Bratislava, Slovakia to Zagreb, Croatia – Most of this ride was through the backroads of Hungary where I only stopped to re-fuel. Motorcycles do not pay a toll in Slovakia but I had to buy a one day Vignette for Hungary about 7 euro online. In Croatia they still have the system of paying at Tool booths with the resultant traffic queues cost for this 80km section was 6.20 euro. Overall a relaxing if hot ride. The only reason for this visit was to catch up with friends.
Brno to Bratislava, Slovakia – First I stopped at the VW Factory on the outskirts of the city. It took a week to organise a tour, they normally only do groups 130 euro per group but they made an exception for me and did the tour for 65 euro. I had my own personal tour guide for the 90 minute tour, no photos allowed. This place employs 12,000 people working around the clock, it is huge with all the amenities of a small town, a police force, hospital, a bus service, school, etc. VW looks after their employees.
We started with the Stamping building where huge robot presses stamp out the panels for a vehicle. There is quality control at each step. Next we moved to another building where the panels are welded together into a complete body after which they go to the Paint shop via an underground tunnel. Almost everything is done by robots except for the quality control which is done by humans. The Paint shop was not part of this tour so next we went to the Drive train building where the engines, gearboxes and all the undercarriage components are assempled, lots of humans here. The final step called the Marriage when the painted body is lowered onto the drive train is done in another building which was also not part of the tour. Overall a very interesting experience to add to my collection of factory tours hahaha.
VW factory
I wandered around the old town for a few hours, lots of tourists and tour groups finally settling down in a microbrewery which I discovered on my last visit, very nice. I was here in 2013 at the same time of the year, read all about it here – Bratislava 2013.
Mlada Boleslav to Brno – I took the back roads again except for the last 80 km which was on a freeway. It rained for most of the journey then stopped and let me dry out at the end, not a good ride.
Brno – another nice place built on hills so I was always walking up or downhill. I visited the Roma Museum, some of them live here in Brno and the surrounding area. These people originated in India and travelled to Europe between 300 – 1000 AD, this has been established by their DNA and their language Romani which is based on Sanskrit. They have no written language so their history is only known from accounts written by the nations they passed through. When they arrived in Europe they told people they were Christians fleeing from persecution in Egypt hence the name Gypsy. As a result they were initially helped and protected by the local populations. This relationship soured over the years to the point where they were considered vermin and could be shot on sight. Hitler did his best to kill them as well along with the Jews. They have nothing to do with the country Romania which derives its name from the Latin word Romanus meaning “citizen of the Roman Empire”.
Gasdorf to Mlada Boleslav – I took the back roads getting here, it took longer but it was more relaxing and fun. Motorcycles are exempt from freeway tolls in Czechia, I like this country.
I came here to visit the Skoda Museum, the Skoda car factory is also located here but in order to go on a tour you are required to have a car because the guide rides with you in your car hahaha so that was not an option for me. The company was founded in this town and still operates from here, quite remarkable. It is now a part of the VW group.
I also visited the Aeronautical Museum which has only old aircraft that are in flying condition and take part in events, very nice.
Dresden to Gasdorf to the BMW motorcycle factory – I have been meaning to visit the BMW motorcycle factory in Berlin for some time and never got around to it, not this time. I made a detour from Dresden to Berlin and then continued on my journey. The Factory tour was disappointing as there was a lot of talking and very little seeing, cost 15 euro. We just walked around the periphery of the work place and had to peer through boxes and shelves to get a glimpse at a distance of what was happening and no photos. There were some interesting bikes in the Display area including 3 from the latest Mad Max film. Berlin had road works in full swing, stop/start traffic on the freeway for 30 min and in this hot weather made me almost regret making the trip hahaha.
Zary, Poland to Dresden, Germany – a two hour ride in hot and humid conditions which is fine as long as there is no rain hahaha. So far no rain except for a drizzle entering Hanover, can not complain. There was a queue of cars at the German border, looks like they are checking for illegal immigrants. This has been happening since 2015 when Angela invited a million refugees from Syria into Germany. It was a Sunday so no trucks, Monday should be fun, I get around these road blocks without too much delay because I am riding a bike.
Queue at the German Border
The Dresden drop
The Dresden drop
The Dresden drop
Housework
Dresden – another nice German city that was bombed to ruins during the 2nd WW and has since rebuilt some of the buildings. It does not have an old town much like most other German cities that were bombed. Public transport trams and busses will get you anywhere, very efficient and cheap if you buy a day ticket for 8.60 euro. I discovered a few murals here and a Brew Pub with some very nice beer. I also ate chocolate ice-cream for the first time since the Netherlands as Poland does not have chocolate ice-cream.
Poznan to Zary, Poland – Short ride 210 kms took 3 hrs over some back roads, a pleasant ride. On the way I stopped at a huge statue of Jesus in the middle of nowhere.
Heading out of Poznan
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Hard at Work
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First glimpse of Jesus
Free Entry
Huge
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Part of the site
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Hotel for the Holy
Getting there
Back roads
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Food
I stayed in Zary to visit the Stalag Luft 3 Museum where the Great Escape took place. There is nothing left of the original camps but the museum has reconstructed a few things and there is some memorabilia in the museum. An amazing feat constructing a tunnel 10m underground and 100m long under the noses of the Germans. I can’t even imagine what it must have been like working in such a cramped space, not for the claustrophobic.
An Icon
The Tunnel
They were treated well
Air Force were mostly the prisoners
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The camp
MAny Camps in the area
Camps
The Barracks
Inside a Cell, nice
Note the Stove in the corner under which the tunnel was concealed
Gdansk to Poznan, Poland – Easy ride freeway most of the way. I had booked a hotel in the centre of town where parking is 18 euro per day but the hotel let me park my bike in a corner of the underground garage for free. The garage was tiny only enough place for 10 small cars and you had to take your vehicle down in a lift.
Poznan – very nice and full of tourists. The Old Market square is the main attraction and I also visited the Imperial Castle which was being prepared as one of Hitler’s residences and I discovered Craft beer.
Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Mary Magdalene and St. Stanislaus
Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Mary Magdalene and St. Stanislaus
Wolgast to Gdansk, Poland – this was a marathon 400 km in 6:30 hrs (which is about 2:30 hrs more than it should have taken) along the Baltic coast. I never knew that this area was so popular during the summer holidays but for people who live in the North of Europe the Mediterranean is just too far away and the beaches along this coast are the only alternative. People who prefer cooler weather also prefer the northern beaches. Therefore the coast road was very slow going with a lot of holiday traffic, though it did have stretches of freeway which are being extended and the roadworks caused even more delays hahaha. The problem with stop start trafffic and going slow on a bike is that there is no airflow and it gets very hot wearing a jacket.
Heading out of Wolgast
Enter Poland
Tunnel under the sea
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No Traffic for 3 seconds
Freeway
Gdansk up ahead
Smart
Roadworks
Farms
Roadworks
Arrived
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0.0%
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Anothert surprise was Gdansk itself, it has to have one of the most picturesque Old Towns in Europe and it was packed with people, children, babies and dogs hahaha. Every step was like an obstacle course there were so many people no matter where I was and the Old Town is a large area, a great place to walk around. Public transport is by tram, train and bus all modern, tickets are 4.80 zloty about one Euro a ride. You can pay for them with your credit card at machines on all the tram platforms, my card did not work with the machines on the busses. You can pay for everything here with your card, no need for cash. The roads are good, traffic follows the rules and gives way to pedestrians at crossings, something I have to get used to again after spending 3 months in Africa hahaha.
Fountain
The Tram
Interesting
The Museum
Museum
Museum
Museum
Museum
Museum
Museum
The Last Judgement by Hans Memling
Museum
Museum
Museum
Museum
Museum
Museum
Museum
Museum
Museum
Museum
Museum
Museum
Museum
Netherlands
Impressive
From the other side
Covers
Runners coming
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Pretty
Amazing
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Crowded
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Markets
Food
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The Runners
Gate
Another Head
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Lock Bridge
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It tells the time
Fountains
St. Catherine’s
St. Catherine’s
St. Catherine’s
St. Catherine’s
St. Catherine’s
St. Catherine’s
The old Mill
People everywhere
Nice
Another Gate
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Rowers
Gdansk sign
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Food
Lunch time
Packed
Neptune
Neptune
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St. Mary’s
St. Mary’s
St. Mary’s
St. Mary’s
St. Mary’s
St. Mary’s
St. Mary’s
St. Mary’s
St. Mary’s
Fountain
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WW 2
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Rain
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On Guard
St. George
Lunch time
Lew Hewelion – Wolontariusz
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Day trip to Gdynia where I discovered art on the streets. I also visited the museum. The train from Gdansk takes 30 minutes and costs PLN 7.60.
Monument to Displaced Gdynians
Sad
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Kashubian Couple
Church
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The Port Authority
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Kościuszko Square
Re-hydrate
Food
Fun
The Museum
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Kościuszko Square
Kościuszko Square
Kościuszko Square
Kościuszko Square
Kościuszko Square
Kościuszko Square
Tall
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Gdansk was bombed during WW2 and much of the city was destroyed.
Hanover to Wolgast, Germany – freeway most of the way with congestion around Hamburg due to roadworks. So far cool and cloudy with no rain, perfect riding weather.
Roadworks
Fill up
Roadworks
Roadworks
Roadworks
Farms
Wind Turbines as far as the eye can see
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Country Roads
Wolgast Cobblestones
Town Square
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I stopped here to visit Peenemunde where the V1 and V2 rockets were developed during the 2nd WW. The scientists who worked here went on to work on rocket programs in other countries after the war ended. They also had a Rocket U-boat which was never used in anger on display, open to visitors.
Chris's space 