Day 7 Cycling the Rhine

As if to congratulate us for managing 1 week of cycling the sun shone (ok it was freezing 4c as we set off) the birds were chirping , hotel staff waved us off and wed had a scrumptious breakfast.The world was as perfect as it could be as we ventured towards germanys industrial heartland.

Amazingly as we left Xanten we crossed Bislicher island where we could see about 20 of the 25,000 geese that overwinter there. I guess these were the oldies that werent going anywhere perhaps I should take note of this.The morning got better as we cycled through the small town of Rheinberg we stopped for coffee/tea at a large cafe cafe wien and had the largest piece of apple torte i have ever seen plus just a little cream ok lashes of cream. Very nice.

We passed one bridge they’d left in its bombed state now used by birds as good nexting sites. Another wetland we passed I felt sorry for the poor birds there as once the Rhine gets too full they pump out the water into the wetland, more than a deluge me thinks for the poor birds!

The apple torte meant we didnt stop in the delightful town of Orsoy for lunch but went onto Baerl where our trusty guide book told us we could get refreshments.The first hotel we passed was up for sale, the second cafe was boarded up finally third place was open ..a kebab shop our cheapest lunch yet and alcohol free beer aswell!So lunch was salvaged. We went onto Duisberg although as our guide book took us to the southern side of the river and the Rhine Route went onto the northern side it meant we had no good signs to follow, not easy.

Finally made it entering Duisburg by the harbour area Ruhrort which supposedly according to said guide book The Rhine Cycle Route was an improved area I had the image of trendy cafes and boutique hotels, no not at all – graffiti walls, drug addicts and not a cafe in sight. We decided to find refuge in a hotel and tried the first one we saw, no they were full the World Trade Fair was on in Dusseldorf and every hotel between Dusseldorf and Duisburg 35 kms was full! He suggested we try a small pension hotel 2 streets away so off we cycled but they didnt open for another 45 mins. We waited then when they did open they were full aswell…disaster. This hotel manager was very friendly sbe rang 5 other hotels..all full then 3 bed and breakfast.all full.Then as Id only recently booked a hotel in Dusseldorf she tried that but they were full, Id thought we could catch the train there…Suddenly her assistant thought of the youth hostel so she rang that up, there was 1 room left I took it. I went outside where hubby was guarding the bikes his face dropped when i said we were off to a Youth Hostel.It dropped even more when I said we had to go 10kms across Duisburg to find it armed only with a map that only went to the city centre.As we’d already cycled 57kms the thought was daunting.

Off we set and got as far as the main station and was checking the map when a lady asked if we needed help , she was on her bike and just said follow me. This worked well for a few kms but hubby was getting further and further left behind I was in danger of losing him.I thanked her and said we needed to get some food in the supermarket which gave hubby time to catch up. She gave me the rest of the directions and i dashed around the supermarket reciting the directions out loud.

We finally got to the youth hostel at 610pm after 67kms cycling fullly laden!

The room was suprisingly big, tree views, our own shower and toilet and our bikes had a huge bike shed so were tucked away safely. We survived an interesting day. I’m nackered bed calleth.