AU REVOIR BALKANS-BONJOUR TRIESTE

28th September 2016

(I do like that heading)
Short run to Sistiana in Italy, just past Trieste. Leave Croatia, enter Slovenia and upset the border guards. Leaving Croatia,  nobody in the booth, they don't care who's going. 100 yds later hit the queue to enter Slovenia. ...watch the Croatian hire car in front get turned over for 15 minutes  then it's us and a languid wave through  from a disembodied arm. Now, there r 2 booths, 10ft apart. We've just shown our passports at the first ,been ignored and waved on. So I go. And all hell breaks loose with previously unseen armed heavies suddenly shouting Stop Stop and running around us as if we'd tried to crash the roadblock in Aleppo.  As I'm only doing 3 mph stopping is not a problem but we are subjected to a tirade about 2 stops and our passports are taken for an in depth investigation and only grudgingly returned when we don't appear on the terrorist database. Being a pragmatist I aplogise profusely  and fail to call them wankers and jobsworths or question why they require 2 booths and ask what the 2nd booth does that the first one didn't. We smile and are waved through.
Note. The motorway out of Croatia is listed as non toll. It now has a toll station at the border wanting 15 kuna in cash ......Luckily when I changed all our kuna into euros yesterday I was left with 100, which we used for a drink as we watched the sunset in town and I had 30 left. So 16 miles of Slovenia then we join the Italian motorway at Trieste (I do think that heading is funny) and leave it at Sistiana where there is a campsite we stopped at with P&M on our way to Croatia.  Nice site on the cliffs above the Adriatic with views down the Croatian coastline forever.  Nice walk along the cliffs and the GF rewards herself at the bar with a glass of Prosecco and then buys 3 bottles in the shop....but they are only 25cl each.

The GF enjoys a coffee in SELCE

AN UNEXPECTED CHARMER....

27th.September 2016

26th- 27th September

We leave ZADAR (regrettably ) and take the Adriatic Highway up the coast in glorious sunshine..the sea is a shimmering pale blue turning to emerald as the rocks of the islands offshore change colour. Every bend reveals a new vista and aspect and it is a seriously  good road to drive. The scenery is dramatic rather than picturesque and most of the time we are 2-300 ft above the sea level so you can see for miles . Fortunately the bikers have disappeared so we encounter no idiots with headcams filming their death in a head on collision as they take the racing line through a blind bend and meet a Motorhome on the apex. The only heartstopper is a white Mercedes queue jumping a line of traffic and which may have required him to seek a change of underpants. We head towards Rijeka and an ACSI site that the Caravan Club book is scathing of at the town of Selce. As we near, we check out possible sites in case we have to find something else. At first glance, Camping Selce is not doing itself any favours; a bit run down and  a lot of permanents dug in. But they talk nice and have a washing machine which Zadar didn't so we book in. Explorations reveal a hidden gem. The lower end of the site overlooks the sea with views across to the island of Krk where we went last time, and has access to a lovely promenade along to the town and beyond, lined with bars and restaurants. We have an excellent walk, so much so that we do it again the next day only further .
The washing machines are required as the GF has housekeeping duties (pink jobs) to perform which entail me getting up at 7.30 and lugging 2 large bags of laundry down the hill , returning 40 mins later to lug them back up the hill,erect 2 washing lines and the carousel and peg out the clothes, (avoiding blackbirds and protecting nose). These are blue jobs.We look like a gypsy camp with washing drying every where as it has been 2 weeks since the last attack but it's all dry by 2pm. So the town of Selce is an exceedingly nice resort although it is closing down for the winter everywhere you turn despite a good many holidaymakers still lounging about in the sunshine. I sometimes despair of Johnny Foreigner and his eagerness to shut up shop for the season....the campsite at Zadar closes on Friday, and this one 2 weeks later. Our route home depends on which sites are open despite the roads being full of motorhomes heading south......
So we shall leave Croatia tomorrow, and have ticked another box by doing the whole of the coast road. In fact, what with Bled,Ljubljana, Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik,  we have ticked quite a lot of boxes in the last month and had an exceedingly good time , only disappointed that we didn't get to share it with Ken & Jackie....

And ABC sunset

ABC Sunset....

UNDER THE RADAR IN ZADAR....not technically but it scans nicely

2 5th.September 2016

23rd- 25th. September

We leave Dubrovnik and eschew the toll road in favour of the  Adriatic Highway up the coast back to Split and on up to ZADAR. This road is terrific, and with a clear blue sky the sea is a wonderful colour. Every turn in the road brings a new vista and wow factor. Obviously it takes longer than the motorway but the drive is well worth th extra time. Find campsite Borik which is nearer the town than the ACSI sites and which has a fairly poor write up in the Caravan Club book, altough the review is dated 2013. It hasn't improved. Ridiculously, the location is superb, running down to a beach with a great promenade and bars, but the facilities are crap and it's not cheap. We get pitch right by the shore at extra cost after we find that we can cycle into centre in 20 mins and that the wifi is good although at a price. Also nice grill restaurant nearby with open bbq.
24th
Cycle into town easily along the waterfront and have a cracking day just wandering around. We came here in 2012 by bus when staying at Starigrad with D&M and P&M and always wanted to return.  We are not disappointed and I want to come and live here. The old town waterfront is probably the nicest and most elegant promenade you'll ever find. ....and at one end is the Sea Organ where the sea water funnels into organ pipes to produce a most amazing effect. We spend a lot of time sitting and watching
25th
Have lunch at the local grill on a terrace. Excellent meal, lovely service and charming people. Cycle back into town again afterwards as it so nice and I pick up a couple of caches along the front. Weather is perfect,  sunsets are to die for.......Alfred Hitchcock said the sunsets were the best in the world and always came here if he needed to film one. We shall probably only have one more night in Croatia on Monday as we start to slowly move north.

....don't get much better

ANOTHER BLOODY CROATIAN SUNSET.....don't you just love ' em....Quote A. Hitchcock (director,deceased )

The view from the van in Zadar

CROATIAN SUNSET in ZADAR

2 GREAT DAYS IN DUBROVNIK. ....TOP SPOT

22nd September 2016

21st- 22nd September

As our sojourn here has been curtailed due to the campsite/prices, we have to pack in as much as we can. We last passed this way in 1987 when it was still communist and our cruise ship gave us an afternoon to explore on our own with dire warnings to behave. I've told the story so many times of how difficult it was spend the 30,000 dinars or something that I had received in London for my £5 which in 1987 I deemed would be enough to buy 2 coffees (in fact 2 coffees and 2 cakes cost 2000 wotsits leaving me with 28000 to get rid of in 2 hours....but you've all heard the story......)
So up with the sun and bus to town, about 15 mins, and very pretty it all was. Most buses terminate at entrance to walled city, along with coaches and cruise line shuttles so chaos reigns. The city already has a traffic problem, never having been built to accommodate the motor car and is now like Venice, sinking under the daily influx of tourists. The area is a riot of booths selling a million and one types of tour,visit,excursion,experience and adventure and you have to run the gauntlet of being accosted just to get to the tourist office. We have seen audio guides advertised and expect the tourist office to hire them, but the empty office is explained when we are told to go back outside and find a booth.....private enterprise is alive and well and encouraged in the former Socialist Republic of Croatia. We battle through the hordes and find a nice young lady who obliges with 2 Sony MP3 players, a map and explicit instructions for the 2 tours included in the 60kuna price( £7.50each)...a tour of the city walls which completely encircle the old town and a tour of the old town.
We head through the gates and  gain access to the city walls (another 120 kuna or £15 each ). The audio guide is good, very informative and lots of background info on the historical setting. The complete circuit takes about 2.5hrs with much climbing up and down steps.....no disabled concessions here.  The crowds are immense and the sun is hot enough to keep me on water rather than beer. Completing the tour, we buy excellent sandwiches and eat them sitting on the harbour wall in the shade. We attack the town in the afternoon, the audio guide again doing a sterling job...the section on the Serbo- Croat war and the 1991 siege of Dubrovnik is superb and details the shelling of the city and the destruction of many monuments, all of which have subsequently been rebuilt and restored. We are exhausted by 5pm and I have to have a beer....a beer and a soft drink for the lady cost £9. It's not a cheap city but it's lovely. The same 500ml bottle of beer costs 90p in the camp shop so I have 2 when we get back...
Next dawns just as bright and sunny and we have decided to walk into the city as there are interesting things to see on the way and the tomtom shows the walking route as a mere 4 kms and it takes about 45 mins and is very pleasant . As we have done the cultural / historical bit, today is just about wandering up and down the narrow streets and passages and soak in the whole thing.  I love it. 30 years ago we never saw any of this....there were no shops or restaurants....now it is wall to wall mass marketing and tourism on a huge scale but the fabric of the old town is completely unspoilt. ...nothing has been allowed to be developed so all the facades are untainted with shop signs or advertising,  those are all in the windows or doorways so as you look down the street you see the buildings as they have been for hundreds of years. Love it. Looking for a cache we discover a bar on the rocks under the city walls which has a view to die for.....people queue to get a seat, and the same beer and soft drink costs another £9.
We have lunch in excellent street of a thousand restaurants which only costs an arm and not the leg and spend hours walking around in the afternoon.
Are tired so get the bus back to campsite.....overloaded buses are a fact of life it seems, car parking is more a case of abandoning your vehicle wherever there's an inch of pavement
We feel we've done Dubrovnik,  I'd certainly return, even in a hotel.

Another view

TOP BEER STOP

This has to be my number 2 spot for enjoying a beer....thro a hole in the wall,down breakneck steps carved in rock to a bar perched in the rocks below the city wall. Pictures don't do it justice.

City Walls. DUBROVNIK

Let's do a selfie

Hmm. ...not sure about this for a lunch stop

GF on the city walls

Dubrovnik. ...Ace place

SPLIT DECISION.....DO WE LIKE IT OR NOT?

20th.September 2016

17th -19th September

The campsite is OK,  good facilities and a weird bracelet tag that entitles you to 3 (three) 7 minute  showers a day.....more are charged for at 2 kuna (8.84 to he £). However the water is v.hot and the place is spotless . We are 7km outside city (2nd largest )and the bus timetable defeats us. We could ask but decide to cycle. ......Split doesn't do bikes. No cycle paths or lanes.....and when you want to park your bike- nightmare.
So we set off from campsite armed with directions and map, both of which are either erroneous  or misleading. At least we don't have to cycle down the dual carriageway but the side roads are not bike friendly. Croatians don't like bikes and make it clear that you shouldn't be on their roads. The wide path beside the road along the beachfront seemed inviting but pedestrians string out across it to stop you passing quite deliberately and refuse to give way when walking towards you, so we go back on the narrow road where cars give you no room.....
The beachfront is sad and scrubby, not very busy and is frankly disappointing.
Eventually find town centre or the seafront harbour where the Diocletian palace dominates and things perk up. 3 huge cruise ships in the port, traffic at a standstill, very chic promenade and NOWHERE TO PARK YOUR BIKE. It took us over half an hour to find a bit of railing to chain the bikes to ...even asked the rickshaw guys where we could park and they just laughed and said Split hates bikes. Trying to walk bikes through hordes of tourists looking for a bike rack is not fun on a Sunday in Split. Eventually we spot a place and proceed on foot. The palace is fantastic, amazing that so much survives and is home to so many shops and bars. We walk around for ages......only stopping to have a beer when we have a few showers......it is hot and thunderstorms predicted arrive in the evening. With hindsight, the best thing would have been to hire a private guide for a 1 to 1 tour as I'm sure we missed a lot of detail. The thought of cycling back in the next day was depressing and as it turned out it rained a lot anyway....
Both agreed that the information office needed to do an Audio Guide for an individual  walking tour and is missing a trick by not having one. Anyway, it's a fascinating place, just not sure about the rest of it.....another victim of its own success like Venice.
Monday rained a lot after thunderstorms. When it cleared we walked into the local town along the seafront and then back to campsite for a drink on the very fine terrace the bar & restaurant has overlooking the bay. The like - dislike debate rages long into the evening and we
probably give it all a grudging thumbs up.

20th.September

Justin is in Kazakhstan.  How cool is that? Hope he gets a stamp in the passport....and if he finds a cache that a great souvenir.
We've done Split....probably not enough but Dubrovnik beckons. Decide to go down via the motorway to Ploce (where it stops suddenly, even though the signs say keep going but the concrete bollards say no)even though we know I might be expensive. ....but it saves 2 hours, is a great piece of engineering and eventually only costs 71kuna ( £9)...
After Ploce the road rejoins the Adriatic Highway, and we will return up the the highway to Split .....
The journey is now a lot slower but mor interesting.  First th rough a valley of fruit farms and roadside stalls every 100 yds selling mainly big bags of mandarins which we stop and buy along with melons and peaches.
Then we hit the coast and the scenery is stunning and the driving standards scary....no wonder it figures on the dangerous roads lists....
Next up is the Bosnian Corridor. Waved through the border posts with a languid motion from a disembodied hand so beloved by bored border protection staff throughout Europe with not even a glance at the passports the GF holds out....and so we enter Bosnia Herzegovina. ...and leave it 6 miles later in similar fashion. The whole 6 miles seems to consist of a straggling town called Neum whose sole raison d'etre apears to be to give B-H a coastline for some reason. Anyway, we're not insured from this incursion and it used be shelled regularly during the Serbo - Croat  war in the 90's.....but we emerge unscathed back into Croatia and a last 20 mile run to Dubrovnik.  Have eschewed the ACSI site 16ks outside town as it is obvious that with the mountainous terrain, cycling will not be an option, and opted for a site close to centre....the 5 day stopover takes a dive when they quote €40 a night eventually reduced to €34 for 6 nights..double the cost of the ACSI site. So we agree on 3 nights for €36....and it's not a particularly nice site, just in a great position above the Copacabana beach which is something  else....I'll try and get a picture.

We Arrive In Dubrovnik...

Along with a lot of others....

ZAGREB...NOT QUITE SO NICE

18th . September 2016

15th- 16th September

Down the motorway and through 2 toll stations without setting off any alarms or being chased.....whether or not something turns up in the post remains to be seen(just had a bill for £12.40 from the Norwegian motoways authority for tolls, but it was expected as we had had to pre register our number plate and details). It's only 120 kms to Zagreb so there in time for lunch. Pretty little campsite on Lake with excellent facilities. Had intended staying one night and doing Zagreb in the afternoon but getting into city a bit more complicated and involving 14km cycle ride in the heat or using the camp shuttle bus to rail station at 9am in the morning with return pickup at 4pm. The latter seemed far more sensible so hence we stayed 2 nights. Shuttle at 9am and shown where to buy tickets, where to return to and which train to catch to meet the shuttle bus. Very efficient as Serbo Croat is a difficult language and I haven't got past  pivo for beer yet. The 20 min ride to city centre was 23 kuna return (£3) each which seemed very reasonable.
First impressions not especially good. Horrendous graffiti everywhere and very shabby and run down buildings. There are some lovely buildings but they have been neglected. Nice looking tram system. Walk to centre where things improve somewhat but not as charming as Ljubljana. Find 4 geocaches  and a nice place for lunch.  The beer is good. Explore the markets and byways; very nice cathedral. Overall, not as grim as first impressions but I doubt we'll pass this way again. Negotiated the station and caught correct train back to where we started.
We appear to have had an invasion of mosquitos from the Ljubljana site and spent most of one night trying to fight them off....finally found a can of Raid in the local supermarket and sealed the van up after spraying half the contents around and leaving for an hour. It has seemed to do the trick but we are both suffering multiple very itchy bites and have started the second tube of bite cream..Thunderstorm overnight.

1 7th.September

Had intended stopping one night around Plitvice  using the mainly non toll roads to reach SPLIT, a drive of just over 400kms from Zagreb but having decided that we will go on to Dubrovnik it seemed sensible to get to Split, where we want to spend a few days, sooner rather than later. Consequently we took the motorway for the whole 400kms and had to pay a toll of 399 kuna,around £50. However, it saved an overnight camp and took 5hrs driving as opposed to probably 7+ so it's not so bad....and probably a better mpg on the motorway.  (Diesel is £1 a litre here).
So arrived Split 1pm, blazing hot, site at Stobrec,on the beach about 7km from centre. Very busy and vans queuing to check in. All the nice beach front pitches are filled by Germans of course, up to 3 rows back and the rest of us have to take what's left.....bit unfair as the pitches are large and back from the front are shaded by trees which is highly desirable.

Anyway, it seems OK and we can cycle to city....although it has now started raining and another thunderstorm.

LAKE BLED.....TOP SPOT,A WEIRD ENCOUNTER IN LIDL'S CARPARK & LJUBLJANA

E1 4th.September 2016

9th- 13th September
Lake Bled is a gorgeous spot, smaller than I anticipated but exceedingly pleasant. Camping Lake Bled is run by the Sava hotel group which has several prestigious establishments in the vicinity  and despite the size is run to exacting standards which have to place it high in the lists. Could  not fault the facilities (even washers and dryers were cheap for the laundry )and considering the diverse range of nationalities everything was remarkably clean. Everybody we spoke to commented on the standards.
The lake is only about 5.5 miles round and the cycle track is more a walking track at the weekend.....we first tried it on Saturday and gave up and had a beer. On Monday it was much nicer, and on Tuesday we did a 22 mile cycle route in the countryside which was a bit hard going for 'medium' but we found a great bar in the middle of nowhere that  brewed it's own beer, a pint of which was just what was needed on a bakingly hot day.  The route through small villages ands along the Sava River was scenic and an interesting insight into rural Slovenia.
We also stumbled on the Kafe Belvedere by chance, a wonderful cafe terrace overlooking the lake and where Tito entertained Heads of State. It is beautifully preserved and awesome to be in the same rooms where so many (in)famous people were and where so much must have been discussed.
The campsite boasted an excellent restaurant that we used twice......good substantial food and large portions. Can certainly recommend Bled a a holiday destination. ....prices always reasonable and some great beers with a view.

14th September
Rather than catch a bus to Ljubljana, only 48kms away but 1.5 hrs, we pick something out of Camperstop close to centre..a Motorhome Hotel stopover, and head there. Stop at Lidl's to restock, and return to van to find a bloke hopping up and down in front of the van....he turns out to be English and he was the owner of the van fom new and before us......weird coincidence or what, a thousand miles from the UK. ! Much laughter and stories whilst our ice cream melts in the trolley and he takes  picture of us all.....no I did not feel it necessary to take a picture. Even stranger, they had been staying on the same campsite as us for the last week.

On to Ljubljana avoiding motorway.....much discussion about necessity for vignettes for being over 3.5 t and paying tolls at commercial truck rates which are high....eventually decide that all motorhomes qualify for vignette rate irrespective of weight which means buying one for €15 for 7 days rather than pay the commercial tolls to Zagreb of €62 where we are going tomorrow. ...so buy vignette at garage when cycling into town.

LJUBLJANA.  Ace city. We find our hotel stopover.....many hotels have a parking area for motorhomes with full facilities,  excellent choice just 2.5 miles from centre, with excellent dedicated cycle paths. University city, very bike friendly. And it apears to be about 2 square miles  of bars and restaurants.  The old centre is quite small but perfectly formed along both banks of the narrow river. The cathedral is superb and the whole place is delightful....English is the lingua franca and there is lots of beer to be had. This is definitely a bteam city break long weekend venue which we will certainly return to, hopefully with friends..?...?
Being in possession of a vignette we shall motorway to Croatia tomorrow and see if ZAGREB is as nice.

Lake Bled from on high

Another view from a mountainside whilst searching unsuccessfully for a cache, but a great view.

Lake Bled

From the terrace of the Kafe Belvedere where Tito  used to entertain heads of state. The walls  are lined with photos from the Cold War, of Tito with all the usual suspects.  A tucked away place which we stumbled across whilst looking for a cache but must rate as a top 10 beer stop.

KinderDike nr Ablassardam

Cochem in Moselle Valley

Breakfast in Dolomites

Flooded Village..Reschen

THAT'S A BIT STEEP...HELLO SLOVENIA

9th September 2016

I had assumed that after Kotschach, it would be an easy run to Lake Bled,but we all know what assumptions do. The problem was we were in a great long valley with great high mountains either side and I thought there was a road on the map which followed the motorway. ...which we can't use without buying an Austrian Go Box and giving them permission to charge a credit card whenever they wanted with whatever they wanted. However, the Tomtom said this road no longer existed and we would have to take the Wurzen Pass. As this road was so busy, the Tomtom had to be right as no one would use it if there was an easier alternative. I looked it up in the Caravan Club book on mountain passes.....prohibited to caravans all year,minimum width 4m (we are 2.4m,mirrors folded)and constant gradient 20% or 1in5. With sinking heart I Youtubed it (there's always a biker video of every dodgy road somewhere )and it didn't look too bad. No apparent tunnels or hairpin; the gradient wasn't really apparent but the road surface circa 2013 was horrendous. In reality, the surface on the Austrian side had got worse (up) and narrower on the Slovenian side (down)
The gradient had to be seen to be believed and the automatic couldn't handle it, even in Hill Mode. Fortunately the gear box has a semi - auto mode which I've never used until today as 2 nd gear was needed most of the time up and down. The good thing was that it was only 3.6km up and 3.8km down and we didn't meet anything except cars and bikers (hundreds)although we passed several big motorhomes and a lorry or 2 after the descent which I'm very glad we hadn't met earlier. Border post at the top but the only activity was on the other side of the road checking entry into Austria.  From there a straightforward and pleasant run through a valley to Lake Bled which is berserk with holidaymakers but every bit as scenic as we hoped. Stopping at Camping Lake Bled just 2.5kms outside on Lake and cycle path.  Site seemed to be heaving but it was the last of the 12 o'clock checkouts at reception. No problem to find nice pitch and settle in for a week.....with excellent free WiFi.

ALPS TO THE DOLOMITES AVOIDING TOLLS

8th September 2016

6th.September
Drove down to FÜSSEN and into Austria, in low cloudy drizzle , which cleared after we left the long tunnel before Nassereith, and we emerged into sunshine and warmth. A nice easy day and stopped in RIED IM  OBERINNTAL, a pretty little village and nice ACSI campsite, although the addition of €2.20 tourist tax  and €3.20 garbage tax to the €17 fee seemed a bit steep.. however there was a nice supermarket to replenish beer and wine.

7th.September
Another easy drive out of Austria into Italy....amazing how the neatness and orderliness of Austria disintegrates into the messy ramshackleness of Italy within a hundred yards of crossing the border. You know immediately that you're in another country. Stopped at the hydro electric reservoir at Reschen for coffee and look at the church steeple that still pokes out of the water after the villages were flooded between 1940/50 (it took a long time to build)and from reading the displays it still causes a lot of resentment as no one was ever compensated. Over the Reschen Pass into Italy, still a wonderful scenic drive and through nils of apple orchards as you travel south and down. Since FÜSSEN  the traffic has been nose to tail both ways, not least with bikers of all descriptions but mainly of the Harley Davidson variety. Have never seen so many in such large packs. To BOLZANO, best avoided, and then took the non - toll road which ran under,over and across the A22 motorway heading back up the Brenner Pass to Innsbruck. We have to head back north for a while to pick up the route to Slovenia. We stop at CHIUSA KLAUSEN...every town and village has 2 names herd in the South Tyrol, one Italian and one Austrian and all the shops and hotels have 2 descriptions. Obviously an identity crisis but wonderful for printers and sign writers. Confuses the hell out of the tomtom. Anyway we are looking for an Aire at Chiusa, but only find the campsite. After fainting when he asks for €39.80 to stay the night, I spot a notice about  a Stellplatz ( which is listed in the 2016 Camperstop book) and raise an eyebrow. It has been moved from outside the campsite to 100 yds away by the station but  only (only!) costs €16.90....a ridiculous price but better than €39.80. So we pay the money, get a passkey and stay there...exceedingly hot weather. Walk to village as the GF demands Prosecco, which is extraordinarily pretty and upmarket.

8th . September
Hot night. Leave CHIUSA,  non toll road back into Austria at San Candid,  and again the difference in the state of the countryside,the houses,villages and roads is remarkable within a mile. Also price of diesel. ...Italy  €1.45 Austria  €1.07. The queues at the 2 stations on the Austrian side of the border were enormous for obvious reasons. Lovely drive despite being besieged by bikers like wasps buzzing around.....again the traffic is constant, no doubt due to the lack of tolls. Also lots of cyclists on the cycle tracks which criss cross the valley. Lovely views of the Dolomites. At Oberdrauberg, we turn off the 100 onto the 111 and cross the Gailbergsattel Pass and drop down to KÖTSCHACH where we stay at an excellent campsite, Alpencamp Karten.

JOYS OF THE MOSELLE......AND BICYCLE DISASTER

5th.September 2016

3rd . September

We had thought to explore the river the other way but decided that as the road downriver  to BERNKASTEL was sure to be a delight it would be best travelled on a nice sunny day and as Sunday was forecast to be raining, we should depart forthwith. Another good decision,  as it did indeed rain on Sunday, and on Saturday we had a terrific drive through wonderful scenery in glorious weather. Can thoroughly recommend the road from Koblenz to Bernkastel that follows the river as a great drive and one which we will repeat.  Lots of campsites and even more aires.
Our destination was WEHLAN,  about 4km from  Bernkastel where we found an Aire in a vineyard overlooking the river and on the cycle path.
Bernkastel is a delightful town and the first weekend in September is Wine Fest so our decision to head into town for lunch was another inspired choice. The town was en fĕte with wall to wall market stalls mainly offering large glasses of wine for ridiculously small amounts of coinage and wandering bands of musicians on every street corner. ....our biggest problem was finding a spare railing or post to chain the bikes to.
Recalling our first days at college and dredging the depths to remember the lectures of Billy Land (r.i.p.), I decided to educate the palate by sampling the variety on offer in order to better aquaint myself with the differences between äuslese,spätlese, trocken, beerentrocken,
beerentrocken äuslese, beerentrocken spätlese etc etc....unfortunately I had misjudged the size of glass being offered...a generously overfilled 20cl for 1 or 2 euro ...and by the beerentrocken I was past caring so we went for lunch at a jolly good hotel, on a terrace overlooking the main street and watched the festivities as we had a jolly good lunch and plenty of spätlese or äuslese. .....it's the sort of place that gives white wine a good name. And we spent the afternoon wobbling round the town before cycling back. Excellent day.

4th.September

As forecast, it rained. So we drove south to ULM, or 30km south actually to ILLERTISSEN.  Horrendous road works and nose to tail traffic heading north, last holiday weekend of course and everyone going home. Another good decision as we avoided all the freight lorries by driving on sunday.

5th.September

Having had a long day driving decided to have an easy day of rest.  This was yet another inspired choice. After late breakfast, planned to cycle into town and restock at Lidl only to discover that I had lost the Bosch control unit that operates the ebike. I love this bike to bits (even now) but I have always had a nagging worry that there was a lot to go wrong which could prove problematic and losing the plug in controller would be like losing an ignition key.
I think I rested it on the towbar whilst putting the bikes on the bike rack after too much äuslese and then forgot to pick it up. Anyway, whilst an ordinary ebike with with a Bosch system would still be rideable, not turning the electrics on on my bike means that the automatic gear system does not function and the gear remains on its lowest setting making forward propulsion exceedingly difficult and impossible over any distance. Fortunately,  if the system was going to go tits up, Germany was the place for it to happen.  Rang Riess & Muller who make the bike who assured me all I needed was a Bosch agent but who also had a dealer in Ulm who gave me the number for a bosch shop in Illertissen who was closed for holidays. But he spoke no english but good enough to ascertain what I had lost and had the necessary in stock.  Ulm was only 30 km away so we went hot foot, parked in a side street and not only got sorted but had a quick service and software update so that it's even better than before for a mere €110...... hey, if I was in the UK, I wouldn't have a bike to ride this month.
New arrival on the site this evening was a very pleasant couple from UK .......front tyre blow out on motorway stripped panels round wheel arch and the mirror. Bit of a mess.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN....best laid plans

3rd . Sept 2016, BURGER,  Germany

Sunday 28th August

We set  sail a week later than planned having postponed the trip to Dubrovnik with Ken & Jackie due to the sad and untimely death of our dear friend Marion who passed away on August 13th.
We both wanted to attend the funeral so put our departure  back a week only to find that Jackie's  sister was terminally ill and they would be delaying their departure as well. So we said goodbye to Marion on 26th August at a very emotional family funeral along with other friends from Conil. We re booked to sail on the 28th. and Jackie's sister having also passed away in the meantime, they would follow us on the 6th Sept having first gone to the funeral in Cornwall. So plan B was for us to meander about a bit until they could catch us up and the Moselle beckoned as an area previously unexplored and offering various attractions.
For some strange reason we had chosen to eschew the tunnel and go Harwich - Hook of Holland  again. There were good reasons for this route when going to Scandinavia, but fewer when going to Croatia, but we booked it before experiencing it because if we had, we wouldn't have booked it if you see what I mean. Anyway, they do do a good meal . It's a long crossing and takes a long time to clear the port as they only have 2 kiosks checking every passport......ho hum.
Knowing this we had picked an Aire at ALBLASSERDAM as overnight stop about 50km away which seemed about right. In fact it was inspired choice as excellent new commercial aire with all facilities on the harbour and offering enough delights to make us stay 2 nights instead of dashing off.

Monday 29th August

A lovely cycle path to KinderDike, one of the oldest examples of the polder (1738) and now a UNESCO site. 20 windmills were built to pump water to drain the land and 19 remain today. Steam and then electricity replaced the need for the  windmills in the 18-1900's but they were preserved and are a wonderful site.. all still work, and 2 are open to view as working museums, along with an excellent visitor centre explaining the concept, heritage and mechanics of water management. As the ground is 6 metres below sea level, the electric pumps are still pumping water as we speak
Having enriched our knowledge of dikes and polder (shades of 1950 O level geography), we then took the waterbus to DORDRECHT,  which was the first,and is therefore the oldest,city in Holland,  and a jolly fine one it is. In the other direction, the waterbus which is actually the P+R fast ferry, goes to ROTTERDAM, which we plan to do on our way back. It's very cheap and bikes go free. So we mooched aound Dordrecht,  an excellent day to visit as all the shops shut on Monday but worth a detour.

Tuesday 30th August

Head for somewhere but don't like the aire so pick out ANDERNACH, on the Rhine which is another good choice. Large Aire on the river bank and we find front row spot which gives great views of river traffic and has cooling breeze from river which is v.welcome in heat. Also has itinerant icecream van in evenings.

Wednesday 31st August

Received sad email fom Jackie saying Ken has problem with leg and local doctors advised not to travel abroad but return home and seek treatment.  As this now invalidates insurance as pre - existing complaint they have no choice but to abandon plans and cancel trip. We shall miss their company.
Plan C....still go down Moselle but not linger and head to BLED and then SPLIT.
Nice cycle thro local countryside.

Thursday 1st September

To BURGEN on banks of Moselle. Nice campsite, pretty villages

Friday 2nd September

Cycle to COCHEM (28 mile trip) along banks of Moselle through pretty villages.  COCHEM has fairy tale castle overlooking pretty town full of colour,flowers and tourists by the coach load. .and cruise ships. We picnic on riverbank in glorious sunshine. This is the life.....