Koln, shopping and a Bloody Big Church!

Monday 29/08/11 was another sight seeing day! We went to Cologne (Koln).
Dating back to the 15th October 1880, the Cologne Cathedral was the highest building in the world, standing at 157.38 m .

The Front Entrance.

The Cologne Cathedral is just amazing! - the size of the building, the art work, the lovely stained glass windows. They looked fabulous when the sun was shining in the windows & leaving a rainbow of color on the walls. To think that in the year 1248, the Archbishop of Cologne, Konrad Von Hochstaden laid the first foundation stone. I am sure he never had visions of the building growing this big! It took 632 years after the 1st foundation stone was laid & the largest church facade ever built was finished. Imagine climbing 533 steps a day to get to work!! No wonder that man up in the 'office' was grumpy!!
look at this web address for more information on the Cologne Cathedral www.domkloster4.de

Climbing the Stairs to the belfry

Most beautiful stained glass windows

The huge Pipe Organ

High speed bullet train

Globetrotter Store...4 floors of camping, clothing & outdoor equipment, including a pool to try out the canoe or the diving gear!

Steve & his mate wearing the North Face T-shirt

Yes, All sizes, every colour = selecton...

Jam filled Doughnut anyone ? 2 for 1.25 Euro

Ya, is that Werner with Woody?

A Wall of every Lego block type ever made...new modern colors too

Lego Shop = Bulk Lego bits and kits.

To the Alien Office!! As we are actually in Europe / Germany for 93 days we are over staying our holiday visa, so we have got to go & get an extention on this paper work. Unfortunately, they want us to make an appointment!  The earliest we could get was for next Friday at 08:00 - the day of Werner & Claudia's wedding.




Tuseday Steve & I went off to Schloss Burg (Castle Berg). Another very interesting place to visit. This site was first used as a fortress over a 1000 years ago AD. I'm sure if the walls could talk they could tell many tales. Inside is a museum full of very interesting wares. These people were so clever with their hands, to see the old pots & pans, spinning wheels and a multitude of ceramic crockery, jugs, glassware & lovely cutlery with ceramic handles.

Schloss Burg

Halt! Who goes there?

On the way back I had to give Steve a little poke in the side to remind him to get over to the right hand side....I don't really want to wear a window!

Steve here, yes it was the 1st time tho. Just leaving the tool/ hardware shop where we had bought a few basic tools for bike maint. No cars small roadway, and I was 'driving' on the LHS!! Only for 10Sec's or so...

Wednesday we will pack (proper) the bike for heading to the MRT Rally camp site. We only have a 120kms for this leg as we'll have another home stay over night at Werners Granma and Aunts place. Before continuing on to the camp site, on some back roads.

Cheers,
Stephen and Deb.

27th August 2011, Remscheid, Germany

27/08/11
Today has been a very relaxing no stress type of day.  We read a few emails, had a chat with the girls at home in Alice.  I am very thankful that all is fine at home, they sound like they are coping.


Later on in the afternoon Steve & I went for a walk upto the shops.  It really is good exercise, with all those hills to walk up.  You never know, I may be fit by the time I get back?

Re-al grocery store, like a 'Big-W'.

It has been quite a wet day too, not the kind of weather I'd like to be riding in.  It would be rather slippery.

View from front of house car park.

A storm rolling in

Heir Steffans is a cabinet maker.

Herr Steffens playing the accordian

  The German's are very fine craftsmen.  They take a great deal of pride in their work.  When looking at the doors & windows & how they actually seal together is very neat.  Not like our house with gaps under the doors & light showing through the closed doors and window frames!





Werner's brother, Jurgen is having a late birthday party (his birthday was in April). We will meet some of their friends. The party will be in Herr Steffens workshop.

Happy Werner

Claudia, Elio & Peter ( Mr AT - Africa Twin)

Deb & Claudia

The Workshop

Steve & Deb

Claudia & Werner

Deb

28/08/11

We had a bit of a sleep in today, didn't wake up until 9:30.  Nice to have a sleep in to recharge the batteries and our weary bones.

The rain from last night continued, so before it got any worse we headed off for a scenic trip in a general direction towards Koln, but Werner took us on a circular tour around Ramscheid, some of his favourite riding spots…many corners!!!! 

waiting at the lights

Head Cam - don't get sea sick!

We  stopped  off at Werner & Claudia’s favourite bikie café’ for a coffee.

The Bikie Chicks

Cafe Hubraum

More bikes!

in front of the cafe' was an old tram track - no longer in use

Rainbow of Bikes!

Everything is unbelievably green and plenty of little valleys with rivers or dams running through it. The scenery reminded us of the area around Philip Island, with the rolling green hills & farm houses around the area. Another thing that is very noticeable is the amount of bikes on the road!  I think they must have all been out for a Sunday ride!

Talking about Herr Steffens & his craftmanship he made me a tiny little trinket box, with a little hiding spot inside it.  He has given me a nut cracker that he made and some tiny little spinning tops.  They are very cute.

Giday to all. Some photos of Steve working on the bike in Werners Dads garage.

Sorting out Scottoiler plumbing

Fitting fuel hoses

Centre Stand mounted, fuel hose and fittings.

RHS pannier on, Sorting out Power to pannier for charging.

Parked out side garage, test ride ready.

43L fuel tank

Werners House, and bike outside garage

beside Claudia's Yamaha xt600

Well today Deb and I, with the help of Claudia and Werner played tourist in the ‘town’ (was a city to me) of Wuppertal which is about 20kms North of where we are staying in the town of Remscheid. We had a few tasks to get done. Deb needed to get a set of gortex lined riding boots. I needed to get a Fuel safe ‘T’ connector for the AT (Africa Twin) as the new 43L tanks has two normal (manual operated) fuel taps for each fuel lobe.  I have been running the bike on only one side of the tank up until late this arvo.

So Werner took us to a Hein Gericke bike shop which was like a ‘real’ bike shop that has stuff for sale, unlike ANY bike shop in Alice Springs. Deb was actually able to try on several DIFFERENT sets of boots and they were all in her size!! So no shopping for boots via the Internet today!! She also got a set of glove liners (water proof) which we reckon will come in handy later on…