A peaceful, lockfree day along the Mittelland Kanal with plenty of warmth. Bob and I love the small estuaries the Germans have incorporated within the canal structure. Look what we saw! Hohenstein is a town deliberately built around an old guesthouse in the 1950s. Oh, the barge in the top image is our European dream […]
A late start followed by a long, but relaxed, day of 67km as our hoped for stop came and went. Excitement? Yes. A wasp, a good 1½ inch in size buzzed through the door. From its markings, all screamed ‘European Wasp’. If it was, this was the biggest we have ever come I contact with. […]
A blowy day that whipped the waters to a slight chop, but nothing Gratis couldn’t handle. Two locks, 60km and plenty of bird song. This fella made good use of the wind as they tacked back and forth in front if the boat at our night’s mooring. A quick drink and stretch, then off he […]
This year’s adage is, ‘Take it easy!’ With that in mind, it was a slow relaxed start to the first day of our 2017 cruising year. On the advice of our friend, Ollie, heading north for 7km brought us to the Havel Kanal junction, where Bob turned Gratis left. How right our German friend was. […]
We depart for Holland in a short time.
We are still in Spandau, but that has given me a little more time to work out the details for the trip and ready more images. A bit tricky, as the internet data we purchase seems to disappear as quickly as a ‘click of the fingers’. Here is one for South Australians. In Meiningen, you […]
The old bikes were tossed. After receiving a dousing on the way to Gruissan, France, in 2015 they didn’t fare so well. As we intend to partake in numerous cycling trips over the coming months, the last few days had us walking the east side of Berlin in search for cheap second hand bikes. Taking time […]
The 2016 Odyssey is still being installed and back – dated. Check out the ‘Our Journey Pages for Germany, Poland, Switzerland, and France to catch up on the adventure. Click on the tags in red below and you will be taken to the pages relating to the subject. It’s then just a matter of scrolling down and […]
Back to the oiling today, whilst Bob gets back finishing annual maintenance on the engine – one of his favourite jobs. In an aside, spring is truly here. At times the water and air is awash in white as seeds float upon the breeze from nearby trees. With each day that passes, an increasing variety […]
At last the readying of the engine is complete. Big Bertha is ready to roll! A flock of Egyptian geese have commenced paddling up the channel around 8:30 every morning, the lead male honking all the while, and the swans have returned with their days’ old cygnet. I had an interesting experience whilst doing the oiling today. The […]
It’s all happening. Bob readied the decks today. They have never looked so tidy!!!!! A big grin as he finishes. Now I can commence oiling the bowsprit. Skyline behind: a massive set of apartments going up. There is always something happening around Marina West. The ducks provide some good laughs. This fella was not at […]
This was our last day true day of touring through yet more picturesque scenery. Oh, to experience a good long hike through this landscape!!!!!!! Unique in the townships Bob and I journeyed through, were the multitude of buildings whose outer shells were wholly covered in slate tiles. Each overlapping the tile set above and nailed […]
Just a few kilometres down the road was the Fulda River and township of Fulda with its massive Benedictine Monastery that was first was founded in 744 by St Boniface’s disciple, Saint Sturm. In latter years, it served as a base from which missionaries could join Charlemagne’s military on campaigns. With renovations and rebuilds taking […]
A lunch stop in the beautiful Altstadt of Millrichstadt. Here we came across an old water wheel, all that remains from the mill which once adorned the site, and loved this fire hydrant. On the way to our night’s accommodation, Bob and I visited the town of Meiningen for a quick explore. Situated on the […]
This was the day chosen to return to France so as we could refill the gas tanks and purchase two more. What a slowday it proved to be! Roadworks, roadworks and yet more roadworks and add to the mix, Googlemaps playing up thanks to poor reception. Solution to the last? Purchase a Tom Tom. Things moved […]
Today Bob and I continued our journey through northern Thuringia. First stop, though, was the church. Mirror image, the outside was a little different to the norm. A quick snapshot of some slate covered buildings. Sighting three spires, a snap decision to make a stop in Bad Langensalza was made. This was a town of crooked rooves. […]
The coming week will see Bob and I journey by car to the Thuringianwald. This, our first day, took us to Halle (Saale). Situated on the Saale River, it was a town steeped in history. Arriving on the outskirts of the Alt Stadt, Bob and I exited the car, where upon our ears were […]
The 2017 season in Gratis will soon be underway for us. Connected to the tractor in preparation. Bob keeping an eye out as the crane is readied. Up she goes and the last of the supports is removed. Out over the water goes Gratis. Down she goes. Fully down.
Bob spent the day in the engine room readying Big Bertha. For me, it was scrubbing the cabin top and sides. It’s amazing how much grime collects on surfaces. Big G is set to return to the water tomorrow.
