Day 3
This morning we get up at 630. We want to have breakfast before the kids walk in! The breakfast is fantastic and we leave at 8 o’clock. it’s a bit cold. We drive through Little Switzerland and then through the Müllerthal. 50 years ago Helmy and I drove here too. Together on the Puch. I’m feeling a bit sentimental, where have the years gone? We see some nice campsites. Nice, but you need to keep an eye on the weather forecast when you go on vacation, says Wil. We did not even think about that.
We want a coffee, but there is nothing there. We drive on and eventually we have one at the Moselle. According to Jan we must also grab a sandwich, because you never know when the next opportuniy arises to get one.
He is very nervous about getting hungry whereas I’m trying to loose weight. We leave the Ardennes and follow the cycle path along the river. We cross the Moselle several times and get from Luxembourg to Germany and then to France. The landscape has now changed completely. The slopes along the river are grown with vineyards. We grab a coke and some breads in France. A little further along the Moselle, and then we are heading for the south-east through La Lorraine. Again another landscape, low hills with corn or green grass.
Our sleeping address in Les Etangs is very luxurious. We eat at the only restaurant in the neighbourhood. Tonight there’s football, Brazil must win!
Day 4
Really enjoyed dinner at the restaurant in Les Etangs last night. The owner spoke a little Flemish. His wife is from Genk. The terrace was at the back, nice and quiet. We felt we really earned a nice bottle of wine. We can watch football here, but it takes another hour, so we must drink another bottle. And when the football is one: another one. We are talking about the past, ex-girlfriends! Wil loves specific female shapes! We all do, I think!
In the morning at 7.15 time for breakfast. There is also a group of triathletes. They are participating in a competition in Germany.
We leave at 8.15. Ad is still receiving a lot of phone calls but he is not answerring them like he did last year. , He can let it all go, so it seems. With his new, ultra-light Canyon with 11 gears, he feels like a little child with a water gun. He just HAS to try test it!
We drive through La Lorraine. The hills are elongated, the corn is often mowed. The villages are abandoned. In Harprich we see dozens of storks on poles. After 50 km still no sign of a coffee stop. Wil tells us there are 21 slopes coming up. That’s bad news. They may not be mountains, but with heavy winds and 10 kilos of extra luggage …..
After 75 km we stop for lunch in Mittersheim, 3 courses for € 12. Charcuterie, a nice piece of meat with fries and curry and blue berries for dessert. This reallyfeels like France. The restaurant is full and the people take their time to lunch. We drive further along the Canal du Sarre and the we arrive at the first somewhat bigger city, Sarrebourg. Jan tells us to pay attention, drive slow and wait for the green traffic light.
After Sarrebourg the road becomes nice and flat and takes us to Abreschviller. We approach the dark hills of Les Vosges. In Abreschviller we get some beers at the steam train station. We have to since our hotel doesn’t open before 6 o’clock.