Leaving Berlin - Michael and Angela get ready to ride!
Sanssouci Gardens in Potsdam - achieved after a slow exit from built up Berlin. After a picnic without a care ( sans souci ) we set out for Bad Belzig - things became less carefree as the expected 50 more klms blew out, we missed a sign post and finished on a sandy path ( unrideable ) with light fading. We finally arrived at bad Bad Belzig after 100 klms at 7.45 in darkness - we took the first ( only, at that hour ) accommodation option and our luck changed - room was great, people were nice, dinner was fantastic, price was inexpensive.
The view from our Bad Belzig accommodation - a great relief to find dinner, bed and rest.
Leaving Bad Belzig - the prettiest cemetery I've seen - not ready to lie there yet!
This picture does not do justice to the dirt we accumulated on the ride to Wittenberg - a relatively short 60 klms was compounded by going the wrong way at first, rain, and a series of dirt tracks at odds with Germany's usual autobahn standard bike paths.
Another great accommodation at Wittenburg that came at the princely sum of $54 AUD - the room on the third floor had great views, great location and enough room for a party. This came with a separate kitchen (fully equipped), a dining room and a shared bathroom with one catch - no-one to share it with - if only we could stay longer!
Why stay longer? The famous kirk, where Martin Luther pinned his colours is closed until 2016!!!! We had missed the limited tours into the GUR ( ground under repair for non golfers ) and had to content ourselves with a shot of the famous door which is apparently not very original following a fire!
Luther's 95 Theses are etched into the ironwork on this door - the Reformation was begun.
Wittenberg had other attractions though - great streetscapes for a start.
A Dane had alerted me to this gem - a former East German gymnasium (school) built in typical austere block house style was slated for demolition after the wall came down in 1989. Then along came Friedensreich Hundertwasser, a Viennese artist / architect who specialised in surreal makeovers that highlighted irregular shapes and saw straight lines as "the devil's tools" - he did a number on the school and today it thrives as a secondary college. We set out for Reisa with a smile on our dials.
Shades of Bill and Ben, the flowerpot men - a fine use of silver birch.
Shades of a former era.
Accommodation in Riesa - what a difference a day makes - somewhat more cramped quarters - but perfectly adequate given our limited stay.
Ready to roll - headed for Dresden
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