13-19 August 2006

Date

Photo of the Day

More Photos

13 Aug

Specialty of the House in Smolov, Czech Republic

This week started out in a country where the currency was different and where very few people could speak any English. I learned a few words in the Czech language, but it is so different from English that it was very difficult for me. However, the sign language for hunger is universally known all over the world. Let me teach you. First rub your stomach and then point to your mouth. It works every time. ;-)

Lost in the Czech Republic, All signs point to nowhere!

Yes, of course I had a roadmap - with bicycle trails on it, but none of the towns on my map were on the signs. I was uphill, downhill, uphill, downhill, until I finally found a town, several hours later, that I recognized on the map. The only problem is that I was so far off my planned course, that it took me several more hours to get back on it again.

Mon

14 Aug

OK, so Maxims isn’t what it used to be

#

Unlike the beautiful restaurant in Paris, this Maxim’s was a run-down night club. I didn’t stick around to find out what it was like after dark.

Back in the Bavarian Forest, the rain begins to fall.

When I saw the rain approaching, I found a place in the forest that was hidden from the highway and waited out the storm. By the time I was ready to go again, it became dark and I spent the night in this dreary place. The next day, as I worked my way up the steep hills of the Bavarian forest, I heard the weather report, “Heavy rain for several days.” -- so I headed south.

Tue

15 Aug

How Appropriate!

Name of a city in Bavaria

Straubing Marketplace

Nobody in this rainy city. They’re all in a large festival tent on the north side of town.

Wed

16 Aug

Landshut

Rudi Wandersleb in his home town. Rudi is a second cousin to my wife. He was so fascinated by my trip, that he decided to ride along with me for a couple of days. It was no problem at all for him to ride 150 kilometers to the town of Passau with me.

The Growing Rock

This rock is a very strange phenomenon. Since the water coming of the hill above it has a very high calcium content, it was formed little by little over thousands of years, by water drying on its surface. Eventually, it grew until it took the shape it has today.

Thu

17 Aug

Anchorman in Passau

Rudi near the Rotel Hotel

St. Paul’s Cathedral in Passau

Fri

18 Aug

Burghausen

With a length of over 1000 meters and almost all of its medieval fortifications still intact, Burghausen is one of the most impressive and largest castle complexes in Europe. From 1255 on it was the second residence of the dukes of Lower Bavarian and the court of their consorts.

Silent Night Cathedral in Oberndorf, Austria

In 1816 in the small town of Lungau, Austria, Joseph Moor wrote the text of the well-known Christmas carol, Silent Night, in the form of a poem. Two years later, Franz Xaver Gruber composed the accompanying melody in Arnshausen. Near the chapel in this picture, in the St. Nicklaus church in the town of Oberndorf, Austria, near Salzburg, Silent Night was sung for the first time on Christmas Eve, in 1818. When I entered the chapel and saw the original text and music notes, is it any wonder that tears came to my eyes after having sung this song so many times before? 

Sat

19 Aug

Salzburg Castle

I’ve visited the city of Salzburg, Austria, many times before. It is the home of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the famous composer. When I arrived it was filled with thousands of tourists due to a music festival. Although I had orginally planned to stay here for a night, the campgrounds were overfilled and I decided to ride on south to Bertesgaden in the southeast corner of Germany. 

Arriving Late in Berchtesgaden