Blink an eye and miss a country

We departed from Sargans early in light rain and clouds, proceeding down the west side of the Rhine. We could see the Schloss Gutenberg castle on the other side above the town of Balzers in Liechtenstein.

Here is a long covered bridge spanning the increased width of the Rhine, looking over at Switzerland. We were getting used to riding in the clouds although we are looking forward to some sunshine soon!

On entering the town of Vaduz,  the capital of Liechtenstein, we saw the impressive royal castle ahead.  The principality is one of the smallest countries in Europe with a population of 35,000.

The country being the "size of a postage stamp" is famous for its stamps which are shown imprinted in the sidewalks of Vaduz.  After WWII,  the country was in financial distress until low corporate taxation and banking confidentiality attracted investment by companies and wealthy people.

We enjoyed our visit and a quick lunch in the touristy part of town where we met three cheerful young Australians biking to Norway from Istanbul.

On the road again,  we were soon in Austria. We crossed the river several times,  seeking to find the best path since some were gravel, puddles and mud.

Each time we crossed the river, we were in a different country. Customs houses at each bridge along the river were ignored by all except for trucks hauling cargo. We decided to spend the night in Austria since the rain was increasing.

Our hotel was only minutes from the border with Switzerland with an architecturally interesting church nearby.  The morning brought more rain so we paused for an extra cup of coffee and, when the drizzle abated we set out again.

By noon we had reached Germany. The weather was looking up so we stopped for a sunny al fresco lunch. Sal looked back at where we had parked the tandem and had a brilliant idea for modification...

We enjoyed a quiet lunch in an alley in the cobbled streets of Lindau,  an island on Lake Constance,  also known as the Bodensee.

We rode to the harbor to take a look at the 13th century lighthouse and the c. 1420 Old Town Hall, or Rathaus, eager to find a place to stay before the sun disappeared behind the clouds again.   Sal couldn't resist a road side fruit-stand with the lovely cherries and raspberries of the area. The fruit seller had a big chuckle while we all tried to safely attach the fruit to the bicycle. The missions were accomplished before the next downpour!