Mainz to Aschaffenburg

17-20 June

Goodbye Rhine, hello Main. Both rhyme, by the way. 

Imagine our surprise, having hardly left the Mainz camping site, at coming across two camels, quietly standing under the trees beside the cycle route! I think they belong to a circus that is coming or has come to the city. This seems to be the season for funfairs and circuses and nearly every slightly big town/city has some sort of ferris wheel or update thereof, and some time gravity-defying machinery which cause the participants to scream every time whatever happens happens...

The cycle path skirts the Frankfurt airport and the planes flying overhead came every 90 seconds or so. There appeared to be two parallel flight paths and there was a new plane to look at almost all the time. We found a little snack bar (Indonesian chicken and mango curry with couscous, €4,90) and just watched the variety and frequency of the planes. Great entertainment! 

We had envisaged a rather horrible industrial area cycle path around Frankfurt-am-Main but it was nothing of the sort. There were still fields of wheat, large grassy areas, landscaped areas, the Main from time to time, including the odd lock, lovely wide promenades beside the river from where we could see the city of Frankfurt on the other side, even a family of swans, feathers unruffled in the calm atmosphere.

At a certain stage we had to fight our way through hospitality tents of some sort but didn’t let that deter us. The following day we read in the paper that there had been 70000 runners in the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge race. The camping ground we had selected was beyond Frankfurt and we were bit afraid it would turn out to be one of the private ones and we would be stuck. However, Camping Offenbach at Bürgel was great. They did an excellent meal in the evening, at prices that rival what we will pay for the ingredients at a supermarket, and in the morning when it was raining we were able to get a well-priced breakfast under shelter while we waited for the rain to ease. Later, having packed up, we also bought an over-priced hot chocolate (Nesquik) but at least we had shelter. it was cold as well, about 12º.

From there to Aschaffenburg the path follows the Main closely, changing sides from time to time. Stopover at the camping ground at Mainaschaff, luckily just around the corner from a McDonalds, where we spent some time catching up on internet and were able to arrange a Warmshowers host at Aschaffenburg, less than 10km away.

Paul was home when we arrived, as he is a student and it is the season of exams! His parents were away cycling from Austria to Italy and he, at 22, has already cycled in South America, Canada and USA, and Morocco. It was a true pleasure to stay with him. He took us to a canteen not far from home where you can eat cheaply - however, we treated ourselves to the full menu, including strudel and coffee) and it was still a modest price for all three. Really nice food. Paul had study to do and we had a bit of ‘business' (like getting a German data connection for the phone - I found it hopeless trying to rely on public wifi). We also bought stands for our bikes (round the corner from the canteen) and Paul put them on for us. There are so many bikes here that you need your own stand just to be able to place the bikes somewhere when you want to stop!

Paul in front of the little chalet. Just a store-room/games room but I'd like one!

Aschaffenburg is a pretty place, with a castle (residential palace) dominating the river. From there we could also watch the fun-fair large rides with total fascination but no wish to be there! Extra-fascinating was a replica of a house in Pompeii, built 1840-48, destroyed 1945, re-opened 1994. An extra-ordinary find! In the same area there are vines growing along the bank, above the well-used cycle path. All very pretty.

In addition, the annual procession for some celebration in Aschaffenburg also went through the streets of the town while we were passing. It lasted more than an hour, and there were all sorts of bands - brass, highland pipe complete with kilts, more traditional, complete with the traditional clothing of lederhosen and dirndls, which can be purchased easily in the shops, at least at this festive time of year!

Paul’s girlfriend, who studies at university in a different town (seems to depend on subjects), was home for the weekend and came over in the evening to share the meal with us.  The following evening they went to an indoor climbing centre and invited us to come along and watch. It was great to watch them whipping up and down and in addition there were a number of not-so-old children, including twins, who were also doing the same kind of thing. We were very glad to have had the opportunity to go there. And very happy to have stayed with Paul. This is the first time we have used the Warmshowers site to find a host, even though we have been hosting for nearly 3 years.