To - Passau
Distance - 104km
Time - 7 hours
Total - 2506km
No more Reith Lectures I promise. If you have any questions on the lectures you will have to contact me by email or Skype for a fuller explanation.
Straubling Hostel was certainly a one woman and her dog kind of place. It turned out there was one other guest. I had visions of me being the only guest and she would feed me up at breakfast and then do me in whilst there were no witnesses, then chop me up and feed me to the dog. Her dog seemed attracted to my right leg!. I'm not sure whether it was called Achtung or Sammy but the two words always seemed to go together. Of course I was letting my imagination run away with me. I had a lovely big breakfast and evened managed a conversation with the other man in 'pigeon German'.
The day started showery and became a steady light ran with a downpour in the middle. I know the weather isn't good at home but if it makes you feel better its also cold here as well. I didn't do too bad because I timed my lunch stop at a cafe perfectly to miss the downpour and the light rain just got me superficially wet rather than soaked. I have been well trained in these conditions during my teenage years when I Youth Hosteled around the Lake District in British summer!
I thought I had sorted my brake issues but it turned out I hadn't. My third cycle shop of the day in Deggendorf actually managed to do the business I think. He explained what he was doing in good English and I know what to do now. I think. I need to twiddle this bit and twiddle that bit and it will sort it. It worked fine till I got near Passau and then I twiddled a bit and it is working again.
The route over the last few days is also called the Baroque Route. If you have looked at some church interior photos you will probably understand why. They are very ornate and usually lots of gold leaf. When you see the inside to the Cathedral here at Passau you will really know what I mean. According to the guide book it has the biggest organ in the world, at least in a church. That's a fact to take your breath away! Later I was shuffling the music on the iPad and up popped possibly the most appropriate music I have in my collection. I don't have a large selection of organ music by the way but 'Judas Iscariot' by Rick Wakeman's Criminal Records Album fits the bill. Give it a listen on Spotify website and imaging sitting in the Cathedral here at Passau. Eclectic music is guaranteed here!
I haven't seen Passau at its best because it was grey and wet and so was I. The hostel is at Veste Oberhaus, which is a castle on the hill overlooking Passau. You can see it in one of the pictures. It is very imposing and there are great views. I really enjoyed pushing the bike up the 25% hill! The hostel inside is actually very modern and clean inside. There are two school groups here so there is plenty of noise and running around. I didn't complain, it is a Youth Hostel after all.
I have spent half of the evening catching up with emails, transferring a deposit to Italy for booking a apartment in Venice, Skyping and Blogging. It also took me ages to book accommodation in Linz, Austria. Did I forget to mention that I will be leaving Germany tomorrow? I have never been to Austria... yet. The Hostel at Linz was booked up and it took several calls to find somewhere to stay. I resisted the temptation of staying at a Hotel on Wankmullerhofstrasse, I don't think I would have felt safe even though I am not called Muller! It's probably a very nice place. I did get somewhere to stay but I don't expect too much from a hotel offering a room at 20 euros, its cheaper than the hostels.
I have now progressed from my guide book Danube Bike Trail Part 1 and onto Part 2. They are excellent maps and information books but they are a little heavy when you have to carry three. I will try and find someone travelling in the opposite direction who might be able to make good use of Part 1 so I don't have to keep carrying it.
Every now and then I think of my first English teacher at secondary school and what she would think if she knew I was writing a blog. She was Miss White and she told me I would never string two sentences together! I worked out how to do it though - you just stop putting the full stop in! The last I heard of her she was accused of murder...... in the dining room, with the lead piping!!
That's enough.
Photo 1, Deggendorf town centre.
Photo 2, Cloister going its the Cathedral at Passau.
Photo 3, Inside the Cathedral.
Photo 4, Have you ever seen an organ this big!
Photo 5, The building on the left is called The Residence. I think it was a palace for the Kings of Bavaria.
Photo 6, Veste Oberhaus, Passau which contains the hostel I stayed at.
Photo 7, Part of Veste Oberhaus from the top.
Photo 8, Me and the view from the top.
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