To Cologne

We left on Tuesday morning after waiting out a downpour and watching the rain radar for a "weather window".  Again, the mountain-top castles tantalized us but we continued riding alongside the river in between thunderstorms.

We only accomplished 10 miles that day despite our readiness to go much further.

It was thundering with flashes of lightening when we finally gave up and ducked into the lobby of a hotel in Koblenz for shelter, deciding to stay the night.  Sal bought a posy for her handlebars from a happy flower-shop lady and the rose loved the cool, moist weather.  

Along the way,  the "hoch wasser" (high water) signs cautioned us and we were aware that the heavy rains were increasing the level and the flow of the Rhine dramatically. 

Several houses next to the river had high water marks and dates that were amazing to us,  including the medallion recording a flood in 1882.












Many riverside houses have been painted with amusing local scenes on their walls. 

That evening, the striking sunset seen from our window was an omen of better weather for the next day... 

Happily the day dawned bright and sunny so we pedaled off again on the riverside paths towards Bonn, which used to be the Capital of West Germany.   

This grand hotel next to the river was one of Adolf Hitler's favorites and where he met British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain in September 1938 before signing the Munich Agreement. This promised, according to Neville Chamberlain, "Peace in our Time" but sadly, that was not to be.  War broke out a year later,

The Rhine river valley has broadened even more and the rain has caused the water to change color again, flow faster and rise even more...

We arrived in the Market Place in Bonn to find an Italian theme that day. Huge cheeses, artisan breads, olives and many regional olive oils were being bought up quickly by the busy shoppers. 

Shortly before arriving at Beethoven's house we discovered this Baroque-Gothic style church with a most unusual interior.

We had planned to stop for lunch in Bonn so that we could see the house near the Marktplatz where Ludwig van Beethoven was born and lived for most of his childhood. He left for Vienna in 1792 at the age of 22, never to return to Bonn. 

A bust of the composer is hard to see in the shady garden...   

Beethoven played this viola in the orchestra in Bonn at the age of 12, with one of his early compositions beside it in the case.

The Beethoven family house was saved from being demolished in 1889 by twelve citizens of Bonn who founded the Beethoven-Haus Society. There are concerts there occasionally, and many of his original works and instruments are part of the collection. Once inside the front door, the house was remarkably quiet, cool and surprisingly large, a delight for Sal who found it hard to leave.

Goodbye Bonn

Approaching Cologne, we passed this conglomeration of architectural styles.  The old, the new and a Friday flea market all together.