going local

OK, today was a 'take it easy day'.  We started by wandering around the downtown, poking into stores, picking up items on our list.  Our aim was to get to a certain church at 12:30 for a choral concert.  The two choirs did a nice job in a church started in the 5th century -- but after two songs (modern) Ian heard a band outside and excused himself.  There was a sax solo of "I will follow him" which I fully expected to erupt into a full Sister Act "I love him", but did not.

We had seen a sign for an early Oktoberfest celebration tonight and tomorrow evening in the town of Urmitz where we had been on Wednesday.  They also had a Bauhaus (european Home Depot), so we decided to ride up there and check them out.  We rode in local attire -- no cycling shorts, helmets, jerseys, bags. Ian even got a neckscarf for the occasion. Thanks to a friendly older couple on folding bikes, we did find the Bauhaus (3 different underpasses).  I love the European style, especially in bathrooms.  Also, they are starting to carry the new LED lamps.  We need more light in our dining area and something like that would be lovely.

The Oktoberfest was just a drinking party in the evening and we couldn't see negotiating the train (with bicycles) or cycling back along the Rhine after such an adventure, so we didn't go that native!  We rode back and had a traditional dinner -- sauerbraten and spatzle with speck and zwiebeln in Kaserahm sause (german version of spaghetti carbonara) while watching the barges head up and down the river.  Life is good and this vacation is great!

Here we are at the Deutches Eck -- corner where the Mosel joins the Rhine and the most important Koblenz location.