To - Munich
Distance - 78km
Time - 7 hours
Total - 2126km
I enjoyed my little walk last night but Mozart's Dad's house was a bit of an anticlimax. It turned out that I was the only person in the four person dorm. As a result I had a lovely quiet night. I was in bed by 9pm, ad some of my Jack Reacher novel. It's getting dramatic. He was less than three weeks to find a very clever serial killer who has already committed four murders and the FBI need his help.
Good breakfast at 7am and on the road by 8am. I suspect that the brussel sprouts did thenob yesterday because i felt turbo charged! The day has been beautiful sunshine. I even had my shirt off for an hour. My body is so white its more dazzling than a dayglo shirt. Of course when I got back not civilisation I put my shirt back on but in a vain effort to avoid sun tan rings I rolled up my short shirt sleeves and tucked my shorts into my undies. Not a nice thought!
It was an absolute pleasure riding and I was especially thankful that I had my iPad with maps on it otherwise I would have been lost several times. I could have restricted myself to main roads and hoped that there were cycle lanes but because I had the iPad I could use proper cycle tracks which took me through nice woodland and parks. It is a bit further but I knew the distance wasn't much and I was happy to tale most of the day.
I had lunch on a park bench at a town called Furstenfeldbruck. A pleasant place as you might expect of all the towns I mention. The highlight was me buying a large punnet of strawberries as a grocers a d scoffing then down by a river in the sunshine.
My next little surprise was that my route took me around the back entrance to Nymphenburg Palace. The best way I can describe it, is that it is to Munich what Versailles is to Paris. It was the summer residence of the Electors of Bavaria. I got in the back entrance and enjoyed the woodland, lakes, gardens as well as the outside of the Palace. There were no nymphs to be seen! I was getting rather hot and went to the cafe for a cold soft drink. I ordered a small bottle of Fanta and the lady tried to charge me 3.60 euros. I passed the bottle straight back.
The journey to the Munich hostel was only short. It's a pity that I haven't been here before because I could have said I was 'glad..back'. I'm trying to make a pun out of the football team Borussia Munchen Gladbach, I think I spelt it wrongly but you know what I mean! I have booked into a six bed dorm in the hostel but again so far I am the only one in. The hostel is still a good walk outside the city centre so I will stay nearby tonight and have a good day in the centre tomorrow. I asked the people at reception and they told me it was an hour to walk into the city centre, I didn't think it was such a big place. They recommend using the underground to get into the city but today I have taken the opportunity to do another big clothes wash. I am staying here for two nights and I'm sure there is lots to see to fill all of tomorrow.
I walked along Wendl Dietrich Strasse reminded me of Marlene Dietrich, maybe it was her older sister! The nearby square is Rotkreuz Platz. It's not a pretty place and busy. I'm a bit shocked by the size of the place. It is probably a good job that I am only staying two nights otherwise I would overlap with the Bayern Munich street celebrations for them winning the Bundesliga and I wouldn't want to get caught up in that. I'm not too good in crowds.... you don't get this kind of thing in Grange!
However, people here are very orderly. They wait at the 'pelican' crossing even though there is clearly nothing coming. They only cross the road at the proper place. There are cycle lanes marked on most pavements and you can take your life in your hands if you walk in the cycle lane. There is no sign of anti-social behaviour. I haven't seen the police or heard the police car sirens responding to anything since I have been in Germany.
At around 7pm I walked to the Olympic Park. It was a long walk but very worthwhile. Munich had the Olympics in 1972 and the place is still in good order and still being well used. There was a long distance running event taking place around the Park but over and above that there were loads of people jogging and cycling around even when it was going dark. I am trying to remember if David Hemingway won the gold in the 440m hurdles that year?
I didn't do a great job with my evening meal. I ordered roast beef and salad with sauté potatoes and that was exactly what I got. I'm used to getting something different to what I ordered so in a strange way I was disappointed. It was very healthy though.
On returning to the hostel, the common room is buzzing with all age groups as I complete the blog. You can guess the age group who were in the majority because they had 'sponge bob square pants' on TV. Anyway, I've had my dose of fresh air today, I'm ready for bed.
Photo 1, Just to prove I am in Bavaria. How do you fancy living here?
Photo 2, Firstenfeldbruck town.
Photo 3, Nymphenbirg Palace - fountains at the far end of the gardens.
Photo 4, Me again.
Photo 5, Nymphenburg Palace.
Photo 6, View from the Palace looking back up the gardens.
Photo 7, Olympic Stadium.
Photo 8, Olympic Tower and Lake.
Photo 9, Olympic Pool.
Enjoying your daily blog. We watched the Jack Reacher film a few days ago, one of the best we've seen this year so the book should be entertaining.
ReplyDeleteWhere did you get the map book that you've got on your handlebars? I'm a little way off retirement but there's no harm in a bit of armchair eurovelo planning!!
Hope the weather stays nice for you, it's started to turn nasty up north.
The map book is one of 4 that cover the EuroVelo 6 cycle route along the Danube from Germany to the Black Sea. They are done by the publishers Bikeline. They are ideal for the job as they give maps + info about the towns and accommodation but they are a bit heavy in the panniers. The iPad has been great for using OpenCycleMaps.org and per-loading the maps and using the GPS but It is a nuisance to have the iPad on the front box and using battery all the time. I use the map books wherever possible. When I go off the route I need to use the iPad most of the time.
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