum I want to scan to get the information I'm looking for, not listen to a heartwarming welcome from the director. 

Anyway, off I went. I decided today to move away from the river and followed a different route out of town. I quite enjoyed the change despite the miles (maybe - just checked 4.4km2 ) of the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park. A bit like cycling though Grangemouth I suppose. 

Once I'd passed the park and negotiated a lift (Google maps believing a station was the appropriate place to cross a railway line -not wrong I suppose) it was a short cycle through pretty, expensive looking houses to what is a rather nice site. 

P.s. I've just been to the shower. It is a site full of parakeets. Not my immediate guess when listening to the bird shrieks, makes a change from last night's frogs. 

*A kettle I love so much, I made a replica of it in my ceramics class.