Watching BBC World and CNN I could only hope we'd get out before the petrol strikes and blockades prevented Odyssey2000 from leaving Europe. Almost didn't make it. We passed a blockade going the other direction. The truck that was supposed to take our bikes to Cologne, Germany, got caught and didn't get to the hotel until after the buses left. So once again, some of the overworked staff had to stay behind to load the bikes. It's incredible how much work some of these volunteers put in everyday. None are being paid a dime ... or a deusche mark. Most have a positive mental attitude which is why I end up spending more time with staff members than riders.
Some riders don't understand the adventure in flexibility. The itinerary when we returned to Europe had us riding from Amsterdam to Hannover, Germany, before flying to Australia. Those three long flat boring days were replaced with rest in a quaint seaside village outside Amsterdam (see previous "news flash" update). The departure city was changed to Cologne (Koln), Germany.
One of the riders chartered a bus so 47 of us spent a day in Amsterdam. That was enough for me. Amsterdam is not my kind of town. While it is true that bicycling is very popular, bicycle theft, at 150,000 to 300,000 annually, is said to be the highest in the world. Thus, almost all the bikes are ugly (often intentionally so) junkers with huge locks and chains.
Some of the buildings along the canals lean into or away from each other due to the soft earth upon which the brick buildings were constructed.
The city has a very liberal attitude toward different lifestyles. Thus, the smell of marijuana is rather commonplace. The infamous red light district is as unsavory as the worst big city dark alley. A 6'6" transvestite parading in thong briefs doesn't seem out of place.
Cologne was much more enjoyable. It is home to the most massive gothic structure in the world - the Dom. This stone and glass church is home to the ornate gold Shrine of the Magi containing relics (bones) of the three Magi. Church construction began in 1248. With the discovery of America, trade moved from inland cities like Cologne to coastal cities like Hamburg. With the trade moved the wealthy benefactors who were funding the construction. Building stopped in 1560. The Prussians completed the building with the idea of displaying German unity in a 38-year period from 1842 - 1880. When completed, the 515 foot twin spires were the tallest structures in the world (soon dwarfed by the Eiffel Tower). Glass and light being essential components of a gothic church, the Dom has 100,000 square feet of stained glass, some donated by Ludwig I, father of "Mad" King Ludwig II of Disney castle fame. The ceiling is 140 feet above, reminding individuals of their smaller place in the vast scheme of things. When 95% of the downtown area was destroyed by allied bombs during WWII, the church was largely undamaged.
Cologne also has the greatest museum in the history of the world - the Stollwerk Museum of Chocolate! I learned a lot about the history and production of chocolate, and (as often as the museum staff handed me a dipped wafer) sampled the warm chocolate flowing out of a chocolate fountain.
Cocoa was introduced to Europeans when Cortez returned from Mexico in 1528. The Aztecs had combined cocoa powder with chili pepper and/or peyote. The Mayans (and later the Europeans) considered cocoa an aphrodisiac (I took a photo of the Mayan recipe). Europeans combined it with sugar (etc.) creating chocolate. At first, chocolate was consumed in the form of hot chocolate often in fashionable chocolate bars.
The cocoa plant produces fruit year round each the size of two fists. The seeds (cocoa beans) are removed, dried and ground into powder, eventually to be reconstituted as Belgium chocolate or M&Ms!
Happy Trails,
Bruce