Ride: 65km; total: 254km
Cool, fine, max 22deg
This is the day I had agreed to meet up with Fred and
Heather Allsopp, Victorian Tour 2010 and Eastern Europe 2012, and Ken &
Marie Uren (Kev raced A grade in the Canberra Vet Cycle Club when I was there)
in Arbon tonight. The four of them were
on a cycle tour around Germany
and Austria.
The first 15km was spent bolting down a billiard table top
like path on top of the levy bank next to the Rhine.
At that rate I would have been in Arbon before morning tea. So I took
an alternative route (just as good) which took me across the countryside and
through villages. Despite this I still found myself at the Bodensee, (Lake Constance)
which the Rhine empties into and then out of
some 100 odd km down stream, very early.
Graham Watson and I had toured all the way around this lake
in 2005. I again visited an odd art gallery building / cafe designed by
the famous Austrian architect Friedensreich Regentag Dunkelbunt Hundertwasser
(December 15, 1928 – February 19, 2000). I've also visited his famous
housing complex in Vienna,
which is on a much grander scale. Both
designs are devoid of traditional squares and rectangles and utilises a lot of colourful
ceramics within beautifully curved buildings.
The floors are not flat either, which makes for an interesting
experience.
It was nice to be back cycling beside the Bodensee
along excellent separate bike paths with lovely scenery all around.
Arrived at Arbon about 12:30pm but when I went to my
motel it was all locked up and the sign stated that check-in was at 5:00pm.
Killed time by checking Fred and Heather's B&B but they hadn't
arrived either. Arbon is situated on a
peninsula on the southwest shore of the lake between Romanshorn and Rorschach.
The local shores have been inhabited since the Stone Age. Archaeological digs in 1885 and 1944 uncovered
stilt houses from the Stone and Bronze Ages. At first, it was assumed that these were built
over water, since they were raised on stilts; however, it is now known that
they were on the shore and were built in this fashion because the ground was
swampy. Arbon was a nice surprise as it
has one of the most impressive medieval sectors in the old town I've seen. Beautifully maintained and painted in
traditional bright colours.
Eventually checked into the motel about 3:00pm and found it
to be very clean with really large rooms.
The shower and toilet were not ensuite but right next door so no problem.
It was classed as a backpackers place but it was far too good for that
label. The place was run by an Aussie
girl and her local boyfriend and you could see that they were really trying
very hard to make a go of it. Just as I
was checking in the sky opened up and it rained for hours; lucky me.
Met up with Fred, Heather, Ken and Marie, found a bar for a
drink then ended up in a restaurant close by which also had a bowling alley
inside. Nice meal of meat cheese and rocket, nothing else; plain but
nice. The waiter said he could
speak English, but in fact he could only say hello. I thought I ordered a
mixed salad and he appeared to understand but obviously he had not. It
was a good night and everyone was fed and watered.
There was more rain throughout the night.
Medieval buildings at Arbon
The Bodensee, aka Lake Constance
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