Check out the Photo Galleries: 1, 2, 3, 4 , 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Detours and Shortcuts

First of all, NO SHORTCUT has ever turned out to be shorter. The first detour I took in the post Schnackenburg area was on the old dyke through mosquito-infested lands. Although I had on Muskoil, the death carrying vermin tried to fly into my mouth. I saw birds flying with their beaks open to partake of the bounty. At Stiepelse going towards Bleckecke there was another detour. Although my motto is, 'No extra footstep', it was great to see the new dyke they're developing. The Elbe trails are a marvel.

Landhaus an der Elbe

Although the hoteliers from Wittenberge to Lauenburg have all been exceptional, the Kunze Family at Bleckede treated us as one of their own. Herr Kunze met with David and I, after the great evening he'd hosted for the WWII witnesses, to share his own story of growing up in the DDR and the North Sea area. The next night we were treated to sausages from his home state Thuringen, sausages which he'd grilled for his own family (the restaurant was shut).