Day 98: Mainz to Geisenheim, Germany

August 25, 2012

Camping can range in quality from little more than a patch of grass, to almost as comfortable as home. One big thing that home has is a safe place to charge electronics. So even though last night’s camping was mostly ok, it fell down on charging. One source of electricity within sight that it did have was a semi-outdoor washing and drying machine area. The drying machine costs .50 euros for 25 minutes, and works with a coin operated box that controls the power to the machine.

Raphael and I disconnected the machine, but were still left with paying the coin op to get power to flow. It would have killed me to do that, but Raphael pulled two .50’s from his pocket and saved me the anguish. So that’s how you got to read yesterday’s blog!

Today we said goodbye to our new friends from the picnic table, and headed in to Mainz for the look around, that finding the nearby camping had made possible.

Each city has its list of must see thing that make it special. Usually the tourist bureau can come up with about twenty, but at the end of the list they are stretching a bit. The list for Mainz is about that long, but the main things are the central cathedral and market place, the Gutenburg museum (Gutenburg developed his press and printed his bibles here), and the church of St. Stephen, where the stained glass windows were done by Marc Chagall, in tones of blue. There is also a wonderful old town to wander in.

We had a walking tour pamphlet with map, and (somehow having forgotten the Worms debacle) set out to hit all twenty points. Fortunately we got lost early (and often) and settled for the main things.

The first main thing turned out to be the market by the cathedral. Since this was Saturday, the market was in full of wonderful vendors. By full, I mean hundreds. Cheeses, fruits, breads, pastries, meat, it was all there. The market occupied not one but several large areas. When we arrived the areas were full of customers. When we circled back there after several hours looking at other stuff, “full” had become “swarmed”. The streets of the old town were also full. To say Mainz was lively would really be an understatement.

We did not feel we had time to go into the Gutenburg museum, but you will at least see in the photos the statues of the man. The cathedral, unlike others, had a rather dark and sombre tone. Also a little different was the stress given to past bishops in the statuary. There was more attention to these men than to angels, Christ, or God.

The Chagall windows were also something different. They cast a soothing blue light through the church, and occupied every window. Whoever commissioned Chagall had clearly given him free reign, and he created something completely unique.

When at last we had visited the main things, we had used a lot of time, and also strength. So we had to invest more time at the Dom Café, with cappuccino and eis café. Only then could we set off down river.

We knew that the next main town is Bingen, and were not thinking much about what might lie between. However, this area is a UNESCO world heritage site, and the entire valley from here to Koblenz is a treasure trove. So when the marked bike route took us into the next little place, Eltville, it took us into yet another storybook environment.

We could not resist staying a while, and took an outdoor seat at what turned out to be a Greek restaurant. Hey, from years of Greek restaurants back home, we could read the menu. Familiar “souvlaki” instead of some indecipherable German specialty. We also could improve our German, because the napkins translated Greek words into German. Talk about a Rosetta Stone!

Continuing along the Rhine, we watched both freight boats and cruise boats plowing up river. There were really a lot of both. Some of the cruise boats had over 80 private cabins, and were very long. We vaguely thought about hopping on one, but decided we are here to cycle, so let’s cycle!

The reason for the boats, again, is that this section is the most famous bit of the Rhine. We bought a map drawn in that semi cartoon style, showing the major points. There are really a lot of major points! So hang in there with us, as we slowly cycle up the valley of the Lorelei, the vineyards, the fairy tale castles, the cathedrals, and the medieval towns.

PHOTO CAPTIONS, WITH MORE EXPLANATIONS WILL COME SOON....

The good table with tent city in the background

Many many people were interested in helping us

Images from the market. We keep trying to track down cheese like our favourite, that we found in Ehingen

Images from the market - Dodie picks up some beeswax skin cream

A white nun. There was a black and white one too

Images from the market - local wines. There were many more than this.

War damage was extreme. Here is an unfortunate fill-in.

Grapes! At the end of the market a vendor gave Dodie a big pile.

Images from the market - she takes them all!

Moultin folders from England, one pulling a BoB trailer

Many varieties of balsamic vinegar could be sampled - if you could get close enough!

Inside the Dom - this cathedral featured tombs of arch bishops and statues of them, vs those of actual deities. Curious.

Old town Mainz - this shot is seen in all the brochures

The Chagall windows at St. Stephens in Mainz

We wish we could bring Laurie her, take a seat at the Dom Cafe, and watch her enjoy the market.

The Dom Cafe, while the market packs up at 2 p.m.

Another in our series on German manhole covers!

Laurie, how about this gefahr! The risk is a poisonous caterpillar. Do you know anything about it?

Say what? After about 5 km of bike path by an unrideable highway, the path is suddenly barricaded, with this explanation.

We think we figured that there was a fire on land, and this boat came to fight it, running hoses across the radweg.

But not understanding the gefahr, and having nowhere else to go, we trampled it.

These further explanations may cast light on the story - if you read German. We think if you are going to shut down an international route with no detour and no options, you need to do it in more than one language!

Today's ride: 40 km (25 miles)
Total: 4,867 km (3,022 miles)

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