We Made a New Friend and Everything Changed (plus a wrap up of the last part of our journey)

This is our new friend, Renate.  We met her in a supermarket cafe three days ago - we were stopping for a few supplies and a light lunch (and to grab some strawberries from the strawberry van out the front) - and she nearly tripped on our backpack.  She heard us speaking English and we started talking.  She had holidayed in Australia 20 years ago and loved it, her English was fantastic and she was curious about us.  We spent over an hour chatting - Renate is from Lübeck, a very old and historically important city in northern Germany, and about 70km from where we were sitting in the cafe.  Renate raved about the city, and highly recommended a visit, and promised to give us a tour of the city if we came. We had no plans to head there, our route was taking us north, rather than heading East.  It was so weird though, as we said our goodbyes and swapped phone numbers, and headed off again on the bikes, I told Mike I wanted to go to Lübeck. I was strangely emotional about it.  And quite adamant.  I didn't really know why, and after a while I realised that I haven't really clicked with Germany - we'd been there almost 2 weeks by this time, and I still felt removed from it, just transitioning through to Denmark - I didn't feel a part of it in any way, yes the cakes and pastries are fabulous, and the scenery is breathtaking, and the people have been friendly enough, but I just hadn't connected.  Until we talked with Renate.  She talked about herself, gave us some history, her experiences, her opinions, and finally in that little supermarket cafe Germany had come to life for me - she's funny, and smart, wise, and generous of spirit, she's curious and tolerant, and she answered all the questions I threw at her with good grace.  So, we changed our plans and put Lübeck on the map.

I'm writing this from our charmingly romantic Kaiserhof Hotel on our rest day in Lübeck, I've got some AMAZING orange, dark chocolate marzipan (the perfect combo of life) next to me which I'm munching on while I type - it's my fave brand of marzipan, and I didn't even know it's made here in Lübeck - what a delicious coincidence!

We cycled in yesterday from Bad Segeberg after an INSANE 34km - 34km?  Only 34km?  Yes, only 34km with wonderful sun, t-shirts out and about and HILLS AND HEADWINDS.  Not short steep hills, no no no, loooooooong slow hills 1-3%, going on for ages and ages and ages, then when you finally get a downhill the headwind was so strong there was no giggly joy, just more hard core pedalling.  The thighs were screaming, the sun was beating down, the dairy farms and fields were stinky, the bug tornados plentiful, and the swearing was intense, but the scenery was AMAZING and we rolled into Lubeck via the river front which was so beautiful and hit our hotel completely exhausted and with big smiles and huge relief (even though the lift wasn't working and we're on the third floor!).  

It's been 5 days of cycling without a break, and I think we're generally weary, so two nights here is heaven.  And today has been just wonderful.  We had a yum breakfast at a bakery, then met Renate for the promised tour - we were expecting a 30 min tour of St Marien church, where she volunteers as a tour guide, but instead we were treated to 4 hours of getting to know the old town of Lübeck from a local's perspective - she knows all the history, and is so proud of her city, it was just magical .  We walked all over, laughed and explored, she told stories, answered all our questions, and we had a great time, she showed us places we would never have found, and added little local things in we would never read about.  We ended our tour with drinks and a spot of lunch - and I was sad to say goodbye - Renate has changed my connection with Germany, she made it come alive for me, made it real, gave me new perspectives, deeper understanding, and really, it's just nice to be with warm, funny, kind people.  We were all laughing today about meeting in a dinky supermarket cafe, and what luck it was.  People are just great.

Breakfast yesterday morning - leaving Bad Segeberg on our way to Lübeck at another supermarket cafe/bakery - so good!

There are no pics on the journey because I was swearing too much, and my thighs were screaming - so here I am smiling on the way into Lübeck - t-shirts were back yesterday - woohoo!

Lübeck today - it's 29 degrees out there with a wonderful breeze

So, there we have the most important thing on my mind I wanted to share - the joy and luck of connection.  I'm also aware that I want to share our last 5 days - not just for you, sportsfans, but for us to remember.  Like I said, it's been 5 days straight on the bike, and I've been too knackered at the end of each day to blog - it seems that rest days are where it's at for having the energy to put things together.  So here I go...

Last time I left you, we were leaving our gasthaus and eating lots of berliners (donuts).  

Public Holiday Monday 9th June

It was supposed to not rain, and it didn't - for a while.  We rolled off enjoying the cool air and glorious scenery - we were relaxed and happy after our rest day and cute little gasthaus, the wildflowers were glorious - red poppies and cornflowers, bees buzzing, all so idyllic - we stopped for lunch at the only place we saw open, and shared a schnitzel (with pepper sauce), then kept on rolling to our campsite - a 55km day.  It was all going swimmingly until we felt the spits of rain that turned into real rain.  FARK - and Google took us through a mud path for the final 1km.  Knackered.  And wet.

This is one serve shared between the two of us!

Our path ran through the middle of a Christmas tree farm.

And the rain came with only about 10 km to go

It rained most of the evening, all night, and the next morning.  We decided to pack up the tent and bikes and head off anyway - we were keen to keep moving forward, even in the rain.  Sally, again, did a great job of keeping us warm and dry.

Packing up the bikes in the bbq area for shelter

Tuesday 10th June

This was a fun fun fun day - even in the rain!  It started badly with lots of rain (as mentioned), and Mike took a wrong turn early on, which happily allowed us to come across a supermarket cafe!  Woohooo!  So we had some breaky and hung around a bit, we hit the road again, and the rain was on and off - we just followed Google and found ourselves swearing a bit with path confusion and rain, only to then stumble on an amazing ferry bridge thing - only 8 of its kind in the world - it was incredible - and of course we then were thanking Google for bringing us here.  We had a grand ride - the captain/pilot dude put on the English tour info for us, the other tourists there were curious about us and our journey and insisted on taking pics of us!  It was so fun, and so unexpected.  And the day got funner.  We were heading to a ferry to take us to Glückstadt (Luckytown) - it was raining again, and the queue for the ferry was soooooooo long - but because we were on bikes we just rode past and got to the front of the line - woohooo!  We had a 20 minute trip then headed to a delicious restaurant for some lunch.  We were tired and wet - only 30km - but we were cooked, the rain was killing us.  So schnitzel it was!  And it was the best schnitzel I've eaten, in a really old and quaint restaurant...sooooo good.  Then off to our spacious apartment right on the canal in the old town.  FANTASTIC DAY.

Cool ferry/bridge thing

Thank goodness for bus stops for rain protection...

The ferry to Glückstadt

Couldn't resist this - I saw it as soon as I got off the ferry - loving the irony of the name of this container cafe in the rain.

Bring on the schnitzel baby...

Wednesday 11th June - From Glückstadt to Bad Bemstadt

Leaving our apartment on this gorgeous path started our first rain-free day since we hit Germany - pretty happy about that!

It was a glorious ride - no rain at all, a bit of a head wind, but not too bad.  I had to stop and take pics of the wild poppies and cornflowers.  Just beautiful.

And we arrived at the supermarket where we met Renate - and as we left I had to get some local strawberries from the Strawberry Hut in the carpark. YUMMMM.

It was only a 39km day - but we still deserved ice cream...

...and a cream cake thingy that was INCREDIBLE.  YUM YUM.

And Phil the Drone makes an appearance.  

Mike said, when he was viewing this footage "I know it looks idyllic, but it really is". 

And yes, JD, I think Sally and Phil are becoming fast friends.

Thursday 11th June - Bad Bemstadt to Bad Segeberg

Our second rain free day in Germany - woohoo! We had our usual healthy breakfast at a local bakery - YUM YUM!  Then packed up the bikes and headed off on a gourmet feast.  

After about 10km we hit a bio-dynamic, organic cafe/farm/social enterprise - and had the best cake I've eaten so far in Germany - we stopped to rest, talk, and eat.  It was magical.  

Kirschkucken - Cherry cake.  Dear me this was just fantastic.

And just when you thought it was safe to back into the water, after another 15km we passed by another local cafe with their own farm and products, so we had to stop for our first Goulash of the trip.  Mike LOVES Goulash. He had noodles with his and I had potatoes.  He had carbo envy.  So I shared.

Look how pretty the silverware is for a roadside cafe...

After a total of 36km we rolled into the town of Bad Segeberg, where of course we had ice cream - but alas there are no pics cause we were a little knackered.  We hit the local supermarket for some supplies (salad and yoghurt for dinner...we're not animals!), then made it to our campsite on the side of a lake (after going through a mud trail to get there - thanks Google).

And that brings us back to speed - we woke up the next morning, packed up, and hit the road to Lübeck with our t-shirts on, knowing shit was going to get real because we woke up to howling winds!  And we were right.

So, sportsfans, that was a long one.  If you're still reading, then you're a legend, a true follower.  Thanks.

It's now almost 7pm, and we are off to...you guessed it..eat!

NEWSFLASH...

After our dinner and evening walk where we strolled past the famous Holsten Gate (Holstentor), below, we decided to stay another night in our charming hotel just to let the muscles have a little more time to rest...WOOHOO DOUBLE REST DAYS!