And finally to Germany

At Drachensberg castle ruins

We left Rekem in Belgium, for not much more than an hours drive to Aachen, alphabetically as well as geographically our first stop in Germany. LPG seemed cheap in Belgium, 32c/l as opposed to 67p/l in the U.K. we knew we didn’t need much, and we didn’t know how much it was in Germany, but even so. €1.24 later, having been laughed at by the man in the garage, though I got the feeling it happens quite often we set off. Through the Netherlands, and there we were. Not often you do three countries before lunch.

We didn't know such places existed!

Aarchen Dom in the distance

It was warm and sunny, t shirt only weather as we walked into Aachen (campsite location: 50°45'41.8"N 6°06'08.9"E), most surprising. The town seemed to be full of a huge fleamarket and food stalls, so, sausage in a bun it is then, before a ridiculous piece of Black Forest gateau. The Dom, or cathedral seemed to be the thing, that and Charlemagne who made Aachen centre of his vast Frankish empire in 974. If I’d felt Napoleon was getting too far removed, this was really beyond me, but it did have some interesting medieval streets and the Dom, Charlemagne’s burial place was stunning. 

Charlemagne's marble throne 

We’ve been in many cathedrals now, and for me this is top three. The gold mosaics on the 16 sided ambulatory, around the octagonal dome were beautiful. We’d paid for an English guided tour and he was very interesting, plus we got to see the gothic choir, and Charlemagne’s marble throne, which I could quite happily have lived without except we got closer to the ceilings and had a better view of the stained glass windows. The other ‘claim to fame’ the cathedral has are its relics, Christ’s crucifixion loincloth, Mary’s cloak, the cloth John the Baptist’s decapitated head was wrapped in and swaddling clothes from when Jesus was an infant. These however only come out every 7 years, next in 2021 so we didn’t wait!

The Aarchen Dom ceiling

the casket that holds Charlemagne's bones

Feeling we’d seen Aachen we stayed only one night before heading off to Cologne and another cathedral. This building is Germany’s largest cathedral and until the building of the Eiffel Tower was Europe’s tallest building. Quite liked it, huge stained glass windows, and a richly bejewelled and gilded sarcophagus that holds the remains of the Magi, but not as good as yesterday!

More of the gold mosaics along with the stained glass windows beyond in Aarchen Dom 

One more photo from Aarchen, this is the Rathaus

Pleasant wander and first German beer before the best part of an hour back to the motorhome parking, no facilities, no security and €12 we did manage to get a great view of the Rhine though. Watching the cargo barges with a glass of wine made for good viewing. Campsite location: 50°57'44.5"N 6°59'10.3"E

We finally thought we’d start on our driving tour of the ‘Romantic Rhine’ but due to roadworks we went for the easy option and drove down the motorway to Bonn. Yes, another city, but the parking is free and we will stay for more than one night! 

Cologne cathedral, the largest in Europe

On arriving we decided it was probably ok, but a bit strange, walked to Aldi, had a good walk round the park and spoke to a couple in their Frankia, also a 2011 vintage with the same livery and same soft furnishings. Good to have a chat, though really they had just come the half hour from home to provide lunch for their daughter and her two friends. How very sweet. Parking location: 50°42'34.8"N 7°08'20.9"E

A day in Bonn then, we got the tram in which was very easy, bought a ticket that lasts 24 hours and paid for itself in the Beethoven museum, the Arithmeum and the tram back. No cathedral here, it’s having work done, the Beethoven house was open, but that was all, the other exhibitions are being changed for next year, to mark 250 years since his birth. That was a bit disappointing, the “spacey, interactive 3D multimedia tour” as described in the Lonely Planet was no more! 

Inside the immense Cologne cathedral that was quite severely damaged by bombs in WWII

The remains of the Magi in the gilded sarcophagus in Cologne cathedral

On to the Arithmeum then, adding machines through the ages. It was interesting, and some of them were beautiful, but how they all worked was beyond me. So far, Bonn’s not doing so well, one last chance, the Haus der Geschichte, free, and on our way home. Described as a smart, fun romp through recent German history, and it was, though interestingly it opened with a temporary exhibition “Thoroughly British” starting with Brexit and moving through the 1966 World Cup, via Fawlty Towers and whether the Royal Family are really German! This was before we got onto German history. I’m just grateful only a small proportion was in English otherwise we’d still be there! He was happy though.

The Japanese Gardens in the park by our motorhome parking area in Bonn

Beethoven's statue in Bonn

Got back to Ted, and he’d let us down, only slightly under trees, but he’d not managed to recharge his batteries at all. Ok, we’ll stay one more night, but we may have to move on after our morning out tomorrow! Our morning out was to Konigswinter, also on our tram line and included in our 24 hour pass, along with 20% off the cog railway to the top of the mountain for a fabulous view from the ruins of Drachensberg castle (location: 50°39'54.9"N 7°12'36.1"E). Great little trip out, back to Ted who had redeemed himself, we’d changed sides of the road and he’d grabbed enough sun before it all went in to recharge to 100%, so blog and shower it is then before moving on tomorrow.

Bonn's Munster Basilica, currently closed for refurbishment. Our Lonely Planet guide says it will be closed until at least 2019. Well, they're right!

Bonn's Altas Rathaus. Apparently Charles de Gaulle and John F Kennedy have waved to crowds from the top of that staircase

The house in which Beethoven was born in 1770, now a museum

An manuscript on view in the Beethoven museum on which the great man worked. Those are his notes and alterations

The 'Thoroughly British' exhibition in the Haus der Geschichte museum in Bonn, complete with Brexit countdown ticking away the seconds remaining. It was interesting to see a German view of the British and they certainly seem to appreciate our humour. They had a re-run of the Carling advert featuring a holidaymaker hurling his towel from a hotel balcony to bounce across the pool and land on a poolside deckchair before the Germans could get there. The 'Don't mention the war' sketch from Fawlty Towers was there along with the disputed third England goal in the 1966 world cup final. Did it cross the line or not? Slow motion replays from all angles. England said 'yes', Germany said 'no', but the accepted the result

The cog railway to the top of the Drachenfel mountain. Yes, I know we could have walked up and many people did, but we took the easy option

Panorama from the top - a splendid view of the river Rhine! Right, on the far bank is Bonn and further right, in the very distance is Cologne and they reckon you could see the cathedral on a clear day - we couldn't 

However, at the half way station we think we might be able to see the cathedral. It might be the bit on the horizon to the right of the right hand pole. Not sure though

The remains of the Drachensberg castle on the summit

The view from the other side of forested mountains. The houses by the Rhine are the town of Konigswinter

Dragons are aplenty in Konigswinter. After all Drachenfels translates as dragon mountains. Near the summit is a man-made cave and, as you pass by you can hear a dragon snoring. Put €1 in and the dragon wakes up - a puppet dragon walks out of his cave and starts waving his arms and chatting away in German. Kids seem to love it and it didn't seem fierce judging by the tone of its voice (not that I could understand anything)