Where's Bertie? He's in a Stellplatz next to the Rhein to the NW of Karlsruhe. Exact location: 49.037232, 8.305690
Weather: Sunny and hot, but with a thin layer of high hazy cloud developing this afternoon.
We had intended to spend two nights in Wissembourg. Looking at what we could do with ourselves there, I had come up with a couple of options (other than just mooching), one of which was to do the guided tour via the mini land-train, and the other was unrelated to Wissembourg, but to catch the (proper) train down to Strasbourg. The argument against both of these options, and, indeed, spending any more time in Wissembourg was the heat. In a few years time the young trees in the Stellplatz there will have grown, but for the time being there is not a jot of shade to be found, and likewise touristing in Strasbourg with the temperature in the thirties didn't sound like the biggest barrel of laughs.
So, we wrote off today from the point of view of doing anything, and moved to this Stellplatz next to the Rhein.
From that brief description, it sounds like a nice location, but we moved here in full knowledge that we were going to be parking below, and adjacent to, a motorway bridge. It is thus a long way from being a peaceful waterside idyll - moreover as between us and the river is a hedge and thus we can't even see the water.
Three things have made the move worthwhile: 1) it's slightly cooler here, next to the water (I think it only got up to 30); 2) there's a nice breeze, unlike in Wissembourg yesterday where there wasn't a breath of air movement; and 3) it felt like an appropriate place to get our chairs out and sit on the grassy margin at the edge of the parking area (yesterday's car park was not suitable for outdoor sitting). Actually, let me add a fourth to that list: the joy of the aircon on the half-hour drive here!
So, the day has been frittered away sitting outside, reading.
Lots of other vans have come and gone during the day, most, I would guess, put off by the level of road noise. We are, however in good company, as more have arrived this evening, and we will also put up with the traffic tonight as it's a convenient location for where we're going in the morning.
Weather: Sunny and hot, but with a thin layer of high hazy cloud developing this afternoon.
We had intended to spend two nights in Wissembourg. Looking at what we could do with ourselves there, I had come up with a couple of options (other than just mooching), one of which was to do the guided tour via the mini land-train, and the other was unrelated to Wissembourg, but to catch the (proper) train down to Strasbourg. The argument against both of these options, and, indeed, spending any more time in Wissembourg was the heat. In a few years time the young trees in the Stellplatz there will have grown, but for the time being there is not a jot of shade to be found, and likewise touristing in Strasbourg with the temperature in the thirties didn't sound like the biggest barrel of laughs.
So, we wrote off today from the point of view of doing anything, and moved to this Stellplatz next to the Rhein.
From that brief description, it sounds like a nice location, but we moved here in full knowledge that we were going to be parking below, and adjacent to, a motorway bridge. It is thus a long way from being a peaceful waterside idyll - moreover as between us and the river is a hedge and thus we can't even see the water.
Three things have made the move worthwhile: 1) it's slightly cooler here, next to the water (I think it only got up to 30); 2) there's a nice breeze, unlike in Wissembourg yesterday where there wasn't a breath of air movement; and 3) it felt like an appropriate place to get our chairs out and sit on the grassy margin at the edge of the parking area (yesterday's car park was not suitable for outdoor sitting). Actually, let me add a fourth to that list: the joy of the aircon on the half-hour drive here!
So, the day has been frittered away sitting outside, reading.
Lots of other vans have come and gone during the day, most, I would guess, put off by the level of road noise. We are, however in good company, as more have arrived this evening, and we will also put up with the traffic tonight as it's a convenient location for where we're going in the morning.
Taken from the other side of the hedge, behind Bertie
Until going through my photos just now, I'd forgotten this, taken just before my hair was shorn, removing all the blond.
Great sunset photo. palpable atmosphere when enlarged. The two figures make it.
ReplyDeleteThere is no false modesty when I say I am very much a point-and-click photographer, so it's always nice when a snap works out well.
DeleteMy Mac has a feature called Wallpaper, a kind of screensaver/background where one can paste photos of your choice. I select something I favour and it stays there for a while until I am inspired by a new candidate. I have just replaced the current one with your sunset photo.
ReplyDelete