Erm, Urgent Sie Landen

When you cycle around the corner after leaving the Speyer Youth Hostel early in the morning, you are met with an unusual sight - a full size 747 perched on a roof top.

For this is the pride and joy of the Speyer Tecknikmuseum. Not that they don't have other things worth seeing. Outside it's a bit like Duxford but with the aircraft stuck at unusual angles, like straight up.

Plus they have a water exhibit called Titanic". The mind boggles. And that's before you see inside.

Do I Know You?

There seems be an incongruity between what German establishment wants to happen and what the people are willing to accept. Talking to strangers being an example.

I was first down to breakfast, wanting to make my normal early start, and found my place name on a table with two others - Herr und Frau Braun.

To be honest, I didn't feel like talking German at breakfast and considered sneakily swapping my place for another that was at a single table. But I thought better - when in Rome, do as the Romans do - except they don't.

When the Brauns were the next to arrive, Herr Braun picked up their sign from the table and threw it onto another in disgust. Suited me, though a little rude, I thought. His wife must have then had a word with him as he put it back.

I then started a conversation with him over the "Help yourself to Yoghourt" Bowl. Five different flavours.

It turned out that Herr Braun wasn't so bad after all. Ok, he had a few personal hang ups, like "all these electric bikes were far too heavy for old people and so there would be lots of accidents at some point". Plus he commiserated with me for "Our Theresa". Which I couldn't really fault him for.

Clearly he just wanted a quiet breakfast on his own, or with Frau Braun at most. She didn't talk much.

Eintritt, Ein Trick

They play a game at the Speyer youth hostel. It's called "Finden die Tur". It's fun for the whole family, although they may get a bit grouchy after a while as it's hard to play.

I eventually solved the problem by looking at the map, cunningly disguised as a billboard on the safety fencing.

I asked the lady at reception whether I got a discount for finding the way in. She laughed and gave me two chocolates.

It turned out to be a nice place to stay. Just not many guests. It's probably a strategy until the expansion is finished

Worms Most Sorry

It was my fault but that's not the point. I got to the youth hostel in Worms, dead tired after a 90km ride and just wanted to find my bed. Except I didn't have one. The youth hostel did not have a booking. Ok, it transpired that I'd made one for the previous night but then they announced that they were now fully book.

But I knew they weren't, they had plenty of free beds it is just that the on-line booking system only offers you private rooms (which may have 4 beds in) for which you pay a premium. So they argued that everyone was expecting a private room so they couldn't do anything for me. No wriggle room in Worms.

They suggested that perhaps I could try the tourist information office (closed it turned out as they only open from 10-12noon on Saturday). So I wandered on my way, tried one hotel and then got a recommendation for another.

And this is it. Overlooking the Dom. My favourite hotel in the whole of Worms. A single bed room at a great price and I did not have to go anywhere for dinner. The food was lovely (a bit too much red wine drunk as commiseration) and the breakfast included scrambled eggs. I love Worms.

Better Red When Fed

This is Bingen at the end of the Rhine gorge, where the valley opens out to give space for vine growing to produce red wine - the so-called "Rote Hang" or red slope.

I shall try it out and report back (initial experience is that two big glasses is too much).

‘Lorra Lies

So here is a picture of the famous Loreley, where the mystical maiden would lure ships onto the rocks with her enchanted singing.

What concerns me more is that I took a very similar picture 9 years ago at the Iron Gates on the Danube. I may dig it out for comparison though I don't think anything has really changed.

The Pretty Bit

Now we enter the Rhine gorge with soaring sides and romantic castles perched on the peaks, with names like Katzen und Maus or Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

They love their fairytales in Germany and with plenty of little monarchies in the 18th century to pander to the whimsy of their kings, there are lots of hilltop fortresses to site the legends, most of which seem to end tragically, with someone throwing themselves from the battlements.

One thing is sure, with a bike to push I am not going to be visiting any of these hilltop follies. I will sit in the valley and enjoy kaffee und kuchen while I read about them.