Onward to Luxembourg and Germany

Trier´s beautiful Cathedral

Alive and kicking in Germany!

Market Square, Trier

Another Border!

My hostel in rural Luxembourg was next door to this castle!

Into the Grand Duchy

Barge Lift!

The computer I was using for the last blog deleted hqlf of what I wrote so I´ll try to backtrack. This Gerpam keyboard is similar to UK ones, except that the Y is at the bottom left. How irritating!

Right, we got as far as Ypres which was 7th March. That was a lovely sunny day, and come the evening I was rocketing along the Belgian calals under blazing sunlight so I thought I would push on another 30km. Big error as night fell earlier than I had anticipated, leaving me no option other than to camp on a village football pitch (at the suggestion of a local). This was actually rather jolly, and I enjoyed pesto with chorizo pasta from my new camp stove. Rain the following morning made packing up a little messy.

Next day I cycled along the canals further to Mons, which is a lovely student town with a clen an and pleasant hostel. En route I met a Flemish couple who had bought a 120´ barge and were converting it into a guest "house". They invited me aboard for deliciously tart apple juice from their garden.

On the 9th I discovered that the cycle paths in Wallonia are awfully signposted cmpared to Flanders, and I was horribly frustrated to more than once find myself on the wrong bank of the canal as it broke off in another direction with no bridge to cross. Grrrr. At Namur youth hostel that evening, I discovered the joys of 9.2% belgian lager with a friendly Japanese tourist.

I also saw the most incredible barge elevator (pictured).

10th was simply awful weather and I managed to get to Champlon, about 90km away due to the fact that it was straight down a straight road. Boring but satisfying:

Next day, I cycled into Luxembourg which was an absolute pleasure. The north Luxembourgeois countryside is like the Highlands of Scotland with a Narnian attitude. It really is lovely, and I stayed in a lovely hostel on a cliff next to a castle.

I then made it to Luxembourg (city) which is a nice little city, but not as amaying as the countryside to the north. I was concerned it may remind me of an unmentionable rock in the Channel, but thank heavens no.

I left Lux this morning. I cycled under sunshine along the border with Germany, which is the river Mosel, before finally entering Germany. I managed to sort out a few bike problems in Trier (new lock, gear problems) and the Germans have been so friendly and helpful which is brilliant!

Trier is another lively and pleasant student town with roman ruins and an ancient cathedral. I met a Singaporese student this evening and went for a drink. Out of internet time!