Black Forest to the Black Sea - and on to Slovakia.

 It has been truly a day of contrasts today.... riding my beautiful bike along the twisty roads following the river in brilliant sunshine and 27 deg is motorcyclists' heaven!

However within 8 or 9 miles of last nights stop is the Mauthausen Concentration Camp and the memorial to the 90,000 people from 40 different countries who died there. I won't dwell on that experience save to say 2 things.

How can we ask today "How did people let it happen"  

              and if Donald Trump visited the site these plaques may show him the true role and service of American Troops.

The rest of the day was like a travel programme....just view after view ... and, forgive me Gary and Bruce a bit like the American in Europe "it's Friday must be Slovakia.

Now I've never been on a River Cruise as I've said and although there are some lovely little towns and villages nestled along the river  ...

... I am noticing that there is an awful lot of bare green banking between places now. Still I suppose that's what the Gin and Tonic Deck is for!

As I travelled east through Austria the river got slightly more industrialised. In fact the factories around the docks in Linz could hardly be seen from the hills above the city due to the yellow smog hanging over them all.

I hit Vienna at rush hour on Friday evening so the centre held no attraction for me. Well you may say that’s not keeping to task – you are meant to be following the Danube. 

Here’s a pub quiz question then, What River flows through the centre of Vienna? You are right, it’s not the Danube. That flows around the city to the north. It started is northward progression in the 13th century becoming fixed in its current route in mid 19th century which means it wasn't even running through Vienna when Strauss wrote his hit (and ... spoiler alert ... it isn't even blue, it a mucky green colour)

The waterways in Vienna are Donaukanal and The River Wien

And no Mark I didn’t know that before I planned this trip … I'm as knowledgeable about Geography and Classical Music as I am Geology!

On arriving in Slovakia Bratislava was a surprise...as you approach the city it looks surrounded by scars in the hills from quarrying which bodes ill but it is so beautiful yet modern.

This photo obviously not mine.

Not speaking, or even being able to guess a rough interpretation of the language is an issue. I admit it does make casual acquaintances seem distant or brusque but to be fair how should they be expected to react to an old guy in big baggy dayglow clothes obviously unsuitable for the weather who mutters "Morning" with an unrecognisable english accent..

The staff at the places I’ve stayed have all been friendly and helpful though and most, after apologising for their bad english, put me to shame. 

They have all been fairly "straight laced" places but tonight's Pension in Rusovic was a kind of a cross between a bierkeller and what I imagine an old wester saloon to be like. 

Oh ... but the music,  makes me feel as if I'd been transported to the Eurovision Song Contest and Slovakia Nil Points!

Good Night!