They told us at breakfast the it would be fine next Wednesday. This was not altogether a cheering thought as we set off again in light rain wearing our rain coats. However it wasn't nearly as bad as yesterday. There were periods when it was quite fine and once I even saw a patch of blue sky. The only really heavy shower was just before we reached Barby so once again we arrived like drowned rats.

The waterways around Magdenburg are very complicated because as well as the tortuous Elbe there is the Elbe-Havel Canal. This like the Elbe is clearly a major working waterway. At one stage we saw the canal going over the river on (?in) a bridge. All this of course involved numerous waterway crossing - numerous bridges and two ferry rides. The last ferry across to Barby is particularly interesting as it doesn't have a motor but is anchored well up stream and uses a series of pullies to get its nose into the very strong current and this gets it across the river.

Magdenburg itself (or at least the part we saw) is an attractive town. The market was in full swing in the main square and we had look at the fine church. Shortly after Magdenburg we had our lunch stop and met Rudolf on his very well equipped bike. Rudolf is from Heidelburg and spoke excellent English. He said he was lucky because he learnt his English when he was a prisoner of war In the USA. This made him no spring chicken. He is in fact 85 and riding his bike from Dresden to Cuxhaven. He said his wife was no longer well enough to ride with him but she told him he was driving her crazy and he needed to go for a long bike ride. He also confirmed that the weather is unusually poor for this time of the year as it should be the best time for a bike tour and he should know as he has been everywhere. Rudolf made Ken and I fell quite young and buoyed us up with optimism as to how many more year's of riding we have in front of us.

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