D-day 24 Normandy

Felt crappy overnight with fever and bellyache. Too much omelet and fat for lunch, that's what I'll blame, tho doesn't explain the fever, so another bugger of a night, tossing and turning, initially cold, then too hot.
One good nights sleep would be a welcome surprise as would fine weather.
Off in fine weather to look at the Mulberry harbours placed at Arromanches-les-Bains.

Sherman Tank

By the time we got to the viewing point it was blowing a gale and guess what? Raining.
The Mulberry Harbours were artificial harbours built out from Arromanches to enable ships to dock and unload supplies, ammunition, trucks and tanks etc. This was prefabbed in UK and floated across the Channel and the various elements bolted together to form docks, on and off ramps etc. Some of the various bits and pieces are still visible in off shore still.
It was also at Arromanches that the pipeline carrying fuel etc. to be pumped across the channel, code named Pluto was landed. This pipeline, and a similar one for the Americans at Omaha Beach was to supply most of the Allies fuel till later in the war.

At Arromanches is a very good museum, mostly dealing with the Mulberry Harbour, some great models and a very good collection of artifacts etc.
Then back up to the headland to a film in the round for a film on D-day. Excellent, with some very god 360 degree effects-recommended and free if you are a veteran!!
Lunch was taken across the road from the museum. Another second rate French meal. I had smoked salmon. Quite good, then the toughest, stringiest steak, that was uncutable. Most of us were disappointed with our meals. And the service was Sloooow! We wouldn't stand for it back home, though it is the French way, a lingering lunch.
Whilst having lunch the sun shone, the rail stopped and there was some blue sky.
As soon as we emerged, it started to rain again, which was a pity as we had a very impressive German coastal battery to look over, that required walking.
The batteries at Longues-sur-mer, consisting of four bunkers with 150mm guns, a major observation post and many machine gun posts providing support and defence. These were attacked from behind by paratroopers, but not before the airforce and some battleships had made a mess of them.
By this time it was raining and blowing and we got thoroughly wet, luckily Rod, our driver/guide, came and met us to save us from being drowned rats.
From there back to Bayeux, where some vital chores needed doing, laundry.
Of course soon after it stopped raining and cleared up.
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D-day 23 Normandy

After a late night sleep came easily until about 4 AM when it became too hot to be comfortable even with the window open and the A/C turned down. Solved by persuading the doona to go to one side of its bag.
Breakfast over, we met our new driver and guide, Rod, an ex Grenadier Guard.
Then what seemed a long drive to Caen with the weather deteriorating as we got closer to the coast.
Our first stop near the site of the airborne divisions night glider landings to capture one of two bridges needed for the invasion.
Yet another War Cemetery, where two Australians lie. Both RAAF, the  most recent Flt Lt "Lacey" Smith, whose Spitfire was pulled out of the sea, with his body still in the wreckage, off the coast only a few years ago.

Then off to Pegasus Bridge, the site of another glider landing, and the capture of the bridge vital to the allies plans to break out of Normandy.
The two bridges crossed the canal and river that lead to Caen, a strategic transport hub for the entire region.
We had lunch in the Pegasus Bridge Cafe, run by the daughter of the owners who were here on D-Day. She was a delightful lady, with quite wonderful food, fresh omelet, with fresh salad and some delightful desserts.
Then along the length of Sword Beach, the British beach, with the weather getting worser and worser (yuk).
We struggled out of the van to look at some old gun emplacements to be nearly blown off our feet, and cold!
Interestingly, the gun points inland, which was part of the design of the Atlantic Wall, by Rommel.
We then followed the coast to the sight of the only D-day VC, awarded to a sergeant who was successful in attacking a concrete bus stop, which put up little resistance. When his mates found he had liberated a bus stop, the ribbed him so much for the rest of the day he was unstoppable.
Then on to Juno Beach, the landing beach for the Canadians.
With the weather failing to improve we headed for our hotel at Bayeux, famous for an English wall hanging, I believe.
The weather is so bad, we are confined to barracks tonight, so dinner will be at the hotel.
This weather is getting tiresome. My plan to walk in the Loire Valley is looking damp.
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D-day 22 Compiegn and Paris

Bugger of a night, too hot, too cold and not able to get happy medium.
Today we bug out and head to Paris, via Compiegn.
Compiegn is a forest where just prior to 11/11/1918 the Armistice was negotiated and finally signed.
It is quite remote, as the negotiations were all done in secrecy.
The negotiations and signing took place in a railway carriage, which was, after the war set up as a museum and famously the place where Hitler made the French sign the cease fire in WW2. His revenge for the Treaty of Versailles.
He then ordered the carriage be taken to Berlin where it was put on show. The Waffen SS burnt it towards the end of the war.

The carriage on site is an oxymoronic exact replica, however NO photos are allowed.
It could be said the signing of the armistice lead directly to WW2.
From there onto Paris, past Charles De Gaul airport, and rather circuitously to our hotel which is 3 minutes walk from the Eiffel, the Seinne and other things.
We had a quick walk to Napoleon's tomb, just to stretch our legs and tonight we have a final dinner together on the Seinne.
Dinner good fun cruising the river past some reasonable bits of real estate, like Notre Dame, Pont Neuf, Musee d'Orsay to name just a few.
Late finish and too tired to finish blog hence its late publication
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D-day 22 Mont St Quentin and the Hindenburg Line

Slept very well, apart from the usual trip to the loo and Walter, now fully recovered turning the light on at some ungodly hour, like 6.50AM.

Australian 2nd Division Memorial

Today we finish our Western Front Tour with the campaigns of late 1918 so it's off to Peronne and Mont St Quentin where Australia earned 8 VC's.
To label Mont St Quentin a mountain is laughable, however it is a high point that had been heavily defended by the Germans and was classed as a Hindenburg Line Outpost.
This was now a mobile war, with movement and action rather than trench warfare.
This particular action, that involved depleted Australian Battalions was deemed by the General Staff as "presumption".
It took two attempts to take the Mont and then later the town or Peronne nearby, at the cost of 3000 Australian casualties.. The outcome was in John Monash, the Australian Commander's words due "first and chiefly to the wonderful gallantry" of tired soldiers.

It is here that the 2nd Australian Division have their memorial. The original memorial depicted an Australian Soldier, poised to bayonet a fallen eagle (symbolic of Germany). The Germans destroyed it in the WW2, however left the bas relief intact. It was one of only three memorial damaged by the Germans in WW2, on, we were told, the explicit instructions of A Hitler.
The new memorial is a reflective Digger, head bowed.
It was then on to Peronne and a new Museum in the old castle.
What a fabulous museum it is too. It started with us being greeted by a very short, very personable Frenchman, who gave us the outline of the various rooms and then let us loose.
The museum is rather understated, with a good spread of exhibits in with info in three languages, however not too much information.
Some great artwork and a new exhibition called "Missing" that gives details of one serviceman who remains missing over 100 consecutive days of the battle of the Somme. It starts with an Australian.
It's then on to Bellenglise, where the 4th Australian Division Memorial is sited., following a battle with about 5 times their number and is the place their war ended. They were relieved and sent back to the rest area. They were to return to the line on 10th November, but were saved by the Armistice.
Then on to the site of the final action undertaken by the Australians just out of Beaurevoir, where they had to take over a failed assault of the American troops, just as they were to be withdrawn to rest.
This action cost a mind blowing 900 men killed or wounded.
We were done. The Western Front is finished.
We have followed the 1st AIF from Flanders to France. We have visited all the Division Memorials and the Australian memorial at Villers Bretonneux and what's more been there for the Dawn Service.
Bring on Paris and Normandy.
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D-day 21 Anzac Day

An early night was in the offering, yet refused, what with eating drinking and blog writing.
An early start however was obligatory, 2.45AM to be up, dressed and out of here at 3.30AM so we can to to Villers Bretonneux in good time, and avoid the rush.
Slept badly, had a dream we got to the Dawn Service as dawn was breaking!!.
Was woken by Walter going to the loo and then the alarm went off not 1 minute later.
Dressed, quick cup of lukewarm coffee, check on Walter who is dithering, even though all his gear was ready last night and finally into the bus right on 3.30AM. It is cold, yet no rain and looks like none overnight.
A quiet drive to the Memorial, little traffic. The gendarmerie try and stop us at the village, yet finally relent and we are driven right to the entrance of the Memorial.
There's a walk of about 200 metres to the Memorial itself and we get good seats in the front third.

Dawn breaks over Australian War Memorial, Viller Bretonneux

On the way we are handed a programme and a small FranceAustralian pin badge.
There are about 5000 seats put out and by the start of the service they look full.
The crow are entertained by a school band from Australia and a choir. The service is being broadcast live to Oz via the ABC and we even have a big screen, albeit off to the right.
Finally, the service commences. It is cold, very cold, my legs are freezing so I stand most of the time. My body gets cold too in spite of two icebreakers, windproof jacket and Gortex raincoat.
I remember I have a down jacket back at the hotel-too late.
The Service is very moving, especially when the High School students read out the names of about 20 Australian's who were killed, their age, occupations and their next of kin.
The Ambassador Designate to France Ric Wells speaks well, both in English nad French. Even the Minister for Veteran's Affairs Warren Snowdon is articulate, though just slightly too long.
The last post is truly magnificent from the Memorial Tower, as is the reveille following the minutes silence.
The service finishes and we all, the 5000 of scramble for the buses, which arrive in orderly fashion.
It's then off to V-B for breakfast and the service there. Breakfast is coffee and croissants. The service is very similar to the Dawn Service, with lots of wreath laying, however this time a French Honour Guard and the French version of the last post.
It's then on to Bullecort and its memorial service and a march to the "Digger Memorial"
On the way to Bullecort some of us nod off, it has  been an early morning. Walter nods off, yet as we get into Bullecort he has assumed a very odd posture, gone very pale and stopped breathing. Oh FUCK!!
There is no room in the bus, we are on the move, I can't lie him down however I do mange to adjust his head and neck and he starts breathing but not responding. Pale sweaty and unresponsive.
Our driver manages to get an official to call the local First Aid people who arrive.
By this time he is awake, though hardly alert and very confused. His oxygen Sats are 97% so that's a good sign, though his blood pressure is rather low. He comes too as the female first aider is removing some of his clothes
Dealing with French Fist Aiders is odd to say the least. A doctor from Amiens Emergency gets on the phone and has a chat to Walter who by this time is much better.
It is decided that with his diarrhoea yesterday, no tea last night, very little breakfast, getting cold, he probably just dropped both blood pressure and blood sugar levels and maybe was a bit hypothermic.
We take him to the Mayor's office where he sits in the warmth with a couple of cups of coffee.
By this time the weather has lost the plot and it is raining quite heavily. We are happy to be out of the rain.
This is enough drama for one day, so after a lunch in the bus, which Walter enjoys heartily, it's back to Amiens, where he quite sensible takes to his bed and falls asleep.

With some of the others I take a walk around Amiens, past Notre Dame again and down to the Somme River and through some  of the old parts of the town.
Now quite weary, I head back to the hotel to get all this done and check on Walter. He is sleeping AND breathing.
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D-day 20 Pozieres

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D-day 19 Villers Bretonneux

Fooled once again with clear sky and sunny morning, I'm a sucker for that good start to the day.
Breakfast out of the way, Skype with Sue, and then we're off.
First appointment of the day is with a Baron, The Red Baron. Well at least the place he was shot down at Moulancourt Ridge. Initially credited to a Canadian Pilot, more recent evidence suggests he was killed by a shot from the ground adding credence to the Australian claim that he was brought down by Australian Antiaircraft fire.
Just along the ridge is the Australian 3rd Division Memorial, bleak and windswept, with very little to commend it. Initially to be at Viler Bretonneux, they were gazumped by the Army deciding that it should be the Australian National Memorial site.
From there to the Australian Corps Memorial near the village of Le Hamel. This site was chosen as it is where the Australians under the command of John Monash undertook a copybook battle, where within 93 minutes all the objectives of the battle were achieved. In addition, it was also the first battle in which infantry, tanks, artillery and aircraft were all used in a coordinated fashion, with obvious great success.
Then another war cemetery, Dernacourt Community Cemetery, from which the suburb of Dernacourt got its name.

By this time the weather had really taken a dislike to all these Australians wandering around and blew and rained, so we retreated for lunch to The Poppy, a restaurant whose symbol is obvious. Here we were treated to a three course meal, with cheese and coffee. Like any of us needed that! A long lunch it was too!
From there to Villers Bretonneux (V-B) where we visited the Victoria School, which has developed its own museum to commemorate the relief of V-B by Australians. What a cracker of a museum it is too. Excellent information, in French and English, some great photos, and a very good film, at which Walter, my room mate decided he would have a fall. Luckily no damage done other than to his pride!!
Then in the rain and wind to the V-B Memorial proper, in the process of being set up for the dawn service.
Luckily the tower was open, though they were stringing lights and TV cameras throughout the structure.
The view is stunning, right across the territory of the Australian counter attack, that took place on 25th April 1918
It was at this point my second camera battery threw in the towel. No problem, I have a fully charged spare. Replace the flat one and the new is totally flat too. Oh bugger. I now have no batteries for my camera until I get the charger in Paris (Sue is sending it over). Just have to use my iPhone then.
Another open and windswept site. None of the charm of the Canadian Memorial, rather plain tower.
It of course lists 17,000 Australians with no known grave who lost their life in France. Like the Menin Gate is for those who died in Belgium.
The numbers are just too large to imagine really.
We counted seating laid out for 3600, with some spare.
The forecast is for rain and wind. Just great.
Then back to Amiens and the weather started to clear such that on arrival at our hotel we have sunshine.
Off to the local Pakistani restaurant for an Indian meal. Boy to they do a mild beef vindaloo, and I mean mild. Pity that.
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D-day 18 Fromelle, Bullecort and Amiens

Great start to the day with fine blue skies. Oh how easily we can be fooled.
Set off leaving Iepers for the last time heading for Amiens.
VC Corner Cemetry where there are no Australian VC winners, however where nearly 2000 Australian lost the lives in yet another fruitless attack.
Just beside this Cemetery was the Cobbers Memorial. Sgt Simon Fraser was carrying woundded soldiers back to the Australian lines and as he carried one out he heard "Don't forget me cobber" which lead to the sculpture. He was promoted, however was subsequently killed in action.
On our way we stopped at Fromelle to see the newest Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery. A mass grave was found outside Fromelle at Pheasant Wood after some research by an Australian from Melbourne, as I recall.
Over 200 bodies were found and a great number identified. The local community at Fromelle donated land so the bodies could be buried in a proper cemetery, and thus the newest War Cemetery was established in 2008.
It was then onto the battlefields of the Somme, stopping at the truly majestic Canadian Memorial at Vimy Ridge.
The site overlooks the battlefield and it is easy to see just how strategic the ridge would be. Much of this area of northern France is undulating country. Not Vimy Ridge, which is quite an imposing ridge, easy to defend, hard to attack and hold, which the Canadians did.

At Vimy Ridge we have a packed lunch, very nice salad or a filed baguette, albeit in the bus due the to pouring rain which threatened our day.
Then on to Bullecourt where the Australians fought two battles, one for no gained ground, yet heavy loss of life, and the second in which they gained their objectives, but of course with great loss of life.
There are two memorials, The Slouch Hat memorial in the town, and the Digger Memorial just out of town, featuring a greater than life-sized statue of a digger in dull battle kit.
Over 10,000 Australians killed or wounded in the two battles.
It was then on to Amiens, our accommodation for the next 4 nights and a funny hotel called the Carlton
A early evening walk around the town takes us to the Notre Dame Cathedral, one of the largest "Classic" Gothic Churches of the 13th Century. It is massive, impressive and hard to believe just how they built it. The detail is simply stunning, and I don't like churches and cathedral. Oh for a better zoom lens to capture the intricacies of the stonework.
Dinner at the hotel was interesting, the first time we have all had dinner together with the driver.
Luckily, Luke, the driver, speaks French, or goodness knows what we would have got ie I ordered Fillet mignon (off the menu). I asked for it to be medium rare, to find out that in Norther France, at least, this is a cut of pork!!! It was good in any case, but rather unexpected.
Some of the group work on the principal that they'll understand better if you speak more loudly! Works for me, but then I do speak English.
Any way we got a good meal, and some rather good vin rouge, at last.
Picasa albums for today's pictures

D-day 17 Passchendaele

Another fine day that dawns with sun, then turns to shit, rain, wind and COLD.
Fine enough to walk the ramparts of the city that protected Iepers in mediaeval timed. It was into the rampart walls that the Australians dug holes to protect themselves from bombardment.
A late start again, then off to Hooge Crater Cemetery where we could see the lines of advance of the Australians and NZ troops to capture the Menin Road in1917.
The next visit is to the 5th Division Meorial at Polygon Wood, a wood they captured as part of the first battle for Ypres.
As a result of the action the 5th Division chose this site for their memorial.
Then off to Passchendaele where we looked over a museum, that hekd a fine collection of war memorabilia and a very impressing dugout experience. The museam have tried to reproduce a series of dugouts that had been built under the church at Passchendaele.

The dugouts covered the command post, sleeping quarters, medical treatment station and other aspects of wartime life below the surface.
It's then lunch, Soup, chicken with pomme frites followed by Belgium icecream and cream. Egads-soup for tea.
We then head off to the largest Commonwealth cemetery in the world Tyne Cot, which holds the remains of over 12,000 men from all the Commonwealth countries. Less than 4,000 are identified. This appears the rule in most of the war cemeteries. They have many more unidentified than identified.
The king visited the site in about 1922 and suggested that every grave should have a rose bush, however The Imperial War Graves Commission thought that would be too expensive, however decided a rose bush every three graves would be suitable. They are planted such that, when in bloom, the shadow cast over the day will fall at some time on all three graves. This is repeated in all Commonwealth War Cemeteries.
The weather had turned bad at this point so a flying visit to a German Cemetery, interesting all black granite, rather than the white of the Commonwealth War Graves.
They day ended rather mundanely with a trip to the laundry to deal with the accumulation of clothes requiring fumigation.
The Menin Gate Last Post had a very high RAAF contingent including an Air Vice Marshall.
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D-day 16 Ypres Salient

Belgium seems to start every day dull, cold and windy. Today was no exception. We had a relatively late start, however I decided to get out early to get some pictures in the morning light. I should have saved myself the early start. The light was crap
Today we were to explore the Ypres salient, a tongue of Allied territory that stuck out into the German lines and the battles in 1917 to try and straighten the line ie bring the teriitory either side of that tongue, held by the Germans, into line with the tip.
The tip of the tongue was the city of Ypres.
Why this area, well it was the area the Anzac forces worked together to attack and achieve their objectives.
Firstly though, we walked over some German entrenchments that have been excavated and then reproduced, to get an idea of what the Australian forces were facing, at Bayernwald.

It was then on to Messines Ridge the place of the Australian assault that successfully took the ridge in early July 1917. It was here that my great uncle was killed, either by machine gun fire or a sniper, independent reports differ, and died instantly with a shot through the head.
The ridge in our terms is really just an undulation, however pushing up it laden with a gun, ammunition, hand grenades and other gear, over barbed wire and shell holes etc would have been pretty hard.
On the left of the Australians were the NZers who had a steeper part of the ridge to attack. The NZers have a memorial there overlooking the slope up which they attacked.
Our visit was heralded by rain and thunder.
Both units achieved their objectives.
The attack was heralded by the detonating of a number of mines under the German Line of which Hill 60 is perhaps the most famous.
It was then time to head back to Iepers, for a short town walk.
Like many of the Western Front towns Iepers is very old and looks it, yet all the building have been rebuilt post WW1 as close as possible to original. They have done an impressive job.
The 8.00PM Last Post ceremony lacks the band or choir, however we get in there place The Minister for Veterans Affairs, Brendon Nelson, Ambassador for somewhere and Bob Such, South Australian politician. Not a fair swap. Looks like we will get them at Villers Bretonneux.
Believe me the hole is very large, with many shell holes scattered around.
My companions are Walter, my room mate , an 83 year old ex 40 year army man, who lives a little in the past. He is quite deaf, yet very fit.
There is Steve the historian, from the UK, who is very knowledgeable, however lacks a little in presentation. He is better one on one, rather than on the buses PA.
Ian and Marcia are from Broken Hill, now in death alley at Victor Harbor. They have travelled a lot, mostly so Ian can play golf.
Paula and Brian are from Albury. He was a high school principal and she was a physio, I think. They also seem to have travelled a lot. She collects artillery shell cases.
Jacqui and Dallas, the youngsters are from Melbourne. Dallas is in the army with the artillery. Not sure what Jacqui does. They have no children.
Finally there is Alan and Neil, friends, whose wives know each other. Alan is a mental health nurse, involved in care of the disabled. Neil was an ambo, not sure what he does now.
They seem to have settled down a bit and seem to have stopped their initial right wing posturing.
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D-day 15 Waterloo and Iepers (Ypres)

The day dawned dry, cold and windy.
Walter and I decided to set off for a walk around Brussels prior to our departure at 10.00AM
What I really wanted to do was to find an old favourite of mine, Mannequin Pis, which we duly found still peeing.
My god that boy has a good stream!
It was then on the bus and out to Waterloo battlefield to see what happened where.
There has been build the Butte du Lion a large pyramidal monument, with a lion mounted at its summit. This overlooks the battlefield in it's entirety. It is surprisingly small area, only 5 x 3 km.
A very well done documentary explaining events of the day helped sort out the various manoeuvres that occurred and how the day unfolded.
How the French cannon were delayed in getting into position by the mud, how Wellington hid his central forces and how they emerged from the French cannon bombardment essentially unscathed and how the Prussians under Marshall Blucher arrived late in the day to finish the French off.
Then a tour around the battlefield in a poorly sprung bus/truck thing over very uneven farm roads finished the Waterloo part off.


It was then off to Iepers or better known to Autralians as Ypres which is the site of the Menin Gate, the memorial to all those allied soldiers killed in the war, with no known grave. My great uncle is there somewhere.
Each night at 8.00PM since 1928 (except for the years of German occupation) the local fire brigade buglers have sounded the last post/\.
So having found our rooms at the hotel,  just off the Ieper main square, and having had tea we headed off for the nightly ceremony.
Walter thought he wouldn't go tonight, until I said I was going, so out came his medals, which I duly pinned to his chest-he has about 10 all up-40 years army service.
The road is jammed with people. At our hotel there are seven school groups from Australia.
Tonight a school band from Perth played, followed by the last post, two minutes silence, then hymns sung by another school group accompanied by the band, then reveille.



All up, a very moving ceremony, with the crowd in almost complete (oxymoron) silence the entire time.
After, I head off to try and find my Great uncle, and there his name is, etched in the marble under the 37th Battalion.

Day 14 Brussels

Walter didn't snore and for a man just traveled over 8 time zones he slept very well, as did I.
His baggage failed to arrive overnight, and enquiries revealed it was on holiday in London for the day, however would be back by this afternoon.
Thus we decided to find our way to a Tourist Info office and do one of the Hop on Hop tours-sounds repetitive doesn't it.
Walked through a very lovely part of Brussels, The Grand Market, with beautiful old buildings, in the sprinkling rain, repetitive isn't it.
The Hop on Hop off proved a bit disappointing as the audio didn't work to start with.
Once sorted looks like a lovely city, lots of old buildings, palaces, fine old churches and some new stuff that looks pretty good, none of which I caught in pixels, raining and the bus windows aren't the best lens.



Decided that the Museum of Military History was appropriate, so hopped off there and spent a couple of hours looking through the military history of Belgium, albeit, trying to translate the French as there were few English subtitles.
When we emerged it was raining and blowing too much to test my umbrella, you will recall the one I bought brand new in Munich that blew a rib on first opening!!
Got our way back to the hotel without any navigation traumas to find that Walter's luggage had returned from its vacation.
Tonight we meet the rest of the group and then hear what the plans are for tomorrow.
I may run out of internet time by then so may publish this early today and bring you up to speed in the next chapter.

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D-day 13 Munich to Brussels via Frankfurt

Got up, got out of bed, dragged a comb across my head!! Hey there’s a song in there! Pity about the hair though!
It time to leave Bavaria and the sunshine gods have decided to appear as I leave the YHA.
I have a late start as I have a late train.
This means I can Skype with Sue and catch up on the Adelaide news. There ain’t much.
Even with a late start I have over 90 minutes wait for my train, the ICE 720.
I now know Munich Hauptbahnhof pretty well so get the right platform, right train and even the right direction seat and right on time we’re off.
I am typing this at the snail-pace of 158kph as we negotiate the German Plains.
Things finally improve and we do get up to 294 kph (see video).

We then just rattle along, losing time all the way, each station we are just a few minutes late and seem unable to catch up.

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This makes me a little anxious, as I have only 10 minutes to get my connection at Frankfurt and my ticket indicates I have to get from Platform 8 to 18.
There’s a bit of jockeying to be first off. The Germans certainly don’t know about queuing, but they do know about pushing in. Mmmm I know someone like that!!
Any way the train is well marked as are all the trains here and carriage 28 is second from the back, so second carriage along the platform, rather than at the far end of the train.
I board, find my seat and find someone getting into it!! In my best German I say “Das is mien seat” which I think translates as “That’s my ass”. Anyway, he gets the message and moves one back.
And were off.
Then it's really more of the same, with the sky getting greyer and greyer as we got closer to Brussels with steady rain to greet our arrival.
I must find railway stations confusing, as it took a couple of attempts to find where the taxis congregated.
An affable middle eastern gentleman got me too my hotel, and an equally affable Belgian got me too my room, where I met Walter Riley, my room-mate for the first time.
Walter is 83, 40 years army and in a bit of a bother. His baggage has gone missing and they are still lokking for it.
He has some clothes and the expectation is that they'll turn up tomorrow.
We head off for dinner, he is quite chirpy considering his age and that he's been on the move now for two days.

D-day 12 Obersalzburg, Berchtesgaden

Early start as I have to be in the city by 8.15AM
Raining still.
Have breakfast, make roll and head out with new umbrella.
My previous one, bought in Quebec 2 years ago gave up the ghost at Dachau, so I bought a new one at the main railway station in Black Watch Tartan. First opening, it broke!! I was only 100 metres from the shop, but I had thrown the receipt in the bin, and I didn't fancy delving into a railway station bin.
So new umbrella with one broken rib.
Right train, have coffee at railway station as I'm so early.
Discovered best way to get a good coffee is to have a double espresso and add milk.
I join the others heading out to Chiemsee and Berchtesgaden and get on the bus. Very luxurious.
The drive takes a couple of hours and on the way we drop off those going to the palace at Chiemsee (a lake).
Our guide, Gunther, then declares us the Happy Ones. He's quite funny and explains that by decree beer in Bavaria has to be made of three ingredients, malt, water and hope. I'm sure what he's saying is hops, but the former sounds better.
The bus climbs the Alpine Way that would take you to Austria if you stayed on it. Not that narrow, yet huge drop offs to the sides and intriguing speed signs that seem to indicate the speed limit for trucks and tanks.
The weather is so bad my attempts at photography through the bus window are pretty awful. The countryside is nevertheless quite beautiful.
We finally arrive at Berchtesgaden, the mountain village near Hitler's alternative seat of power, Obersalzburg.


The Obersalzburg is a small village not far from Berchtesgaden, where Hitler had driven out the former owners and built a large village including his house, the Berghof. Most of his cronies had home here too, plus a large body guard contingent.
The appeal of this particular tour was the Eagles Nest, the house built for Hitler's 50th birthday much higher up the mountain, the one you see in documentaries of Hitler meeting foreign dignitaries.
The access road is closed due to the snow-bugger.

What I didn't get to see!!

There is the Documentation Centre there which covers all aspects of the Nazi period, rather than focussing on just one.
It also allows access to the VAST bunker system that was built under the Obersalzburg village
The major fproblem was the lack of English translation for the documentation, though in fairness there was an audio version, though we didn't have enough time to use that.
It was the back to Berchtesgaden to the Salzberg Saltmines, where we had a great tour of the salt workings.
It started with us getting into ridiculous overalls, hopping on a train, that took us deep into the mountain. We then jumped off the train, has a small lecture about the working and then had to all slide down a long slippery dip to the next level. What a buzz!
Then more walking, listening to audio and watching laser shows, then another slippery dip ride to another lower level.
We are then led out to a large saltwater lake about 100 metres acrosswith crystal clear water about 6 metres deep.  small wooden barge takes us across the late to a funicular railway that takes us back to the train.
What a great exhibit, and you're not allowed to take pictures!!
It was then a rather long ride back to Munich, stopping along the way to pick up the Chiemsee mob.
The weather got worse with rain right up to the city, when it stopped.
Back to the YHA by about 7.45PM, just in front of about 40 students from Switzerland.
I'm buggered.
Tomorrow I bug out and head to Belgium via Frankfurt.

D-day 11 Dachau

Rained on and off most of the night, and having started the evening feeling below par, I woke feeling better. Irritating cough, but well.
Felt much better after catching up with Sue on Skype , though the connection was pretty poor.
Headed off soon after breakfast, with a luncheon roll in my pack.
It was raining. In the city, a cup of coffee to contemplate my movements before meeting the group for Dachau.
Once reinforced with caffeine, off to see the New Munich Synagogue, certainly a style outside the scope of most religious buildings, a blockhouse of sandstone slabs surmounted by another block of what looks like chicken wire!!
Off to meet the group in Marienplatz, under the tutelage or Renata. The group assembles, then is swollen by another group who met at the rail station. There are about 20 of us, who head off after Renata to board the train to Dachau station, then the bus out to the memorial site.
It just happens that I sit next to the one New Zealander on the tour, and across the passage from the other Australian. They are both here on business, one with Fujitsu and the NZer here to sell lamb.


At Dachau, it is suitably miserable as we stand in the rain at the entrance gate where prisoners would have waited to enter the concentration camp.
Dachau was the first concentration camp in Germany, set up to concentrate the political prisoners, dissenters etc in one place. It was set up in an old WW1 munitions factory site by Heinrich Himmler.
The prisoners were stripped of their clothing and personal items and given a regulation issue of the bare necessities.
They were allocated a uniform patch, depending on their category, political, criminal, homosexual, asocial and of course Jewish.
The prison was build to house 3000, however by the end of the war over 30,000 were incarcerated there.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dachau_concentration_camp
The Wikipaedia article gives estimates of deaths at the camp, however Dachau, whilst the model for most other concentration camps, was not en extermination camp.
The crematorium was to cremate the prisoners who had died, and the gas chamber was never used.
Not that this ameliorates the horror.
We stood for less then 15 minutes in the cold and rain, listening to Renata, with umbrellas and jackets etc. The prisoners stood for roll call, at attention, for up to 2 hours morning and night. Roll call was extended for any infraction, or perceived infraction, with the longest lasting 22 hours just in there prisoners uniforms.
We really don't know how lucky we are.
On a lighter note, I caught the right train, right direction, got out at the right station and walked straight to the YHA, no mistakes.
The Picasa Albums for today

D-day 10 Munich

Good night's sleep began what turned out to an excellent day.
Managed breakfast, without getting too caught up with the 50 or so French students milling all over the place.
Managed to Underground to Hauptbahnhof and even managed to meet the guide for today's walking tour following the rise of National Socialism and Hitler by visiting the significant buildings and and sites pertaining to that part of history.
What ensued was nearly 5 hours of walking and talking with Eric, our American Guide (who has lived in Munich over 30 years) and a two Australian couple's from Sydney who were also on the tour.
It was great to have a day of talking, having lived much of the last week like a cloistered nun
The weather stayed fine and cold for this out door experience, so we retreated to porches and various buildings for comfort.
To even try and cover what I learned would be daunting, assuming I assimilated and retained it all.
I can say I have had lunch and a beer in a pub that threw Hitler out, for being unable to pay his bill.
A number of the pictures are unlabelled as I can't recall the building or site they refer to.



We visited the site of his first public speaking event in a Bavarian Beer hall, the site of his failed 1922 take over of the Bavarian State by force, the so called "Beer Hall Putsch", the various buildings or site where the Nazi Party had its HQ, the Gestapo building (now a bank) and where his official photographer lived which was where Hitler met Eva Braun.
The Nazi headquarters was the building in which the Munich Agreement was formulated to give the Czech Sudentenland to Germany in exchange for peace, without actually consulting the Czech's,they weren't invited to the "Summit".
The Eternal Flame sited on a street that no one wants to use as an address, 'The Place for the Victims of National Socialism", in a place where it can't be seen (behind trees), in a place where no one can sit or would want to as it's too noisy. Not a place for contemplation of man's inhumanity to man!!
He delved into Hitler's ideas of what made good art and his potential sexual proclivity (disinterested).
We looked at the memorials to the "White Rose" resistance movement, basically a movement of students who printed pamphlets suggesting alternatives to the present regime. They were all executed.
I finished the day by jumping on the right train, in the underground, going in the wrong direction, getting off the train at the right station and going in the wrong direction.
My compass is way out.
Finally back to YHA. Feeling a bit seedy, been fighting off a cold, so early to bed to see if I can throw this off.
It's Dachau tomorrow

D-day 9 Munich

Top floor can have its advantages, for starters it quiet, some door bangers, but the Italian school group who have been running riot cannot be heard.
I sleep pretty well.
I must say, in spite of 6 days walking, the 10 flights of stair are arduous.
The YHA puts on breakfast-not bad really and I am out of there. The directions to the Underground get me to the station, and the train gets me into the centre of the city.
I emerge into the daylight, and just can't orientate myself. I'm at Hauptbanhof it just doesn't look like it did yesterday.
Anyway got my gyro swinging  properly and head off around the town centre.
I am looking for the Tourist Information Centre to books some trips, yet they don't open till ten.

Marienplatz has the famous Munich clock that performs, with figures in the tower playing a carillon. BUT only twice a day and not at 10.00AM.
I book a "Hop On Hop Off" tour for today, an Origins of the National Socialist Party Walking tour for tomorrow and a trip to Berchtesgaten on Monday, though the Eagles Nest is unlikely to be open yet, too early in the season. So it may be the salt mines.
I also book my tickets to Brussels for Tuesday-it's been an expensive morning all up.
Munich is very flat, the highest hill being an artificial one made near the Olympic Park, from WW2 rubble.
It certainly has some very nice buildings and structures, many rebuilt since the war.

The Nymphenburg Palace, the summer residence of the Bavarian Electors is certainly grand, are are some of the Strasse and Platz with Romanesque building and fine statuary.
The BMW Museum certainly satisfied any petrol-head tendencies I had. They do really make some very attractive vehicles. Odd that one of their first should be a copy of the British Austin 7.
All of this takes most of the day, so I head back on the Underground, correct line, get off at correct station. So far so good, then emerge like the rabbit in Alice, and once again, take an age to get my bearings.I am so stressed I just have to stop for a beer which is a mistake as the pub or whatever it is reeks of tobacco.
The hostel is quiet, briefly, until the invasion of the Polish school children who must have been cooped up on the bus all day-they are LOUD.
The pictures on my Picasa Web albums

D-day 8 Bad Schandau to Krippen

The day opened wet and dull, rather like my head, after yet another poor night’s sleep. Don’t know what the problem is other than they have the rooms very hot  (well hot for me).

Up the HRT again!

As alluded to yesterday it is a ferry and trains day.

It’s wet as I leave the hotel, raining and my small umbrella makes a poor job of it.

The ferry leave right on time, and reaches the station on the other side of the Elbe in great time, the current may have helped.

The train is waiting at the station, and not long after we are off.

Dresden Hbf, the main station, is like all rather confusing as there are the local platforms and the inter city platforms separate, and even those can be split.

I ask some Polizei who point me in the right direction.

Not sure what they thought as I immediately headed in the opposite direction. I had 50 minute wait and a coffee beckoned, as did a seat.

There were some damn Canadians there having coffee plus a very large, black English man who started chatting so I eave-dropped for a few minutes, then bought into the conversation.

The two girls were on some sort of holiday and the black guy was a musician who had been to Poland to do a workshop.

I headed off for my train, found my seat and a minute later the two Canadians plonked down beside me across the aisle. I was off to Munich via Leipzig, and they were off to Frankfurt.

They were not chatty.

The train arrived at Leipzig, and lo and behold my ICE train to Munich was on the opposite platform, and my carriage just right there.

I am not sure what it is about Eurail tickets as all my seats have been facing backwards so I get to see the view retreating. Hard to take pictures.

It is better from the restaurant car where I sit for a while. The windows are more expansive.

We have passed out of the very flat land into much hillier country, Bavaria.

Then bugger me we pass through Nuremberg and it all goes flat again. But we do get cracking along!!

Finally Munich looms, of the train and into a taxi.

I start regretting my choice of YHA, as YHA Munich City is about 3km from the bloody city.

I have booked a twin room so they are expecting twins and were mightily disappointed.

I have a twin room to myself for the next 5 days.

It's on the top floor with a view of some snow capped mountains. There's no lift.

Laundry on, some dinner provided by the YHA and then onto the blog.

The Common Room is part taken over by a group of young people wearing sweatshirts with the Nazi concentration camps listed beside a logo of a shower head, and the motto "Never forget, never again".

In groups of three they make a presentation which are concluded with thunderous applause.

D-day 7 Krippen to Bad Schandau

A good start to the day, with blue skies, no wind and not that cold. A forecast of 14C, not bad.
My wifi connection was from the bowling alley, about 50 feet from my room. So out in the open I Skyped with Sue for 20 minutes or so, catching up on local news etc
After we had finished I kept the computer running and walked back to my room, to find that it worked quite from the toilet seat. The toilet window looked towards the bowling alley.
Don't ask why a small village like Krippen should have a bowling alley, I don't know, it just does.
Walked out of the motel, got about 100 metres away and realised I had left my maps in my room. Hasty trip back to find them sitting on the bed, as obvious as the nose on your face.
It's the Elbe I need to cross to start my walk, and there's no ferry in sight, and the current looks pretty strong. I manage to interpret the timetable, and I think the next ferry is at 9.13 AM. Well bugger me, at about 9.05 there it appears and right on time it pulls up at the wharf.
He doesn't actually drive across the river, he just points the nose of the boat across at 45 degrees and lets the current take him there.
I'm off, the latest start of the trip, into the Schrammsteine.
And it's good. More hard climbs, steep ladders, narrow clefts in the rock. I hope the pictures at least give part of the story.

The view from the peak of these sandstone pillars is fantastic, right across to all those steins I have been banging about.
The walk off follows a narrow ridge of sandstone, with more ladders and stairs. Initially I follow a man and his two kids, but finally get past them, and I'm on my own.
At this stage I've decided to go off the route that's written for me, as I figure I be finishing at lunchtime again.
There are many paths, all posted with coloured squares, and the map gives me a pretty good idea how to link them up.
I meet a woman looking quizzically at some of the signs, as we all do at most intersections, she asks me something, in German< and I confess ignorance. She speaks English, and well.
We sort out her problem and I walk on.
At the next intersection, it's me looking quizzical as she walks up. We solve the problem and I stop for lunch and she walks on.
I have managed another of those delicious rolls with cheese and meat, plus some Nutella.
I eat in silence, as is the way in Saxony. A few people walk past, in either direction
, "Gutten tag", or the diminutive  "tag" or "ullo", or just blank faces, but mostly greetings.
Lunch done I head off and after about 10 minute find my English speaking friend having lunch, on a much better spot than mine.
We chat some more and then I head off, however she follows and for nearly 30 minutes I talk English. It's amazing how good that was and it's amazing what you find out about someone in that time.
She was 42, had been to Australia in 1994, had worked for the government, then became a sociologist, and is doing her doctorate on university professors!! She warned me about neo-nazi's, especially in Saxony.
We finally hit another track junction and she is off , back to her digs, for a massage (part of the package) and I lapse into silence.
It's downhill, literally, from there, a waterfall that ebbs and flows with the payment of money, lots more people, then a walk along a very pleasant stream. This take me back to Bad Schandau however not just a walk in the woods as there is about 500 metres hanging off chains, and negotiating steep narrow ledges that overlook the stream.
It starts to rain, lightly so I increase my pace and get to the hotel just in time.
I reckon I have done 20 km today-my knees feel like it.
The waitress,  at dinner, is trying very hard with the English. It's still difficult, but at least she's made and effort.It;'s my last night in Saxony, tomorrow Munich, where I think I'll stay a few days.
It's trains all day, Dresden, Leipzig then Munich.
Picasa web album for those that want them ALL

D-day 6 Gohrisch to Krippen

Just when you think you have the sleep thing sorted it all goes pear shaped. Having some noisy kids next door didn't help, neither did the door bangers.
The day looked good, blue sky, turned out to be the tint on the windows.
Breakfast the usual sumptuous collection, some great looking fried eggs I discovered after I was replete. Roll prepared and secreted in the jacket I was off. Blue sky be buggered, grey and raining.
On with jacket and off I went, Gohrisch being the immediate target, another stein without the suffix.

It was a great climb, through narrow defiles with ladders and steps, great fun and arriving at the top with what would be stunning views if it wasn't so dull. Cold too with biting wind.
Then there's the descent which is pretty hairy too.
Then it's across a small valley to climb Papststein which is an easy stroll up a very wide path to the hilltop restaurant, closed.
The main thing I notice is the paucity of people. The holiday is certainly over. The biggest group, is on my descent off Papststein when I pass about 20 walkers coming up who all look like the should be in ARPA!
On the way off Papststein, is a detour to Lichterhohle Cave. The name meaning Cave of Lights due to the number of candles placed on the walls by moutaineers. Ya just gotta believe!
It's 11.30AM and I am within 30 minutes of my hotel, so a quick look at the map shows an alternative that I take.
I should add at this point the sun is out and it's remarkably hot.
Just as well or I would have missed a great surprise-a SNAKE-sliding across the track. What a gem?
I then circuited around a plateau and arrived at the banks of the Elbe, overlooking my target for tomorrow, Schrammsteine.
My maps are hopeless, a they give no indication that I am about 100 metes above the river.
A steep descent ensues, with great views across the river to Bad Schandau.
I pop out at river level, at the front door of my hotel, how good is that.
It's the usual charade, however I manage to get to my room and a shower is in order, you sweat a lot in a rain jacket even if it's been off since lunch.Dinner was the ongoing charade. Luckily the menu was fixed to three choices of mains and I could work out what they were.
So soup-tomato, mains-schnitzel and parfait-icecream all washed down with a coupe of beers. A dark local beer called Schwart Bier, followed by a wheat beer, rathe malty and not my favourite type of beer.

Pictures in Picasa Web albums if slide show too slow

D-day 5 Konigstein to Gohrisch

Slept well, woke early hours morning AND went back to sleep!!
Fine day, no cloud looks cold, is cold when I get out.
Manage the roll thing again. The rolls are either fresh or frozen, either way they are hot, varied and delicious. I eat three and do one for lunch with cheese and meat. I set. No bloody apple tho!!
Odd thing, happened at two hotels now, playing Queen for breakfast.
Pat the Fortress, looks very imposing in the morning light, then down the hill to the town of Konigstein, past old church and the flood markers (see pictures).
Did I say down? Of course that means and up, and up it was, past the Devil's Cave which I missed and on to Pfaffenstein.
Asked a walker about the towers in the fields, and joy oh joy he spoke very good English. We dumped each other a number of time after that and he was most helpful.
Then the climb to Pfaffenstein, up narrow clefts on the rock, ladders and steps to the obligatory restaurant at the top. Most walkers are drinking either beer or Gluhwein, and it's not yet lunch time??
I have a disappointingly cold cappuccino, then head off to look at the Barbarine, a rock pinnacle. It's pretty impressive, tho the cold wind drives me away.


Some facts, rather than the bullshit
The Barbarine is the best-known, free-standing rock formation in the German part of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. It is a rock pinnacle, 42.7 metres (140 ft) high, and is the symbol of Saxon Switzerland. It was first climbed on 19 September 1905 by mountaineers (Wikipedia again).
Now more bullshit
As I'm descending one of the very steep access ladders, something pushes past me, it's a bloody dog, off the lead and looking for its masters.
I head off and find a place to eat my roll, in the sun prior to my descent off Pfaffenstein. It's quite pleasant though I am sorry I didn't link up with my English speaking friend. It would have been nice to chat over lunch, they are rather solitary affairs.Then the descent off Pfaffenstein, quite good fun, very steep, lots of ladders, the onto the plain at Pfaffendorf.
I am too early for the hotel, so I sit in front of a memorial, which turns out to be for those who lost their lives in both world wars, appropriate I think.
Three brother from the village lost their lives in WW1, two on consecutive days, and the aother about 2 weeks later. The German Regiments tended to be from specific districts, so the brothers would have served together, and been in the same attacks etc. The village lost 19 men in WW1 and 20 in WW2.
After some contemplation, it was off to the hotel, past the Lapidarium.
The hotel receptionist speaks very good English, a first, and my room is small yet comfortable.
Can't wait to see what's for dinner!!
The English speaker has gone off duty so it's me, the iPhone translater and the waitress.
We manage, I end up with a much better Rottwein, with more body that Twiggy, but certainly less then Elle.
Some pasta rounds of the meal, with milchkaffe.
We're struggling all round.
Tomorrow is another day
The Picasa albums for those who can't wait for the slideshow

D-day 4 Rathen to Konigstein

Just have got this sleep thing worked out yet. Just crash as soon as my head hits the pillow then wake at 4 ish and just lie there. I am sure I sleep, yet it doesn’t seem like it. I an planning the rest of the trip in my head, all the things that can go wrong etc.
Anyway, woke to find some Easter eggs in a little straw nest outside my door, and that it had snowed overnight.
Breakfast was awesome an buffet, I really should have taken a picture. Far too much choice and I managed once again to make a roll for my lunch. Took an apple too, which I then proceeded to leave on the table.
Headed off about 8.20AM, climb straight out of the Hotel to the Bastei. Of course got hot and I shed some layers.
It was going to be one of those days, with shedding and layering as the weather altered.
At the top is an old medieval fortification, in ruins, that was quite impressive, especially how they managed to construct this structure where it is see pictures.
Then it was past the gathering tourists fresh out of the bus, and onto some nice back tracks all well marked with the white square with coloured slash or dot.
On the path I met a man with an Australia cap. With some fumbling we managed to work out 6 years ago he’d been to Australia and visited Sydney, Adelaide, Alice Springs and Darwin. Not bad considering.
I think I missed a turn, as I ended up in Stadt Wehlen not quite the way the instructions said, nevertheless I got there.
Here I was to cross the Elbe.



It was morning tea so I found a cafe, which was a pasta making place, and had an ordinary coffee. I can see why they make pasta!!
The Elbe successfully crossed, a vicious climb followed up to a plateau, which then took me on a long circuit past may “steins”.
It was near here a group offered to take my photo with Lilienstein in the background. Once again my language skills triumphed, and I think we all left more confused than when we had met.
Another hard climb followed to Rauenstein, which had a restaurant at its summit. I was going to have lunch here, however there were too many Germans (and smoking) and it started to snow. So back downhill, roll to be consumed on the run later.
Then followed a pretty easy run, past the Owl Stones (see pictures) through the woods where I almost surprised a lady having a wee-well she was pretty surprised.
Then the Hotel Neue Schanke which was teeming with people having afternoon tea.
They seemed surprised to see me, however all sorted, then to my room, a wash a change, do some washing and off to the castle, which is just up the hill.


Surrendering my passport gave me an audio unit in Englische and I was off. I had only an hour before they shut or I lost my passport, albeit till they opened tomorrow.
What a great castle, what a great site. An hour did not do it justice. Too rushed and to add to it became very cold.
Königstein Fortress (German: Festung Königstein), the "Saxon Bastille", is a hilltop fortress near Dresden, in Saxon Switzerland, Germany, above the town of Königstein on the left bank of the River Elbe. It is one of the largest hilltop fortifications in Europe and sits atop the table hill of the same name.
The 9.5 hectare rock plateau rises 240 metres above the Elbe and has over 50 buildings, some over 400 years old, that bear witness to the military and civilian life in the fortress. The rampart run of the fortress is 1,800 metres long with walls up to 42 metres high and steep sandstone faces. In the centre of the site is a 152.5 metre deep well, which is the deepest in Saxony and second deepest well in Europe. Pinched unashamedly from Wikipaedia
Back to Neue Schanke for dinner, which was a set 3 course with a choice of mains. Salad, followed by the choice I least understood, followed by parfait.
The pictures tell it all. It was pretty good, whatever it was.
I was the only guest with a reserved table, I am sure it was so everyone else could look at how an Australian eats. There was the owner’s family, daughter and in-laws,  I think, looking straight at me, a family of four and a couple who drank a couple of mighty beers and were very red faced.
the days walk pictures if you don't like the slide show

For those that don't want to wait for the slide show the Castle

D-day 3 Bad Schandau to Rathen

Slept pretty well to start then woke and lay there for some time. The pillows are soft, very soft and even two and my head lolls.
Finally up at 6.30AM and get ready.
The first walking day and at breakfast I learn the weather forecast is 1-4 degrees and rain and snow expected.
Breakfast is buffet, and I mange to eat well. Even grab a roll and fill it with cheese and salami for lunch along with an apple and a couple of Nutella packs. I have done well.
I head off and it is raining. Stop at the National Park HQ and ad clothes. Michelin man!
The first bit is a climb from Bad Schandau. I sweat like mad and at the first stop off comes the jacket, the legs of my pants and on goes the gaiters.
After the climb the next hour is easy, with a flat plateau, a descent, then a road walk.
My first navigational problem comes at this point. “Follow Tiefer Grund for 800 metres, ten at the next sign take the stairs left”. Fine, however at the next sign there is a track that peters out and no steps. I walk on trying to estimate 800 metres. After some time I stop, go back to the sign, realise that this track can’t be right.
Luckily a couple come along, who don’t speak English. We work out that I have gone far enough, and sure enough, had I gone on only 100 metres more all would have been revealed.
Then a steep and taxing climb to the Brand followed by some circuiting round, through nice forest to Hohnstein, which is a village perched below a castle looking building.
I am standing in the village square, looking for a place to have lunch and a voice calls out “Are you Julian Monfries?” No I made that up, but they did ask if I was English. Why? As I was wearing shorts and it was snowing. They were very nice and we chatted a while.
Lunch was my roll in a tunnel, and at this time I started to feel quite cold.
The snowing had stopped as I had descended about 30 metres. Roll consumed quickly and I was off, to get warm.


The climb to Hockstein took care of that, steep steel stairs, emerging through narrow cracks and arriving at what would be a great lookout but for the mist. It was snowing again, I had gained back that 30 metres.
From there a doddle to the hotel, mind you and hour of doddle, but mostly downhill.
I can tell you my shorts were the talk of the walkers, and there were many of them. They wear jeans mostly, very little Gortex and lots of puff jackets. They must get very hot. We would think them odd.
Over walked my hotel The Amselgrundschloschen, and had to double back when I reached the Elbe.
My room is quite large, at the corner of the building.   with view down the Amselgrund, which means bloody big Amsel!
Over 20 km, with back tracking, some decent climbs all adds up to a good day. Lucky I enjoy my own company.
Shower, do some washing, go for a walk. It's too cold, then it starts to snow, large floaty flakes. But it's still cold.
Dinner Schweinschnitzel-two large slabs or pork again all washed down with a local red (thin, watery and no great body). Manage to demolish it all however. I am sitting at dinner, finishing off the wine, as this is the only place I can get good Wi-Fi.
Today's pics for those that can't be bothered waiting for the slide show

D-day 2 Dresden to Bad Schandau

The bed was soft and the sleep came easily, as did the full bladder, so the sleep was a bit interrupted. Breakfast was negotiated with the minimum of fuss, heck do they have a lot to offer for breakfast. More varieties of Yogurt than you can imagine. Bags packed and delivered for pick-up, I headed off to the old town of Dresden, which is a bit odd really as it was pretty much destroyed by the allies in WW2. I hit the Elbe River and was reminded of Napoleon’s words “Able was I ere I saw Elbe”. It is a fast flowing river with the old town on the other side. There nothing for it, I’ll have to use the bridge. It has been rebuilt and very well done too. I hope the pictures do it justice. Walking around an old city on Good Friday is a rather quiet occupation, especially early on. It’s also cold, very cold and I not that well prepared. My ears are icy. After walking for nearly 2 hours I succumb to the temptation of a Hop on Hop Off bus tour, and I must say it was excellent. Apart from the rather loud German commentary that is. I had a headset with English commentary, however the German commentary was beamed through the loudspeaker, so we had that blasting in the background. The commentary at one stage pointed out an old building that the used to have a neon sign flashing “Socialism is winning” we were told, there was laughter from the mostly German passengers.
I did one round of the bus thing, and then decided it was time to find my train to Bad Schandau. This wasn’t too hard. The train was impeccably clean, quiet, until it braked, and quite fast. I’m at Bad Schandau before I know it, standing on the opposite bank of the Elbe to the town. Luckily there is a ferry, though I couldn’t read the notice that told me what I needed to do. A young bloke helped out and we crossed uneventfully. My hotel, the Elbehotel is on the riverbank and quite nice. My room is OK, though looks into the back street, which is the main street. The town is quaint, cobblestones rule. It is quite odd to walk around and not hear one word of English The people at the hotel have rather poor English skills, albeit miles ahead of my German ones.
I head off for a long walk, end up with sore feet. There are very few concessions here for non-German speakers.
Dinner was interesting, as I picked something off the Ostermenu with only one word that I recognised-gnocchi! What I got was some meat, nicely cooked, with gnocchi and some long white things that were rather stringy and i think were white asparagus, if there is such a thing. They were the disappointment, all else was good.
Feeling pretty knackered and I have my first real walking day, and it's forecast to be a maximum of 4!!

D-day 1 Brussels to Dresden

We finally boarded at Abu Dhabi, and I was welcomed aboard and taken towards the cockpit. A Business Class seat was on offer! I refused naturally, once, but they insisted, so I accepted especially as I had paid extra for the bloody thing.
 You certainly have more room. You certainly have better food. You certainly have the ability to lie out flat, without poking the passenger in front with your knees, however as I found, you don’t sleep any better.
All the extra room seemed to do, for me at least, was bring on all those aches and pains that stop sleep coming easily AND the bladder fills more quickly when you lie flat, BELIEVE ME!
So instead of waking refreshed at Brussels I was still rather jaded.
The station was under the airport, so apart from a delayed train the transfer to Brussels Midi was seamless.


It’s cold and misty. The train is smooth, I am facing backwards, however, I can look over the driver’s shoulder to the way ahead if I wish. It is the ICE (Inter City Express) and we are cruising at 235 km an hour, too fast for a picture I am afraid.
We make Frankfurt, my change for Dresden, and I fear the wurst! In fact it almost happens as the station I am told by the DB (Deutschen Bahn or German railway to us mortals) is wrong, and as we know ICE doesn’t hang around too long.
Anyway the long and the short was that I was on the correct platform for my train, albeit at the wrong end. They had numbered the carriages in a most peculiar way. I am up the front again, and facing backwards again.
Dresden finally arrives almost dark now and I am bombed out.
Taxi to the Park Inn, pick up my walk stuff, head to the room.
Suckling pig is on the menu, it will just have to starve, as the restaurant is some distance away, and I doubt I can find it in the dark.
It to the restaurant attached to the hotel and a pretty reasonable pork steak(s) with two beers for the princely sum of 13.50 Euros.
It’s time for BED!!
Pictures later

D-day Abu Dhabi

Well the day started well, I woke up on time, the cab was called and it arrived on time.
I got to the airport with plenty of time and had a desultory breakfast in the Qantas Lounge. I say desultory as there wasn't that much I liked and settled for toast.
The first mishap of the trip occured here, whilst trying to juggle coffee cup full with backpack falling. Result coffee all over the place but luckily very little on me.
Jetstar to Sydney, with an Irish Pilot, then the two hour wait for my flight out.
Etihad check was relatively quick, though they should learn to smile.
Had an aisle seat next to a very chatty nurse from South West Rocks, off to Italy. Her first O/S trip for a while her naivety with how the things worked.
She was good company.

Unfortunately, we were one row back from baby central. I think we had 8 small children or babies close by. At no point did they cry in unison, and they all got quiet once we were an our out of landing. Mmm must remember not to book seats there.
The flight, 14 hours to Abu Dhabi was tedious. The cabin crew should learn to smile.
They fed us pretty continuously, and it wasn't bad, just too often. Not enough water or fluids.
I teetotal for flights, works for me.
So here I am at Abu Dhabi at 1.30AM, awaiting the flight to Brussels. I am tired. No sleeo other than snoozes since I left home.
I want sleep and I want it now, but I'll have to wait, I have another 7 hour sector to manage.

D-day -1

It's all coming together and the last minute things taken care of-like a head pillow for the plane, so I can at least pretend to sleep.
Thought we had one, however a search of our various cupboards turned up NOTHING.
As you'll see all that stuff was squeezed into the pack and carry-on suitcase.



And what's more the trip itinerary for the Western Front tour arrived, after appearing to be lost in the Australia Post Express Post system.
Checked my flight times and discovered my flight to Sydney, is much earlier than I thought-like 2 hours earlier!!
Just as well I checked as it's with JetStar who have a diabolical reputation for closing Check-in right at the 30 minute mark.
It's also rather irritating as they don't allow on line check in, so it will be the big line-up I expect.
I hope they don't weight my carry-on as it's 1 kg over the 7 kg limit.
I'll just point to a fat man and ask if they're going to weight him!
So I'm all set.

D-day -3

Yes that's right it's just three days to go and over the last 24 hours I've started to get my head around packing.



All that you see has to fit into the pack and a carry-on  that is strategically hidden under all the stuff.
To complicate things the weather forecast for Saxony, where I will be doing the walking part of the trip, is highs of 9 degrees with minimums of, wait for it -4!!!
It's those sorts of temperatures for most of Easter, and it's most of Easter I will be walking.
Could be snow in them there parts.
Other than that, most of the other stuff is in place.
I've been offered an upgrade by Etihad, albeit one I have to pay for. It looks like they have spare Business Class seats and they auction them off. You actually bid for the seats sector by sector. I would particularly like to have a decent sleep in the sector from Abu Dhabi to Brussels, so I arrive reasonably rested.  I have a nine hour train journey once I get to Belgium, from Brusseles to Dresden, via Frankfurt.
I also made some rather paltry bid for the other sectors, however I think I can hear them laughing now!