The Rhine and our first days in Germany

August 4, 2016

Ruth:  The Rhine River has been such a delightful surprise. It is a beautiful green tourquoise color and much cleaner than I expected.  For most of the distance that we cycled along the Rhine it is the border between Switzerland and Germany. We watched a man swim from one country to the other and we took many cross border walks to look at Switzerland. Add into the mix friendly people, great beer and good food and I must say I am loving Germany. 

My only complaint is the much higher cost for accommodation. Hotels seem to run at about 90€ with breakfast, which is why I am writing this from our tent.  We have spent the last three nights getting to know the German campground culture. The campgrounds are either full of eccentric German men who make their   journey to the washroom in all sorts of peculiar outfits, or swarms of unsupervised children. The campground last night was right on Lake Constance and had all sorts of amenities for the teeming hoards of children, but few of the things we would have appreciated. It seemed like the child to adult ratio was in the danger zone, but perhaps the parents were there, just hidden away in their 5 room tents or motor homes drinking.  We did take advantage of a fine Turkish restaurant on site. 

We survived last night in a tent in torrential rain, but it looks like the weather is improving. At a low point I booked a place for 110€ for tonight. That is a personal record for these two cheapies.