Postolympia, Middle Rhine Valley & Amsterdam

The next weekend, bumblebees in the butt again and already on a diet, 20 kilos plus don't come off by themselves. Saturday morning to the train station and the train to Koblenz (ICE, because the regional traffic here in the Pott is rather shit with a bike and the few euros don't matter either, yes the Swabian in me has calculated that the Germany ticket won't be worth it). I got there shortly before 1pm, the weather wasn't so great and I let it roll, I planned to stay in Wiesbaden in the evening and so I rode down my beloved world heritage site. All the castles were still where I left them last time. Katz & Maus, Pfalzgrafenstein, Marksburg and my favorite castle Stolzenfels. I let it roll until I was in Bingen and then also to Mainz and Wiesbaden Biebrich, up to Wiesbaden and then off to the hotel, quick check-in and then already to my parking garage (Luisenforum) in the middle of the city to catch the sunset. It worked, perfect timing, arrived on time. I looked longingly down from the roof of the parking garage at my old gym, which was a really nice thing. Then to go shopping at the Luisenforum and stroll through the city afterwards. Wiesbaden, after Stuttgart, is really my favorite city to have lived in. It's probably because of the Taunus panorama and the proximity to the Rhine and because the city (in contrast to Mainz) is beautiful. It reminded me a lot of the west of Stuttgart. Anyway, the next morning I set off again, up my favorite mountain to the Taunus over the Hohe Wurzel.  I wasn't quite sure whether it would be so easy with my luggage and excess weight, especially as the climb really isn't the easiest, but I'm fit enough for it even with 20 kg more. But after an hour I was at the top and it got a bit fresher and I had to pack up my sweaty body and again I had the wrong clothes with me, not enough. But the plan was to head back down towards Lorch (pronounced with a sh here!) through the 30 kilometer descent down the Wispervalley. I didn't get any warmer, maybe I should have had breakfast too? When I arrived at the bottom, I had a coffee and 2 bananas before continuing on to Koblenz. It was around 11 a.m. and I still had 6 hours to go on the 40 kilometers to Koblenz. So I put my legs up and sat down a few times on the Rhine to look out over the water, I took my time and went to the statue of Lorelei and then on to the other side of the Rhine with the ferry at Boppard and up to my favorite castle Stolzenfels, where I spent a few more hours before I finally got back on the train in Koblenz. All in all, a very relaxed weekend, which I could have had much less relaxed if I had driven straight through from Wiesbaden to Essen, but what's the point, to prove it to myself? And I had something strenuous planned for the next weekend.

Months earlier, I bought a concert ticket for Epica & Symphony Orchestra in Amsterdam. I also bought a train ticket including bicycle transport. The hotel I had chosen was a ship, a bit like a hostel, with a shower in the corridor and only one bridge in the room. Years ago, I think it was 1998 or 1999, I had already stayed in accommodation like this with my girlfriend at the time, Anke. What can I say, it was really something special. I'm looking forward to it and rightly so, it was great. But let's start from the beginning, first I had to work on Friday and then I left shortly after midday, cycled to the station, then via Oberhausen to Amsterdam (unfortunately the line has not been available for 1.5 years). I arrived at Amsterdam Centraal at around 5pm and had to fight my way out of the station, my ticket didn't open the barrier, of course. Thanks DB. Then I walked the few meters to my floating accommodation to unload my luggage. First I asked if I could bring my bike on deck overnight, no problem. So I could simply cycle off in the direction of the concert hall. Amsterdam, a dream for cyclists. I had to wait in a long queue in front of the hall, the wrong one of course, as I didn't have a VIP ticket, but then I was allowed to sneak through. At least that. Of course, I hadn't eaten anything all day and I was starting to get hungry. Or rather, I was already in a really bad mood, I was so low on sugar, at least there were delicious chips with parmesan in the hall. Despite my diet, I indulged in them and the fries with parmesan, what can I say, were really damn tasty. While I was eating, I met a young Canadian woman from Toronto and her young French boyfriend. We got talking about Taylor Swift, Eras Tour & Epica. She liked me immediately and invited me to her hostel for Saturday, she said something about watching a livestream concert and wearing pyjamas. Her young boyfriend was almost catching his breath, young i feel you. You put so much effort into everything and the young lady seems to have no interest in you. I politely declined and disappeared into the hall, unfortunately a bit late, I had to queue at the back, somewhere behind some damn big people. I had seen Epica from the front row back then in Wiesbaden, so I could get over it. All in all a great concert, but I liked it better in Wiesbaden, it was more rocking. Then back through Amsterdam by bike at night, what an experience. As soon as I got on board, I put the bike on deck and tied it up and was already on my way back into the city, Amsterdam at night is an experience. The tourists and the ladies in their red-lit windows. The night was really quiet, I sleep well on water. The next day, after a small breakfast on board, we headed straight back towards the city. First a coffee in a chain store with a barista belting out an opera, you can do that, the coffee was great too. Amsterdam is great. At 10 o'clock in the morning, the ladies were already smiling at us from their windows. Again, or still? I don't know, I'm more interested in the hustle and bustle around them and if you don't pull out your camera and try to take a photo of one of the ladies, things can suddenly get wild. No, it doesn't happen, I know how to behave. So we walk through the city a few times with good music, sometimes on foot, sometimes on a city tour by boat, then back to a flea market. Back on the boat, reading a book on deck in the afternoon sun, catching the sunset after a shower and then back into town for the nightlife. I chose a restaurant near De Oude Kerk, from where I had a view of the hustle and bustle. And I had the right nose, I had spectacle. The young, really very pretty lady in her window put on a show. The whole time I was sitting in the restaurant, the young woman was either enticing or insulting passers-by. She was extremely bubbly, with a lot of Spanish in her English. And woe betide her if she saw someone with a cell phone in their hand. The whole time, it must have been an hour or two, she didn't take any of the men behind her curtain. There were many who asked, but I had the impression that as soon as they tried to act, her door was closed again. The lady had her price. Impressive, the whole scene, the whole woman. I'll probably never forget it. At some point I tore myself away and strolled on, only to turn around and go back, I was so fascinated. I don't know if anyone had come in in the meantime, but as long as I was standing in front of the door, she didn't take any of the potential suitors inside. All of them left her doorstep with their heads held high, usually with a saying from her or directions to the nearest ATM. I love people like that, who have a clear point of view and don't deviate from it. At some point it got too late for me and I made my way to bed, as I had plans for the next morning. As soon as I got back on the boat, I was fast asleep. I woke up at sunrise, waited until breakfast and then saddled up, as the 220 km to Essen didn't drive itself. I already knew the route through Holland, but it's nicer in spring and not quite as windy. The first 50 km out of Amsterdam are really beautiful, mostly along an inland sea, the remaining 90 km are quite okay. Then comes Germany and it is very changeable. Cycling along the Rhine is still quite good, but as soon as you get to the Pott, the potholes and pedestrian traffic lights/sidewalks start to suck. That makes it very slow. Anyway, shortly after 5pm I was home and still had a smile on my face and a song on my lips because of the young lady from last night. What a woman..... Roxanne!