Wednesday, July 15, 2014 - Zittau, Germany

It took 20 minutes to up load the one picture I was able to add to yesterday's post. i have pictures for both. I will have to add them later, when I leave the more rural parts for a big city. I should be in Dresden in the next day or so. I will add photos them. they are on my computer and that is  a plus from years past. UPDATE: pictures are tonight ( July 16) posting. Thank you for your patience.

Today has been another good day. The ride was about 60 km with much more uphill and downhill. Only it was les down hill. The total rise in elevation was about 200 feet. I am now at my highest point 850 feet. When I get back to Berlin it will be 100 or so feet, maybe less. I had a very good conversation with a German couple from Patterborn at this wind mill. We talked some international politics. That tells you they spoke perfect English

I went through Görlitz, Germany. It is a town like Regensberg, Germany. It was not bombed during the war. There are a lot of really old building, walls, churchs, etc. it would be a real tourist are with a little economic development. Everywhere I have been so far except Berlin is in need of development help. There were only two carriages doing tours. other cities with less beauty would have twenty.


The land is pretty, the people are more friendly than any place I have been in Germany. I have had multiple conversations all day. I have even been invited into someone's home. People have come to me and started conversation. I guess I really do look out of place. When I say I am from the USA, I often get a gasp and surprise look. They tell me I am the first person from The USA that they have met.

I rode through a kloster and had a chance meeting with the Holy Father in charge. He too was surprised.

Zittau is an old town and could be very pretty. There are just very few people anywhere. Tomorrow I go somewhere in the Czech Republic to start my trip back north.

 

The evening meal. A dark  local beer with a "Zittauer Platte". It was very good. The vegetables were very well cooked and the roasted pickle was outstanding.





I hope the wind does not change. I have had a head wind all day. If it does not change I will have a tail wind going downhill tomorrow.