Last breakfast at Hammer-enjoyed our stay in purple penthouse. Walk pulling suitcases to river. Perfect timing-John is coming from other direction pulling their luggage. They eat lunch-I go on ferris wheel with Patrick and Philip. Walk about 3 miles through crowds, rides, food stands to boat. We go on board while John and family go sightseeing. Meet Maggie and Victor from England. Now leave boat to buy some tea-see dogs wearing goggles. Briefing at 6. 3 course dinner from 7-9. All Gonsoulin’s are at the same table. Cute room-turn off air-conditioning-open windows. So nice to all be here on a boat-Bike tomorrow.

Internet on boat is not good. Can’t download pictures. Downloading pictures on our last day in Germany 7/3/23 from Hotel Maingau in FRANKFURT

Breakfast-buy all day bus passes next door for $7 each. Get on bus #58 @9:30-back at 10:45. Get on bus #56 back at 10::45. ARBNOR SYLA from Albania is our wonderful driver. Bus drivers are incredible how they maneuver narrow streets, past cars, bikes, street cars, pedestrians & other busses for 8 hr shifts. During 10 min break at 1/2 point, ARBNOR buys me an ice cream. THANK YOU. Make it back for a nap at 12:30. Armand reads.

After nap take another bus trip. Come back and walk downtown to festival. At least 500 temporary food stands, rides & people selling everything imaginable stretching over several miles.

Pick up salads and tea on way back to hotel. Take 1 more hour bus ride. Cross street to train station to greet John, Amy, Patrick and Philip as they get off train from Paris at 9:20 pm. They set a record for efficient packing-very impressive and very happy to see them. Walk mile to Super 8 hotel with them. Then follow our phone back to hotel. Door locked, no one at desk. Armand figures out our room key opens door to hotel. Now almost 11.

Breakfast together again. Walk to GUTENBERG MUSEUM.   Have trouble following audio guide just like we have trouble following directions. Before GUTENBERG invented the printing process, it took about 3 years to handwrite the Bible.  But even more astonishing, 6,000 🐐 goats had to die to produce the parchment. GUTENBERG would print 180 copies-1 of which was in the museum. I was more impressed with the Chinese exhibit. Printing started in China around year 700-600 years before GUTENBERG. Monks would mass produce books by carving words and pictures into wooden blocks which were then coated in ink and pressed to sheets of paper. Marco Polo brought Chinese print technology to Italy and then it spread to Europe. We were the only ones in that section of museum. Then went to St. Martin’s Cathedral- very impressive & very close to St. Peter’s. Back to hotel for nap while Armand took clothes to washateria-1st time to wash. Bought salad for dinner again. Thunderstorm tonight. Restful day. Jill said they had rain in Austin, but she still took Harley for a walk. Tera said it was 104 in Austin. Can’t complain-85.

Nice breakfast again- getting to like breakfast and drinking orange juice. Check out of tour room. Leave luggage and walk down to river where our next bike tour will start. John and his family are in Paris now and will join us in a few days. On river I see people go down some stairs. I go to investigate. Can’t believe it. It’s 2 floors of underground parking the length of 2 football fields. Have to discover how cars get down here. Am told there are several underground parking lots. Then discover a beautiful Catholic church-ST. PETERS-the door is open-we are the only ones in the church. THANK YOU GOD FOR GETTING US HERE. Go back to hotel for 3:00 o’clock nap. We are now on the 6th floor in a penthouse room for the 1st time in our lives. The elevator only goes to the 5th floor-have to carry luggage up 20 steps to get to your room. Go to Mexican restaurant for dinner. Back to room to finish blog. Armand is watching TV but his eyes are closed. It’s 8:15.

Ate a nice breakfast again. Never eat breakfast at home. Walked to park-fed ducks. Luggage pick up guy came at 11:30 to take us to HOTEL HAMMER in MAINZ. Charged us 30E even though he was taking our luggage there anyway. Another man on tour from New Zealand was sick and rode also. Tour charged him 100 E to come get his bike. So glad we took our bikes back to Frankfurt and are finished with this tour and company. Nice hotel with air-conditioning. Took walk down to old Town. Looks like they are setting up for huge festival this weekend. Go to grocery store and buy salads for dinner. I work on my blog-Armand reads his book and goes to sleep early.

Went to bike shop and turned bikes in. Told them how upsetting tour had been. Not accurate description of tour and GPS not easy to follow. Cedric walked us to underground train station where we took train to main station. Took train to Mainz (town we are staying in tomorrow) theater and changed trains to WORMS. Took taxi to HOTEL SANDWIESE-luggage was waiting for us. Hotel feels like we are in the country. Have large room with window overlooking restaurante-no air-conditioning, noisy fan. Did I mention that NO windows ever have screens-all are wide open, hoping for a breeze. Flys don’t seem to like it here and are not a problem-which is strange considering all the food and restaurants lining the streets. We go for a walk to a huge almost vacant beautiful park with an abandoned castle and ducks. Enjoy our 1st German meal at the hotel restaurant. Feel much better that we did not have to ride our bikes here.

I don’t know how they do it but EVERY BATHROOM IS SPOTLESS- no mold anywhere.. Every room we have stayed in on now our 5th European tour has also been spotless. I’m going to have to talk to Armand about his shower.

Off the boat-back to Hotel Ritter to get our bikes but 1st we have lunch at Subway again. Now asking directions to train station. By the time we got there, last train to RHODT had left. Now buy tickets to WORMS-TOMORROW’S destination! Oh no- fire on tracks in Mannheim-all trains canceled today can’t make it to Mainz either. Meet nice lady who helps us. Now exchange tickets back to Frankfurt. Lady tells us platform has been changed. Now trying to take bikes on escalator-almost fall backwards. Another change-now trying to carry bikes up the stairs- very heavy bike-Armand has to come back to help me. Finally on train to Frankfurt with our bikes. Arrive in FRANKFURT around 9pm. Hotel desk closes at 9:45. Start biking- but not sure where. Not going any further until we ask for help. Unbelievable-Armand asks a BIKE ANGEL who says he will take us to hotel-Armand almost falls off bike again-leg is bleeding. Angel doesn’t accept any money. Arrive at front door of Hotel Maingau at 9:40. Toothpaste isn’t really that important-ask for extra towel for blood & & bandages. I play nurse and tape his leg. Having a bed to sleep in is very important. How do homeless people survive on the streets? HAPPY FATHER’S DAY ARMAND!!!!! Our phones were dead so he did not get messages from TERA, JENNIFER & JOHN hoping he had a great father’s day.

It’s 10:30 pm & we are back in FRANKFURT at the Maingau Hotel where we started our tour on Friday. We have no luggage or toothpaste or phone charger-only clothes we are wearing and backpack. At least we have Sparky & Arthur & a bed to sleep in. I’m ready to quit biking forever!

The day started off with a good breakfast & a steep hike up to the castle-didn’t realize there was a lift. I’m into construction & unbelievable how they managed to build a castle up on a mountain. Views were worth the hike.

Back down the hill to the river for a 3 hour boat ride. Met a nice couple from Virginia Beach. She had been born in Heidelberg during the 80’s when her dad was stationed here. My dad was also stationed here & my sister Martha graduated from high school here. I did not go with them-stayed in San Antonio to go to college. I did go over to Heidelberg after my 1st year in college and taught swimming 🏊. Also met 3 women from Oregon-1 was a teacher who graduated from UT & her ex-husband had been stationed in Heidelberg-small world.

The only drama on board was when a man fell, hit his head & we had to wait for EMS to take him away.

After not sleeping well, I’m ready for an easier day. It’s 43.3 km & supposed to take an INTERMEDIATE BIKER 2hrs & 30 minutes. Ate breakfast, left about 9:30. Got to Heidelberg about 3:45-6 hrs later. It was very hot, Armand couldn’t see his phone to tell if we were still on the blue line and he doesn’t believe in asking for directions. For the 1st time in our marriage, I became the navigator because I could see the blue line. After averaging 3 to 4 mph-it was really hot and I was still exhausted from yesterday-we arrived at the Ritter St. George in Heidelberg. I do believe in stopping to ask for help & did so many times. After a short nap, we walk the streets which are full of people and restaurants. We find a Subway. Then I tell Armand I don’t want to bike tomorrow. I need a break after 2 days and want to go sightseeing. We can take the train to the next town.

Showed up at bike shop at 9:30. After an hour, we were ready to start. They put the maps on our phones & were taking our luggage to Hotel Bacchus in Bensheim. It was supposed to be 60.5 km (about 40 m) & take 4 hrs for an EXPERT BIKER! Problems getting out of town, problems reading phone, problems getting lost, problems with terrain, problems with my attitude & bike seat was painful to sit on. Then our phone batteries were going dead-stopped at apartments to charge it.

The 4 hour bike ride took us 10 hrs. Got to Hotel Bacchus at 8:45 pm. Armand fell off bike 2 times- blood running down his leg. I’m sure I’ve had worst days, but I don’t remember when.

In the 10 hrs, this was the only time we stopped to eat