June 16, 2018

The campsite had filled in quite a lot overnight. This 1960’s VW had arrived and is in excellent condition, I want one. 

A lazy start to the day, breakfast and coffee in the camp kitchen. At about 9:30 we took the train into Cologne. It cost us E13 for the two of us return, however, we could have hopped on and off the UBahn or underground all day for the same price.

As we crossed the bridge to get to the train we noticed workers scrubbing the graffiti from the glass walls. The graffiti was new and they were scrubbing it off with very strong chemicals.

We headed straight to the Globetrotter Store. A huge outdoor store that included a pool so that you could test your canoe or dive equipment! We bought the Europe road maps for Ralf’s Garmin and they are working!!! Unfortunately, they do not show the cycle paths, but we managed on all of our other trips with road maps. If we need to make a direct route we can follow the Garmin. I think we might be making our own routes.

We also bought the Donau maps for our trip across the Danube to Passau. The store was amazing and we could have spent a fortune in there, but we are limited to how much we can carry and really we have everything we need. Except maybe a glass of wine!

After getting the maps and the garmin maps we found a phone shop. Yes, the Canadian phone is locked. We bought a cheap E17.99 phone that we can text and call (an idiot phone). Ralf sent a message to Renate and she called us so we know it works. We really only need a phone to call warmshowers hosts or in an emergency.

After we got the necessities done we became tourists. The Cathedral is huge and of course is undergoing some renovations. The Dom was built in 1248-1473, further work was added from 1840 -1880 and then renovations after the war in the 1950s to the present day. The Cathedral has 11 bells and two spires with a total height o 157 m (515 ft. There was no charge to go in, however you could pay for a guided tour.

We spent some time drinking ice coffee and watching people. There are several pedestrian only areas where you can sit and while away the day shopping, eating and drinking.

There were a lot of buskers around ranging from African dancers to a young German playing small steel drums, they had a really nice sound.

It is amazing the things you learn as you walk the streets.

and the strange things you see when you look up.

About three o’clock we returned to the campsite.

We chatted to another cyclist who is heading north and he told us the route further south is much nicer and easier to follow. He then gave us his maps that he used and does not need them any longer. He had already bought maps for his route north. He is heading home to the Faroe Islands via Denmark. He is trying to follow the Eurovelo routes and planning his route via a large map and his cell phone with maps.me. He asked about one area which didn’t show any roads or trails and had hash marks across a wide area. It was around Paderborn. Ralf said it looked like a restricted area. I remembered my Dad being stationed in that area so I told him there used to be a British Army base there, which is probably why there may still be some restrictions to going through that area. We wished him luck on his journey.

We now have maps, a phone and the Garmin – we should be good heading south, forever the optimist.

Currently we are listening to some god awful music and kids running around in the rain!!

We are in our tent hoping that it doesn’t leak as it is raining. We have got an almost new fly and the inner is new thanks to Big Agnes. Our new sleeping blankets are working well, lots of down filling. Again we were sent new ones from Thermarest as the filling kept falling to the sides on the old ones.

It is supposed to stop raining and be a nice day tomorrow.