It’s Sunday in Germany, so everything is closed !  You have to plan ahead when on the road in Germany when it is a Sunday.  Some petrol stations are open, and you can get bottles of water and essential supplies, so that is something.  They take Ruhetag seriously here, as I’ve seen already.  

The hotel last night was very nice.  A family run affair, evidently taking pride in what they offer.  However, they are strict with rules - restaurant closing at 7:30 pm, no smoking on the terrace, even though everywhere else in Germany seems to welcome smoking, and you can buy cigarettes from vending machines.  As you can wine from automatic machines all along the Mosel / Moselle.  Very useful in extremis.

The route followed the Mosel / Moselle, and all its twists and turns.  The cycle path was busy with all sorts of cyclists, some of them fast and speedy, others out for a gentle ride.  Sometimes it was too busy.  I cut out one bend along the way, going across country, but learned not to do that ever again, because the climb up out of the valley was serious.

I ended up crossing the river in to Luxembourg.  Strange country, Luxembourg.  What’s it for ?  It seems that it’s only by a quirk of history that it’s survived and not got absorbed in to either France or Germany. Which it periodically has done.  It’s a tidy and neat sort of place, prosperous looking. They appear to be able to speak all the languages, French, German, Luxemburgish, probably Dutch, and certainly English. Clever people.  I spent the night camping over the bridge from Remich on the German side in a nice camp site, although it was a bit noisy because of some festival going on over on the Luxembourg side, and because Germany were playing in the Euros.  The weather is set fine, so I’m happy doing some camping, although I have to say at age 70 getting in and out of a small tent is quite a task ! Head in first, or feet in first, or backside in first....such are the existential questions that confront the camper of a small one man tent.

One final observation about Germany before leaving it.  I’ve railed against the Ruhetag, especially if it’s on a Friday or Saturday, you would imagine the busy time for any business.  The other oddness I’ve seen in Germany is cash versus card.  The Germans like cash.  In most shops and supermarkets you find yourself waiting while somebody hunts in their purse or wallet for the right amount of cash.  Most people appear to use cash.  In quite a few restaurants, it is cash only, no card.  That’s counter to what I experience almost anywhere else.  Cash is no longer king.  You produce the card.  Why are the Germans so wedded to cash ?  It’s obviously got something to do with the war.  As Basil would say in Fawlty Towers. 

Berlin-Lutherstadt  :   Lutherstadt - Bernberg. :   Bernberg - Blankenberg  :  Blankenberg - Einbeck  :  Einbeck - Kassel  : 

Kassel - Kirchheim  :  Kirchheim - Marburg  :  Kirchheim - Limberg/Diez  :  Limberg/Diez - Mainz  :  Mainz - Koblenz  :

Koblenz - Krov  :  Krov - Remich  :  Remich - Verdun  :  Verdun : Verdun - Reims  :  Reims - Amiens  :  Amiens - Arras