By T.W. Original to Aquarticles
The Cathedral of Santiago De Compostella
The bones of a saint at Mondonedo Cathedral
In October 2007 I managed to get two weeks free to do a "quick" cycle tour in
western Europe. My plan was to first fly from my home in Denmark to Holland, do a bit of
aquarium related site-seeing, and then take the train to southern Belgium. From there I
hoped to cycle about 2000 km in 12 days, traveling deep into Spain. Along the way I
planned to visit a famous Canadian war monument at Vimy Ridge in France, as well as the
Arch de Triumph in Paris. My ultimate goal was either the medieval pilgrimage site of
Santiago De Compostella, Spain or else Gibraltar. I decided to cycle self-supported,
carrying full camping gear and a portable GPS to help with navigation. I knew a late
season tour is risky; the combination of bad weather and shortened daylight can easily
lead to a scuttled trip.
My GPS came with a handle bar Leaving Denmark My trip almost got off to a very bad start. I left the west coast of Denmark on an over night train to Copenhagen with my bike as luggage. I was flying a discount carrier out of Copenhagen and arrived at the airport at dawn 55 minutes before my departure. Yikes -the airport was crowded! I realized instantly that I could miss my flight. New security and baggage regulations left me running like a madman, first to get my bike wrapped in a plastic bag, and then loaded into some kind of X-ray machine. Luckily I saved time on check-in by using an automated system, because I lost time in the massive line up to get through security. When I finally entered the departure terminal, my flight announcement said "gate closing" and so I had to run. The steward literally closed the airplane door after me as I ran into the plane; seconds later we began taxiing for take off - phew!
On the train to Copenhagen Departing Copehagen Arriving Amsterdam
Holland and Belgium I had arranged to start my trip by flying into Amsterdam and then to tour some major
aquarium displays for a day (see: Nico and Frank,
Mr. Van Suijlekom). My aquarium
site-seeing day in Holland ended well past midnight. I was exhausted the next morning -
not the best way to start a major cycle trip. A short train ride later brought me to
Ieper, Belgium. Ieper is located in the heart of Flanders and was the site of many
ferocious WW1 battles. It was also the spot where I last cycled to on my decade long trip
across Europe from north to south. I was thus picking up from where I left off several
years ago…
Ieper (Ypres), Belgium today
Ieper as it was in 1918 (photo courtesy of here)
One of
the many war grave cemetetaries in Flanders
Some trenches left untouched since WW 1 France From Ieper I set course for a famous Canadian war monument - Vimy Ridge. At this battle site in northern France, Canadian soldiers in the First World War captured a heavily fortified and strategic ridge on April 9-12, 1917. The victory has taken on mythic status over the years in Canada (History link here). Out of gratitude, the French gave the land around the battle site in 1922 to Canada in perpetuity. Today it is the site of Canada's largest war memorial. I arrived at the monument late at night and took the most of the following photos:
Photos of the Canadian War Monument at Vimy Ridge (two photos on bottom-right courtesy of here and here)
As I tramped about the grounds surrounding the war monument, I noticed how uneven the
ground was. It is easy to see that the land has been left as it was after that great
battle so long ago. Needless to say, I stopped walking off the path as soon as
I saw the sign below:
A 90 year old hazard
Moving off into a French forest not attached to the monument site (which I found out next day is also still being cleared of old bombs!) I set up my tent and passed a rather fitful night.
My first camping spot (not on the war memorial grounds)
Vimy Ridge in morning - on the grounds of the Canadian museum
Day three of my trip saw me racing to Paris as fast as I could go. I cycled as though I
were a regular vehicle in traffic and threaded my way through the tough northern suburbs
of Paris without incident. I made it to the Arch de Triumph by late afternoon - only to be
shooed away by the police who told me I was not allowed to cycle up to the monument; so
much for my moment of triumph. As I waited for an opening in traffic to make my escape, a
motorcyclist was side-swiped by a van and crashed right next to me (he was not seriously
hurt). Instantly tourists began photographing the accident with cameras and cell phones,
while I took the opportunity to be on my way.
A triumphant moment?
Further cycling that day led me to think of Paris as being like an octopus holding an oyster shell; in its center is the pearl of the Champs Elyses and all the storied churches, gardens, and museums; but on the outskirts lie ugly tentacles of urban blight and industrial decay. Ribbons of gray highway (with no shoulder for cyclists) stretch seemingly in all directions for about 50 kilometers. It was not until I was well past Orleans to the south, that I began to enjoy my surroundings again.
The last poppies of the year
The mysterious medieval heart of rural France
Humble and not-so-humble dwellings!
Heading off into the sparsely populated center of France the trip became fun. Old medieval villages nestled in low hills, meandering streams in bucolic valleys, patisseries, cafes, ancient churches left open to the public - I had no shortage of distractions throughout the day while cycling. I had many great chats with the locals and found them very helpful and curious about my trip. A headwind and some rain slowed me down for a few days, but my pace picked up with the sunshine of Cognac country.
Cognac country A Cognac chateux
Bordeaux
Morning near the French/Spanish boder
Although I have long wanted to cycle to Gibraltar in southern Spain, I decided the theme of "pilgrimage" suited my mood best and so set course for the ancient pilgrimage site of Santiago De Compostella. This would mean cycling a challenging coastal route of mountains and winding roads…
The scallop
shell on this statue in a French church is
SPAIN
Sunrise over San Sebastian -
I endured a cold few hours to get these photos! Cycling the north coast of Spain was a fantastic experience. The route is mountainous at times, with short sharp climbs in excess of 500 meters not uncommon. The coastal views are absolutely stunning. Highlites of the trip included watching the sunrise over San Sabastian, cycling up a 3 kilometer, 9% grade, near Guernica, and racing down mountain roads at speeds approaching 80 kmh; the long and well-lit mountain tunnels were an added bonus.
The beautiful northern coast of Spain -
Basque, Cantabria, Asturias During the entire trip I encountered only three other cycle tourists - one pair of
Frenchmen in southern France, and one American just outside Bilbao, Spain. Greg, from
Colorado, was in the middle of a six-month journey cycling around southern Europe. A quick
stop to compare travel gear and swap travel stories was all I could spare as my timetable
for making it to Santiago was very tight. I promised Greg I'd post this photo of him
below:
A hardy American One experience I'll never forget occurred during a rainstorm at night as I entered the gritty industrial town of Aviles, Asturias. Blindly following my GPS led me to a partially flooded truck filled highway near the port in a rough part of the city. I was soaked to the bone and cycling in pitch dark; although my cycle lights were bright I was still scared of getting hit by one of the large semi-trucks that rumbled by me every few seconds. In a fit of frustration, I pulled over to the side of the road and pushed a few buttons on my GPS to find some nearby accommodation. Within 10 minutes I had checked into a nearby motel and was having a warm meal. Thus, cycle-touring by GPS can lead you into trouble, but also get you out of it.
A study in contrast - three neighboring
homes in Asturias, Spain
Three scenes in Galicia
Mondonedo Cathedral
The holy relics of saints gone by
Medieval painting of a long ago war
Almost there!
Santiago De Compostella
Some photos of Santiago Cathedral's famous architecture
Ancient relief panels depicting the coming
of St.James to Galicia, his preaching,
Traditonal European pilgrimage routes to Santgiago
European Union sponsored celebration
A state-sponsored graffitti artist at work
A proud pilgrim from South Korea
Paul and Jaques, two pilgrims from Bordeaux who had been walking the whole route for over a month!
El Camino - a road I will never forget
My cycling adventure done, I boarded a bus for Barcelona (with my bike as luggage) and more aquarium-related site seeing to follow. Upcoming articles: Dutch and Danish aquarium store reviews For more cycling related articles set in Europe see: My 2007 PBP (Paris-Brest-Paris) Cycling Adventure PBP 2007 - Riding the Qualifying Brevets |
