Thionville

The first day along the Moselle was warm and relaxing. In the most part.

I set off later than planned as the next campsite didn't open until four. After a few turns I found the river path and rolled on. The river and canal run through factories and power stations. 

All was plain sailing until my first 'route barree' of the holiday. I can't decide if the frequency of these is a uniquely French thing but it feels like I encounter them on every ride. 

I followed the diversion around and back to the river. Meeting another cyclist I explained about the diversion and we chatted for a bit. I was confused when he asked me if I wanted to go off the path and for a walk in the woods because they are pretty. When he started talking about massages I bade him goodbye.  He might have been totally innocent in his suggestions but I'm not sure he'd have been making them to a bloke. 

That whole encounter annoyed me. To be clear I didn't feel threatened, the path is busy and he accepted my response but it still played on my mind for a while. I know it's not all men but it's always some. 

The rest of the ride was uneventful. Despite my best efforts, with lots of stops for road snacks and drinks, I arrived at the campsite by two and settled down to wait for the reception to open. I emailed yesterday to ask if they ever open early, they certainly don't. 

Just as I sat down I shot back up. Something with a bit of oomph behind it bit my armpit!  I'm fairly sure it was a spider that I grabbed and threw away, probably annoyed I'd put my arm back down on top of it. The bite stung and blistered but seems to have calmed down. That annoyed me too, a spider bite and no super powers?  Not fair! 

Finally the reception opened and I checked in. I pitched up then set about planning the next couple of legs. It was only then that I realised it was Saturday. So tomorrow is Sunday. I'd have enough food for tea but nothing for throughout the day and the shops would be closed. 

Rather than going by bike I wandered along to the supermarket by foot, enjoying a look around when it was a little cooler. Now I'm back. I've had a very nice tea and I'm about to settle down with my book and a box of Chipsters. Forget the wine and cheese, they're my favourite French treat.

Metz

 Metz

Metz has been on my list for a while. I can't remember why. Maybe i read something, maybe I had planned to come here and changed routes. Maybe it's hazy memories of 90s alcopops. Who knows?  Whichever way it came to be on my list, it seems to have been worthy of its place. 

I started at the Cathedral. I spent my time wondering at the breathtakingly beautiful stained glass - 6,500m2 to be precise. It's like a gallery, details wherever you look. When the lights hits the windows the colour is everywhere. 

After spending far longer than I'd imagined I would staring at the glass I headed to the covered market. It's not quite the same as Ulverston, quite a few cafes, lots of fine meats and speciality cheeses. (Not that Ulverston doesn't have such things, just a slightly different product range.)

The final point on my tour was the Pompidou Centre. What a find that is.  Its main exhibition is a response by Maurizio Cattelan to the centre's collection. It took me a while to work out that he was The Banana guy.  The exhibition featured the great and the good of 20th Century art.  

Sold for millions, the artist didn't see a penny.

It always amazes me that I get to enjoy these things when it's quiet and as such I get to look properly. I don't think I've ever really seen Francis Bacon portraits before, here I could look really close up. They're amazing - I get it now. 

The next exhibition was Louise Nevelson - an artist I have a soft spot for. She's one of the first names I remember when I really started exploring.  Again, didn't disappoint. I knew her collages but hadn't seen her 'environments' before. 

Finally there was one more artist who is right up my street - Francois Morellet. Much as his work and concepts are something I'd like to stare at for hours, black on white with added neon doesn't do my eyes any good so I had a selective look around. The journey his work took is fascinating. 

It's hard sometimes to convey how much joy I get from days like today. I love discovering and re-finding things. I love that I can turn up at random places along a route I took a notion to do and find all these things that excite and intrigue me. I love knowing things at the end of the day that I didn't know at the beginning.  

That's what keeps me exploring.  It's why I love cycling, and the trains and boats to get to the cycling. The slower pace gives me the chance to discover things along the way and that's what I truly value. 

Metz

Amsterdam to Metz.  Lucky I like trains too. 

I packed up fairly rapidly when it looked like rain, took the little ferry across to the station and treated myself to breakfast. A little kerfuffle finding the lift but overall an easy start. 

I had a luxurious double seat all to myself for the whole journey to Koln. I knitted, listened to a book and dozed the journey away. Arriving a little over 20 minutes late to apologies in three languages I made my next connection with ease.

Switching from an ICE to a plain old IC the facilities weren't quite as luxuriant (although far easier to board). I spent the journey watching every single person be flummoxed by the toilet locks.  This train was delayed too. Lots of apologies in lots of languages and this time connection missed. 

I found an alternative route and made my way to the platform after first checking my ticket was good for such changes. 

I have a question for the good people of Luxembourg City: who does all the ironing?  I don't think I've ever been anywhere where - especially on a hot day - everyone looked so perfectly put together. Not a wrinkle, not a stain, perfect white shirts everywhere. Even the gym boys had their brand new trainers nestled on shiny black leather bags. No one was sweating. Everyone just looked very tidy. Obviously I stuck out like a sore thumb. 

Getting my scruffy self on the train to Metz I told a couple of kids to move their scooters out of the bike space. I can pull off commanding French only when stressed. I was impressed by his quick response and polite reply. It was only later when a distressed man came looking for his scooter that it became clear they had been working together to steal it. 

After that drama (well not much drama, the train and station were remarkably free of staff so I stood around for a bit then bade a polite goodbye.) A quick ride through the town and onto the site only half an hour late.  I've pitched up next to the river, had a very cold shower, found my insect spray and promised myself a long lie in tomorrow.

Amsterdam (again)

I do like ferries. Lucky really as I don't like flying. 

Disembarking was far simpler than I'd thought,  I was all prepared for queues and complicated passport procedures. There had even been an announcement telling foot passengers all about it. Turns out the car exit doesn't have the technology so, security be damned, we sailed through passport control. 

Similar to the journey from train to boat in the Uk, I'm not a huge fan on the ride into Amsterdam.  It's longer so there is more time to feel guilty about not training and, more to the point, it's a ride into a city so navigation is a bugger.  

It always takes me a while to tune in, get the feel for roundabouts and the like.  I cause confusion at first when I wait for cars, it takes a few tries before I remember that bikes truly have priority.  After 10 miles I was looking for somewhere to stop.  I needed to locate sun cream and a sun hat as well as top up my water.  I turned off to a likely looking building only to realise it was a boat crossing.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained, I hopped on board and headed over to the other side.  Over there I found a cafe, water and that sun cream.

I set off again and I must say, the boat gamble worked out well. I was in the country and leafy suburbia for most of the journey. Hitting the centre I stuck mainly to one road and I made it to the campsite far quicker than usual. 

I'll tell you what was not quicker than usual, putting up my tent. Some wally (me) had very carefully taken all the components apart and possibly forgotten a little how they went together again. Much banging, clattering and muttering ensued but finally it all clicked into place.

On this first night I always unpack and repack, check what I've got and curse myself for forgetting something I need.  This time that went reasonably well.  I've not bought too much superfluous baggage and I don't seem to have forgotten much.  Minor panic over phone charging but replacing a dodgy cable (that autocorrected to deoxygenated camel, which then turned into depressed camel and I was very tempted to try and weave both into the story.  I did once see a camel on the side of the road but that was in France, not today.  He looked well oxygenated but as a circus member I'm fairly sure he was a bit depressed.) won't be hard.

Arriving early afternoon and pitching in the shade means I've had a relaxing afternoon, interrupted only briefly by a drumming circle.   I headed to the shops for train snacks and to replace that cable then settled in for my first night under canvas. 

We're back

We're back on the road. The gang is all here, the bike still affectionately known as Nordie (mark 4) Norris (the original and only, he came on the JOGLE and he's here now) the polar bear key ring and of course me. 

I set off early, first by train into Edinburgh then down to Newcastle.  

I never enjoy the ride from town to the ferry - it's hard work with lots of turns and quite a bit of glass.  Part of my problem is that it's pretty confronting, if I'm not feeling fit I know it on that ride.  Every year I plan to train on a loaded bike and I never do. But apparently this year I have trained enough off a loaded bike and it didn't feel too bad. I've given up trying to fit rides into the commute after falling out with the train and instead I've taken to late evening rides round the lanes.  To my surprise (I hate a circular ride) I've really enjoyed them. I've racked up the miles without even noticing.  

The one thing the journey from station to ferry has in its favour is the Geordie people.  I don't think I've done any other ride where people are as happy and friendly.  It's really noticeable and makes the miles tick quickly away.

As ever, I got to the port a few hours early but as someone who's always late, it's the lesser of two evils.  Check in and boarding then off for a doze before sailing.  I went on deck to say goodbye to the UK then went to the bar.  The Scottish lads were out in force, cheery and obviously out for the night.  I went back to my cabin for a few hours. Had a picnic, a knit and a read.  When I returned to the bar  they were still there. Long after I'd switched to virgin cocktails they were taking the dance floor by storm. A brief break - forced by the captain threatening boat jail if they kept swinging from the ceiling- and they carried on until the last song somehow persuading the band to close with a full blown head banging heavy metal number. 

I went back to my cabin where I slept like a log.

Hoek van Holland

Along side Berlin, I'd say the hook of Holland is another of my travel staples. I've been here more times than I remember. 

My day started with a final cull of luggage before the stress of English trains. I got ride of some almost empty toiletries and a now slightly mouldy round the edges sandwich box. Apart from that I'm travelling fairly light so there isn't much to cull. I did however chuck the knickers with hole in them leaving me with just enough clean pairs to make it home. 

Packed up I checked out and headed off to the station. Early enough to not worry but for once, only an hour before the train was due. 

The station was rammed. Notices about not giving money to the newspaper sellers (they were rather pushy, I had to roll out the teacher voice for an authoritative 'No.  Thank you.') and to not get to the platform too early. Well, forget that. I've been victim to the Hbf lifts before. Standing there timing it, it took a lady with a buggy 10 minutes to get to the platform.  As soon as my platform was confirmed I made my way there. The queuing and the down up down up up taking the 10 minutes predicted. On the platform I joined the other bikes waiting to go to Amsterdam. 

And the rest of the journey was fairly simple. Into Amsterdam after a journey with a double seat to myself. Then the train to Den Haag from the same platform. 

After getting off at The Hague and stopping for groceries I cycled the 12 miles to the campsite. When booking I'd made a note that I'd be there late. 

I was rather glad I did because the woman at the closed reception told me they were full and that they didn't usually accept late arrivals. I politely pointed out that I was staying anyway. She showed me on a map where they may possibly be spaces. 

I've honed my space finding skills on Czech campsites this holiday. I had no doubt I would find somewhere. As it turned out, there really was no problem at all. Spaces abounded and I was soon set up for a last night under canvas. 

Berlin

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you'll know I've been to Berlin quite a few times. Even before I started cycling. It's a city I enjoy and I find it familiar and relaxing. It's almost always on the way home and I think that gives it a feeling of comfort. 

Having said all this, I'm not an expert on Berlin and its many cultural aspects. I just quite like it. Today I only had one destination on my mind - Yarn Over. Yarn over is a destination yarn shop (of course there are such things) and I have a project I need to shop for. 

I got my 24 hour travel ticket and got on a tram. First port of call obviously the wool shop. After lots of umming and aahing, and a yarn base based chat I managed to find the colours I wanted. Happy with my purchase I headed off next to get my new term note book then some tasty Tibetan vegan dumplings. My tastebuds positively singing at the variety of edible (to me) food on offer. 

After that I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I'd decided that I didn't fancy a 'place', rather just somewhere to relax. So I googled interesting places to have coffee and made my way to the U Bahn. I found the little coffee shop - but bought a lemonade. I sat and knitted in the community graveyard garden and congratulated myself on a good choice. 

On the way back to the hotel I passed a Gemuse Kebab place and got a takeaway for tea. Another tasty treat to round off the day.