Getting there from the railway station in Bonn Bad Godesberg is easy..every hour..all the way up to the endstation Ahrbrueck. So I arrived there 28th May evening 21 hrs....and no hotel nor Fremdenzimmer in sight. A walk to the Ahrbogen Hotel 1,5 kms down the road found it also closed. After some persistent ringing the bell, the elderly owner opened the door...she let me in, showed me the room and asked me whether I wanted some water. She returned with a large bottle of Toennis Sprudelwasser..and then asked again 'perhaps the gentleman wanted a beer'? and served me a wonderful large glass of Bitburg beer before I turned in. Germany being Germany...the beer 0,5 liter came to 3,6 euro whereas the water 0,7 liter came to 4.9 euro. Simple calculation states that beer is cheaper than bottled water!
After a good breakfast I started my 62 kms plus route via Puetzfeld, Kreuzbach to BadAltenahr...by far the nicest looking village of the walk. Traditionally built houses; all neatly painted...but lots of small hotels closed down and a few up for sale. I guess that the younger people do not appreciate walking this famous route anymore. Obviously there remain the numerous campsites where the Dutch with their caravans (sleurhutten in Brabant slang) dominate in number. The scenery remains pretty all the way. Climbs are short and easy; a few fellow walkers on and off; a shining sun and a spot of clouds: perfect Wanderwetter.
This part of Germany was 'administered' by the French between the two world wars and also for some 10 years after world war two. Many of the vineyards carry French names as their owners; like Jean and Alphonse...interesting also that choppers fly over to dispel pesticides..I never saw this in France.
Perhaps that is why previously the German red wines used to give me a headache?
The scenery as of Altenahr..after a steep climb is so beautiful....with all the terraces and huge vineyards with plenty of stops to taste the red wines like Spaetburgunder and Portugieser, and the usual white wines like Riesling and Mueller-Thuergau). I can vividly imagine that a hundred years ago this must have been a touristic hit: walking for a few days through a forest of vineyards while sipping wine along the trails. I had started around 08.30 hrs in the morning and made a first stop after some 20 kms to taste 'ein gedeckter Apfelkuchen mit Sahne' (freshly baked apple tart with whipped cream)...close to the village of Rech. Then just continued while meeting fewer and fewer walkers until BadNeuenahr where I arrived at 16.45 hours...time for a short shower and nap. Interestingly at the Union hotel there was no soap..and when I asked for some the receptionist said 'Oh yes no soap...really...? Didn't you bring some yourself...? I am sorry but we do not have soap right now' ! Man, I got a Russian or East German flashback right there. Anyway the bill came to 42 euros for a large and beautiful room with an outstanding breakfast. Next morning I had a 10 minutes haircut..fed up with my long hair...and started walking again. Same same weather, scenery until I arrived at Bad Bodendorf..time for another Kuchen, a last steep climb through the woods, past the Jewish cemetery on the plateau 2 kms from Remagen on the Rhine (made famous with the Hollywood movie 'The bridge of Remagen' / no bridge these days anymore...). And then take the train back to Bad Godesberg and swing by the Welthungerhilfe (WHH) office.
All in all a good walking trip; no issues, clean weather; good for the physical health and the mind. Now the intensive two months in Bangui seem further and further away. It appears a good remedy: after an emergency gig... a few days walk through mother nature. Good for the heart, mind and legs.
I can recommend this Ahr-Tal trip. One can easily do the full Ahr-valley route from Blankenheim to Remagen...about 100 kms in three days (some 30 hours walk/rest included).
Then....a week later on Sunday 8th June, and a day before my departure for Gaziantep in Turkey, I decided to do the 10 kms. Nordic Walking performance event in Dernau. Staying with the Weber Josef family in a 'Fremdenzimmer' for 2 nights. Interesting site: their backyard consists of a huge wall that was part of the reinforcement of a railway tunnel that crosses the mountains...the Germans before 1914 had already started to build a railway line from Koeln to Trier and then onwards to N-Eastern France to buy and transport the iron ore from that region. The tunnel in the 2nd World War was used to hide against the air attacks from the Allied Forces, while obviously after 1918 the Versailles treaty denied Germany any construction to continue.
Coincidence or God sent: on Saturday afternoon I walked through Dernau village and saw a van parked; written on it 'Ries den Otter, Heizung/Dernau'. There is unlikely to be more than one Ries den Otter in the world...and I happen to know him from my adolescent period in Eindhoven. One of his brothers Wim was in my primary school class. Ries and I played table tennis at the St. Catherina Verein in Eindhoven-centre from 1964-1967...I courted a young lady called Els Beurskens and he her best friend Carla Tielemans. So I walked into the winegarden and indeed he was sitting there sipping wine with his local buddies. Incredibly but true...we had not met since I guess 1967........ One reason to go back to Dernau when I return for meetings in September! Nice to have met you again Ries!! We shall have more time to reminiscence; zekers te weten!
The Nordic walking event took place under blue skies; up and down through the vines clad hills, 30% dirt and gravel tracks...not ideal. It took me 1 hour 18 minutes and 51 seconds...and I came in 4th (a bit disappointing....I guess this speed Nordic walking isn't so much my thingy). Nevertheless...to be recommended! Nice people also in Dernau and a beautiful place to live.
TonvanZutphen@gmail.com
ps. I walked on light Lowa hiking boots, paths are smooth, a bit of gravel, 20% through the woods, the rest out in the open...so if it rains...you will really get soaked. It took me 14 hours (walking and a few short rests included). And I speedwalked the 10 kms Nordic walking race in Nike lunarglide 3 (stable running shoes / model 2009 and not available anymore except on E-bay).
