A fine day yesterday, spent mostly assembling the tandem (Norm) and talking (Vee). Producing a tandem from a suitcase always attracts attention, so Vee's role is to keep the curious at bay. NZ provenance was the primary talking point with an older French gentleman, along with the economic situation in general and the inadequacies of the younger generation. We then chatted with a mature Australian cycling couple who were not having a great time on their first OE for all the usual reasons - difficulty navigating & being understood, not knowing how to find a good meal for not much money. We took them under our wing and had dinner at a charming, reasonably priced restaurant (Au Dauphin near Strasbourg Cathedral) and offered them sage advice. Wasted I suppose, as they have already decided to quit France for Germany and they were more intent on telling their war stories. Hope they find the Bett und Bike system to make their German sojourn better.
Otherwise the first day was spent on purchasing the usual minutiae and connecting Vee's cellphone - +33604039387, and a short spin over the Rhein for a pint of hefel-weisse, followed by explorations and photos of old Petite France in Strasbourg. The tandem is talking up most of the available storage space in the foyer of the hotel but they were very appreciative of the quality of the machine. They'll store the suitcase for us until we return July 23.
It's a bit cloudier today, but we are looking forward to an early start for the climb into the Vosges, heading for St Quirin. Lots of gorgeous green mountains ahead!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment