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Konstanz

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    • Day 44

      A Bloody Incident in Arbon

      September 30, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

      It was certainly a shocking and unexpected sight. As David made his appearance at the breakfast table, we could not help but notice that his arms and shirt were covered in blood. It is hard to know how to react in such circumstances. Do you just ignore the elephant in the room, or do you try to make light of the situation?

      I know that we were staying in a 700 year old establishment, and also that such establishments would undoubtedly harbour many dark secrets, but I had no idea that such things could influence the actions of someone in the enlightened 21st Century.

      Of added concern was the fact that Carol was yet to make her appearance. If our police inspector couple were still with us, I am sure that they would have been asking penetrating questions. We all know that marital relations can become strained on these protracted holidays, but none of our previous 49 trips had ever terminated with a murder.

      David finally noticed the strange looks all directed in his direction, and then explained that somehow in the middle of the night, he had ripped his arm open on his goose feather pillow. The resulting hemorrhage had left the sheets and pillows covered in blood. Now I had heard some far fetched stories in my time, and also met some mighty thin skinned Collingwood supporters, but this story really pushed the boundaries of credulity to the maximum.

      When Carol finally made her entrance, we were all a little relieved to see that she was still alive. Maybe there was some truth to David's story after all. In any case, David spent the rest of breakfast time, staring into space with a blank look of terror on his face. Apparently it was the time of the Grand Final in Melbourne, and he had somehow tuned his hearing aid into the Internet in order to follow the proceedings.

      This was all very well, but every time someone tried to talk to him, he replied with a huge shout. It was obvious that he had no idea of how loud he was talking. At one stage, the owner of the hotel down the street, came into the room to ask if we could keep the shouting down a little as his guests were getting rather unnerved at the noise.

      David did not finally settle until he announced that the final bell had sounded and that Collingwood had won by four points. I guess that sent thousands of bogan supporters into a toothless delirium. It was only later that I read that they only won because of an umpiring howler in the final 2 minutes of the game.

      We finally started riding on the last leg of our Lake Constance circuit at the later than usual time of 9.30am. It was a little sad that we would soon be parting company with these bikes that had served us so well. At least the weather was still perfect, although the sky was a little cloudier than the previous few days.

      The route itself held no great challenges, but the scenery was quite superb. At about the half way point, several of the women started demanding a toilet stop, after all they had ridden for over 15 km without a break. I tried to communicate this request to Gordon, but somehow the peloton split into two (and remained that way for the rest of the ride).

      The rear half of the group stopped at a lakeside cafe for coffee, cake and toilets, while the front half disappeared into the distance.

      All too soon we were rolling back into the familiar territory of Konstanz. We crossed the Swiss/German border without even noticing it, parked the bikes for the final time and went in search of lunch.

      Tomorrow, we have a very early start as we travel to Dijon. We will finally be leaving Germany and entering France - our home for the remainder of the trip.
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    • Day 39

      Crossing the Bodensee

      September 25, 2023 in Germany ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

      As much as we loved the time we had in Ulm, it was time for us to move on to the next stop on our journey. We will now be leaving the Danube and heading south to the famous Lake Constance. Our plan is to ride clockwise around this huge inland sea, starting and finishing in the city of Constance (or is it Konstanz ?).

      Our first task was to get our group of 8 and their huge pile of luggage from our hotel in the centre of Ulm, to the railway station. Due to our advancing ages and deteriorating state of health, the decision was made to order two taxis to help us get to the station without further ruining our bodies.

      After checking out of the hotel, we waited for the two taxis to arrive. We didn't have to wait long before two luxurious Mercedes Benz station wagons cruised to a stop near the front door. It looks like being a taxi driver is quite a prosperous occupation in Germany.

      We had been previously told by the helpful lady at hotel reception that the fare would be 8 Euro. Not bad we thought. The luggage was piled aboard, and soon we were on our way. During the short journey I had been watching the meter to make sure we were charged the correct amount. When we arrived at the station, the meter registered 9.70 Euros. This was a bit higher than we expected, but we could pay 10 Euro and thus allow a small tip.

      It was at that point that a quick push on a secret button somewhere magically doubled the price shown to almost 18 Euro. Strange but true. I have seen some shifty taxi operators in my time, but this was blatant extorsion. Carol also noticed the deception, but did not know what to say. We paid the inflated amount, but it really left a sour taste in our mouths. Now we knew how the taxi company could afford such expensive vehicles.

      When the second taxi pulled up, we found that their driver had only charged 12 Euro. Apparently his vehicle did not have the secret "daylight robbery" button.

      We managed to manhandle our luggage to the correct station platform, and then load it onto the correct train. That was the easy part. Finding our allocated seats and then finding anywhere to store our luggage - that was the real challenge. About 10 minutes was spent dangerously wobbling around the swaying carriage, while trying to locate a numbered seat and avoid falling into some random German's lap.

      Somehow we survived the 60 minute ride to Friedrichshafen, but it was a somewhat stressful trip. At the destination, we then had the challenge of having to quickly unload our mountain of luggage onto the platform. We were all glad to be out in the brilliant sunshine and fresh air.

      The next stage was to catch a ferry across Lake Constance (The Bodensee) to Constance city. That was a dream by comparison to the train trip. The voyage was smooth and fast, and 1 hour later we were walking off the boat in Constance.

      Although it was too early to check in to our hotel, we decided to at least drop our luggage there. It was only a short walk from the ferry terminal, and when we found the hotel, our luggage was not the only thing that was dropped. The opulence of the hotel entrance and foyer was not what we were expecting. The Budget Ibis it certainly was not.

      All around was polished wood, proclaiming a long and proud history. The breakfast room was enough to send the females into raptures and a session of rapid photo taking. I think it would be safe to say that everyone was happy.

      The rest of the day was spent wandering the area near the hotel. Initial impressions of the city were extremely favourable, and the location by the side of the lake was breathtaking.

      In the evening, the clear skies gave the 3/4 moon a chance for us to see how different it was from the moon we are familiar with in Australia.

      Tomorrow is a free day to further explore the area near Constance.
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    • Day 4

      4. Tag Tour zum Ravensburger Spieleland

      July 20, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

      Heute stehen wir ganz früh auf. Die längste Etappe steht heute an. 40km (davon 5km Fähre) Zu Beginn hat Colin ein Motivationsloch. Mit etwas Geduld radelt er den Rest vom Tag voraus und plaudert und singt immer etwas. Punkt 12 Uhr sind wir in Friedrichshafen. Auch den Rest der Strecke läuft abgesehen von einem Crash zwischen Leila und mir ziemlich gut.
      Colin und Leila freuen sich riesig alles im Spieleland zu entdecken.
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    • Day 3

      Insel Mainau

      July 19, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

      Heuts schlafen wir bis es zu heiss wird im Zelt. Nach Gipfeli, Saft und Cappucino brechen wir auf zur Insel Mainau. Heute ohne Gepäck. Die Kinder geniessen es im Anhänger chauffiert zu werden.
      Mit den Tickets erhalten wir eine Schatzkarte mit diversen Posten auf der Insel um ein Lösungswort zu finden. Dank dem Spiel kommen wir auch am Spielplatz zu beginn der Insel elegant vorbei. Die Blumen und Baumpracht ist ist unglaubllich. Das Schmetterlingshaus ist auch Kinderhighlight.
      Auf dem Rückweg dürfen sich LeiCol auf dem Spielplatz und Wasserpark austoben.
      Auf dem Rückweg um 18.00 holen wir eine Pizza und geniessen sie ajf unserem Camping am See. Anschliessend noch Bad und Abendstimmung....
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    • Day 2

      2. Tag Markelfingen -Litzelstetten

      July 18, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

      Vom Camping zum Wildtierpark ist es nur kurz dafür etwas bergauf.
      Bereits vor dem Eingang empfangenuns eine grosse Herde Hirsche kurz vor der fütterung. Um 11 Uhr sehen wir uns die Falkenshow mit Uhu und Adler an..Beeindrukend wir die Vögel mm über unseren Köpfen durchfliegen.
      Danach wagen wir uns auf den riesen Ringelklingel (Rutsche von PepaPig) Sogar mir rutscht das Herz etwas in die Hose. Nach dem Mittagessen kommt sogar noch ein unerwartetes Gewitter. Die letzten Regentropfen geniessen wir bei einer Züglirundfahrt und sehen noch Bär Wolf und Wildschwein.
      Die Tagesetappe bis Litzelstätten dauert doch noch läger als erwartet. Colin hat einen Sturz mit dem Velo dann ist die Motivation weg. Doch wir schaffen es noch zum Camping. Klein aber fein direkt am See. Zelt ist heut doppelt so schnell augestellt.Feines Nachtessen beim Italiener.
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    • Day 18

      Konstanz

      October 13, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

      Fui visitar a Iolanda e a Andreia a Konstanz. Apanhei o comboio bem cedinho, e, uma vez mais, deixei-me impressionar pela vista do Lago de Constança – é incrível como o regional para Basileia passa tão rentinho à água. Visitámos a Catedral, e a Andreia contou-me as histórias que tinha aprendido numa tour pela cidade. Almoçámos juntas em casa delas, e, depois, o Gui veio ter comigo e comemos um gelado juntos antes de regressar. Ficámos chocados quando o autocarro entrou no ferry. Tivemos uma vista privilegiada para o pôr-do-sol.Read more

    • Day 12

      Konstanz

      September 13, 2023 in Germany ⋅ 🌧 20 °C

      Our original plan when leaving Moena was to move on to Lake Garda but there is a need to return the hire car so a different destination is required and Lake Constance (Konstanz) seems to work so we are going there instead.Read more

    • Day 40

      A Trip to Mainau Island

      September 26, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

      Konstanz is an attractive city situated on the edge of Lake Constance (aka The Bodensee). It has a population of some 80,000 people and straddles the border between Germany and Switzerland. Its unique position was hugely significant during WW2, when the Germans heavily fortified the border to stop Jews and others from fleeing to neutral Switzerland.

      Today the border is easy to ignore. Apart from a sign advising that there are restrictions in carrying certain goods across the border to Switzerland, there are no other obvious reminders that you have entered a foreign country.

      Today was our "free day" in Konstanz. We could spend it any way we chose, however our entire group decided to use the time visiting nearby Mainau Island. This island lies just off the coast of the lake and is situated about 10 km from the centre of Konstanz. When we told the hotel receptionist about our plans, she helpfully handed each of us a free bus pass. That was a surprise, and a big contrast to the pirate taxi we had been fleeced by in Ulm.

      A short time later we were sharing the bus ride with a whole load of noisy secondary students and their hard working teachers. And guess where they were all heading ? To the same place we were.

      Mainau Island is now a large botanical garden, with acres of manicured lawns, flower gardens and even a Baroque Palace. While you might normally expect such botanical gardens to be free, we were somewhat stunned when we discovered that we would have to stump up the outrageous sum of 26 Euro each (about $50). And that was for the Seniors' Discount. There went our entire budget for the day.

      Fortunately the steep entrance fee was (almost) worth it. The place certainly was beautiful, and the views out over the fog bound Lake Constance were magical. I had to admit it was unlike any other place we had visited during this trip, especially the butterfly enclosure where we were attacked by hundreds of giant carnivorous flying insects.

      After 4 hours wandering Mainau Island we were positively exhausted. It was time to head for the peace of our hotel room. Unfortunately, the return bus was even more packed than the outward one. This seems to have become a feature of public transport during this trip. I am not looking forward to the bus and train transfers that we have to endure over the next couple of weeks.

      Late in the afternoon we decided to dine in that fine Scottish Restaurant called McDonalds. It might not be Michelin starred, but at least it did not break what's left of my flagging financial resources.

      Tomorrow, we depart this city and get back on the bikes for a 4 day circumnavigation around Lake Constance. The weather continues to be absolutely perfect, and is predicted to remain so for the forseeable future.
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    • Day 1

      Camino de Santiago

      September 7, 2022 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

      Day 0 - Quick stopover in Konstanz, Germany first to visit some great friends. Off to France today ✈️

    • Day 2

      Cafe Gladina

      September 29, 2018 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

      Erst mal frühstücken. 😋
      Viel und gut, mit „Traubensaft“!

      Wir googeln unsere Gastgeber und stellen fest, das beide Ärzte sind. Das erklärt auch, warum der Sohn Medizin studiert.

      Als Fachärzte haben die sicher ihr Gutes Einkommen. Da stellt sich uns die Frage, warum die wohl das Zimmer vermieten. Das Geld wird wohl nicht der Hauptgrund sein.Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Konstanz, Universitätsstadt, Universitaetsstadt, Constance

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