leaving Dusseldorf

I had tried to do a bit of blogging before sleep the previous evening but ended up crashing out my alarm went at 08:00 but i hit snooze three times those birthday beers taking their toll! breakfast was ok though and once i was showered and packed i retrieved the cycle from the back kitchen, i had already taken the panniers down to the front door its much easier taken an unladen bike down two flight of stairs,

       it was another glorious day it was Sunday morning but nearly 11 when i was out with the bike in the street thinking of making a move, the church bells were ringing and there was a lot of old people heading into the big church or was it a cathedral? right next to the church was a street pissier which is an on street free to use loo that was getting a clean out by somebody with their van, i guess it would be needing a clean up on a Sunday morn somebody has to do that as a job i suppose
      I went into a tabac store and bought a fridge magnet and water in general when cycling i like to have 2-3 litres of water to drink and some form of hydrolytes i mixed up some water with some Gatorade for the day two litres of water mixed with Gatorade,it was pleasant to cycle out the city on a Sunday morn its a beautiful part of the world i headed down to the Rhine then turned left upstream, over a Bridge past a golf course and shooting range, lots of people were out along the river enjoying little beaches at the waters edge, then all of a sudden  I was in countryside up and over a much bigger bridge, i was on the other side of the Rhine heading north into open countryside with excellent cycle paths

lots of people were using the electric scooters in the city they are really cool if i had time i would have defo had a shot, it was a very pleasant cycle all day only once going through an industrial area beside a busy main road ineos tor! it was called it really isn't far from Dusseldorf to cologne or koln as all the street signs said it was i was there by mid afternoon and although it seemed to early to stop cycling i had came in through all the main suburban streets and then with a combination of cycling and walking through the shopping are found myself in the centre of town at the cathedral it was stunning i stopped to take lots of pictures, there was a group of cyclists there that had cycled cork to koln(cologne) i seen there support van asked some questions and it sounds impressive but actually easy to do, they had cycled it in a week their digs sorted at night no panniers and a support vehicle servicing the bikes only 850km on fast bikes two long ferry journeys for resting, mostly flat and at the end they were all feeling great my mind went racing with ideas! I decided it was time for a quick beer and a bit of decision making i checked google there was an Irish bar nearby, i went along and sat my bike up as some Scottish Celtic fans turned up, two pints of Guinness later and a bit of banter they were there the 6 of these scottish Celtic fans tops on one with a kilt to see the game, it turned out i was supporting hearts that day lol  my hotels .com App was showing a reasonable priced hotel just round the corner i thought yep OK lets get an early day get organised and see a bit of cologne/koln i walked round to the hotel with my laden bike ton see if it would be cheaper at the hotel reception or if it would be cheaper than on my app?

I bought a postcard and some water en route to the hotel who will i send a postcard to? it was very pleasant strolling around the city in the sun but i wanted to be bike free, i loved Dusseldorf and koln was shaping up to be another great city worth the visit,  I have two panniers a backpack my bar bag water bottle tools and rain poncho water bottle and lights all attached to the old girl and she is a stress when i just want to go to the bar and get a beer! it was time to be bike free and chillax, there was some pictures of the devastation suffered by the city at the end of the 2nd world war, which is all sad but i have been to Warsaw and London and the Clydeside! let the person who is sin free throw the first stone!!