Antwerp

Rain greeted us again this morning! The drive to Antwerp was through very heavy rain but as we entered the city it began to clear. 

Replenishing the essentials!

We were able to get a parking spot close to the MAS ( Museum of the River). Our first visit was to the MAS - an interesting innovative building in the old docks area just north of the old town.

MAS ( Museum of the River) Antwerp

A series of escalators take you to the very top of the building which then gives you a wonderful panorama of the city and one of the busiest ports in Europe.

Antwerp from the MAS

Antwerp is about 2000 years old! But it's glory days happened in the 16th and 17th centuries. Some of the fine buildings  around the market square are some of the finest guild-houses in Europe. The tallest of these is the House of the Crossbowmen, with a gold statue of St George slaying the dragon! 

 The guild-houses in the market square Antwerp.

The Brabo Fountain, in the centre of the market square, is a traditional landmark for the city - this depicts a Roman soldier slaying the terror of the city's fleet.

Another view!

The ornately gable Stadhuis (City Hall), built in the 16th century, reflects the wealth and prosperity of the city. It still looks the same today as it did in the 16th century. 

The ornately gable Stadhuis (City Hall)

We took a tour of the Stadhuis - all in Flemish - an interesting look at the opulence of the merchants of the time.

 Interior of the Stadhuis

This weekend Antwerp was holding its Bolleksfeest! This extended from the river through streets leading to the Market Square and the. Through to other squares in the city. It was huge. People everywhere! We thought we would sneak into Antwerp on a quite Sunday and have a look around, and then ease out at the end of the day - not to be. The town was crowded and alive! A great afternoon.

Antwerp

We moved onto Bazel for our overnight.

Germany - Holland - Belgium

 Last day in Germany today. What a great adventure - from the west to the south and then the east - we have sampled a great diversity and yet a single nation. What a great country with great people. We have had nothing but friendly people across the whole country - except for the bus driver in Ulm - and if you are reading this bus driver, perhaps you could do a little course in customer relations! 

We took an early morning walk into Straelen - another town along this border region displaying a sense of its closeness to the Dutch influence in architecture.  

Straelen, Germany

Later this morning we continued down the German - Dutch border through Wankum(!) on to Wachtendonk. This quaint town also reflects the close proximity to the Dutch style with some house dating back to the 17th century. These influences just indicate how modern political boundaries are of a recent phenomenon.

Wachtendonk, Germany

On further to Kallenkirchen for lunch and to shop before heading through Holland to our over night in Belgium at Neerpelt. This stellplatz is located on a large canal - with about fifty other motorhomes.

Neerpelt, Belgium

German-Dutch Border

Weather looking up again today - a very sunny and warm morning as we made tracks south along the German-Dutch border.

Crossing the Rhine at Emmerich

We crossed the Rhine at Emmerich before traveling through some serious agricultural countryside. No just the cropping variety but serious hothouses, hundreds of acres of pot-plants being developed and other market garden produce. This went on for kilometres!

Large market gardens for nurseries

Stopped for coffees at Kavelaer  and to have a look at he town - but we got a little more than we had anticipated. For where we parked - near the centre of the town- we noticed a number of other motorhomes and caravans and so thought this MUST be a good place to park and a town worth seeing. 

No sooner had we parked when we heard and saw a commotion a couple of hundred metres further along the parking area - people rushing etc. I wandered along a little way to see what the fuss was about when a young  fellow turn to me and said something in an Irish accent. Immediately the penny dropped - we were in the middle of a large number of 'Travellers'! I immediately got the picture - and the message that I was not one of them - where is the welcoming of a fellow traveler!

 Soon the young girls started to emerge from the caravans and motorhomes dressed to the nines in all the fluro gear and made up to the nth degree. We were at a 'travellers' meet! The further we looked around the more vans we saw - all along the other side of the railway line too! Hundreds!

 Kavelaer

A little research seems to indicate that Kevelaer is a centre where the gypsies do a pilgrimage to on a regular basis.

Yes we did finish our coffee but we didn't want to leave the van to look at the town - so we moved on to Straelen for the afternoon  and evening.

Straelen

Emmerich am Rhine

A short drive westward brought us to the border town of Emmerich -- a  German town a few kilometres from Holland.

The Rhine at Emmerich

Rain greeted our early stay in the town but once this ceased we were able to wander the town and the promenade along the Rhine. 

A virtual new town given that 95% was destroyed due to the bombing during WWII. It seems a popular town with tourist and for Dutch people to shop at the supermarkets!

Promenade at Emmerich

It is always fascinating watching the Rhine traffic - over 150000 vessels pass this point on the river each year. A large bridge spans the Rhine here connecting the Germany and Holland.

The Rhine at Emmerich

Stayed here overnight.

Dortmund - Hymer Heaven

Dortmund  today for no other reason than to get a number of items for the van. We had the address of one of the big Hymer dealers in Germany.

It doesn't hurt to dream! 

Dortmund is at the heart of the Ruhr Valley industrial area. As our German friend Uwe said, 'Don't go near there - it is the stinky part of Germany'! Yes the smog was very apparent as we drove down into the valley but we only had one destination - the Hymer dealership!

Another Nuke!

We were actually gob-smacked as to the size of the business. There must have been in excess of over three hundred motorhomes that were for sale. We did have a look around and were amazed at the level of comfort and the variation in design of the German motorhome. Business seemed to be booming. 

Dortmund - Motorhome Heaven

We were fortunate that they had the wheel guard and the skylight that we needed. We stayed there and fitted the item using their tools - how cheeky is that! At one point we even required their assistance in completing the fitting.

Left later in the afternoon for Halterm am See. A pleasant place near lakeside - a change from the smog of the valley.

Lunch!

Mohnesee

Traveled through the northern party of the Ruhr Valley today - the start of perhaps the most industrial part of Germany.

What was noticeable, like inane other parts of Germany, the increase appearance of winds farms and solar farm and solar cells covering roofs of whole villages. In the same scene their also has been the very dominant nuclear powers station. With Germany moving away from nuclear energy - its increase use o renewable energy sources is critical. 

Our main stopping point for the day was the Mohnesee Reservoir. A very beautiful setting with the famous Mohne Dam at the western end. 

The Mohne Dam

The Mohne Dam is also the dam the British used the bouncing bombs to destroy it in 1943. The damage this caused was substantial, causing great loss of life and vast damage to the German war production. The British claimed it as a great victory, even making a film of the event, The Dam Busters, but in effect in five months the production from the valley was back to previous levels!

The Mohne Dam - 1943 after the "dam busters"

Traveled to Kamen for the late afternoon and evening. Huge rain storms peppered us into the evening.

Kamen

Bad Arolsen - Buren

How different the various regions are of a county! Today we started to travel through the area of the National Park Diemeisee. A mixture of rolling hills, farms - saw our first cows today for a long time, old mining towns and parks.the housing and the towns look distinctly different than from where we have come.

Bad Arolsen -Yes another of those 'I was 'ere' shots!

Very quiet nigh - before moving on to Wolfhagen and Bad Arolsen. Bad Arolsen  was quite distinctive. A beautiful baroque schloss was the main reason for the town existing - but a lot of the  town was also built on a baroque style - you could have been in France!

Bad Arolsen - Baroque town!

 The magnificent schloss was built in the 18th century on the site of a former monastery and nunnery! It became the home of the power princes of Waldeck-Prymont. Somehow these guys are connected to the British royals!

 Baroque schloss at Bad Arolsen

The town developed because of the Schloss and now it is a sparr town! The town is very well laid out with a 2 km avenue of elm trees as a landscaping highlight. 

Two Km park

We fuddled around in other towns before moving onto Buren for the night.