to the weather!

Whilst we are still getting some sunshine and the trees are predominantly green hereabouts, the wind has turned to the north which has dropped temperatures dramatically, i've had to put on two pairs of knickers - and the heating!

So back to the plot. I took myself out on Thursday for a longer, 103km, ride, a variation on my Chippenham / Lacock loop to the east, the sun was out but the wind was strong. The old legs were starting to complain on the last leg although i felt okay in myself, perhaps it was the 23kph average?

Friday i went to buy more of Lidl's German fare, i wish it was in store all the time as it puts a strain on my purse and storage coming along at such long intervals. Once back i hit the keyboard and got most of a Gaby chapter finished before the lure of liver and onions proved too much!

Saturday, well that wind had dropped the temperature and i had no appetite for a long ride. It was bright though so i took myself out for a loop to Severn Beach for a late breakfast, returning via the Avon gorge and a bit of wind assisted riding. Only 66km but a decent speed despite the copious amount of bike path on the return leg.

And today? Well i've completed the chapter i started on Friday, that's up on Patreon now, i'm waiting for a house guest to arrive now.

I promised more from Berlin so here goes, Day 1 in the city. The plan was to visit several WW2 and Cold War sites to the north east of the city centre, we left fairly sharp, planning to pick up breakfast along the way. It was only a few metres from the hotel to destination 1, Friedrichshain Park where two flak towers / bunkers had been sited during WW2, we climbed the hills but there was little to see although the views through the trees hinted at great vistas across the city.

The next stop was the Mauer Park which involved walking further than i thought and failing to find a source for breakfast. The park was, well a strip of open ground adjacent to the line of the former Berlin wall, not a lot to see so we cracked on for Humboldthain Park and one of the highest points in Berlin at 86m ASL. We climbed the hill and there it was, the best remains of a flak tower remaining in the city. the views stretched out before us, across to Spandau in the west and north into the Brandenburg countryside.

We had both got it in our heads that there was some sort of rail museum at Nordbahnhof, our next stop but we were wrong, just some old railway yards repurposed as a park - and no breakfast! Bernauer Strasse was right there though, a cafe supplied coffee and a bun then we took in the preserved wall and monument across the road, That was our main targets all covered so we headed back towards the centre, our intention to visit the VW centre on Unter den Linden (Under the Limes). by the time we got there we were getting a bit foot sore and were disappointed that the place was closed for some event.

We'd set off at nine, it was late afternoon now as we made our way to Museum Island and the Humboldt Centre for a comfort stop before deciding to eat in one of the restaurants in the Nikolaivertel. Spaghetti seemed to fit the bill after the 20km hike we'd done, bolognese for me, carbonara for lil' bro washed down with a tall glass of Berliner Pils! It was still fairly early, not yet six but we were fair pooped so called it a day, heading back to our accomodation. Which is how i discovered the used clothing store almost next to the hotel but thats for another day!

Sorry there are no pics this time, BC is playing up and i can't load them.

I'll see you again midweek but for now,
Tschuss,
Madeline Anafrid