Monday 31st August (Day 1)
The start of this adventure! Potential bad news was heard last night, in that the striking French sailors from ‘MyFerry’ have blockaded the Calais port with TWO small lifeboats and, as usual, the French authorities haven’t the bottle to do a thing about it. Chaos had ensued. While we are going to Dunkirk it is likely the port of Dover will be bunged up with traffic. However, on waking this morning the Calais port was reportedly clear and P&O had a delayed sailings from Dover but our company, DFDS, is ok. It is still ridiculous that half a dozen French can stop families with young children from getting home in a reasonable timescale and ferries have to heave to outside of Calais for twelve hours. Anyway a very murky drive down the A2/M2 followed, with visibility sometimes less than 150m and rain, quite miserable. We had left half an hour earlier than we needed, expecting problems but still arrived only 15 minutes before check-in closed. A wait in line a usual then we boarded. By this time it was almost 10am and, having been up since 6.30am, our stomachs were saying “Oi what about some food?” Well we shut them up with a ‘Big Boys Breakfast’. A little over two hours later saw us disembarked and off on the hours trip to Ypres (Ieper) as I had for a long time wanted to attend the Mennen Gate Ceremony. First we had to negotiate the campsite entrance. We arrived at 2.30pm to find the reception closed until 4.00pm but ‘Hooray’ there was an automatic check-in system (we needed a pass to open the barrier). We got the pass ….eventually, but the barrier would not open. A ‘helpful’ dutchman behind the queue which was forming behind us showed us how his printed receipt opened the barrier ….nope – wally! Eventually, an Englishman trying to leave the site, with out 3.7t vehicle preventing him, opened the barrier for us. We set up and the rain, again hammered down. We sat and watched others arrive, test themselves on barrier access, then park and sit despondantly. One MH which was about 29 years old arrived and the driver was seen climbing up and fixing a tarpaulin sheet over the rear of the vehicle with lots of items stacked in the front windscreen area; clearly a leak. After a cup of tea the weather got better and we ventured into the town, a pleasant walk of about 1Km. Ypres was flattened in WWI and Winston Churchill wanted the whole town to be a memorial to the forces whose lives were lost fighting the Germans. The locals were not happy about that and so, eventually, the Menin Gate was built; but more of that later. First we had a walk about the town which, while the buildings looked old, clearly they were relatively new, often given away by the newness of the bricks. Indeed the cathedral looked several centuries old but was only rebuilt in 1930 and so is 85 years old. That said it was impressive to say the least as was most of the town. We then followed the ‘tourist walk’ route and returned to the Menin Gate along the ramparts. A cup of coffee was needed as the walk had been quite long. We then got back to the Menin Gate about 7.00pm for the 8.00pm ceremony. Right, facts about the ‘gate’:
It was built to commemorate the dead who, while known to have died, had no marked grave having been killed fighting in the surrounding area to Ypres:
Over 100,000 died whose resting place was not known (before 16th August 1917):
Almost 54,896 names are on this gate:
Every panel was covered with names, by regiment, rank and then surname.
Just spending a few minutes was sobering. This was only a fraction of those killed in the local area, yet alone in western Europe, or all of Europe and as for the whole world, well mind-boggling is an understatement.
At 7.30pm the police closed the access for vehicles under the gate and at 8.00pm the short ceremony began. This ceremony has been going on (almost without fail) every evening since 1928 (WWII excepted) come sunshine, rain or snow. There was about 400 – 500 people present to witness it this night, smaller than ‘usual’ due, perhaps, to the poor weather. The local fire brigade marched in, played the last post; the life details of one of the dead listed on the memorial was read out including aspects of the their last days; the “For they grow not old’ was recited; a wreath laid; ‘Reveille’ was played; and off marched the four fire brigade buglers. As already said this is something I have wanted to witness for many years and it did not disappoint. A brisk walk back to the MH to warm the limbs and then a chilli con carne washed down with a bit of red stuff completed the day. Here’s hoping the weather picks up.
Tuesday 1st September (Day 2)
Some rain during the night and a grey start. After breakfast we drove off from the site and parked up at the aire by the river. This enabled us to walk the short distance into Ypres to go to the tourist information to ascertain what we could do before meeting up with Resa, Eric Sue and Alan at Aalter. It turned out there was quite a lot with in a short distance of Ypres and with the cycle routes I think a return visit is called for. In the end we decided to go to the Memorial Museum Passchendale 1917. We arrived atthe museum but before we could leave the motorhome the heavens opened and we had to remain for about 40 minutes hoping it would stop. It did and we went into the museum which the told the story of the battle around Ypres. “It will all be over by Christmas” was the belief but at Passchendale the first real ‘sticking’ point occurred lasting months. While the Somme etc was bad the destruction here was worse. The numbers that died are unbelievable and the destruction also. The museum had many exhibits; guns, shells, uniforms etc. but also explained the blow by blow account of the fight for dominance. Other details also were interesting such as the injuries caused by the four main gas agents and development of the delivery of explosive shells etc. Most startling was that thousands of soldiers died drowning in the mud! Also there were videos recounting the tales from those who were actually fighting at the time. Newly opened were examples of the trenches, both allied and German, with explanations about why they were as they were, ie some with a ledge to stand up on to fire at the enemy some for just getting about. The whole thing was well laid out and a good €7.50 a person. (However a useless fact: More people died in the Spanish Flu epidemic – 1918-19 – than were killed in the whole of the war.) After a couple of hours we moved off arriving about 4.30pm at the aire by the canal in Bellum, a village on the outskirts of Aalter. Resa and Eric were already there and sunbathing having had no rain like we had. We parked up and chatted in the sun watching the boats, both big and small, pass by. By 7.00pm we had eaten and Sue and Alan arrived. We then took a short walk to a local bar which had 25 different beers, some of which were 8%. A couple of drinks and a chat ensued before retiring to Resa & Eric’s for a drink and chat. On balance a good day with Cologne the target for tomorrow.
Wednesday 2nd September (Day 3)
As always things can change. When Sue and Alan arrived last night they had thick black exhaust smoke. Alan has found a Fiat garage nearby (who speak English) and is off to see if he has an engine problem. So it was agreed that we will stay here for a while. If there is no problem we will all make our way to Cologne, if there is an issue we would stay here a day longer. By about 12.15pm they were back, 55€ lighter and no problem found despite the thick black exhaust fumes. So lunch and then off to Koln (Cologne). A good drive by motorway and we arrived at the aire at about 4.40pm only to find it absolutely full. A quick check around and we moved to a camp site (Camping Waldbad) about five miles away. ‘No room’ was the reply there unless you want to park on the overspill area which is very wet – we did and it wasn’t. A chat and then dinner followed by the usual sit in a MH and chat.
Thursday 3rd September (Day 4)
A quiet night and a good sleep. Today is Chris’ birthday so a cup of tea, cards and presents to start the day off. After breakfast, showering, the water and loo ‘run’.We all three left back to the aire at Reismobilhaven, Koln. where we could not get into yesterday. We got their about 10.45am and there was lots of room. Having all settled in we walked along the riverside into the town centre (3Km). Our first port of call was Koln Cathedral. An impressive building from the outside although in need of some tlc. Inside it was quite dark but still a joy to wander around and no fee to get in (St Paul’s, London take note). One aspect of the cathedral is the surrounding buildings are not very sympathetic to the old cathedral. In fact it looks totally out of place with the modern, garish, buildings around it. A stroll after this into the ‘old’ town, with a beer and a share of a pizza also. Despite how Koln was flattened during the war there actually are some old buildings and a couple of hours ‘ooh-ing’ and ‘ah-ing’ was had. We then walked across the railway bridge which had thousands and thousands of padlocks professing people’s undying love for another; there really was tens of thousands. A walk through a park followed with a cable car station as our destination and so a cablecar ride back across the river was had. This passed over the thermal baths part of which is nudist so the views from the cable car were, well, unusual. By now it was almost 5.00pm and we had been walking for about six hours so, as we were nearly back to the motorhomes we returned for a sit and a drink of tea. As It was Chris’ birthday we had agreed to go out for a meal and so by 7.00pm we were to be found walking the 2 miles back into the city. We went to the old town and had a nice meal (all had schnitzel in various guises). A slow stroll back, with some fireworks on the opposite bank of the river. Back at the motorhomes we re-planned tomorrow as Frankfurt our intended destination had nowhere, it would appear, for us to stop. We have chosen a couple of locations which will be rural and enable us to rest a bit as we have walked over ten miles today, which for some has been a real test.
Koln Cathedral
On the Steps of Cathedral
Bridge of Locks
Cable Car
Friday 4th September (Day 5)
We were woken up by an alarm from a neighbouring motorhome. Fortunately it was around 8.00am. By 10.00am we were all three off. First stop was a quick food shop. Then an easy drive by motorway to our destination. Part way the Snooper satnav decided to have an epilepctic fit and shut down, start up, shut down, start up….. well you get the idea. Fortunately, we had a second satnav. We arrived at Schollkrippen, east of Frankfurt. A quite wooded area. We sorted ourselves out and after lunch played boules. The weather was cool / sunny and really didn’t know what it was doing. A walk was beckoning and a two mile stroll up the hill with good views over the surrounding countryside was undertaken. We then had a Thai curry and planned for tomorrows journey.
Saturday 5th September (Day 6)
A real ‘non day’. Breakfast and off along the motorway towards Prague stopping just short of the Czech border in a stellplatz (free aire) in Vohanstrasse. The motorway was quite busy with several roadworks but, unlike at home, no real congestion. We then left the A3 motorway which we had been travelling along most of the time in Germany onto the A6 which was deserted. We can certainly see why the motorways (or Autobahns for the fussy) are referred to a ‘widow makers’ by some. With no speed limits on large parts of the motorway the cars passed us sometimes like I was in reverse. Having got to Vohanstrauss we had a walk around the town (which can be missed by anyone else who comes here) under a grey overcast sky and it is quite cold. A couple of items from Aldi then retire to the motorhome hoping for better things to come. The evening was whiled away chatting and playing silly games. One good aspect (?) of where we are parked; tomorrow in the car park bit of the stellplatz there is to be a flea market and the ‘manager’ is already here and has marked the area out; the upside of this is that the car park is a no-go area for any boy racers that wish to donut and sit around playing music; the downside is the market opens at 7.00am so it is likely to be noisy quite early as they set up! Another good point, for Chris, is that in addition to the flea market there will be a ‘proper’ market in the town a couple of hundred metres away. So we will not be leaving for Prague very early if the market is any good.
Sunday 6th September (Day 7)
We were up and out by 8.30am for the flea market and market in the town. The flea market was a car boot sale and nothing much to write home about. The town market was still setting up as we got there, not like markets in France, Spain etc which are well sorted by 8.00am at the latest. It really wasn’t much to excite you, similar to the town. So back to the motorhomes and off to Prague! Ten miles and we reached the border and had to get our ‘MytoCZ’ an electronic box to pay the tolls. Now first let me put the lady who was to serve us into perspective. (a) she did not speak English, nor should she as we were in her country; (b) she did not speak French, German, or Danish (evident from others present and trying to communicate with her); (c) her little kiosk probably wasn’t warm; (d) It was early on Sunday morning, she probably wanted to be at home and the pay isn’t good (I guess); (e) she was sitting behind a solid glass screen and to hear anything much you had to put your ear to the paying slot. From my point (a) I don’t speak Slovak (or whatever it is they speak); (b) the form I had to complete, while it had English printed to help me, still made little sense; (c) I was trying to be helpful. So there was no need to speak to me like an Englishman abroad, ie s-l-o-w-l-y and LOUDLY, while rolling the eyes and looking disdainfully at the moron before her. Still eventually I left with my little electronic gadget in hand to affix to the motorhome, while feeling the the inter-personal skills of my first ever contact with someone from the Czech Republic could have been better. I would say that I fared better than the driver from Denmark who was there when I arrived and still there as we all three left. So off we all went bowling along the motorway with the electronic box beeping every so often to inform you that you have run up more expense. We soon pulled of onto the ring road of Prague. A few left and rights an extremely bumpy cobbled road at less than 15kph and soon we arrived at our campsite next to the zoo – yes we were going to splash out on a campsite. The site was Camping Sokol Troja and is just along from the zoo. First impressions were not overly good, a bit seedy, but we settled in anyway and had lunch. We then caught a bus and underground to the centre of Prague a journey of about 25 minutes. What then followed was a stroll around some of the sights. The buildings were, one after another, truly remarkable such that photos or wordy descriptions cannot do justice. Clock towers, churches, apartment buildings, well they were just brilliant. Add to this singers and street performers, it was a delight to walk around, although five or ten degrees warmer would have been nicer. During the walk we shared a trdelnik – a hot / warm dough spiral rolled in cinnamon, sugar and nuts which was really nice Eventually we sat and had a drink in a cafe / bar with two of our crew wrapped up in blankets that are supplied to patrons it really was very cool with a strong chilly wind. Eventually, around 6.00pm, we made our weary way home for dinner and to make plans for tomorrow.
Monday 7th September (Day 8)
Today is another day in Prague…. a day of ‘culture’. We started by taking the bus and two metro trains to a stop near to the Prague castle. It was then a slow steep walk up to the castle itself through ‘lesser town’. On the way we stopped to go into the Church of St Nicholas, a baroque church that was really over the top. All fake marble and gold. It may sound naff but it was just the opposite and quite a long time was spent there. Next stop – eventually – was the castle itself. Here we went into St Vitus’s cathedral; again great to look at but we all agreed that St Nick’s was better. As we left the church we could hear military music and rushed to witness the changing of the guard. Sorry Czech citizens but the changing of the guard in UK is better ….much better. We then went to the Royal Palace, the Basilica and finally Golden Lane. The latter is comprised of houses that even into the early 1900’s local people were living in. They are small houses (very) and set out to represent how they lived then – bakers, seamstresses, pubs etc. In addition the ‘upstairs’ had armour through the ages and a small area for torture implements. It was then a walk down towards the main part of Prague for a beer, a snack and a rest of the legs. Then followed a walk where we soon found a local snack was a ‘trdelnick’; a dough spiral cooked over flames and rolled in cinnamon sugar and nut (Nutella also if required). A visit then to the famous Charles Bridge, a ‘must see’ for all tourists, and it was worth the effort. It is a pedestrian only bridge with great views, statues and the inevitable souvenir sellers. Part way across is a statue with a brass bit that was shiney where tourists had,over the years, touched it. The story was that the person that was the statue was pushed over the bridge to drown and he said he would return; so touching this was to ‘ensure’ you returned if you died. A photo was required! We then continued the ‘culture trail’ by paying to view part of the jewish area. Just before the war there were 110,000 jews in Prague and after WWII only 3,000 remained; the rest were dead. One part of the visit was a building with the names, dates of birth and dates of death of all the jews ‘missing’, wall after wall after wall. There were so many it is difficult to describe or imagine it is a ‘you have to see it for it to sink in’ place. Some of the dead were aged as old as 87 and others as young as 2 – obviously a great threat to the Third Reich and Aryan race! It was an extremely sobering experience and one that should be compulsory for all school children to see to try and prevent the repetition of such an odious, cowardly, and inhumane act. A visit to a graveyard, and a synagogue followed. The whole thing took about two hours. We were now extremely footsore and weary so we sat having a pint (in a ‘British’ pub) AND in sunshine. We were by now hungry so walked around and found a great bar / restaurant where we had a traditonal Czech meal. Pork knuckle, ribs, sausage, half a duck, two types of dumplings, white and red cabbage, peppers, onions all washed down by a beer. It was a real blowout. A short walk to a nearby station and then two trains and a bus home, getting us back by just after 9pm which was almost twelve hours sightseeing. We then spent about 40 minutes planning the journey tomorrow before we all decided that ‘enough was enough’ and our beds were calling.
Eating a trdelick
Charles Bridge
The Building of Names – Two Floors
hy
Tuesday 8th September (Day 9)
A warm start to the day and after our usual start we left for a short (50 mile) drive to Kutna Hora. The site we arrived at was a pleasant surprise. It was like a persons garden, well kept with good toilet and shower facilities, a kitchen area, tv lounge with log fire, swimming pool (small), BBQ area with wood to use plus wifi all for the princely sum of £8.80. After lunch we caught the bus into town. Our first place was the main cathedral (Kutna Hora has two). It was an impressive building with a large number of flying buttresses. Some of the frescos were 370 years old. One of the side parts of the alter was of St Barbera. (her father realised it would cost him money to marry her off so imprisoned her in a tower with two windows. She read books and became a christian and asked for a third window – Father, son and holy ghost. Father was annoyed and gave her up to the Romans. They tortured her but she kept her faith. The Romans gave her back to her father who, in a last attempt of (something) decapitated her – hence her sainthood.) A walk around the town was interesting as there were many building that were unusual. One part was a replica of Charles Bridge, and built by the Jesuits as the original bridge in Prague joined their church to their accommodation and it made the Kutna Hora jesuits feel more at home. A bus ride part way back followed. We then visited an Ossary. This was a church with the bones of over 30,000 people ‘on display’. Some were made into a shield, some made into a chandelier with candles lit, others adorned the crypt in shapes and patterns. An unusual sight to say the least. Upon our return to the motorhome we had a BBQ as the weather, for the first time, was that warm; we still ended up eating inside however. After a late planning meeting we retired to our respective motorhomes to set up for the next day.
Wednesday 9th September (Day 10)
We decided to make Bratislava today. Off we went and soon were stopped at road works and traffic lights. It took over twenty minutes as each red phase was almost ten minutes duration. Like Germany, the Czech Republic are road repairing mad. Another facet of Czech roads is in the driving. Lorries can be inches from your bumper if you are not going as fast as they like. Car drivers wait until a blind bend before going for an overtake. An experience that can only be bettered by the cars coming towards you leaving it sooooo late to pull in. Again, once on the motorway,there were loads of road works. However, they were doing the repairs at the wrong places as the motorway is, without doubt, the worse we have ever travelled on. Everything shook and rattled and it gave both of us a headache. Eventually we got to the border and returned our electronic toll box. Somehow, while both Eric and us had the same Euro engine and both traveled along the same roads, we were charged more! Off again the 5Km to Slovakia and another toll system. We pulled in and found channels for vehicles with raised platforms, a bit like railway platforms with a concrete observation hut on each. All very functional and you could almost see the ghosts of the soldiers from the eastern bloc peering down at you from way back when. We parked amongst lots of lorries and off the crew went to get a box for the toll roads. We had a pleasant surprise in that, unlike the Czech Republic, weight was not the issue but whether we were commercial. As we were not carrying goods we just required a vignette which is much less hassle. One of the ladies serving was all smiles but the other, by all accounts as I did not go in, made the Czech lady (see Sunday 6th September) seem like a really helpful, fun, person. She obviously was a throw back to the ‘Iron Curtain’ days of welcome. So now we were in our sixth country of the trip and just over 1000 miles traveled. A good run to Bratislava and Camp Zlaty Piesky. We booked in, with signs all around informing us of the crime rate, lock your bikes, no windows open etc. and metres from 1 six lane road. The receptionist woman did not smile once. The site was very ‘Eastern European ‘/ ‘Iron Curtain’ in appearance. Concrete block buildings, wooden huts that you would see in ‘The Great Escape’. The actual facilities, toilets etc were quite good with showers warm and with a good force also but only open a few hours a day. Also, like the last couple of sites, they are a bit school-boyish in that the shower cubicle has a curtain and to dry / dress you are in a communal area. This is clearly the ‘norm’. Coming into Bratislava the concrete blocks of flats were all you would have expected from the 1960’s, stark soulless building after building. Having settled in we then walked to the shops for a few bits, a Tesco Extra. On our return we managed to sit out until around 7.30pm as it was a bit warmer before cooking our evening meals and then gathering together to decide upon whether to stay another day or move on.
The toilet block
Thursday 10th September (Day 11)
Last night the decision was; 1. It is not good weather and 2. we are not overly enamoured with the site so we would move. After breakfast off we went with us leading and the satnav’s in the other vehicles dinging and bleeping away. I had selected the ‘pretty route’. Unfortunately this brought us to some roadworks where the bridge was totally gone. Three point turn and then off we went with us relegated to second position. A zing along the the motorway and a stop for the Hungarian vignette and off again. Soon the route left the motorway to my delight as I find it boring in the extreme. Still it was a ‘needs must’. What followed was a drive through some nice villages and countryside – so different in ‘feel’ to both Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Eventually we arrived at Camping and Bungalow Zala at Keszthely on Lake Balaton. A smiling helpful receptionist was so nice. However (why must I always have a ‘however’?) just to register was four forms.; one with out basic details and camp preferences; one with our basic details and passport details; one to stick in the window of the motorhome; and a fourth as a receipt to get our ACSI Camping Card back. Soon we had settled and all three of us did the most important thing – washing. While this was taking place the weather decided one last kick for us – rain. So out went the awnings to give us space to hang the washing out. (It would appear the weather is to change tomorrow and get better.) We had a communal dinner of spaghetti Bolognese – courtesy of Sue followed by a general chat.
Friday 11th September (Day 12)
Rain during the night and so the morning started well not with rain but ‘mizzle’. By the time a late breakfast was had it had stopped and the forecast was better. Resa, Eric and ourselves got our bikes and by just before midday we were off. A very cycle friendly area it turned out to be. We cycled on dedicated paths and followed the lake for about 8 miles before striking inland to return via Keszthelny. On the way we stopped for a drink (3.5 litres of beer and Eric had Schnitzel and chips) all for the princely sum of £12. Off again and the next brief stop was a InterSpar for a few items. Very soon after this we entered the town and the palace of Festetics owned for several centuries by the Festetic Family. We locked our bikes up and paid to view the palace which was a good stroll and view.This was followed by a visit to the Carriage museum – another good view. On our return to our bikes we found the workmen in a quandary as they wish to get some lorries out and to do so move some fencing, which we had secured our bikes to. ‘Sorrys’ all round and off we rode back home. Back ‘home’, having completed almost 17 miles, we sat and chatted as the late afternoon cooled very quickly. We each then had our dinner before gathering together for the nightly chat. (The information is that the unseasonably cool / wet weather is about to change; lets hope so.)
Cumbers Travels 