Dear All

 

Here we are in Berlin.  Traversed the Baltic sea from Trelleborg in Sweden to Strassnitz in (former) eastern Germany.  The feel of the east is still very similar to that which we experienced in Russia.  There is very little English language spoken and buildings are shabby, run down or just plain derelict.  A large amount of the area is under cultivation which made for a rather monotonous drive.  Here we also experienced, what we already knew, the almost impossibility of using a credit card for anything.  The good thing was though that the shops had "proper" food.  By that I mean that there were lots of fresh fruit and veges etc that you just don't get in Scandinavia (but steak is still AUD$40 per kilo).  The areas that belonged to the former eastern side of Berlin are much the same, although there is so much construction work happening at the moment in Berlin it is amazing.  The skyline is not dotted, but smothered with cranes.  They look like some prehistoric monsters come to take over the city.  Berlin is being prepared to become the capital city of unified Germany next year and there is no way that all of the planned reconstruction will take place before then. 

 

There are very few signs of the Berlin Wall left.  The Brandenburg Gate is still in place (Napoleon had them built and they just happened to be built into the wall).  These are the gates through which one often saw the Nazi troops marching in the old newsreel films.  Strange place, Berlin.  We spoke with some Australians (with whom we had made contact in Finland weeks ago) again today and they felt the same thing.  Usually, despite strange place names, one can orientate in a city, provided you have a reasonable map.  Both they and we found it extremely difficult and time wasting trying to do just that.   Anyway, we've only spent one day in the city and most of it seemed to be closed off for a pro-pot rally.  Police everywhere in caged trucks, on horseback, on motorbike and in cars.  Seemed a fairly peaceful rally but we only saw the beginning and where they were going to go at the end.  I think it may have been a rough night in the old town last night! 

 

It is also interesting to note that many of the buildings damaged during WW2 have only recently been repaired, restored and reopened i.e. as late as 1996 for one of the churches in the Gendarmarket - the prettiest square in Berlin (according to Michelin). 

 

Traffic jams - oh boy.  It took us all day to do 100km on our way into Berlin.  Granted we got a little lost (once) but the huge spaghetti junctions of six lanes combining into three and the named but un-numbered exits that on the map had numbers not names, left exhaustion the end product of the day.  Never again will I complain of an Adelaide, or even Sydney, traffic jam. 

 

Backtracking a little, before we left Sweden we saw a glass art exhibition in a castle on the island of Oland.  It was a stunning place to hold such an exhibition and we spent several hours there before a violent electrical storm sent us scurrying for cover.

 

Having spent three months in Scandinavia, it was sad to leave it but the more we study where we are going to go next, the more we realise just how much there is to see. 

 

Thanks to all those who wrote this week (we had 12 messages - it was exciting), appreciate it.

 

Until next week...

Deb & Arnold
damag@bigpond.net.au

 

 

12 September 1999

 

Dear All

 

Just another lovely day in Autumnal Germany.  The leaves are starting to turn all shades of brilliant reds and yellows but the sun continues to shine and, although the nights are cold, the days are shorts and t-shirt weather again.  Let's hope this continues as we head further south.

 

Several people have told us that the weather in Aus has been great and that spring/summer is in the air.  It is amazing what a large part of your life the weather is when you live in a van.  It is the difference between sitting inside or out.  When you sit outside, under the awning, the size of the van doubles.  It is also an interesting observation that we have been sitting outside in weather than in Australia we would not have dreamed of so doing.  Its not that the van is too small, it is just that everyone does it and you tend to get as much from the sunshine and warmth as you can - even if you have to put on a little extra clothing.  It will be interesting to see if we still sit outside in the dark when we get home.

 

This week has been a mixed bag.  We are in the area of the Thuringerwald (Thuringer Forest) which is still a little to the east but fairly well in the middle of Germany.  The forest is very beautiful and full of conifers, beech and elm trees.  As I said, the leaves are starting to turn now and within a week or two I' m sure the pictures that are sent will be of the autumn leaves.  A long lasting impression I shall have of Germany is the amount of road work that is going on.  We saw much more of the forest than we ever intended because of the number of "umleteings" (detours) that just kept taking us deeper and deeper into it.  The area has a few castles, one of which, Wartburg, we have labelled the "hotch potch" castle because of the extraordinary number of different types of architecture that it contains.  No one bothered to try to stick to a theme and as the centuries passed, whatever was the current trend in building was added on.  Well worth a visit but the very steep climb to the top of the hill on which is sits is enough to deter many.  Of course, just to make one feel really good about getting to the top (ha ha), as you go down you see a couple of guys running up the path!!!  Oh well, we were young once!

 

The other and, perhaps, the main event of this week was a visit to Buchenwald on Thursday.  Buchenwald, for those who don't know, was a concentration camp from 1933-1945.  It was also used for 7 years after the war to house those accused of war crimes.  I don't want to say too much because a visit to a place like this is very personal and takes its toll on people in different ways.  Most of the camp buildings have gone now but the living quarters are still marked by their foundations.  Different memorials mark the different ethnic and religious groups who were sent to Buchenwald, many of whom were sent there from other camps.  The storehouse remains and is now a Memorial Centre/Museum.  The disinfecting room, the infirmary and the crematorium still remain as a chilling reminder of the incomprehensible inhumanity that happened there.  Apart from the extremely sobering thoughts and feelings you leave with from Buchenwald, the other awful thought is that these things are still happening.  We had a very quiet and thoughtful evening that night.

 

On a brighter side and after Buchenwald and getting frustrated by our inability to follow roads because of detours, we were ready for a happy night.  We arrived at our campingsite (campers see below Camping Paulfield) to find that, being a Saturday, there was going to be a "knees up".  There was a band, Thuringer Wursts (sausages in bread) and lots of local German beer.  The first song played by the band was "Knees Up Mother Brown" and it did not take the German people long to enjoy themselves.  It was obvious from the outset that it was going to be a good night.  It was not based on the amount of beer consumed (although that was considerable) but by the attitude of people set on just having fun.  And it was a family affair.  Even the dogs came along!  Much of the music was traditional German stuff but at least 40% was popular music sung in English which meant that we weren't totally excluded.  Even did some dancing!!

 

For the music lovers, went to St George's church in Eisenach where Johan Sebastian Bach was baptised.  Martin Luther also preached here in 1521.  One of the stone carvings inside the church dates from 1301.  I don't think I will ever cease to be amazed at the history these countries have maintained.  Obviously we have still not been completely "churched out". 

 

Thanks to those who keep keeping in touch.  It is great and we love to have contact from you.  This week will see us heading further south in Germany (slowly) so that we can be in Munich for the Octoberfest the first and/or second weekend in October.

 

Deb & Arnold

 

CAMPING SITES

 

Near Annaberg Buchholz, Campingplatz Koningswalde (page 209).  Small, new facilities, showers included.  Metered electricity.  Friendly, English spoken 28DM including electricity.  A long way from Annaberg.  Okay for a "housework" stop.  Not much around.

 

Jena, Camping Jena - Avoid like the plague.  Although the site is pretty the facilities are dirty and the cost was 48DM - almost double what we have paid anywhere else.  We were just too tired to argue the price or to move.

 

Muhlburg (near Erfurt)  Campingplatz Drei Gleichen (page 222).  New site.  Despite what the book says - no English spoken.  Facilites good.  Washing machine but no dryer.  1.5DM for 3 minute shower.  6DM for a washing load.  Pleasant unsheltered site with quite a bit of noise from the new Autobahn nearby.  Fresh bread and cake delivered in the a.m. 

 

Thuringerwald (near Ohrdruf) Camping Paulfield (page 242).  Large site with about 50-60% statics now.  New facilities 1.5DM for shower 4 minutes.  Great entertainment Friday and Saturday nights.  In the season Restaurant, horse riding, beer garden.  Lake swimming - if you don't mind green sludge.  Still here so can't give you the price yet.

19 September 1999

 

Dear All

 

Welcome to Kevin & Hazel Fowler.  Kevin is a lifelong friend of mine (Arnold) who used to live opposite me when I was very young.  Kevin and Hazel now reside in the USA.  

 

This week has been one of mountains, trees and strange rock shapes.  We continued  through parts of the Thuringerwald amidst masses of conifers and trees showing increasingly autumnal changes.  A side journey to Marienglashohle was interesting.  Crystaline gypsum has been mined here for hundreds of years.  The underground crystals twinkling in the cavernous walls made a most beautiful sight. 

 

A little further south and near the Czech border, we entered the Frankische Schweiz.  The Frankonian mountains are composed of porous limestone that has been eroded over millennia into unreal shapes.  We took a cable car up the Fichtelgebirge mountain.  This is about 1000m.  A wonderful view of the surrounding mountainous country was obtained.  At nearby Luisenburg, enormous granite boulders appear to have been dumped in irregular piles and the tree roots spread in twisted patterns.  We spent a fascinating and exhausting hour or two trekking up around and through the boulders.  Sometimes were on hands and knees to reach the summit, once again for a glorious view.

 

In the centre of all this is the town of Bayreuth.  This is Wagner's town and the highlight of the visit to the town was a tour of the Markgrafliches Opernhaus (the Margraves Opera House),  This was built in 1745 and is by far the most ornate theatre we have ever seen  with many colours and an abundance of gilded stucco-work and festoons of candelabra.  Wagner had his works performed here until his theatre was built a little further down the road.  The Ring is performed at Wagner's theatre (almost) every year.  Bayreuth was not a total loss to Wagner as he ended up marrying List's daughter and his remains still repose in one of the town's splendid gardens.

 

We thought that Bayreuth was quintessential old Germany until we arrived at Bamberg.  First mention of Bamberg dates from 200AD but it really got going under Emperor Henry II around about 1020.  Bamberg is a medieval gem.  Ancient but very well preserved buildings everywhere, an elegant Dom on the edge of a most impressive square surrounded by palaces and stately residences.  The old  Rathaus (Town Hall)  was splendid, dating from about 1740 and stuck on an island bisected by  a river that runs through the centre of the town. 

 

We tried the local special beer (Rauchbier) which is flavoured by filtration through charred beech-wood logs, accompanied by a light Sunday lunch!  For me this was half a leg of smoked pig with a thick gravy and a large plate of vegetables.  Deb had some roast pork accompanied by potatoes floating in bright green broccoli soup. 

 

Next we move on to Wurzberg and south along the Romantische Strasse with the aim of arriving in Munich for the end of the Octoberfest which started yestereday and goes for 16 days. 

 

Note to campers follows.

 

Deb & Arnold

Written by Arnold this time for a change.

 

TO THE CAMPERS from Deb:  Following on from last week, Camping Paulfield was 52DM for 2 nights with electricity.  Good value.

 

SAALFELD - Camping Gosswitz Alter - Page 248 - don't follow instructions as the roads have all changed.  It is a lovely sight, even though our windows got a little scratched by a tree!  Magnificent lake view.  Lake clean enough for swimming.  Apparently (according to a West German we met) the site was used in the bad old days as a reward for middle management type government workers to take their families for holidays etc.  Lots of largish wooden cabins/houses that are now privately owned.  Showers 1.5DM for 4 minutes.  Very clean and well maintained.  Washing up facilities were not sited but I believe they are down near reception - a long way from where you can park the Wohnmobile.  With metered electricity camp cost was about 24DM per night.  Siesta  between 1-3.  Many well kept statics and cabins

 

STADSTEINACH - Azur Camping Stadsteinach.  (Page 234). Siesta 1-3pm  Good clean facilities.  Showers included in the price.  Pleasant site near village.  Laundry with washers not driers.  Cheaper than in the book - 27.8DM per night.  Limited supermarket 900m away.

 

BAMBERG  - Camping Insel - Page 213 - Siesta 1-3pm.  Large, sprawling park, very crowded, many statics, bit run down.  Facilities clean.  Showers included.  Inadequate number of showers and toilets if park was full.  Beer garden and good bus (hourly) service into city.  Still here.  Let you know costs next week.

26 September 99

 

Dear All

 

Well, 6 months today we left Australia.  Sometimes it feels like forever and at others it is merely a blink of the eye.  When we have done so many things and been to so many places and met so many people you wonder how many more "so's" you can have and still keep going.  Lots more to go I am sure.

 

Anyway, amongst the so many people we have met, we get to add another couple to our valuable collection - valuable but not one upon which a price can be placed.  Welcome to Judith and Alan Harper, an English couple who are living in the south of France.  We met them in Rothenburg (just another wonderful medieval town - better than Bamburg about which Arnold wrote last week).  They were heading to Dusseldorf for a large caravan/camping show.  Hope you enjoyed it folks.  Please let us know how you went.  Hope you are not too dissatisfied with your van now having seen all of the others!  (At least you have a lovely part of the world to go home to!)

 

It may sound unbelievable to some but as much as we appreciated Rothenburg (walking almost completely around the city on its 13th century city walls) we have got to the point where we felt we were getting drowned in old cities so - we headed for Munich (which of course is not old - it was only a village first in the 9th century!).  Another series of frustrating detours made finding the campsite difficult but we got there - along with I don't know how many hundred others.  There are very few campsites in Munich and with the Octoberfest on it was a tent city full of young, beer soaked, very happy people. 

 

Munich was a seething mass of humanity as about 6 million people descend each year on Munich for the Octoberfest.  It was difficult to appreciate the city because of the rivers of lost tourists and so we decided to not worry about the town but to go to the Hofbrauhaus (Munich's most famous beer hall) for lunch and a pint or two.  Did I say pint?  Oh no!!  Not at the Hofbrauhaus - litre containers only, lots of pork and dumplings, 8-10 people at a table and lots of oompah pah and ein prosit(ing).  We had a lot of fun and, although we couldn't speak a word to the others at the table, they made sure that we had a good time and joined in the singing.  We did a lot of lalalalala but one song stands out well.  Most of us know "Living next door to Alice".  Well, the beerhalls have an extra line thrown in and, I suppose, maybe you had to be there to appreciate the moment but the added line caused a lot of jocularity and was sung in English.  For those who don't know, the song goes

 

    .....and for 24 years I've been living next door to Alice...

 

and then there is some music. The music was completely obliterated by the whole enormous room full of people calling out

 

    Alice?  Who the f... is Alice? 

 

followed by barrels of laughter.  Maybe you had to be there but it was a load of fun.

 

Having staggered out of the Hofbrauhaus we decided that it was time to go to the Octoberfest.  Well, so too had the 6 million visitors.  It was an impossible dream.  Try though we might, there wasn't an available seat to stand on (as one does at these things) and no likelihood of getting one.  Sideshow alley was an impassable junction and after several attempts at trying to get into a beer garden we abandoned all efforts and decided that the Hofbrauhaus was probably our best taste of Bavarian fun.  Maybe, if we had not been there on a weekend, it may have been a little more quiet but - I doubt it! 

 

It was actually a relief to get out of the city and start to head for the German/Austrian Alps which is where we are right now.  Although we may slip over the Austrian border our main aim is to travel along some of the Alps, head west into France and then.....(you can't expect we gypsies to plan ahead!).

 

With voices hoarse from roudy singing and still full of good cheer we wish you all a fond farewell from just south east of Munich where our camping site is immediately opposite a VW centre where we plan to have the van's first service (10,000 miles - yes, miles folks not kilometres).  Camp site info to follow for those interested.

 

Keep in touch.

 

Deb & Arnold

 

CAMPSITES

 

Bamburg cost 30.25DM per day (including metered electricity)

 

BAD MERGENTHEIM - Campingplatz Willinger Tal (Page 211) (30DM with metered electricity) Don't bother unless you have to.  No toilet paper anywhere, only just clean facilities.  Showers 1.5DM for 4 minutes.  Sergeant Major type proprietor.

 

Then followed part of the Romantische Strasse - well worth the trip and you must see the church in Creglingen (Herrogottskirche).

 

ROTHENBURG Campingplatz Tauber Romantik (Page 248) 28DM including electricity and showers.  Immaculate facilities, friendly staff, good English spoken, [you get to meet some English speaking people called Harper], very pleasant friendly place.  Fresh bread available each morning and a good restaurant (Gasthoff Lamm) within easy walking distance in the town of Detwang.  15 minute walk into the town - all uphill but easily done.

 

MUNICH Campingplatz Munchen Obermenzig (Page 239) 34.4DM per day (that included the surcharge because of the Octoberfest), 2DM for a 5-6minute shower.  Facilities had difficulty keeping up with the Festival crowd but would probably be okay normally.  Coin in the slot electricity.  Transport to city was about a 1km walk, bus 76 to Pasing Railway Station (about every 20 minutes) and then overground train to city plenty of lines 3,4,5,6,8.

 

PRIEN - or near Rosenthiem - don't even know the name of the place at the moment.  We are the only ones here in the rain and haven't yet been to the facilities - details next week. 

 

 

4 October 1999

 

Dear All,

 

The German/Austrian Alps are unbelievably beautiful.  It is really "Sound of Music" stuff and, no, I have not done a Julie Andrews impersonation, although Arnold has tried to yodel.  Fortunately he realised his limitations!!!!!

 

Snow falls in the Alps from October to March and, right on cue, on 1st October we woke up to snow on the surrounding mountains.  Incredible.

 

Really there isn't a lot to say this week because we have just driven along what is called the Alpenstrasse and had our breath taken away time and time again.  No picture that could be attached could possibly show you what these mountains are like.  Some of them are over 9,000 feet above sea level.  The picture attached is a token only. 

 

Will leave it at that this week as I feel totally inadequate in being able to describe nature's beauty.  For those who got our reports from Norway, it is a similar feeling as being there.  Nature is truly awesome.

 

Arnold has had a bad cold and I think that I might have inherited it.  Perhaps that's why my literary genius (!?*) isn't quite working today. 

 

Camp details listed below.

 

Talk to you next week.  Keep in touch.

 

Deb & Arnold

 

From last week  Prien -  Camping Mariangrund (not in the book)  Immediately off the autobahn heading for Prien.  Small, immaculate, showers included.  33DM including electricity.  Had the place to ourselves.  Very friendly.

 

BERCHTESGADEN (near Austrian border)  - Konigsee - Campingplatz Grafenlehen (in the book)  Very crowded because of the popularity of the area but facilities good (and being upgraded in January-April 2000) and able to cope.  Good restaurant attached.  Wonderful to see the changing mood of the moutains out of the van window.  Good English.

 

GARMISH PARTENKIRCHEN Camplingplatz Zugspitze (in book)  Incredible mountains but rip off price 41.5DM including showers and electricity.   Good facilities but a big paddock for those who only stay 1-2 nights.  Lots of statics.  Not good English

 

DONAUESCHINGEN Riedsee Camping (not in the book)  34.8DM including showers and electricty.  (Electricity - put tokens in the metre and pay for the tokens used).  Reasonable English and tries hard.  80% static - many permanent homes.