ghost town to celebration

All was quiet in Germany today. The roads were empty & it had the feeling of a ghost town. We drove through Munich & changed our route off of the main highways into smaller local roads to make our way to Austria. & I’m glad we did.

Munich had this feeling of being huge in terms of architecture, but the roads & spaces between the buildings were so vast that it made the space feel open in a way you don’t often find inside cities. It was as if small town meets big city in a way that worked.

I’m impressed to say the least.

That’s the thing about travelling as a passenger on the back of a bike. I have endless time to look around & marvel at my surroundings.

The deadness in Germany today was the result of a public holiday. The country had gone to sleep and left in its path a tranquil surrounding that we drifted through & admired.

The cherry on the cake was meeting an 82 year old biker & his wife, who had just sold his very last Honda Goldwing the day before (with tears in his eyes). He told us of his journeys & shared his photos. He bragged about having received numerous awards at gatherings for being the oldest rider. He was a gem to meet, they both were.

Crossing over into Austria there was no boarder, none. Nothing to mark the change. But it was clear. Somehow the landscape knew instinctively to alter from vast open fields to mountains in an instant. & the architecture was immediately different.

The country shares the same public holiday with Germany, but instead of quite cities, it was full of life. Everyone was out in celebration.

After setting up camp, Panagiotis & I tried to get back to a town we had passed through which was hosting a food festival & couldn’t find it for love nor money. It was like it had been an apparition. Instead we ended up at a food stall just on the side of the road which was grilling fish. Magical doesn’t begin to cut it.

#Germany #Austria #Travel #Adventure #Europe #BMW #R1200GSA