BSD Bremen

22 June

Hot, very humid, and a bit windy ride to Bremen. Mostly along the dike so a good view of houses and the river.

Lack of signs and some dead ends led to riding in circles around Lemverden.

Many Sunday riders so good people watching.

Bremen looked interesting when we got there. Intended to go further but decided to stay and explore a bit. Almost all the hotels in the centrum were sold out. Found one nearby.

Just missed Bach at the Dom, a bit too late. Coffee in the Markt. Then it rained. Ate during the warm rain with lightening and thunder. Rained more so we orfred coffee.

Speaking of coffee. Over one half of all coffee consumed in Germany passes through Bremen's ports. It claims to have had the first coffeehouse in Germany.

The section called Schnoor had far too much to capture on the BB. It is the oldest section and quite preserved. QB took pics.

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BSD Elsfeth

21 June

Good ride from Bremerhaven to the cute town of Bake. Decided to ride further so ww went to an even smaller town as per subject.

Ferry ride, lots of sheep, many fine thatched houses, and a shining river, the Weser.

Rode with a single woman who said she was a Freishlander, not from Holland. Takes off for 3 or so weeks each year to your. Good attitude. Go slow, avoid cobbles, see the local sites.

Very high high water mark. Must be hard to live near a big river no matter how lovely. The mid west being a current example.

Nice small hotel. Inexpensive yet offers free internet, bike rentals, excervise bike, BBC and CNN and mini bar items at local super market prices. Room at one third the price of Hamburg hotel.

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BSD Bremerhaven

20 June

Extended our stay by a day. Chores, relax a bit, final site seeing. Watched the German portugese quarterfinal. Germany got quite lucky.

Many potatoes at the market.

Herring heaven. The first place, and everyplace, we visited had about 10 types with several presentations of each. blackbread , sandwiches with onion and tomatoes. Smoked fish and eel. Fish smoke houses. Fast food and restaurants. Dock food. Shelves of salad concoctions with sauces , including curries.

Real north sea food. Yeah! Had the start of the season matjas from the North Sea.

If you go to the flickr pages you will see, just after this upload, some Hamburg photos by QB. Includes a pic of hail when we got on a tourist boat.

Dinner conversation with the person next to us. The other night it was a very interesting and talkative Bolivian woman who described her travels both through life and as a tourist. Tonight it was a metorologist who studies climate change in Antartica and elsewhere. Excellent English so we could have a technical discussion.

Asked him what is hardest to predict. Fog. Even the big supercomputers get hung on fog models.

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BSD Hamburg 3

More from Hamburg but first to answer Dee's questions.

We have not so much spoken to the herrings as consumed them. Last evening, during the France Italy game, a very rough one, we went to eat at a portugese restaurant.

First course was fried sardines. It was only on the bob translated menu. QB also loved them but would not eat the heads. They were prepared perfectly.

I had their chippino, caldiara I think. It was translated as Fishentopf. Would have been far better if they had not removed almost all of the hot spices. Discussed this with the waiter who confirmed that the German want everthing bland. He said to tell him next time to make it like they eat it.

QB likes the non wet herings. Dry and without the added sauces. I like some of both. Naturally many types here. As a side note Matjas means young girl in Dutch.

Eintopf, as Bob has pointed out, is pale from white cabbage, potatos, and overcooked celery. It will be a far better fish when Yasmine makes it (how do you spice it?) and when Bobby serves it to Judi and the sacking Krewe.

We decided to take an extra day in Berlin, will leave Fri. Good to rest the legs before the next phase, basically down the Wesel from Bremerhaven. Should be good fish area.

Michelle will like this part. Discussed staying another day. What can you offer for price? Same high price. Can you discount that? (cannot hurt to ask). Well, holidays, and on and on why it is difficult. I said nothing. She then dropped the price by 50 euro.

Rented a big European city bike to spend the day touring. They are designed for cobbles and curbs and smashing through crowds. Our little bikes get no respect. Saw the harbor, the many areas and ethnic neighborhoods, and lots of people. Unlike Berlin this city is lively during the day. Weather was perfect. The previous day we had all weather including hail.

Today will do this clasisic tourist item, a boat tour around the harbor and a Rothko exhibit at a museum. That and a walking tour of the old town.

Dinner should be clear.

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BSD hamburg 2

15 June

Morning walk to the botanical gardens; the roses were spectacular. A pleasant shower and a late brunch at a Raddisson just outside the park. Ate an extra herring and a herring fishball, not clear if I liked it.

Being Sunday it was a goupd day for a roundtrip boat ride on the ALSTER Sea. Lined with beautiful houses on one side and parks on the other. The side canals house the really wealthy, of which there are many in this city.

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BSD Hamburg

14 June

Biked a while longer along the Elbe and then decided to take a train for the last few kms to avoid the outskirts and hard part of city entrance.

Yasmin recommended to QB that we try an eintopf, pictured and a hearty thanks to Yasmin.

Bob, suggest you plan this for our impending visit.

I have been to Hamburg before. Many years ago when I could barely afford a public campground for maybe 2 Marks a night. All I really saw was St. Pauli and other parts of the red light district.

This is a beautiful city! Worth repeating for those considering to come here.

George: Berlin is in many ways similar to Kopenhaven and Stockholm. Similar scale, similar herrings and lots of canals. Not sure about the antiques.

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BSD Blekede

13 June

Mostly on dike, a short shower which we missed while having coffee in a bistro.

Still on the stork road with many sightings and pictures to come.

Will get to Hamburg tomorrow with fine accompdations once again by Michelle.

Bleckede is at year 799 and will have its 800 celebration next year.

Dinner of fried hering and other sardide goodies. Getting closer to the Bremerhaven I so well remember from trips past.

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BSD Hitzacker

12 June

Easier ride today, also along dike, but far less wind and pleasantly cool.

No camel today but did see his habitat. Many storks.

Turns out that the area from Lauenberg to Havelberg is the "stork street". German spelling of course.

Hotel is not where we expected it to be. Book said on bikeway. In fact up a big long hill well off bikeway that we plan to ride.

Turns out that this is the 750 year celebration for elthe town. We got the last room or so they said.

Naturally a welcome celebration was arranged for the Boogs. Even a carnival. It is also the 396 th guild annual shooting competition and king and queen crowning. A double! See outfits.

This town is on the border of the former DDR. We are now, for the first time in quite a while in the western Lande. Will be interesting to see if the road surface changes. The DDR has a lot of cobbles and poor surfaces.

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BSD Lenzen

11 June

Got to Wittenberge and did not find it intreating so we pushed, almost literaly as we had a 20 plus km direct Headwind. QB had high calorie cake with her schinken sandwich for extra ergs.

Then the wind picked up and got quite gusty while it rained. Actually took out rain gear.

Nice ride all day into Headwind but right along river.

Gusts to 50km per hour. Ugh!
Then it cleared and more big wind and when we thought the day had it all, QB has many stork pictures, baby sheep, cows, female, with large horns, no idea about breed, sheep on road, a camel!

Got to Lenzen and found that the castle, with Tor, has been renovated and has nice rooms.

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BSD Havelberg

10 June

Many windmill farms on the road today. Large ones turning rapidly. Would have been more charming if we were seeing them from the other direction.

Stoped for a beer and tried to order from the menu some Pommes Frites. "sorry but those are for children". Could not seem to get an adult portion without causing them to change their proccedures.

Highway route includes ferry as no bridge.

Hotel am Hafen, friendly with a fish restaurant and a gray view of the harbor.

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