Bautzen

Bautzen Rathaus

Out the door at 10 (i.e. we met our goal, for once) we lingered in Cottbus to look for for a Czech road atlas, but found none in either the large town bookstore or the local ADAC office. Then off to our first stop--Bautzen--about halfway to our destination of Decin.  We're not talking long distances here--just our usual pace (Rob says 99 miles today). Bautzen recently celebrated its 1000th birthday, and has retained much of its attractive center, including 17 towers and some fortifications along the Spree River.  This area of Germany shows a strong influence of the Sorb population, which has several cultural institutions headquartered here.  Signage is in both languages.

The Reichenturm--a very leaning tower

The main church, St. Peters, is the only Simultankirche in eastern Germany, meaning that it serves both Catholics and Protestants.  When the Reformation arrived in 1524, both congregations agreed to share the church.  The original church was destroyed by a fire in 1634 but the two sections are still separate in the current church.  We walked the town, admiring the many elaborate facades and towers. The day heated up, but we found a cool picnic spot near the church fountain.


At 3, it was time to depart for our ride to Decin in the Czech Republic.  The last section of road from Bad Schandau was along the Labe (= Elbe) River, very scenic. Decin looks inviting, though a bit rundown after Germany.  And prices have dropped. In our very attractive hotel we decided to spring an extra 10E for a 55E business class room, definitely a bargain. Temperatures remain high and the local scenic attractions beckon, so we may choose to stay here a second night rather than heading to Prague and the crowds.


And a milestone passed today: 60,000 miles on the Bonnie.  See the photos for Rob's comments.