Freiburg

Had an early start from baden baden to head towards Freiburg for 2 nights. After a 5hr 30 drive with a brief fuel and peach ice tea stop, we made a small detour for a dip in lake Opfinger See. Lovely lake with many ducks and geese. The latter doing many belly flops into the lake. Not the most graceful of birds. Arrived at Buses campsite just after 2pm, approx. 5km from Freiburgs city centre. Having parked and unloaded the bikes we headed for the city with separated bike paths the entire way. We wish ireland was more like this.

We parked the bikes at the augustinerplatz and started to explore. This involved some beers, flamkuchen (a German pizza style flatbread) for jo, and schnitzel for bill, coffees, and our first look at the Freiburger Münster Cathedral. Completed in the Middle Ages, it miraculously has lasted till the present, surviving the bombing raids of November 1944, which destroyed all of the houses on the west and north side of the market. An impressive structure with a 116m spire and its oldest surving 3.27tonne bell, hosanna. Nobody seems to know who is the maker and there is no other like it known.

We add climbing the spire to tomorrow's list and continue on exploring the beautiful streets, shops and making the odd stop at any interesting bars we find along the way. Find a great little bar called Schnatnel where we discovered 'Colawein' a Cola/beer radler (will definitely be making these in the future) and sat outside next to a little table on the ground amongst 'The Freiburg Bächle'. Fed by the Dreisam River, the water runnels flow through countless narrow streets in Freiburg’s Old Town.
Since the 12th century, the flat paved gutters supplied the city with water for drinking, fighting fires and other uses. According to local legend, any single person who accidentally stumbles into a Bächle will go on to marry a Frieburger. Luckily, we managed to avoid.

Having had one last stop in 'Flamingo' a very cool punk bar on our cycle home, we headed back to the campsite around midnight with a lovely new souvenir, a 'Ganter' local breweries glass in tow.

We wake up a little worse for wear around 8.45 and have a relaxed morning involving showers, coffee, and more coffee, and finally some van admin before setting off for the city again.

Our first stop is back to the main square munsterplatz, a market directly outside the cathedral as i had heard about (and was very excited about) a tofu van that sold apparently excellent vegan bratwurst, and was not dossappinted. Bill had a non vegan bratwurst, (which he was also very happy about) and we manged to find a tiny corner of shade to eat them in with some coffee/iced rhubarb lemonade.

We then climbed the almost 300 steps to the top of the cathedral spire, just in time to hear and see the bells ringing. Amazing views from the top accross the city and over to schlossberg.

The rest of the day involved a little shopping, some out there cocktails and seeing many of the various sites accross the city including the blue bridge, the old Synagogue plaza and memorial fountain, the University and the lively student centred Sedan District.

After a some food and a beer we cycled back to the campsite to sit outside with a glass of wine, until the rain arrived informing us that it was time for bed.Read more