Germany to Italy

Friday 15th April – Ordrup to Germany

The postscript to last night’s Ludo tournament was that Alice went on a rampage. She threw so many sixes that she could have been a high roller on a Vegas crap table and ended up winning the game in a canter. In the twilight a young female deer crept into the yard and feasted on the apples that Lilian had put out.

The weather is not looking good for the commencement of our trip but I guess that is something you have to expect at this time of year. With the BMW packed we hit the road at 10:00 am for our 300km trip to Flensburg, Germany. The first part of the journey was through familiar territory and within an hour we were crossing the 17km or thereabouts bridge onto the island of Fynn. We bypassed the town of Odense which is a bit of an “Ugly Duckling” and my way of saying it is the birthplace of H.C.Andersen. Jens kept the speed up around 125kmph which was just under the 130 limit. Even at this speed there were still plenty of motorists passing us.

Just before 1:00pm we crossed the border into Germany. There was no check-point for us but for those entering into Denmark they were subjected to a short delay as Danish officers did a quick check of passports. This is in response to the growing problem of refugees travelling through a Europe without borders. Flensburg is right on the border and we took the scenic route along the waterfront. It was lined with pubs and eating places and on a warm sunny day it would be packed with revelers. It did not take long before we arrived at the IMC motorclub of which Jens is a member. It is here where we will pickup our Fiat Ducati City-Camper roadcar which will be our home for the next 10 weeks.

We quickly unloaded our luggage and headed over to City Market to purchase some food for the next few days. It is a popular shopping place for Danes as they come here to purchase tax free alcohol by the boot load. It is not uncommon to see a trolley laden with 10 cartons of beer. We also need some Euros as we have to pay IMC a 1000 Euro deposit for the camper. After completing the formal paperwork Alice and I were given an orientation of the camper and instructions on how to operate everything. The layout is excellent and a picture will describe it far better than me. One benefit is that at night we can put on a gas heater that blows in warm air and keeps everything toasty.

With all the preparation done it was time to follow Jens out onto the wrong side of the road for a 200km drive to our first camping ground. I had no idea where we were headed so it was imperative that I did not lose sight of Jens. We made it safely to the first traffic light which was red. When it turned green Jens turned right and I stalled the Fiat. I could not believe it 250 metres and I had lost him. It turned out that I had selected the wrong gear and when the light finally turned green I headed off in the direction where we had last seen him. Thankfully he had realized that I had stuffed up and was pulled up on the side of the road where I could see him. With that drama out of the way we settled into what was a fairly relaxing drive, if you discount all the 18 wheelers, on the German Highway network. With a couple of minor navigational errors we pulled into the small town of Basedow just before 7:00pm and found our campground called Lanse Am See. Our site for the next two nights could not be any better as it overlooks a beautiful stretch of water.

Our plan tonight was to have dinner at the local restaurant which was not long off closing. We were the only customers when we took our table at 7:45. Another couple arrived just after us so we did not feel that we had inconvenienced the staff. The menu was typically German and after settling on some herring, steak and of course Weiner Schnitzel we ordered our half litres of beer. Alice of course settled for a local Rose which she declared delicious. When the food arrived we could not believe the size of the portions. Alice’s Schnitzel could have fed three of us and may have defeated my mate Jon Black whom we affectionately call Dyson for the amount of food that he can put away. We all struggled with the food but Alice had to take home a full piece of Schnitzel in her handbag for tomorrow’s lunch. With our tum tums sated we all settled in for the night for what had been a pretty big day.

Saturday 16th April – Lansee Am See

This morning we awoke to the sounds of honking geese that reside at a nearby island that forms part of the waterway. As we looked out of the camper window we could see the occasional yacht with mast lowered motoring along the waterway. After breakfast Alice and Lilian took a short walk around the edge of the watercourse. Jens and I busied ourselves with setting up the campers. I struggled for a bit trying to figure out where to connect to mains power. In the end I discovered that the connection was under the bonnet. My last task was to unfurl the annex and put out the camp chairs.

Alice and I decided to take a long walk in an effort to shed some of the calories from last night’s meal. We headed off across the old wrought iron fence that spans the waterway and stopped to look at a map which outlined the local area. It turns out that the waterway is a canal that eventually ends up at open water with access to the sea. We followed the left bank which also doubles as a very long bikeway. The first section took us past the local community before reaching the forest and some farmland. Judging by the land mines I nearly stepped in the trail is also used by the locals to walk some very large dogs. On this section we saw locals fishing in the canal but it did not look they were getting any bites. There were also a couple of random cyclists and horse riders. All in all we had the trail pretty much to ourselves. The only noise we could hear was the chirping of the birds and the honking of the geese. We passed under a rail bridge and kept walking until we reached the next village. There was a road bridge so we decided to take pot luck and cross over in the hope that we would end up back at the camping ground. On this side of the canal we could really feel the coolness and the strength of the westerly wind. When we reached the railway bridge we decided to cross the tracks and follow a trail that looked like it would return us to our camp. We ended up in the right location and the last part of the walk too us past a lot of summer houses that had great views of the water. I think the walk was around 8km and with the clock approaching 2:00pm we were ready for a quick bite to eat.

To escape the wind I ended up moving the camper. This allowed me to sit outside and take in the fresh air and read my novel. Due to the drop in temperature my foray into the great outdoors proved to be to ridiculous scenario. Donning some warmer clothes I joined the others for a late afternoon libation.

Dinner tonight was taken again at the local restaurant. We were a little earlier this evening and quite a few tables were already taken. I can imagine that this place would be very busy in the summer months. After last night’s huge meal we all made a pact not to order the same meals. In the end we ordered a sausage with chips and lashings of the local flavoured tomato sauce. Once again there were lashings of food and there was no chance that we would be going to bed hungry.

Sunday 17th April Basedow to Osterode

I awoke this morning at around 6:00 am and everything was so still. The sun was just peeking over the horizon and the reflection of the light on the calm water was breathtaking. The diver ducks and geese were on their early morning patrol hunting for the tidbits that lurk just below. With my morning coffee and all this fresh air it was a great start to the day.

We settled up our account which was 35euro for the two nights and hit the road just after 10:00am. Today we are travelling around 280km and heading southwest into the middle of Germany. Our drive took us back towards Hamburg where we joined up with the autobahn that took us towards Hanover and Bremen. The pace Jens set was a little over 100kmph which suited me to a tee. There are hardly any trucks on the road as the majority of them are banned from using the road network on weekends. This made the driving more pleasant but every time you passed one of the many rest areas there were wall to wall trucks parked just waiting for midnight on Sunday. We did take a couple of breaks for the compulsory code yellow stop as well as stopping for lunch. With about 25km left to our destination of Osterode we left the autobahn to a much less busy section. There were quite a few picturesque hamlets that looked like they had just sprouted out of the farmland. At the centre of each of them there seemed to be a large church with a huge spire. Just after 2:00pm we arrived at our destination “Campingplatz Eulenburg  und Industriedenkmal Eulenburg”.

The area we are in is known as the Harz Mountains. The camping ground is set at the base of a small mountain and has a small crystal clear brook running through it. As we are only staying one night we have elected to camp outside the park for the princely sum of 10euro. We still have access to all the facilities which is all we need. After setting up camp which took all of five minutes Alice and I decided to take a short stroll. The brook separates the park from the forest so after crossing a small pedestrian bridge we headed up hill. After a few minutes we came out on a gravel road which took us in the direction of the village. There were quite a few locals out taking in the fresh mountain air and exercising their ”hunds”. Back near the camping ground we took a slight detour to check out the Industriedenkmal. It was basically a very old factory that has now been turned into a camping hotel. It of course has an attached bowling alley. The camping ground also has a swimming pool. Alice decided to forego a swim not because it was too cold but because she did not think move her arms through the algae. I suspect that it will be nice and blue before the first of May.

After such a long walk of nearly three kilometres we were in need of some refreshment. Adjourning to the Jens mobile we had a couple of drinks before getting ready for dinner. The restaurant is attached to the camping ground and serves a basic fare with locally brewed beers. Of course we all had the Schnitzel but chose different sauces of mushroom, onion and tomato. The beer was so good that Jens and I ordered another. The bill for Alice and I was a very reasonable 26euro which included our drinks. Even though we are heading south it is still not dark even though the time is nearly 9:00pm. I guess we will have a nightcap and then try to catch forty winks.

Monday 18th April – Osterode to Triefenstein

It sure was cold last night which was evidenced by the sheet of ice on the roof of the park restaurant. Nevertheless we were comfortable inside the camper and managed a decent night’s sleep. After breakfast and some routine maintenance we hit the road.

We are heading into Bavaria with the nearest major town is Wurzburg. The journey is a little over 300km but will take a few hours as we are taking the road less travelled. Jens has entered the shortest route into the Navman which keeps us on the main highways for about half the journey. It wasn’t long into the journey when the Navman let us down. We were approaching a small village but the main road through was blocked due to road works. There were no detour signs and Mrs Navman kept wanting us to turn in circles and travel via the main road. The two vans would have looked a sight negotiating the narrow streets. After all this excitement I needed a code yellow break so at the next village Jens pulled up outside a pharmacy. Luckily we have a on board toilet which is perfect for me. As we were right next to a bank we filled up with cash from the ATM and then went and spent some at the adjacent REMA 1000 store. I think they are a cheaper version of Aldi.

The trip took us through some amazing countryside. The number of small villages with neatly kept houses and lawns kept us entertained. There was always the ubiquitous stone church with spire in each of them. The land is green and this far south the trees are green with their new spring growth. In the larger towns there was always some heavy industry that supported the local economy. Back on the autobahn and the big 18 wheelers are out in force. They do not cause much of a problem for us as the it is mostly three lanes which allows everyone to pass.

After lunch I was a little excited as I was reading a map of the area and saw the town of Hammelburg. It brought back memories of me as a kid sitting in front of the television and watching the old sitcom, Hogans Heroes. In a lot of episodes Bob Crane (Col. Hogan) and his cronies would escape from their captors Werner Kempler (Col. Klink) and John Banner (I see nothing Sgt. Schultz) and head into Hammelburg to sabotage the Nazis or have a night at the tavern. Ah the memories! It was a nice town that even had a free spot in a park for motor homes. Alas we could not stay as we still had to travel through villages with names like Bad Kissingen, Wild Flecken and Bad Bruckenau.

About 20km out from our destination we missed a couple of turns but this time the navman put us back on track, albeit down a couple of narrow streets. The last part of our journey we followed the river before turning off to our home for the night Camping Main-Spessart Park in Triefenstein. It has been a long day behind the wheel and to late in the afternoon to take a walk along one of the nearby trails. I did however have time to enjoy a late afternoon beer in the warm sunshine. The restaurant was closed for the evening but Alice and Lilian managed to whip a nice meal for us.

Tuesday 19th April – Triefenstein to Friedrichshafen

After the sunny day yesterday it turned out as expected to be another sub zero night. This morning I need to figure out how to lock the camper as it randomly decides not to auto lock. There is no central point for the key to lock all doors at once and the passenger side has no keyholes. The manual is not in English so I will have to try and find the right page and have Jens try and translate it. He could not find any clues in the manual so he placed a call to IMC and found out that if the back door latch is not in the right position then the doors will not lock. A couple of practice goes and eureka, the problem was solved.

It is another long drive again today but the majority of it will be on the highway. The scenery was still fantastic as we saw lots of small hamlets and rolling countryside that was interspersed with large towns. The nav lady led us astray a few times by taking us off the highway and running us through a town and then putting us back again on the same highway. At some part of the journey we clocked up our first 1000km but there was no band to trumpet that milestone. After coming in the backdoor to Friedrichshafen we eventually arrived at the park around 4:00pm.

We were allotted the last two sites and after setting up we explored our surroundings. The camper park has a frontage onto the Bodensee (Lake Constance) which is a huge body of water, I have not worked it out bit the shoreline must be well over 100km. Down on the foreshore there were lots of people sitting on logs watching the swans and other birdlife. The best view however was on the opposite side of the lake. Standing majestically on the other side and dwarfing the towns hugging the lake were the snowcapped Austrian and Swiss Alps. There is also a walking/bicycle trail which traverses the lake. After a quick walk we adjourned for some dinner at a local seafood restaurant. Of course I had a pizza and the others had a spaghetti marinara. They declared it the best they had ever eaten.

Wednesday 20th April – Friedrichshafen

Jens is not 100 percent so he is staying with the vans and will attempt to catch up on some paperwork. We decided to walk along the foreshore into the heart of the town for some local exploring. Even though the sun was shining the air had a nip in it. I was regretting not bringing a jacket with me. The walk into the harbor area took about 25 minutes. We were scanning the ferry departures and noticed one was leaving in 6 minutes. On a whim we decided to buy 3 return tickets (51euro) and head across the Bodensee to Romanshorn  which is in Switzerland. The trip time across was 45 minutes so we decided to spend an hour over there prior to heading back. It turned out to be a good decision because we had an enjoyable walk along the promenade. The gardens were immaculate and the bright red tulips a standout. There was a beautiful old church and the houses are so different to what we are used to. The hour went so quick that we had to make sure we did not miss the next ferry departure.

When we alighted in Friedrichshafen we decided on a stroll along the lakeside promenade to the Schloss (palace). It has a beautiful panoramic view over Lake Constance and the Alps and is one of the longest promenades on the lake. The extensive port area has a maritime flair and numerous street cafes invite you to linger over wine, beer or perhaps coffee. At the halfway point Lilian decided that she was in need of some retail therapy. Alice and I continued on through the park to the Schloss. It is a magnificent building and started life as a monastery. It is not open to the public as it is the residence of Friedrich Herzog (Duke) von Wurrremberg. Now that was a mouthful. We were however able to visit the Schlosskirche (palace church). With its two 55m high domed towers made from Rordchach sandstone it is the landmark of Friedrichshafen. It was built by tom’s brother Chris Thumb from 1695 to 1701. It was partially destroyed by air raids in 1944 but was reconstructed after the war and returned to the protestant community. On our return through the park we took time to admire the monument to Count Zeppelin, the Zeppelin Brunnen (fountain) and some modern pieces of sculpture.

We met up again with Lilian and the girls decided to check out the shops. This gave me time to spend an hour at the Zeppelin Museum (9euro). On the ground floor there is a beautifully restored vintage Mercedes Benz. After a quick circuit of the automobile it was time to enter the reconstructed part of the LZ 129 Hindenburg in its original size, with authentically-fitted, walkable passenger areas. The passenger sleeping areas reminded me of some of the sleeping berths I have enjoyed on Asian trains.  There are over 1500 exhibits in the museum and the major ones had English text which definitely helped me enjoy the experience. One of the more interesting pieces was the twisted remains of the Hindenburg’s aluminum superstructure.

After my tour of the museum I had a date with Alice down on the pier. We have decided to climb the 22m Aussichtsturm (viewpoint tower) and take in the views of the town with the castle church, the orchards in the background as well as a superb view of Lake Constance and the Alps. The only thing we forgot to do was to bring a lover’s lock to place with the many others. Down at the base again and we were off to meet Lilian to purchase some more supplies.

Back at the camper we finished our afternoon off by taking some sun over a couple of drinks.

Thursday 21st April – Three Countries

After settling our account which was 57euro for two nights we hit the road for Austria. The closer we got to the border the more stunning the Alps became. After an hour of driving we had to pull into a large area where we were required to pay a form of registration which allows us to drive on Austrian and Swiss roads for the next 12 months. At a cost of 47 euro and the promise of more tolls to come it hurt the hip pocket. With so many mountains the scenery was always spectacular. It also meant that we had to drive through many tunnels and the longest was about 15.5km. Just before the Austrian town of Innsbruck we stopped for a bite to eat.

After lunch it was time to head towards Italy which would be our third country for the day. We turned just before Innsbruck which we could see on our left and started heading up towards the Brenner Pass. After paying another toll of 9 euro we soon started to overhaul a copious number of heavily laden trucks. At 1374m we reached the top and sailed into Italy and the chance to collect some more tolls. The scenery is just as magnificent and there is still plenty of snow on the Italian Alps. We exited the motorway at Bolzano where we were greeted with a toll of 5.90euro. Our destination was only 10km away in the Dolomite mountains. The road was very windy and at times narrow. We arrived at our destination half an hour later and to our surprise and chagrin there was no camping ground. After some frantic consultation with the GPS we turned around and headed back down the mountain and onto the motorway back in the direction of Innsbruck. After 19km we turned off, paid a 2.20euro toll and followed the road back towards Bolzano. The countryside was full of grapevines, apple orchards and bicycle riders. Eventually we saw a sign that indicated that we were not far from the camping ground. Jens drove past one before settling on Gretl See campground which overlooked a beautiful lake. On the opposite shore there was a ruined castle perched high on a craggy mountain top. It is a great setting and at 25euro a night it is well worth it. The irony was that we could have been settled in 90 minutes earlier if not for our furphy with our original selection.

The whole area looks like a resort set up as there are hotels, restaurants and of course a mini-golf, pardon the pun course. The restaurants were not displaying any menus so the girls put together a cold meat salad with cheese. It was a fitting way to end what was a tiring but great day.

Friday 22nd April – Venice

Lilian went shopping down at the local mini-mart this morning for some necessary essentials. She was filling up her basket when one of the assistants asked her what she was doing. Just getting some water etc was her reply. The assistant said but we are not open. Lilian asked what time they opened and the unexpected reply was next week. Seems Lilian was helping them with their stocktaking. Jens is having trouble breathing at the moment and any physical exertion leaves him gasping for air. As a result we are going to continue on down to Venice and see what a difference the lower altitude and sea air makes.

After emptying all our excess grey water we hit the road at around 10:30am bound for Venice. The drive out to the motorway through the orchards was great. It made me think that it would have been good to stay here for a few days and travel around to the various vineyards on a bicycle. After topping up our tanks we headed back to the motorway which should be our fastest route to Venice. Our fastest route appears to be in the opposite to the shortest route as we are heading south towards Verona (Romeo, Romeo where for art thou Romeo) for nearly 200km and then east for another 100km to Venice. The majority of the route is on a 130kmph tollway which we are sharing with plenty of trucks. The highway seems to travel in a valley with the Dolomites standing tall on either side. Unfortunately, we cannot admire the scenery as everything is shrouded by haze. Lunch was taken in a parking lot wedged between a couple of large trucks. When we exited the tollway, I had no idea how much the toll would be. After inserting our ticket we were asked to pay 21.30euro.

A quick stop to purchase some supplies and we were on our way to our final destination. Our camping ground was recommended by IMC and is supposed to be basic but a reasonable price for Venice. The Don Bosco camp ground is located on the Lido which is a peninsula with a long stretch of sand on the outskirts of Venice. Our site is quite cramped and it took a lot of maneuvering t o get the vans in position. My first impression is that the park has quite a few permanent residents and if at home could be located at Oxley. The amenities block was a bit of a shock as it is all unisex. The shower stalls operate on a token but with a difference. It is based on volume (20 litres) and not time which means you have to turn it on and off in between soaping up. All this was a bit of a shock but I have to say that the female manager who was being worked off her feet with all the weekend arrivals managed to find time to help us with all of our enquiries.

After setting up I did a quick reconnaissance and found out the bus departure times for our trip into Venice and a restaurant for this evenings meal. We ended up having a great meal of stuffed zucchini flowers, pizza and local wine. One interesting point about the restaurants we have visited is that they all seem to have a no smoking policy however it seems that pets are allowed. At every meal someone brings in their dog to sit by the table. Back at the park we have settled back to utilize the free wi-fi. Alas the connection was good but we just cannot logon to any sites.

Saturday 23rd April – Public Transport, We Love It

This morning we are on the move and after a quick shower with Lilian and Alice (same shower block) we are nearly ready to travel into Venice. I purchased our combined return ticket (20.50euro) from reception and headed out to the bus stop. Whilst standing at the stop I had a nagging feeling that we were on the wrong side of the road as there were people waiting at the stop opposite. I ducked back into reception and was advised that we were indeed on the wrong side. So much for my previous afternoon research! About 5 minutes later bus number 2 showed up and delivered us to Lido Di Jesolo Bus Station where we transferred to bus number 5. The journey time to Punta Sabbioni Ferry Terminal was another 37 minutes. From here we took the ferry into San Marco pier, Venice. The total trip time including transfers was around 90 minutes. In between all of this travel the heavens opened up and Alice cringed as the lightning lit up the sky and the thunder boomed. Just as we arrived Venice the rain fortunately stopped.

We walked along the Grand Canal and just soaked up the atmosphere. Even in this gloomy weather there were hordes of people walking around. The queues for the more popular sites were quite long. We joined the very long queue for the San Marco Basilica and waited patiently. There were plenty of different accents with French, British and Americans seeming more predominant. The queue was moving quite quickly and as we neared the entrance the line was stopped. The staff were erecting a raised pathway for what we thought were visiting dignitaries. Turned out that it was a precaution in case the square flooded on the high tide. When we reached the entrance I was refused entry as I was carrying a backpack. The girls went in and thought it was amazing.

Afterwards we strolled around the square people and store watching. The diners that were eating out in the open were being attended to by immaculately dressed waiters while listening to live performances of light classical music. Leaving the square we took some of the narrow alleys and found a small eatery serving simple sandwiches and dispensing great coffee. It appeared that it was popular with the locals as plenty of them were eating at the stand up counter and having a hit of expresso. Feeling refreshed we wandered around and visited some churches and the Rialto Bridge. We couldn’t see much from the bridge as it was being renovated. It did however provide some excitement as I was nearly knocked over by a young man who sprinted through the crowd. He had just stolen something and was making his getaway. It all happened very quickly. Soon after the police turned up in their boat and three them sprinted of in the direction of where the offender was last seen. The girls were not perturbed by this event and spent their time looking in shop windows as we made our way slowly back to the main square.

On a whim Alice and I decided that we would like to spend Sunday night in Venice. To accomplish this I needed to find a Wi Fi hotspot which actually worked. Whilst the girls enjoyed a wine in one of the many restaurants I eventually found a good zone where I could actually download a site. After about 10 minutes I booked a room at the Ca La Bricola 2 which is about 80 metres from Piazza San Marco. I won’t tell you the cost but location, location, location. The girls tracked me down and we slowly made our way over the Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) to the ferry terminal. The trip back to the campground was without incident and quite relaxing.

The campground is a little damp after the morning rain and it appears they copped a lot more than we did. After a couple of pre-dinner drinks it was back to the Pizza restaurant for some more fine Italian food and wine in the company of dogs. Jens has also advised that the forecast for tomorrow is lots of rain and maybe clearing in the evening.