Heading to the border

We made good time and distance after leaving Cologne due to some good weather, or at least rain only at night.  Reaching Dusseldorf, we ended up taking city streets through the center of the city, a nightmarish and stressful ride.  Thankfully it was Sunday afternoon. The traffic was murderous, as usual, but less of it. Consequently, we ended up without a single photo of the city!

This idyllic countryside scene is of a small fortress town called Zons. The course of the Rhine altered during the 18th century due to heavy flooding and prosperity declined. The city of Duisberg came next, very industrial and not appealing to us,  but this time Ken navigated us around it on good paths, saving our sanity!

In the meantime, Sal had wanted to visit the little town of Kaiserswerth. The Suibertus Abbey there has led to a connection with medical care. Florence Nightingale did part of her training at the Deaconess Clinic and there is now a nursing school and a new hospital in her name a short distance from the sleepy old village.

There is a mixture of pleasing architecture around a square near the river and the bike path. 

             

Ken sat on a bench near this great anchor to watch the ships ply up and down the river, while Sal gathered information on the town's association with Florence Nightingale from two friendly local women.

We carried on along the riverside path which got more and more narrow until, oh my goodness! It ended but it most considerately offered some steps to go up to the real path...









Hmmmm -  where there's a will there's a way.

A new bridge across the Rhine at Wesel. 

Next on our wish list of places to see "if we have time and energy and don't get lost in the process"  was the former Roman town of Xanten and the treasure-filled cathedral of St.  Viktor (who was martyred here in AD 363)!

We were surprised to  see this very modern and beautiful organ in the ancient cathedral. Many priceless works of rare art were on display inside.

There were six Triptych styled pieces, each having its own subject matter. All are of the same dimensions, six or seven feet in height and ten or more feet across when opened. They are designed to fold up so in times of strife they may be moved and hidden from Middle Ages marauders.  All contained paintings and intricate carvings.
The highest price ever paid for a work of art, over $100 million, was for a triptych.

Also surprising to us was the extent of the intricate stained glass windows that were there, in a cathedral in such a small town.

The archway leading to the cathedral.

Another thing that struck us was how quiet and uncrowded the cathedral was inside and also in the peaceful garden with cloisters surrounding it.

We had it all to ourselves, it seemed..

except for the gargoyles.

These unusual handles on the doors at the back of the cathedral made us curious.   

As we left Xanten, we realized we were obviously getting closer to the border with the Netherlands.

Did we lose Ken and the tandem?

The corn is as high as an elephant's eye, maybe higher!

After other people had previously taken "wonky" pictures of us, we've decided we quite like them...

Some pastoral scenes beside the bike path...

Wildflowers bordered the bike paths and

of all crazy things, there is a theme park built inside a $4 billion-dollar nuclear power plant that was never comissioned due to concerns after the Chernobyl disaster of 1986. We could hear screams of delight and horror from top of the cooling tower where there is a large swing ride.

Our last B&B in Germany was the best, with a room and balcony for guests that had a wonderful view over the dike and the river, looking at the Netherlands on the other side.
Hundreds of Canada geese gave us a fly-over in their V formations in the morning on their way towards the south-east.


The ferry at the German-Dutch border awaits us at Millingen an der Rijn.

And here we are at last, so happy to return to the Netherlands!