Day Twenty Nine: Konz to Saarlouis: (Year 29: 1996)

October 19, 2017

Flash Back to 1996:

Farmers' market was our big thing, an interest that still persists as we seek out the much more elaborate markets to be found in Europe.

Dodie was a bit of a farmers' market media star.

Despite the cold winter, turkey production continued. Customers braved the snow to pick up their holiday birds.

Snow is rare on southern Vancouver Island. But in 1996 it really fell. We waited almost a week for it to melt, but finally got fed up and dug ourselves out of the long farm driveway using the only tools at hand- garden spades.

Much more snow than usual for Vancouver Island.
We were not expecting the snow - look at the bicycles buried outside.

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Fast Forward to 2017, Germany

The ten jammer breakfast at the Park Hotel was the first on this trip that actually had the "ten" pots of homemade jam, each with a handwritten label. Not only that, but the breakfast lady would make omelette or even fried egg and bacon. Add this to the real German buns (brown bread with seeds) and this was the real thing. That's good, because before long we will be in France, land of the 7 euro croissant and coffee breakfast.

We really liked that the breakfast began at 7, and that we had been given the key to the bike garage. That way we could start off as early as possible. It was needed because we had once again booked at a place that was beyond our comfortable distance range for this time of year - when evening arrives early.

We paid for the early start, of course, by beginning with a temperature under 10, and lots of mist. On the other hand, cycling conditions do not become really ideal until 11, and of course we can not wait for that.

We had some confusion right off the bat, because the bicycle route signage (of which there was a lot) was dealing simultaneously with routing along the left and right banks of the Saar. On the other hand, we were preferring to follow our gpx track, which had its own ideas of when to swap from left to right bank and back. It meant we spent time (too much) puzzling over signs, the screen, and the map.

Of course you can not go far wrong if basically you are following up a river. The river environment was mainly forested hills. The path frequently was covered with fallen leaves, and the tree colours could be seen reflected in the water. When the most burned off and the temperature moderated, it really was pleasant cycling.

Some sort of red mineral is being extracted - not sure what.

This may or may not have indicated a real problem, but we crossed the river anyway, using a wooden bridge

On the other side the rustic path was replaced by a roadside speedway! A German cyclist we met up the way had described this situation, and apologized for the "on road" section. He also quaintly said that he enjoyed helping "aliens" like us.

The big thing for the day was Mettlach, and the Villeroy and Boch "museum" (or "discovery centre") and then the outlet store. Villeroy and Boch is a famous brand of ceramics that was established in 1748 and has been in continuous operation since, in the hands of the original family. The company has three main lines - tableware, tiles, and bathroom ceramics. There is a separate tile centre that we did not visit, though the tiles we did see were wonderful. It's the tableware that we like best, and its fun to dream about having each of the sets on display.

Actually I am saying that I might like the alternative Delft designs that we saw in Netherlands better, but Dodie likes the more delicate Villeroy ones. Specifically she adores the "Luxembourg" pattern. This was one of the original patterns introduced in 1767. It is so named because the original factory was in Septfontaines, Luxembourg.

Have a look at "Luxembourg", and at the few other patterns I recorded. What do you think?

The V&B headquarters, and it seems at least one factory, are in Mettlach, all within or beside a large monastery building that they purchased sometime in the 1800's. It's a great place for a HQ of an elegant company like this.

One highlight of the displays is a rather dramatic long table attended by white ceramic diner figures. Everyone who visits naturally has a photo of this dramatic display.

Another highlight is a film, created for the occasion of the company's 250th anniversary in 1998. It features Peter Ustinov and has quite high production standards, as scenes from the company's history are acted out.

Because we had far to go we were going to pass up the outlet centre, but in the end we could not resist. Dodie went in first, and came out with a Christmas ornament that has two parts, held together by a magnet. You can hang each separately, but like us, she says, it's better together. I have not seen it yet, because It's packed up. We are going to try dragging it back home on the bikes.

When I went in I spotted a sale on "Luxembourg". Really cheap, I thought - a basic place setting for four, for 285 euros. They said they could pack it, but we would have to take it to the post office in town. In the end the fact is that we have tons of dishes, so we gave it a miss. But, I know they sell it at Macy's, and on Amazon, so I will be looking.

The Villeroy and Boch monastery become HQ

The "Luxembourg" pattern most favoured by Dodie.

An antique 1900's toilet. After WWII the company's fortunes were much improved by a movement toward indoor and sanitary facilities, replacing chamber pots.

The café has extremely beautiful tile designs

Part of the dramatization in the film, here Villeroy an Boch decide to amalgamate

Dodie is a happy shopper at the Villeroy and Boch outlet store

Here is that deal on Luxembourg that we did not take

Soon we were back out on the Saar (never left it I guess, since V&R are directly on the river). A few years ago some lovely friends in Yutz (France - just down from Luxembourg) had brought us by car to Mettlach, to see V&R. Then we had climbed (by car) to a ridge which affords an overview of the Saar. There is an observation tower there too, called the Treetop Walk Saarschleife. (schleife means loop - this is an area where the river flows 10 km only to return almost to the same starting point), It was from that vantage point that we first looked down on the Saar Radweg and told each other we would have to cycle that. Now we were on it, and looking up at the tower!

Out of Mettlach and into the Saarschleife

Riding the river is really pleasant here

There are many bikeways in this region. We picked up a map of Saarland, Lorraine, Luxembourg, Rhineland, Wallonia, and East Belgium - what a playground!

The Fall views along the river continued, until we arrived at Saarlouis. (For other towns, like Merzig, we would have had to leave the trail.) The town was built as a fort in the order of Louis XIV in 1680, and was laid out by the prolific military engineer Vauban. Vauban was responsible for the fortification of very many towns in the era.

The design here was that of a hexagon, with six Bastions. Only Bastion VI stands today, and that happens to be where we entered the town. The place was a very pleasant surprise, after Schweich and Konz. It has a large market square, which no doubt hosts a large market, and a active pedestrian zone. Best of all, our hotel was smack in the middle of it, on a section of street with lots of outdoor cafes and eis galore.

Our bikes just got wheeled into a ground floor room, and we dropped our gear in the reasonably sized and nicely colour coordinated room. Then we went straight out - across the narrow street - and found supper. Dodie ordered Kase Spätzle, which is an advanced form of mac 'n' cheese. Not tired of schnitzel, but just for a change, I chose a half chicken. Dodie really enjoyed the Kase Spätzle, and I liked the chicken too - which had been seasoned and then deep fried, but not so as it was greasy.

We did not spot any deserts on the menu, so we popped out and one door down to the first eis cafe. The price per scoop was exactly as it should be - 1 euro. So I unwisely chose 3. Good quality!

There is no breakfast facility at the place where we are, but we spotted the bakery, down the street. It opens at 6:30. We'll be fine!

Saarlouis today. See the large square in the middle.

Our street - what a great placement if you are hungry (we were).

Our room has some nice decorating touches.

These nice choices are not even the really fancy ones. One might need to be in Austria for that.

Addendum: Work fashions

Look Kathleen, someone else into yellow.

This is not a cyclist, but the yellow pants are cool, I thought.

German workers have not only great yellow outfits but also general purpose work garb, like this.

Today's ride: 72 km (45 miles)
Total: 867 km (538 miles)

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