Tag: photography
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45. Last whirl of the wheel. (July 31)
It has taken me a week to get around to writing to you, because baby Elia and I have been so busy catching up and playing. This is a last look at the stats after finishing… 55 sunny days of pedalling from morning till night + 2 days of heavy rain when I stopped +…
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43. A Rolling stone gathers no moss for 4000 kms (July 23)
The terrain rose up and became beautifully hilly. Massive piles of mossy granite boulders pushed up through the oats fields while balancing trees on their heads. These hills are perfectly spaced to allow cyclists to whizz down a steep slope for 10 seconds before starting up the next for 10 minutes. Up and down like…
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41. Copenhagen magic (July 19)
It was the hottest day of the year. Even so, it’s always a pleasure to be in this city. We spent the day rolling around enjoying the scenery. Bruce and Kealena treated me to an all insclusive personalised tour. Meals, a chat with the little mermaid, and a new lock for my bike. So…
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39. Bridging the Baltic Sea (July 17)
The great crossing began with a blue sun. Our posh hotel elevator, being slightly too short for a bike body, had the girls doing a circus trick by balancing the front wheels up on the golden hand rail. It was a frizzling hot day, so we had ice-cream at the beach and a large Döner…
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36. Hamburger sophistication (July 11)
What do you order for dinner in Hamburg? Sweet-potato chips. But ask any Hamburger citizen and they will tell you with pride that the food here is highly sophisticated and exquisite. From rich and savoury to spicy and sweet, luscious meats, delightful veggies, free range biofriendly everything under the sun and rain. I began the…
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34. Biking on. (July 8)
Riding together with Birgitta and Hanns Georg was fantastic, they knew where to go, so I didn’t need to navigate, and could just pedal along in bliss, babbling on. We had a delicious lunch in a big garden. They let me go after about 60 kms. I had to go on over the hills. I…
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32. Goodbye my friend, Rhine. (July 5)
This is yesterday’s post. Hotel’s and hostels offer very poor wifi, so the blog cannot be shared when it should be, it has to wait for the next stop, just like many things in life. The sun is dragging his billowing sky down to the smoking chimney stacks. A giant storm growled through dinner, but…
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29. Painting at the riverside. (June 29)
The morning was exuberant with fresh vineyards. Riesling grapes still budding on the vines. The Rhein is becoming greener too. My little paintbox made happy colours and manifested this naivety. Someone had set up the perfect table and chairs on the riverbank just for me. I felt very happy under my number. Would a…
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27. Big Green Umbrella. (June 28)
Today the wind came up against me. The tall poplar trees along the river bank clapped their silver leaves, making a high sound like a standing ovation at an opera. It was a blue sky day, with puffy clouds dotted about. Birds of prey skimmed over the golden bristles of the harvested wheat fields looking…
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26. 2000 km Jube-jubelation. (June 27)
Today, this afternoon, at 16:30, we stopped for ice-cream at Jesolo eis, to celebrate our 2000 km moment. Us, being my bike and I. A lovely young lady Kira very kindly served a trophy pistachio and fresh kiwi sundae, and took a photograph of my CUBE trekking bike with me behind it eating the eis.…
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25. Strasbourg. (June 25)
Sunday was a celebration day for us, our precious Elia turned ONE. What a joy it is to have two fabulous grandsons, and a baby on the way! Now that my feet are firmly in socks and sandals on German soil, I can talk about practical issues without embarrassment. The question I am asked the…
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22. Bed bugzzzi. (June 22)
The only men I attract by my appearance these days, are those with noisy machines. – mowers, tractors, builders and lorry drivers. Even the rubbish truck man made a comment after a near miss. I don’t think it was complimentary. But the hoteliers usually always shake my hand when I leave, which is sweet. My…
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21. Emerald River blues. (June 19-21)
19 June 2018. Early morning ride along the southern shore of lake Constance (Bodensee in German) which forms the border between Switzerland and Germany, was so calm after the turbulent river that feeds it, unlike me who woke up in the night with vertigo! I was horrified of course, and so worried that I would…
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18. How to ride in heaven. (June 15)
First of all, the man did not make another appearance. At Burgusio, where I escaped the man and spent the night, there is the magnificent Marienburg Monastery. We have visited before thanks to Susanne, Simon’s sister. Incredible to see, the highest Benedictine monastery in Europe. The library there has recently been renovated and the book…
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16. Truck spray. (June 13)
This morning some of the Everest Hotel guests vanished with the key to the dungeon where the bicycles are stored overnight, so I had to wait for them to come and open the lock. It was an imperfect start to a few other annoyances that came up first thing. I pedalled out to the river…
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15. Going into the Alps. (June 13)
Lucy Lui gave me breakfast in her back garden, and waved me goodbye. All my hosts and hostesses so far have been truly generous and kind. Mantova was just waking up when I passed along her northern shores, sneaking along a little path in the woods. A large sticky spider web attached itself to my…
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14. Po River flats. (June 10)
I was thrilled to have an egg for breakfast at Pico Hotel. Usually it’s a matter of cornetti with jam and a coffee. Set off a bit late this morning, due to it being Sunday. Lesson 3. Don’t sing with your mouth open when riding a bike. Hum, because insects can get in your lung.…