Trying to find our way out of Auchen, Germany: ...haven't we been here already?
We have enjoyed seeing some of the historic sites and town centre of Aachen - but we won't miss the weather. Heavy rains and winds have been with us and make camping a bit challenging. The good thing is that the worst of the weather would usually begin later in the day and continue through the night.
A sports festival was taking place next door to the campground and unfortunately our campsite was next to the Biergarten - our earplugs did the trick of letting us sleep as the merriment and noise continued until 4:30 in the morning. This morning however, we are feeling pretty tired and the rain isn't helping.
We left the campground in good time but in trying to find our way out of this medieval town designed in a circle, we got lost, again and again. It didn't help that the GPS behaved very strangely. Suddenly, the cursor would jump streets, change direction, etc. It is disconcerting when the cursor starts revolving in a circle rather than moving with you. It made for a challenging exit from the city and its impatient drivers.
Finally, we put away the GPS and wrote out a route on direct, busy roads and we walked when needed to avoid traffic. We were glad to finally get to the countryside.
We both agree that cities are not our favourite place to be. Villages and countryside suit us better. The navigation is easier and the people are generally more hospitable.
In Aachen, we enjoyed finding a good bike shop and outdoor store. For us, these places offer endless opportunities to browse and meet people who share our passions.
Mary Ellen packing up the contents of the tent before the rains start again. The white roof in the background is where the Biergarten is!!
This cat vase was outside of a bookstore. It was obvious that the owners loved cats as the bookstore also had a very large section of books relating to cats.
