braysabroad

Japanese toilets almost deserved a post of their own, probably not quite where you expected me to start. Each model will flush and wash your bum in a variety of ways. Some have heated seats, others have a warm air dryer – and then there are those with both. Some flush as you sit on the seat and flush again when you stand up. In public toilets, the sound of running water and bird song may play to protect your modesty. In fact it’s quite a shock to sit on a cold toilet seat and have to flush yourself! Every subway station has a public toilet, as do some subway trains. All are free to use, clean and well stocked with hand soap and toilet paper. This is how the world should run!

Hotel rooms are well stocked with disposable toothbrushes and toothpaste, hairbrush and razor. Most business hotels provide laundered nightclothes as I found out in Tokyo and Kanazawa.

After every holiday, and much to their irritation, I always ask John and Matt ‘what did you enjoy the most?’. I often get a sigh and comments along the lines of ‘there’s been so much and it’s all so different, you can’t expect us to choose’. I do expect them to choose, because for me there is always a highlight. Well, I might have to treat them more kindly – there is too much for me to choose from. Hiroshima fed the soul and moved me to tears, the trees at Kenrokuen were breathtaking, the Earthquake museum an unexpected joy. Matt was very clear and it wasn’t meeting me at Shibuya. He’d come for the racing and that had been what he’d enjoyed the most.

I overpacked and the large, heavy suitcase has caused me most anxiety while away. I packed in a rush, a lot of clothes are unworn and most hotels had laundry rooms. The best item I packed? The disposable poncho! Lightweight, took up no room and saved the day in Okayama. Perhaps the poncho should be my highlight?

I would love to come back if only to cycle the Kibi Plain and perhaps Okayama would live up to its welcome sign.

I didn’t think I’d want to return to Tokyo but had such a lovely day yesterday and there must be so much more to explore away from the main sights and streets. Osaka wouldn’t be on my return list when Kyoto offers so much more and they are so close together.

Reading back through the blog, there are so many stories left unsaid so be prepared to be bored silly now I’m home. This has been the most amazing adventure and I’m so grateful to Matt for his throwaway comment and John’s encouragement.

I was awake early and, despite my best intentions to lie in, I was on the subway across the city before 7:15

Matt mentioned the Meiji Jingu, yesterday, It opened early so my final tourist day started there. Established in 1920, the Shinto shrine honours Emperor Meiji, the first emperor of modern Japan who helped transform the nation into a major world power, and his wife, Empress Shoken. The original building was destroyed in the war and rebuilt in 1958, entirely funded by public donations. The shrine is a popular wedding choice and, as I arrived, wedding photos were being taken, the bride and groom looked amazing in traditional dress.

The shrine sits in a forest with roughly 120,000 evergreen trees donated from all over Japan and is a real haven in the middle of the city. There is also the Empress’s garden. Lucky for you I was on a walk through not a detailed visit! As I left, it was interesting to see the barrels of consecrated Bourgogne wine gifted by celebrated wineries in France. The gift was consecrated in the spirit of peace and long term friendship.

Next stop, the Imperial Palace and gardens situated right in the heart of Tokyo City. I wandered the gardens, the most recent restoration of the Ninomaru Japanese Garden was in 1960 and the youth of the garden showed in the . I found a shady bench and watched the world go.

As I walked to my third stop of the morning, it turns out that Saturday morning is a good time for a run round the grounds of the imperial palace. As an aside, I only found the site of the old Edo Pakace, no sign of the current one. I obviously wasn’t trying very hard

Next stop was Sumida Hokusai Museum, If you don’t the name, Katsushika Hokusai, you will know his most famous painting The Great Wave Off Kanagawa. Hokusai was born in Sumida in 1760 and spent almost his entire life living here. The collection features works created through his like and his relationship to Sumida. Photos weren’t allowed but he illustrated books with such precision – almost an 18th/19th Century version on Manga but without the colour. His paintings are beautiful but the books were simply stunning. My thanks to the internet for some pictures for you all.

After a leisurely lunch in the Edo Tokyo Museum, next door, it was time to catch up with Matt in the Kappabashi Kitchen District. I was a bit weary and decided to save the museum for next time. My walk took me past the Yokoamicho Park and I was drawn in by the Tokyo Memorial Hall and the monument in memory of the victims of the Tokyo Air Raids and to the pursuit of peace. The names of all who died in the air raids are interred inside the monument.

Next I discovered The Great Kano Earthquake Memorial Museum, remembering the 1923 earthquake which flattened Tokyo. It was most amazing, understated place and free. Established in 1931, the first floor is dedicated to the earthquake and the second to the bombing of Tokyo in the war. Both floors follow the same structure – the immediate aftermath, how the city rebuilt and stories and pictures from primary school children who lived through the event. Many of the photos showing the devastation had clouds of smoke painted on, afterwards, for dramatic effect. Many of the exhibits had an English translation and it was interesting to see how the U.S came to Japan’s aid in 1923 before war was declared over oil less than 20 years later. The exhibition makes it very clear how unwise Japan had been to declare war on the U.S. I pretty much had the place to myself, it’s the best museum I’ve visited in Japan and I could go on and on about it.

After a lovely walk through some peaceful streets and across the river, I arrived at Kappabashi and it was heaving. My day must have been so peaceful because everyone was here! We were on a mission for shark chopstick rests which we’d seen last week. It was tortuous but slowly the crowds cleared and we found them, the shop was so busy that Matt still had to queue for 10 minutes to pay

There are no photos of our final evening meal, Pork Katsu, in Shinjuku. We were too hungry for that. Now it’s time to pack for our flight home tomorrow.

I was worried that I’d find Tokyo too overwhelming for my final day but I’ve really enjoyed mooching and, generally, being ahead of, or away from, the crowds. Matt and I agreed that we wouldn’t stay in Shinjuku again, it’s a bit much for both of us.

….it’s good enough for me, much as I can’t warm to the man. Monty Don visited Kenruoken twice in his Japanese Garden series and I went back this morning.

However, first challenge of the day – how to eat a boiled egg with chopsticks? Answers on a postcard, please. I approached it from a number of angles and, after careful observation of other diners, concluded it could be a while until I saw another boiled egg eater, gave up and used a knife and fork. Each time I resort to cutlery, I feel a small sense of failure.

I walked up to the garden through the Fish Market and here’s a photo especially for John, I know how much he loves fish…

I shall try not to bore you with too many garden photos. Yesterday, it was very busy around the Hisagoike Pond and Midori waterfall and I can see why. This is where the garden originated and it’s a beautiful, peaceful spot. I sat on a bench, absorbing the atmosphere and would still be there other than it was a bit damp and I had a train to catch.

The gardeners were busy at work, sweeping leaves, raking gravel and moss and making a beautiful tree even more beautiful. Yesterday, I walked past a small patch of Anemones, they caught my eye because there was just the one patch and no other perennials. Mysteriously, I couldn’t find them today. The magic of a strolling garden perhaps? So many paths and vistas

I spent an hour and a half appreciating the trees and meandering watercourses. If nothing else, you should visit for the trees. I sat under one with a book, wondering why I was on my way back to Tokyo. It’s a truly stunning place and I left just as the coach parties started to arrive, result!

Yesterday, I ran out of time to visit the Shima Geiko Museum, which was a shame because everywhere was so much quieter than today. I should have known the museum would be trouble when I saw many pairs of shoes lined up by the door. The was a group of a dozen women, lying on the floor for their photos and generally being oblivious to other visitors, their noise and inconsiderate behaviour in a small, historic building was astonishing.

Shima is a traditional chaya house, dating back to 1820 when visitors would be entertained and served tea by Geiko,

The train journey to Tokyo was straightforward and I arrived at Shinjuku about 3. Shinjuku is the world’s busiest station, handling 2million passengers a day, and it was quite a shock after the last few days. It took a while to find my way out of the station and the surrounding area was equally busy. The area is surrounded by tower blocks and is also home to the wildest red light district in Japan as well as numerous department stores. This is a side road Japan I haven’t seen before and it’s a bit overwhelming. Luckily, we’re only here fpr a couple of nights.

Dinner was in a Kobe beef katana and the most expensive meal of the holiday. It was very tender and tasty and the staff put on quite a show.

Both figuratively and literally.

Another early start to be at Arashiyama Bamboo Forest ahead of the masses. We got off the train at 8:15 to walk up through the town and that wasn’t nearly early enough to beat the crowds. The atmosphere and light were magical, it was a shame about all the people.

The Togetsukyo Bridge, over the Katsura River, is another tourist magnet in Arashiyama, so we avoided that. However the view from Arashiyama Park, along the river was lovely.

Having got up early to travel out of the city, we felt we ought to embrace the day a bit more positively, rather than grump about the crowds, so the Buddhist Tenryu-ji Temple (Temple of the Heavenly Dragon) was our chosen stop. Still only 9:30 and it was heaving with tour groups.

Established in 1339, it has been ravaged by fire eight times. The current buildings have survived since 1912, with some as old as 1868. Walking through the Temple, over the tatami mats, with only our socks on was such a peaceful experience. There was a warmth that no squawky, inconsiderate, instagramming numpty could spoil.

The landscape garden, however, is one of the oldest in Japan and designed, in the fourteenth century, to make the most of the backdrop of Mount Arashiyama. It was beautiful and, again, felt so serene when there was a gap in the crowds.

After a tortuous train ride back into the city (Matt has declared he’s not getting on another bus) the Kiyomizu-dera Buddhist Temple was next. It sits on the side of Mount Ottawa with far reaching views across the city and renowned for its 13m stage that juts out over the cliff. It was a steep climb up and the biggest crowds we’ve encountered anywhere. At one point we were banning all tourists, except us, and schoolchildren.

Our walk back down took us through the Otani cemetery, one of the largest Buddhist graveyards in the city and an impressive sight.

One more Temple, Sanjusangen-do with its hall of 1001 statues, was amazing. All of the statues (Kannon), guarding the deities, are different. The statues are lacquered wood, arms and heads carved independently before they were assembled. The hall is 120m long and specially constructed to ensure it can withstand earthquakes. Photos were forbidden, it was quite a sight and worth an internet search. Photos were allowed in the garden and it was fascinating to watch a gardener carefully taking needles out of a perfect looking tree and catching them in the umbrella.

We stopped for lunch in the cafe at the Kyoto National Museum, at which point I officially gave up and wandered back to the hotel. Knees and hips have quite a strong opinion on all the ascents and descents we’ve done over the last couple of days. The hotel has a hot bath, not quite onsen, but the strict etiquette still applies – look it up. This afternoon I ventured in. I wasn’t there for long, it was too bloody hot but it eased my knees and I feel very brave for overcoming my embarrassment,

Tonight’s dinner? We cheated and went to an Italian restaurant recommended by Matt’s friend. Rigoletto Smoke and Grill was very stylish and tucked away in a little street on the outskirts of Gion. We used a knife and fork!

I’m tired, it’s been a long few days so apologies for any gobbledygook. Proofreading is out the window today. Off to Kanazawa tomorrow so I get a lie in, yippee

…….busiest bus in the world.

It was a 7:30 start for us to beat the crowds at Kinkaku-ji, Temple of the Golden Pavillion. The Zen Buddhist Temple dates back to 1397, with the top two floors covered in gold leaf, it’s quite a tourist magnet. It was re-built in 1955 after being destroyed, in 1950, in an arson attack by a novice Buddhist monk, how’s that for a story?

It was worth arriving before the Temple opened, we were ahead of the crowds and had space to take in the atmosphere as we walked through its’ Japanese Strolling Garden. There’s a clear one way system round the Temple with no way to retrace your steps. With the number of visitors, chaos would ensue if you were left to your own devices so, before we knew it, we were out and enroute to Ryoan-ji.

Ryoan-ji – The Temple of the Dragon at Peace, dating back to 1450, is a Zen Temple belonging to the Myoshin-ji school of the Rinzai branch of Zen Buddhism. The Rock garden is considered one of the finest surviving examples dry landscape. Within it are fifteen stones of different sizes, carefully composed in five groups, and surrounded by white gravel, which is carefully raked each day by the monks. The only vegetation in the garden is some moss around the stones.

Our next stop was Ninna-Ji, the head temple of the Omuro school of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism and first founded in 888. A very different prospect to the other two, no entrance fee and few visitors. It was a peaceful wander after what had turned into quite an active morning. You really need to read its Wikipedia page to understand its significant cultural importance. While we couldn’t access any buildings, each one had an information board with a QR code for a 3D image – there are some fantastic artefacts behind the wooden doors.

We took the bus back into the city and I’m not sure Matt will ever recover. 10 minutes in the wrong direction before 35 minutes in the right direction on the most crowded bus ever. Luckily, we were able to sit all the way but it wasn’t pleasant.

Anyone who watches The Pottery Throw Down will know about the Raku challenge. Raku originated in Kyoto 400 years ago, with the Raku family, and there is a Raku museum. The family is still renowned for their handmade tea cups and the museum displays cups made by each head of the family. Sadly no photos were allowed but I took this sneaky one in the Ladies.

Who could come to Japan and not visit a Manga Museum? Not us! The Kyoto Manga museum is housed in a Primary School built in the late 19th Century and closed in the 80s due to falling pupil numbers. The museum is part history of the school, part history of Manga and part library where you sit and read Manga books. Somehow I managed to sit in on the regular ‘entertainment’ – a manga quiz followed by an enthusiastic telling of a Golden Bat story. Although he looks like a villain, The Golden Bat is credited with being the first Japanese Superhero and possibly the first modern superhero in the world as he dates back to the early 1930s. Anyway, I know nothing about Manga but did win a prize for correctly identifying a British Post box from an aerial drawing. Matt was so thrilled with his Minecraft sticker.

The classroom pictured above was purely used to teach the girls deportment.

Our final cultural trip of the day was to the Fushimi Inari Shinto Shrine. Established in 711, it is famous for the Torii path and, in total, there are approximately 10000 gates, 800 of which form the Senbon tunnel to the Shrine. We were advised to go after 5, when the crowds disperse and it was dark when we arrived. Poor lighting and a 4 km walk up a mountain were not ideal companions. We made it most of the way but it was too much, in the dark, for me. The view across Kyoto was amazing as was the sight of wild boar in the undergrowth.

Finally, to dinner. Sushi, nigiri and tempura tonight. Please admire how brave we were to try crispy jellyfish with pickled plum. Only slightly more palatable than last night’s chicken gizzards. The tempura didn’t stay on the table long enough to photograph.

Kyoto is only 30 minutes from Osaka so we had a leisurely start, checking out at 11am. The last couple of days have been full on and it was lovely not to set the alarm.

We’re staying a couple of minutes from Kyoto Station which made short work of dropping off our luggage before re-tracing our steps for a train to Kyoto’s Botanic Garden.

Japan’s Railway stations are a bit of an enigma, some are signposted better than others, all seem to be over several levels and Google does not recognise levels. We managed to find the right subway, by accident, got on the wrong train, got off said train and travelled the rest of the way by bus.

Founded in 1924, Kyoto Botanical Gardens is the oldest and most comprehensive public botanical garden in Japan. It is home to more than 450 cherry trees and many Acers. Spring and Autumn colours must be fantastic. As it was, it was a wet gloomy October day.

We took the bus back to central Kyoto to visit Nishiki market, known as Kyoto’s kitchen, for a late lunch. The market was incredibly busy and it’s renowned for its fish market, small restaurants, street food and independent stores. The first wholesale fish shop opened on the site in 1310, more stores moved in and, slowly, its character changed from wholesale to retail.

It was dark by the time we surfaced and another bus took us in to Gion and dropped us off outside the grounds of the Yasaka Shrine. Construction of the shrine began in 656 and there is a dance stage in front of it, decorated with hundreds of lanterns, The whole area is famous for wooden machiya houses, exclusive tea houses and the traditional entertainment culture. The area provides an opportunity for tourists to don kimonos and dress like a geisha for the evening.

We found a local yakatori restaurant for dinner and lived life on the edge. The plate of five chicken skewers included thigh, neck, tail, heart and gizzards. We exchanged looks, took a deep breath and ate quickly. chicken gizzards are not to be repeated, we agreed we’d rather have eaten the chopsticks. Please don’t judge me for this – my tastiest skewer of the evening was Camembert! Matt’s was pork belly and we both loved the grilled rice balls with soy sauce and brown butter.

Ok, I cheated and the first was Starbucks at Osaka Station, a bitter black English Breakfast has never tasted so good!

The weather has changed and it’s been heavy rain all day, just what you need when visiting one of the top three most beautiful gardens in Japan.

Matt and I parted company at Okayama Station, he went off into the hills and watched some drifting. I put on a disposable poncho, over my waterproof, and braved the 2km walk to Korakuen Garden.

The garden, dating back to 1700, is beautiful and the detail is amazing, even on a wet, gloomy day. It was opened to the public in 1884, severely damaged by flooding in 1934 and bombing in 1945. Restoration was completed in 1952 and, thanks to the many paintings and images of the garden, it remains very much true to its original form.

It may be one of the top three gardens in Japan but I much preferred the intimacy of Shukkeien yesterday.

I was damp and ready for a break from the rain and stopped for fortification at the Art Cafe of the Yumeji Art Museum. Another cup of tea, this time a local black tea with a slice of Pumpkin Cafe. I felt very dishevelled in an elegant cafe.

The museum is dedicated to the art of Yumeji Takehisa who was widely regarded as the Japanese Lautrec and the driving force behind ‘Taisho Roman’, a style that blended European Romantism with delicate Japanese Art. He spent his later years teaching in Europe and lived in Berlin when the Nazi Party rose to power. His letters and diaries record his disquiet.

I’d set my heart on cycling the Kibi Plain, today, but only a nutcase would get on a bike in this weather. Google gave me an alternative – Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter. 40 minutes from Okayama and I was wandering streets of traditional buildings housing crafts, eateries and clothing. The main attraction is the canal, lined with willow trees, with boat rides available. Not today, though, it was too wet.

It was a shame that the rain kept me out of some beautiful looking stores. I was dripping wet, still wearing a plastic poncho and felt that I could be liable to cause breakages. Dryish rather than stylish was my motto for today.

Matt and I reconvened at Okayama Station stopped off at Himeji to see its Castle. We’re not fussed about its’ history but it looks fantastic in the dark. Dinner was in a tiny Ramen bar with jazz playing in the background.

We left our hotel at 7:30 for the train to Osaka. If I impart no other knowledge in my life, do not travel on the rush hour subway with large luggage in Tokyo. It was not fun.

Other than that, the journey was seamless. The Shinkansen train was spacious with reclining seats and plenty of legroom. The only thing missing was a tea trolley and the cloud was too low to see Mount Fuji. I may be the only person to visit Japan and not see it.

We dropped luggage at our hotel and took the subway into the city to see Osaka Castle. The castle and its grounds were approached along paths lined with Gingko, cherry trees and Japanese pines. The main tower is the star of the show, rising eight stories from a raised fortified platform dating from the sixteenth century. The castle has been destroyed several times during its long and violent history and now only a few turrets and shrines remain.

The main tower looked so beautiful from the outside that we decided to join the queue for tickets. It’s forbidden to take photos, inside the castle, so there is no evidence of our disappointment. Having expected a museum that recreates the living environment of the time, we entered something that felt like a very modern office block with exhibits around the walls. It was very crowded and disappointing with the exception of the Sangan sakura turret and the wood frame holding up a stone structure.

Our evening was spent in the Dotonbori area and shopping district of Minami. Bright lights, lots of noise and huge crowds!

If anyone has watched Midnight Diner on Netflix, our evening meal was taken in a diner with only two options on the menu and the Katsu curry was delicious.

I am too tired to proof read properly so apologies for poor spelling, grammar and anything else that’s not quite right.

Finally, I have a special photo for Mum. She been a little concerned about the weather and earthquakes but Matt and I know where to shelter in case there is an earthquake…

It was quite a challenge to get into the centre of Tokyo, in rush hour, with a large, heavy suitcase and I’m rather pleased I managed most of the journey unaided. Matt came to my rescue at Shibuya Station, otherwise I’d never have found our hotel.

By 10am, my suitcase was abandoned and we were on the tube to Ueno Park to see the Bentendo Temple on the island of the Shinobazu pond with a street market as an added bonus.

It’s been a warm, humid day and we walked across to the Kitchen District in Kappabashi Street. Matt was keen to buy a Japanese knife and today was the day! Who knew there could be so many shops, in one area, selling quality knives and I wouldn’t take a single photo?

We were both tired and hungry so stopped for okonomiyaki in a little restaurant away from the main road. Not only were we crossed legged on the floor but we had to cook our own meal. It was very tasty, even though my hips and knees are still complaining about the seating position.

Next stop was the Nakamise shopping street, leading to Senso-ji, the oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo. It’s a quaint bustling street filled with small stalls and geishas providing photo opportunities for tourists.

Then it was the Asahi Sky Room for a well deserved beer before a brisk walk back to Senso-ji for a quick photo in the dark.

Our day ended with noodles in a back street restaurant with proper seats and dinner was cooked for us too!

Tomorrow, we’re off at 7:30 to catch the bullet train to Osaka.

While John stays at home, looking after tortoises and enjoying the peace and quiet, Kim is off on a Great Adventure.

I am flying to Tokyo, to meet Matt on his Great Adventure. An expression of envy and a kind offer, over dinner a few weeks ago, had nerves conquered and a flight booked.

I have a day in Tokyo then we take the train south and spend time in Osaka, Hiroshima, Okayama, and Kyoto before returning to Tokyo. In another fit of bravery, I’ve booked a night alone, in Kanazawa, to visit the Kenroken garden – one of the top three in Japan.

This is my first time, travelling solo, and it is only one flight but I will spend 14 hours sitting next to a stranger and lose a night’s sleep. I may be a little grumpy when I arrive and Matt may put me straight back on a plane home. Only time will tell…..

It’s always a challenge to know what to do on our last morning when we can’t afford to miss our ferry home. This morning’s adventure was a visit to the Gazelle e-bike Test Centre in Waalwijk. A short detour off our route with a conveniently timed free appointment.

But first, our final room was on the first floor of a very smart hotel however we have chosen to use the lift because Dutch stairs are terrifying

We’ve been talking about e-bikes for a while and, each time we cross the channel, there are more of them around. We’ve barely done any cycling in the last couple of years and wonder if we would do more, go further and Kim didn’t whine each time she saw a hill. Whatever the final decision, a chance to try out a genuine Dutch bike seemed too good an opportunity to miss. Gazelle have been making bikes in Holland since 1892 and they are all still made in the Dutch factory.

The Test Centre is purely that! All e-bike ranges were on display with one in every size and colour available for demonstration. You buy from a dealer so there is no hard sell, simply a desire to help you find the right bike and understand how to get the best from it. Kim was very taken with the comfortable upright riding position. Even John found the idea of an upright, step through bike acceptable! Could we get to Diane in Stopsley on an e-bike? What about Cambridge?

Anyway, while we ponder this life changing decision, here are our final thoughts.

We would go back to Pertisau and Hotel Wiesenhof. It was so quiet, the food was incredible and there’s plenty more walking to do. There are also more museums on route – the other Technik site in Sinsheim, a Plagiarism museum in Solingen and BMW in Munich to name a few.

Of course, we’d never get e-bikes in the back of the Skoda, which has been economical and obliging despite its uncomfortable seats. John could be on the hunt for ‘something interesting with a tow bar’ but he doesn’t need an e-bike as an excuse for that.

That’s it from this trip, however BraysAbroad will be back next week when Kim flies out to Tokyo to join Matt on his Japanese adventure.

This morning started with a leisurely drive along the Rhein valley, towards Koblenz, avoiding motorways as long as possible.

We noticed, last night, that the river looked extraordinarily low and, after doing some research, can confirm it has been at its lowest since 2018 causing disruption to trade as barges struggle to navigate the shallow waters.

The drive was beautiful, through pretty villages with menacing castles on steep vineyard hillsides. Exactly what we’ve come to expect along German rivers.

We arrived in Eindhoven, mid afternoon, ahead of our plan to cycle the Lichtjesroute. We’d downloaded the route on a Dutch cycling app and picked up a paper copy from Tourist Information. Both were perused over a hasty cuppa as we tried to make sense of it all.

The cafe owner suggested we might like to cycle out to Strijp-S for dinner and admire the ‘funky’ architecture.

It turns out Strijp-S is a development on the old Phillips factory. Comprising an eclectic mix of old and new, re-using original buildings and retaining some of the old factory infrastructure.

It had been a bit of a hairy ride, Dutch cyclists in rush hour are terrifying and take no prisoners. It was a relief the cycle paths were quieter when we retraced our steps to pick up the Lichtjesroute.

Each year, in September, lights line the roads of Eindhoven in memory of the day the city was liberated from German occupation in 1944. (part of Operation Market-garden) The route taken by allied troops is lit for approximately 3 weeks, so we were fortunate to cycle it.

We were on the road before 9, leaving the peaceful haven of Pertisau behind, Sinsheim Technik Museum was in our sights.

It’s been on John’s wish list for a while and we’d driven right past it on our way to Stuttgart. It’s the largest privately owned museum in Europe and hosts an eclectic collection of planes, cars, motorcycles…in fact anything that is powered in any way and takes the fancy of the association that runs it. There are over 5000 exhibits, spread over two sites. We only had time for the original site in Sinsheim.

Amongst many items, one claim to fame is that it exhibits an Air France Concorde alongside a Soviet Tupolev TU-144. The story is that Soviet spies (Operation Brunnhilde) stole some plans, from the French, but not enough to recreate the whole design, so they had to try and fill in the blanks. It was given the name Concordski by the British press.

The Tupolev was actually launched a couple of months before Concorde, becoming the Worlds first commercial supersonic aircraft. It’s afterburners were required almost constantly making the cabin deafeningly loud, while consuming vast amounts of fuel. In addition to a high profile crash at the 1973 Paris Air Show, there were numerous reliability issues leading to a commercial failure.

Tonight we are in Bingen am Rhein and have swapped the silence of Pertisau for the sound of the mainline railway below our window.

Our time is up, and today was our last opportunity for an Alpine walk. We started early, catching the first ferry out of Pertisau back to Maurach followed by the cable car up to the Rofanseilbahn.

Our challenge was a recommended walk to Dalfaz Alm with the added bonus of a cafe at the end. Although fairly flat, the rocky path was challenging in places but the views were stunning and well worth the effort. Unexpectedly we caught a glimpse of snow on the high peaks towards Innsbruck.

En route, there was a small clearing where walkers built small cairns, we took a moment to build our own, and remember Emma. As you can see our building skills are superb.

Finally, the bikes came out of the car and we cycled around the lake to Achenkirk. It was quite a feat, we’d not eaten since breakfast and the cycle path was not as flat as we thought. There may have been some pushing of a bike, we’ll leave you guess whose. Our bikes feel very old fashioned when cycling in Europe and it does make us wonder if we ought to upgrade to e-bikes. We don’t cycle much at home and our legs pay for it when abroad.

Fortified by Apfelstreusel at Achenkirk, we tried to cycle all the way back to Pertisau but Kim’s legs refused and we caught the ferry back from Seekapelle. We hadn’t seen the lake this busy with swimmers, windsurfers and sailboats all having fun.

This is our last night in Pertisau and we will miss the quiet luxury of our hotel and glorious food. It has been a fantastic place to stay and there are plenty of walks unexplored so we’d consider coming back,

Snow usually arrives in Achensee at the end of November although last year it arrived in September, in a few weeks time everything will look very different, as trail walkers leave making room for winter sports.

Today, we travelled to Jenbach on the Achenseebahn, Europe’s oldest steam powered cog railway, dating back to 1889

It was a leaisurely walk along the lakeside in early morning sunshine to board the train at Seespitz. We arrived early and while we waited, discovered some facts about the lake.

It is an Alpine lake, owned by the city of Innsbruck who bought it from some impoverished Benedictine monks in 1919. It was a smart move by the city, it has set up hydroelectric plants to harness the lake’s water to generate energy.

There is a persistent rumour that a drain links the Lake to Lisbon in Portugal. In 1955, there was a devastating earthquake in Lisbon which destroyed much of the city. At exactly the same time, locals noticed that the previously calm lake formed wild waves and the water dropped 1 metre, taking the lake 24 hours to return to its normal level. We leave you to decide the veracity of this fact.

The railway is very popular and, over 6.5km, drops 440m. It’s steepest drop is graded at 160% hence the need for a toothed rack rail which runs between the normal rails and a cog pinion under the locomotive that locks into the teeth of the centre rail. You can see why, when you wend your way through Maurach and down the steep valley into Jenbach. After a quick cuppa we were on the return train, the whole expedition taking less than 2 hours. We will be washing soot out of our clothes and hair for weeks to come.

We were preparing to finally take the bikes out of the car and cycle to Achenkirk when we bumped into a couple from the hotel. Instead of more exercise, we opted for a beer and late lunch with entertaining company. They both had extremely interesting careers, a highlight of which was moving the Royal Armouries Museum from The Tower of London to Leeds.

Tomorrow we cycle….or maybe we don’t……

Today’s challenge was to take the Achenseebahn Steam Cog Railway to Jenbach. Apparently it’s one of the ‘must-dos’ and free with our holiday card. We walked from our hotel and, an hour later, arrived at Seespitze terminal having completely misstimed our day. We didn’t have the patience to wait over an hour for the train and continued into Maurach for another ‘must-do’ – the Rofan Seilbahn.

Apparently, deeply rooted in Austrian culture, is the tradition of friends and neighbours secretly placing a decorated wooden stork in the front garden when a baby is born. We encountered this on our walk through Maurach and wondered how it was possible to do this secretly.

The Rofan Seilbahn cable car took us effortlessly up 2000m with spectacular views over Achensee and the Tirol mountains. Our legs were starting to complain after yesterday’s relentless downhill walk, Kim just about managed a short descent to Speicherteich, a small lake high in the mountains with beautiful crystal clear water. It prompted a discussion as to whether its colour classified it as glacial water, we had learnt the difference on a trip to Iceland but neither of us could remember.

Since we arrived, John has been hankering after an ‘adventure’ and Kim has been ignoring talk of motorboats, paddle boarding and hang gliding. Today he got his way and we did the Airrofan Skyglider, a 200m drop at 80km/h. Having been strapped to some wires, we were hoiked up a mountain before being released rapidly back down again. It seemed the easiest of all the options on offer.

After our seriously cold adrenaline rush, we warmed up with soup before taking the cable car back down. No scrambling down for us today, we’d already done 7 miles and sometimes you need to know when to stop walking and start using public transport.

Finally, the owner of this car trying to justify their purchase

In a bid to make the most of our pre-paid Achensee Holiday Card, we boarded a ferry to Seehofspitze to visit the Dahlia Garden.

Managed by a very enthusiast lady, each year she lifts over 500 pots of dahlias and stores them in her cellar until the following spring. They are a real splash of colour on the lakeside but you must be bonkers to do it.

We walked towards Achenkirk before deciding it was too far in the time available and stopped for coffee. John suggested taking the ferry before realising we had already left the lake behind us. In our defence, we plan to cycle to Achenkirk tomorrow – unless it rains!

We walked back to the ferry terminal via the Alpen Caravan Park. When bringing back a motorhome, we always stopped at Nattersee, on the outskirts of Innsbruck, and the Austrian site was always the best. John tested out the facilities and declared these to be even better. Perhaps we ought to re-think our need for a motorhome?

We have not seen another UK car for days and have debated whether we should have an award for driving the furthest distance? Sensible English guests at our hotel, flew into Innsbruck, which is only an hour away. We promptly walked past a Swedish registered car which, according to Google maps, has driven less miles than us!

This afternoon, we took the Karwendel Cable Car, conveniently located in Pertisau, to the Zwolferkopf skiing area. It’s been a little cloudy but the skies cleared and we had fantastic views over Pertisau and the lake. We walked back down, descending at a rate that will have our legs and knees hurting tomorrow.

A little bit about our ‘Wellness in the Tirol’ hotel – it is lovely. The food is delicious with a beautifully fresh breakfast buffet and 5 course evening meal which starts with a self service salad bar. There is access to unlimited tea which is unusual and rather disappointing for the coffee drinker.

Our room overlooks the lake and we have natural spelt husk pillows – they are taking a bit of getting used to. We are challenging the ‘soothingly firm yet pliable and cuddly’ description.

Lake Achensee caters for walkers, cyclists, rock climbers, and the terminally lazy – you could spend all day sailing the lake on a boat.

This morning we aimed to walk from Pertisau to Achenkirk, via Gaisalm, following hillside paths above the lake. We decided it would be flat and easy, so walking poles were left behind. Experience should have taught us that walking routes can be a mixed bag of terrain, narrow cliff side edges where one slip would have resulted in a long fall and sharp descents over rocks and tree roots – our poles would have been a very useful.

We arrived, relieved and in one piece, at Gaisalm without enough time to make it to Achenkirk. Should we risk the walk back to Pertisau or sit in a deckchair, drink eat strudel and wait for a ferry? The ferry won, but only because we have spent €200 on an Achensee card and need to get value for money from free travel. Nothing to do with quitting while uninjured.

September is season of Almabtried – bringing the cows down from the hills and into barns for the winter. If it is a successful summer and cows and family families have made it through alive and unscathed, the community celebrates by decorating the cows with flowers and bells before driving them through the streets.

There was music and celebrations along the route and at the hotel hosting today’s event, before the very well behaved cows arrived to cheers and fanfares.

The finale came with the cows being serenaded by trumpeters, giving thanks for the summer and warding off evil spirits.