I had promised my friend Tessa that I would call on her one day i Bonn and it has taken several years but I eventually found some time in between contracts. Flying seemed quite expensive and so was the train so in the end I got a flight to Eindhoven in Netherlands and got a train from there.
It has been many years since I was in Holland and Germany and I had forgotten just how many people ride bicycles here. It’s lovely to see people riding rather than driving – I suppose it helps that it is flat and there are cycle paths everything.
The first I had to myself I decided to see what Bonn had to offer. I had forgotten until reminded by a friend in the UK that it used to be the capital of Germany during Soviet times – it was agreed only a temporary capital until the country was reunified.
The city is pedestrianised with old market squares lined with outdoor cafes and food stalls. Impressive buildings look onto cobbled streets and everywhere people are sitting outside enjoying the sun and the car-free environment.
We arranged to meet at a bar some distance from the city centre so I took my opportunity to get some exercise and walk there. It was, in any case, a walk along the Rhine – a beautiful backdrop for a wander in the warm afternoon. Everywhere people were jogging and cycling through the park and occasionally whizzing past on motorised scooters – I would later try one myself and find it to be great fun.
Still not having the paperwork for my contract, I have taken the decision to travel south to Greece which is a place I have long wanted to visit. It will take me maybe 4 or 5 days along the Balkan coast but will be a fantastic trip I think. I have bought a Eurrail train ticket which covers me for 5 days of unlimited travel in Europe. That should be enough.