5th May 2016 (sunny and mild 17C)

Julia up at six this morning after being awake for the previous hour, with me only ten minutes behind.  Must say I’ve been sleeping really well.  Enjoyed a cup o tea with Ju and did some work on the blog, before Katja and Stefan woke and we enjoyed a nice breakfast.

After Ju had showered, we opened the bike boxes and put the bikes back together. Good to have Stefan there as he gave us a helping hand.  Whilst Julia finished off pumping up our tyres, I shaved and showered and we were set for the day.

Julia, Katja and Pete in front of the Birnau Basilica

Heading for Birnau today, to a Catholic Basilica, one which Katja had said would `knock the pants off yesterday’s church`.  I found that very hard to believe, but we were on our way, on extremely busy roads, as it was a holiday (Fathers Day).  The traffic was beginning to get very busy, so we took minor roads for the final stretch.  Couldn’t believe the amount of cyclists out on the roads and cycle paths. There were thousands….apparently, this is what happens on all public holidays.  It’s great to see, especially the amount of older people.  The other point worth a mention, is how popular electric bikes have become over the last two years, since we were last in Europe.  Masses of them, from sit up and beg variety to mountain bikes.  We mentioned this last time we were here, but if the town planners in Auckland had any sense at all, they would be looking to put in huge amounts of cycle paths, to get traffic off the roads and at the same time, improve people’s health, hence reducing the cost to the country.

Birnau, is on the lake of Constance, a spectacular lake, which borders Switzerland, Austria and Germany. We had cycled here thirty years ago and today, with the weather a warm seventeen degrees, under clear skies the alps were out in all their glory….stretching for miles. 

After parking the van we went to check out inside the Basilica, but because there was a mass on, we had to wait along with a couple of hundred others, for about fifteen minutes.  When the doors opened and we wandered inside, it was definitely a WOW moment.  The interior is stunning and because you weren’t allowed to take photos, the illicit one I took really doesn’t do it justice.  Painted ceilings, gold everywhere….beautiful…..and the ugliest painting on the roof of a baby Jesus, you’ve ever seen in your life.  Don’t know what the artist was on when he painted that, but if I’d have been Mary with a kid like that, I’d have left him in that manger for the donkeys to look after….!

The reconstructed pre-historic village of Pfahlbauten

After leaving the church we drove a short distance to visit Pfahlbauten…..a pre-historic village, built on the shores and over the lake. It dates back nearly 6000 years and it was fascinating. It showed how the people lived and how they traded, with the lake as a major player in the whole scenario. The people who discovered the remains in the lake did a great job, not only finding the site, but pursuing the restoration programme to eventually get it to where it is today, this is over the last hundred years.

Julia, Katja and Stefan at Pfahlbauten

Arriving back at the van, it was a drive down the road to Meersburg, which boasts the oldest castle in Germany. Aside from sitting on the water’s edge in a fantastic location, the views over the lake to the Alps and surrounding countryside are stunning.  Our photographs really do not show just how spectacular the vista is, as the light affected the clarity of the mountains.

Meersburg Castle - the oldest parts date from 630 AD

Some of the crazy helmets on display in the castle - you would need a strong neck to wear these!

Being situated on the lakefront, Meersburg is also a ferry port of call, nothing large, just a few cars and passengers, making the crossing to Constance in Switzerland, or putting along the lake to other ports.

Meersburg castle, first founded in the 7^th century, sits on a rocky promontory and boasts a 14 metre deep moat which is spanned by a 12 metre drawbridge.  A tour of the interior revealed all sorts of fascinating information and a look at the dungeon, not a place you wanted to end up…!  The current owners of Meersburg Castle still live in part of the building.  After enjoying a coffee and something to eat, it was 6pm and as we sat outside, still bathed in sunshine, we pondered on the itinerary for tomorrow, which would see us requiring an early start.  

A walk through Meersburg township ended our visit to this quaint piece of history and on the way through we encountered a brass band entertaining a large crowd.

A drive through more breathtaking countryside and a stop to pick up a couple of delicious pizzas saw the day come to an end around 11pm, everyone appropriately tired and ready to crash.