Happy Birthday Dad

Have a happy birthday Dad. We'll see you both in a few days time. Have abreast day.

All our Love
Sarah and Dave
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Happy Birthday Little Dude!

Happy Birthday little dude, hope you enjoyed your holiday and didn't have any accidents this year. Have agreed day and don't forget I want to see a picture of the cake.

Happy Birthday Ciaran

Lots of love

Auntfie Sarah and Uncle David

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Scandinavia- Well Denmark and a little of Norway!

After an overnight sleep, or not in the car waiting for the ferry to Gedser in Denmark we drove up to Copenhagen. The overnight in the car was a planned descision but boy not one to do again in a hurry. We thought packing the tent up at 3am in the morning would not be a good idea as the ferry was due to leave at 6 am so we needed to be at the port for 5am. However, the campsite in Copenhagen was great, spacious and all the home comforts including really hot showers and a little internet. We continued our car resting policy by cycling in and out of the city each day thus giving 'Ocho' a well deserved rest. He's still going strong despite over 2.3K miles driven so far. 

Copenhagen has many beautiful sights which we discovered on our walking tour around the city after dumping the bikes outside the tourist information with, and I'm not kidding, about 2000 other bikes. Copenhagen is even more of a cycling city than anywhere else we have been, everyone cycles. We have been passed by people with delivery boxes in the front with IKEA furniture stuffed in them we also went past one family with mum cycling dad and a child sat in the front box. Sarah was once again the tour guide with our planned route around the city. We only got lost once this time! But we did see some interesting architecture we would have otherwise missed. 

We started with a roam around Has Christan Andedsons various houses in the old docks area. We believe he lived in at least three of these houses throughout his life, Number 8 was one but can't remember the rest right now. However, I do remember the oldest property was built in 1698. 

Here's a view of the houses from the docks. Needless to say it's very touristy now! 

The royal palace and the neighbouring church, The Marble Church were impressive (see image below) we Also visited the National Museum of Denmark (about 3.5hrs) which had a great display of Denmark's prehistory. 

Of course any visits would be complete without a visit to the Little Metmaid (the real Little Mermaid, that is kids, not Disney's version). She was donated by the brewer Carsberg who fell I love with the story while watching the ballet and donated the statue to the city in 1912. The sculptor modelled the image on his wife. Since then she has been abused several times, lost her arm twice, her head once, had a bikini painted on her and more recently was dressed in a bhirker. 

The Danish have a love of spired buildings highly decorated with gold, copper and other metals. This is the spire atop the Danish Stock Exchange building, we particularly like this one as its shaped like a Narwhal tusk. 

After our first few days in Copenhagan we decided to stay an extra day and visit the North Zealand coastline and surrounding area. Two of the places had impressive castles this first one is Fongstein Castle (below) which included extensive public gardens and further below is Csstle Königstein, the home of Shakspears Hamlet. It was built at the narrowest entrance point to the Baltic Sea so that the king could collect taxes from passing ships. In return he promised to support and defend the town. At that time he owned both sides of the passage, nowadays the opposite side is in Sweden. 

"Alas poor Yorik I knew him well" - never really liked Hamlet

We crossed into Sweden via the worlds most expensive toll bridge, £37.50. Boy that was a shock! We set aside 100 Danish Krona! (Approx £10) had to pay with credit card. The toll girl said that most people search through their bags and splits the cost across what ever currency they have left. Then drove up through Sweden to Oslo where we arrived to camp at, in Sarah's words, "a gypo's site", a free for all with no organisation and lots of unsavoury characters. We took a lots more care over our possessions during the two days in Oslo. However, the view was very nice over Oslo City from on the hill just outside. Once again we set aside time visit a museum this time the Folk Museum which had done a tremendous job of preserving old buildings from Norwegian antiquity. They had live demonstrations of traditional skills, this lady below was making waffles on a traditional oven. 

Actual street from 1860

Traditional Norwegian timber Church, rescued by the king in order to create a museum to retain traditional building and there construction methods

Inside a traditional 1700 Norwegian habitation 

The following day we set off to drive part way towards Bergen, on the way out of Oslo we nearly, and I mean really nearly, got squashed by a tanker driver as we pulled out in a tunnel. It took a few minuets to recuperate before we could drive on. No scratches though just lucky! The Norwegians like tunnels we must have driven through about 20 so far, some are tolls. It does make it easier for 'Ocho' as it saves climbing up hills. No such luck for Sarah when we go walking which is what we are about to do now. 

Keep well and we'll see you all in a few weeks. 

Germany

Hi sorry we've not posted for a while but wifi has been unavailable. Anyhow we have made our way through old West Germany and East Germany ( I we know it's been approx. 30 years since the Berlin Wall came down) Cologne was a pleasant stop over with a great cathedral both inside and out. Everyone cycles here, 60 - 70+ year olds down to tiny tots. Really impressive and puts us to shame over in the UK. In fact everywhere on the continent you see lots of people cycling. It's geared up with dedicated cycle lanes and bike parking areas. Needless to say both of us have made use of this facility.   Our little "Ocho" (car) needs all the help we can give it so apart from driving from one site to another in each country we let him rest. 

All going well here. Had a bit of rain a couple of times but it was only rough in Rugen. It's an island off the north coast in the Baltic Sea. Howling winds and torrential rain for 36 hours, didn't go out much!

Here's a few pictures of Cologne and its cathedral

View across the River Rhine

While in the city drinking a cup of Latte we came across this man blowing bubbles in the park. Look at the little boy getting ready to burst the bubble!

Before arriving in Rugen we traveled from Cologne to Saxony about 650km, near the Czech border. This is real fairy tale Germany with Bavarian style houses with little eye shaped windows in the roof and shutters plus flower boxes in the windows. We visited Königstein Castle, straight out of sleeping beauty. We had a short walk from the campsite to the castle but unfortunately we mistook a turning and it extended to a couple of hours plus many hours looking around the castle and the walk back made it a full day with our return to the tent around 8pm. 

Königstein Castle

The next day we went to Hollistein up in the hills and had a swim in a thunder storm for 1 hour. It was warmer in the pool than out of it! Then found a lovely authentic Biergarten in Porschdorf and had another Latte sat on the balcony in the now blazing sunshine. 

A day or two later we had a days walk through the Saxony sandstone cliffs and over the Bastei Bridge. Once again a mixed day of weather with hot sunshine interspersed with rain and one heck of a thunder and lightening storm as we walked over the bridge, which was to be the highlight of the day. Instead only one picture of people huddled in a rock arch half way across the bridge while the worst of the weather passed. 

Dresden was nearly demolished during the war but to see it now you would not know. The German taxpayers have been funding the rebuilding of it and many other old East German cities and related infrastructure. It's a credit to them as Dresden is beautifully restored and matched with modern architecture. 

We next traveled up to Rugen which was unfortunately not so impressive, probably because of the aforementioned bad weather. However, we did several walks and visited Hitlers People's Holiday Camp location on the coast, which is now being converted into luxury apartments and holiday lets. This is an odd turn of fate as Hitler never actually completed the project only now is it being used for the purpose it was designed. It stretches, one building after another for 4.5km along the seafront in Prora. Part of the old buildings still remain and are currently being used as a museum. This was our last day on the island and we have now moved along the coast near to Rostock and will be taking the ferry to Denmark in about 24 hours. 

We had to when in Brussels

Sarah said when in Belgium we have to have a waffle. This one had every extra topping they had in the shop. €5.50. Not bad, but boy was it messy to eat, we enjoyed it though!

Number 25 Please! 

The chocolate looked good but this was even better.............

This shop was right next door to the 'Manakin Pis' the exact translation is man urinating. It's a fountain,  we were expecting a large fountain in a square but no it was a piddle little thing in a corner by two houses. 

However, just along the road was Brussels 'Grand Place' which is a magnificent town square with decorative stone buildings, gold leaf, flags and oodles of stately grandeur. 

This was a view from one of the alleys leading to the square. You can see the Town Hall tower in the background

A couple of days earlier in the Netherlands we peddled our bicycles along the coast and saw our first windmill. We were both surprised latter to find our faces sunburnt, Sarah's now pealing. 

The same night had a warm hue in the sky even at 10:40pm. This is a little seaside village near where we camped. 

Birthday greetings

Happy birthday Sinead. Hope you have a great day and enjoy your holiday. Fingers crossed the weather is good, we're having a mixed bunch rain yesterday, sunshine today and rain tonight. Suppose you had this before us. Again have a lovely birthday xxxxx

Back Up and Running Again

Thanks for a great party the other weekend. It was fab to see everyone and spend the day and following morning together. 

We're now on the road again for the next 6 weeks in our little car "Ocho"! We are not absolutley sure he'll make it around northern Europe but here's to hoping. Currently in the Hook of Holland and moving onto Brussels tomorrow to have a look at the beautiful market square in the city centre. 

Photo of our little car pulling off the ferry in Holland, in a queue waiting to show our passports