Ride: 45km; total: 189km
Fine and sunny max 27deg
Slept much better, as I didn't have to put up with any
stupid bells and my jetlag seemed to be fading. Great breakfast about 6:40am then headed out on the bike into
a beaut sunny but cool 14deg morning. The bright sunshine started to strike
some of the surrounding mountains with great effect. Rode into Liechtenstein, in fact right across it, all 14km
at that point and into Austria.
As is the case in most of Europe,
straight through three countries without any border checks or formalities and
stopped at Feldkirch, which is an impressive medieval city with an equally grand
cathedral. After a walk in the old
part of the city, a coffee and a snack, which I had gathered from breakfast, I
rode back to Vaduz, capital of Liechtenstein, and home to the
Prince and the National Parliament. Unusually for a capital city it has no airport
or railway station and a population of only about 5,000. The very nice castle, which adorns the nearby
hill, has been there since the 12th century. I visited the National Museum
and as it was their tercentenary there was a big fancy display on the history
of the area dating back 1,000s of years. Outside in the mall I met and
chatted with a guitar playing busker from NZ, it’s a small world. He was
a talented muso, despite the fact that he was a kiwi.
Stopped for lunch (also gathered from breakfast) beside a
small stream on the way back to the motel. Once back in Buchs I went riding
around the suburbs exploring and chanced upon a lovely little lake, the other
side of which was a stunning castle and then behind that a rugged mountain
range. That's what I love about cycle touring, unexpected surprises. A couple of white swans in the foreground
completed a great photo opportunity.
Back to my room to catch up on emails and the journal.
Then shopped for dinner; smoked salmon, sauerkraut (red one) and
asparagus, which only cost a few dollars.
A big thunder storm struck this night; I was hoping it would
be gone by the morning. I was looking
forward to being on my way and back on the Rhine
in the morning. I had thoroughly enjoyed the two days in the little
community of Buchs and surrounds.
Swiss highways and bike path
Public art near a 14th Century tower in Feldkirch, Austria
Vaduz Town Hall and Square
Park pond and ducks at Buchs
My hotel
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