Today in Bremen

Not much happened. It was raining when I got up, but merely foggy after breakfast. I also had an email waiting for me when I awakened. It was from David Berghof of STANtours informing me that Kazakhstan wanted a copy of my international driver's license. So I had to scan 3 additional pages of it and email them all to him. That was not a problem thanks to the efficient staff here at the hotel, and all was accomplished within 20 minutes after breakfast. 

Since it was still foggy, I put on my hat and leather riding jacket and went for a long walk through the park or greenbelt adjacent to the hotel. I confirmed on this walk that Germans do not like to be greeted while walking. Even smiling at them seems to make them uncomfortable. On the way back, I stopped at the McCafe (McDonalds is even more efficient here than at home, not to mention cleaner) across the street from the hotel and had a coffee and read for awhile. 

After recaffinating, I walked to the local nature preserve and saw some geese and swans, and dodged skinny men in tights on bicycles. Men in tights always make me skittish (sorry, Mark), and today it was with sound reason. Apparently I was supposed to stay off the path. . .

After returning to the hotel, the sun came out. I decided to drive to the Rhododendron Botanical Garden. It is fairly large, but still early in the year, so not many plants were blooming. They did have a heck of a display of azealeas in the hot house though. They also had a smelly sheep with two lambs out back for the kids to look at (one little boy was absolutely terrified, probably because of the smell), as well as pens of chickens, geese, and BIG flop eared rabbits. There were also some chicken eggs hatching in an incubator, which drew a great deal of attention. 

After several hours there, I returned to the hotel and read. I also determined that the Hoescht Express, the ship on which the container holding my bike had been loaded, was alongside the dock in Hamberg. Perhaps the bike is finally in Germany, three months after it left my garage. 

That's what it looks like in case you've forgotten. I have. It seems smaller than I remember. Hmm. Is it going to make it?

And that is pretty much the day. Except for seeing two Porsche 356, a Citroën  2CV6, a Citroën DB5 or 6 convertible, and a 2 stroke Vespa like mine. Oh, and two Cadillac convertibles, a '63 and a '62. Great car country here.