Scoutbound
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17.06.2020 City hopping. The second evening we camped near Hainich National Park, weather conditions changed drastically and we experienced serious thunderstorms. In the pouring rain, even our very reliable tent gave in a little, and we repeatedly had to mop up water that was coming in through the seams. We decided we needed to find ourselves some drier accommodation for the following nights. In the morning we set off to Erfurt, via partly washed-away gravel tracks and through temporary fords. Luckily, the owners of the campsite there let us dry our dripping tent in their garage, and we slept in a super cosy Hobbit-size wooden cabin that kept us well dry for two nights. The city also totally made up for the experienced hardships with its beauty and rich history, and during our sightseeing stroll we even bumped into a group of local scouts – as well as some stars of Erfurt-based children's TV channel KiKA. It is only a stone's throw from Erfurt to Weimar, and another one from there to Jena. They belong to what translates to 'Thuringia's (bead) chain of cities', the state's six largest cities, which happen to line up nicely within a stretch of 130 kilometres. They are linked by very flat cycle paths that often follow rivers, so it is very pleasant and easy to go from one place to another. However, we took a little detour on our way to Weimar yesterday in order to visit the memorial site of Buchenwald concentration camp. It was near there that we got to know Helmut, a recreational cyclist, Weimar local and former citizen of East Germany. He was full of stories, and so happy to share them with us that he joyfully honked when he spotted us again this morning, turning his car around and stopping for another chat. Having paid a short visit to the city of Goethe and Schiller where we especially loved climbing up the bell tower of St Jacob's church, we are now cycling on to Jena. #scoutbound #erfurt #weimar #buchenwald #kinderkanal #bernddasbrot #krämerbrücke #schillergoethe #thueringen #cycling #worldbycycling

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