Anybody miss me?

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I needed to find ATMs with a visa sign on them. Only the 'bigger' banks had these. Sparkasse etc had atms but they did not work with a visa card. I hav enever been able to buty anything in a supermarket over there with my visa card...However lot's of peeps do use Euro cards (EC) instead of large wads of cash...but mostly i see people shopping in cash.

Whereabouts were you on the coast? Dis you visit the islands of Fohr, sylt amrum ??

 

[Cathryn]

I agree as well...I really liked that Germany takes Sunday off even though it was inconvenient for me. A great policy!

My new german word was 'umleitung' which (I hope) means diversion! It came along quite often! But was always perfectly signposted!

 

[psmiffy]

BFTB - no not the islands - but probably return on a sunny day - just coast holland to dennmark

I lived in germany when i was small, however my language skills could be written down on top of a small book of matches - for some reason the phrase - du bist lieben krankenhaus essen - kept coming into my mind when ever i was in the less salubrious areas - i am fairly deaf and therefore never have much problems with any language now - just point at ears and carry on in sign language

strange germany did not always close down on sundays and fest tag - i can remember our family going shopping most sunday mornings - could be something to do with EEC working directive

wrt wind going north from hook - its always windy and luckily 95% 0f the time its from the SW - my average speed across the Zuider Zee for 38km (1hr 10min) was well over 30kmh

 

[yoyo]

Don't forget, Germany closes on Saturday afternoons as well!!!!

I'm not surprised. Eastern Switzerland does too. As for public holidays, daughter and I arrived in Vienna on 15th August last year and could not fathom why the place was like a morgue. Took us a while to understand that it was a church holiday.

 

[Andy in Sig]

I'm with Snorri on this. As somebody who lives in Germany, I think it's great that commercial life slows down on Saturdays and stops on Sundays. What it means is that you get out of bed on a Saturday to do your shopping and then see the rest of the weekend as leisure time and so you make more of the weekend as genuine free time instead of having the 10:30 pm shopping spree in Tesco hanging over you like a Damoclean sword, which if I remember aright is the norm in the now horribly Americanised UK.

Bear in mind that if you are touring in Germany, the cafes, pubs and restaurants stay open. As for the cash thing: it's not difficult, either take a wodge of sterling with you and change it a few hundred at a time when you come to the bigger towns or better still get Euros while in the UK and take them. All you then need is one of those discreet Rohan money belts and away you go.

Speaking of Rohan, they do good "normal" gear for wearing in the evenings. Much of their stuff is super light and it looks OK having spent a day folded/rolled up in your panniers. Their trousers etc. are usually well furnished with "secret" zipped security pockets. Not that Germany is a pickpocket country but it is nice when travelling anywhere abroad to know that your money reserve and passport are 100% safe.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

BFTB - no not the islands - but probably return on a sunny day - just coast holland to dennmark

..if you get the chance get the ferry over to Wyk Auf fohr. You can also get a subsequent ferry from there to Amrum. You can also get a train over to sylt.
All 3 uslands are well worth a trip. I have been to all 3 and Fohr is my fav place. I stayed there for 2 weeks for 5 years running. The weather is changeable, but in th esummer you willget 50% bright clear blue skies, temps up to the high 20's and beaches to die for. Best place to eat is the pancake house imo.
There is a peir where you can fish for crabs and when the tide comes in the pier submerges under 2 feet of water...very cool if you are 10 years old or, as in my case, drunk!
Sylt is th eplace to go for quieter beaches, FKK stuff and expensive jewellry, although it isnt as picturesque as Fohr IMHO.
Amrun is VERY quiet...nothing much to do in the evenings, but great for couples looking to get away from humanity.
But for my money Fohr has it all, good beaches, peace and quiet if you want, nice small thatched villages like nieblum, flat, quaint harbour promenade in Wyk and stuff to do in the evening as well. Hotels and villa rentals are easy to find (but book). Goting is a good quiet FKK strand and if kite flying is your thing this place is world class!
Couple of good cycle shops on the island, swimming pool, cinema, circus etc...lot's of seals, fishing trips etc.

Sylt is th enorthern most tip of Germany so technically if anybody wants to do the German end to end they would start there I guess.

 

[Tony]

Anyone running up the Fries coast should be aware of the ferry from Wilhelmshaven to Eckwarner (sp), which leaves W'n at 0900 and 1700 and cuts off a huge chunk of the Jadebuse's boring polders. It wasn't running for me....

 

[psmiffy]

Wilhelmshaven to Eckwarner ferry was running for me, however it was 1200hrs and it was just as quick to cycle round (was not totally uninteresting - but not one of the highlights)

 

[Ludwig]

Bigfatbloke never phoned or wrote once when he was away touring- I'm so hurt!

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

...didnt you get the post cards

 

[Ludwig]

Didn't bfb used to be the singer in Marillion.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

..hmm sounds a bit fishy to me

 

[tdr1nka]

He's 'Incommunicado'.