Touring 2 Border crossings

Touring 2

Border Crossings.

Crossing National borders on the Continent has become easier and easier, especially since the advent of the European Union. 

     Switzerland is not in the EU, but from our experience the borders between its neighbouring countries are pretty porous.  It is possible to have crossed into another country without realising it.

     Cycling along the Rhine cycleway between Schaffhausen and Konstanz one passes through pockets of Germany and Switzerland, possibly several times in one day.

Entering Germany from Switzerland

This picture was taken from the Swiss side of the border, the cows are in Germany.  The bells that were hung around their necks, gave out a friendly klang.

    The Rhine is hidden by the trees on the left, the cows are in Germany (with bells) the photographer was in Switzerland.

      Cycling through Holland near Daventer (2012), on our way to Berlin, we were not sure at all where we had crossed the border, nor were we when crossing from Germany into Poland whilst  along the Baltic coast.

This border crossing from Germany into France (Near Baden Baden) goes over the distant combined Rail-and-road bridge, which spans the River Rhein.   The building on the left is the old customs post, which is now disused, and vandalised. 

                                                             

                         

Crossing from the northern border of the Czech Republic (1998) near Decin (Tetschen) we passed through a see of garish garden ornaments, which cluttered the pavements.  And, the houses in that area that were blatantly brothels   {mind you, we also noticed brothels on the Austrian/Swiss border ~ perhaps in the interests of efficiency the customers could have their passports stamped whilst they were getting down to doing their business} but there were no gnomes there..

      The story we were told was that the German Male was inclined to pop across the border for a little bit of home comfort, because the 'business' was cheaper in the Czech Republic than it was in Germany, and his niggling conscience encouraged him to take home a present for the loyal wife who had stayed at home to mind the camp.  So, if one sees a large garden gnome displayed in a garden, then one can only put two and two together and draw one’s own conclusion as to why..

When  we Crossed from France into Switzerland we noticed that there was an immediate very marked improvement in the quality of cycling facilities, and that continued right through Switzerland..

Look out for Touring 3, which will be about cycling along the Baltic coast.