Day 12 - Red squirrels and green caterpillars
Trip Start
Aug 31, 2008
1
13
14
Trip End
Sep 13, 2008
Diepholz,
Germany
Friday, September 12, 2008
I don't normally write about urinals, my knowledge of them limited to their actual use. But this campsite has another first (for me), a set of water-free urinals. Apparently the blurb on the wall stickers above them says they are odour-free, do not use any water, and are cheap to fit. Details are at www.uridan.de. As for the odour-free bit, I can honestly say it works. Don't know how, but it's damned clever.
Driving south of Uelzen I was seeing several post mills, those windmills which can be moved around to face the wind direction. I have seen a few in Essex, where I used to live, but never anywhere else. These actually seemed to be in use, as there were piles of sacks at their bases, rather than the usual signs for tourist entrance fees. How nice to see such things still in use.
In Celle I parked up in a huge car park off Alte Bremer Weg. Now this goes to show how much better continental Europe is for users of motorhomes. There was a special area where they could all park, in enlarged areas, plus there was a dirty water emptying point and a set of drinking water taps. All free to use. At the back of the car park it went from tarmac to grass, and on this huge field were approx 30 motorhomes of all shapes and nationalities, no doubt camping there overnight. Owners were sitting outside sunbathing, washing was on the lines, and satellite dishes on the roofs were being adjusted. Again, all free. In the UK if you tried doing this, some old grump would just tell you to move on. Actually I partly take that back - things are a lot easier in Scotland.
I got involved in a brief conversation with some Germans who pulled up next to me, and we were swapping experiences of motorhome travels. They had only just bought this, their first one, so it was a case of "I'll show you mine if you show me yours". They were intrigued by all my travels to Norway and Sweden - I think they now want to go (and quite right too, so do I).
Celle was quite simply superb. Think of the gorgeous old buildings in York, Saffron Walden, Santiago de Compostela and Port Sunlight. Now double or triple their height, add a steep gable roof to them, and make the total about 500. That's what Celle has. The best collection of half-timbered 14th to 18th century houses I have seen anywhere. They were for the most part being used as shops, so if you looked above the Vodafone, Woolworth, post office and Schleker (a bit like Superdrug) hoardings, you would think you had gone back in time. One of the Apotheke shops (pharmaceutical chemists') had a great display in the front window, with many old medical books open showing 19th century surgical equipment, and many actual pieces there to see. On a street corner was an old chap using a hand-operated organ, giving the whole place a definitely European feel. There were many, many cafes with people eating, drinking and generally watching the world go by (I joined in with this myself). In fact while I was sipping my Earl Grey and watching everything and nothing, a huge green hairy caterpillar landed with a hefty thump on the table. About the thickness and length of my middle finger (and it looked like it could eat it too). Funny, I didn't know they could fly (not yet, anyway). I looked around and couldn't work out where it came from. Unless it fell from the guttering a long way above me. It seemed none the worse for the fall, and I watched it drinking (I think) some spilt liquid, possibly beer. No doubt it then rolled over in a stupour and fell off the table after I had left.
Every turning you made presented you with a row of wonderful buildings, some leaning forwards, some leaning backwards, and some that looked like they were made of coloured chocolate. Fabulous - I can recommend this place to anyone.
I got to the last campsite in this holiday, which is just south of Diepholz, next to the Dummer See. After checking in I decided to go for a mooch on the bike. Up by the lake there was a long promenade with people just strolling along in the sunshine, enjoying the scenery. Blue sky (cloudless), blue lake, and about 200 sailing boats, all in gorgeous assorted colours. There were kiddies playing on the impressively large sandy beach, oldies sunning their flabby white bodies, and almost everyone eating ice cream. What a gorgeous afternoon. I decided to cycle round the lake, but nobody told me it was an 18km journey. Still it was worth it. Along the way by the lake I saw hundreds of ducks, bright orange and black butterflies, a cat (it looked lost), two enormous furry St Bernard dogs (they looked bored and very hot) and a few billion midges. All very pleasant, and when I got back to the van I engulfed a load of water.
So tomorrow will be my last day, as I have to drive to Rotterdam for 7pm tomorrow night. I'll make an entry on the ship, then make a final entry when I get home on Saturday, probably in the evening. If I get my act together, I'll put some photos into these blogs during the coming week.
