The camping last night was fine.  The place had everything that I needed, all organised and clean.  The food and drink was a bit basic, but I was glad of it. There was one other biker camper, very serious young man, who was in his tent early and left at first light.  I did ask the rather jolly ho-ho German guy who ran the place if there was any coffee / breakfast available in the cafe in the morning, but sadly no.  He told me that the place was run by him and his wife, and that he struggled to get people to work for him.  What about the Syrians, I asked?  Surely that’s why Merkel took them all in, as well as out of the goodness of her heart and to save them from the murderous clutches of Assad. Nope. They don’t want to work, he said.  The State pays them and houses them.  Why should they work ?  Seems a bit odd to me.  He seemed bemused it was so.

The ride today was a pretty short one, mostly on cycle paths and tracks, through lovely countryside, along various rivers, finally to the Lahn.  The Germans have built some spectacular bridges across these varioius rivers, I think for their fast / rapid railway lines. I think in the early stages I was along the Eder, which rings a bell from the Dambusters who bombed the Eder dam amongst others. Marburg looks like a university town, lots of youngsters about.  I’m sure there is a lovely old town too.  I’m in a camp site by the river, all uber organised with the usual notices in abundance and everything locked so you have to remember your key.  But, it has everything, except food, so I’ve walked up to a bierkgarten where they are showing all the Euro football matches.  On the campsite is a camper van festooned with England flags, and sure enough here in the biergarten are four beefy Yorkshire lads drinking beer and watching football - currently Turkey v Georgia.  I thought it was the Euros ?  These Leeds guys are not young, so must have left families / wives etc at home for a boys’ month away in a camper van to watch the football.  You can imagine the noises and sounds off with four Yorkshire lads in a camper van.  They seem happy.

I got caught in a thunderstorm this afternoon, for about an hour, and had to take shelter under my ground sheet in some woods, but I still  got wet through, as did everything else.  I’m just hoping that it won’t thunder and pour tonight when I’m in my tent. Tomorrow I’m in an AirBandB in Diez and then on to Mainz where I will stay with cycling friend Lucas.  So, I’m not slumming it all the time.  Actually, I quite like the camping, as long as there is a shower, toilet and some facilities to make life bearable.  And it doesn’t rain.

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