Bodensee - Day 2

Day 2 (30.6.2012): island Mainau - Bodman - Ludwigshafen - Überlingen - Salem - Meersburg (70km)

Before the unbearable heat, we visited small island Mainau, which is a "flowering island" notable for its parks and gardens. Frederick I, Grand Duke of Baden, created the island's arboretum, which now contains 500 species of deciduous and coniferous trees, many exotic and valuable.

Same photo (same place and same pose) took my mom many years ago, when we were visiting Switzerland and Island Mainau.

 swimming...

 City: Überlingen

The Cistercian monastery of Salem Abbey was founded in 1134 when the knight Guntram von Adelsreute donated land for its establishment. The abbey already had its own scriptorium in the 12th century, and formed one of the most important monastery libraries in Europe.
Currently the grounds are home to the middle school campus of the boarding school Schule Schloss Salem, which is considered one of the most elite schools in Europe.

Meersburg is a charming fairytale, medieval city, which we couldn't explore the first day, because the storm caught us soon after our arrival in the city. Then, we refreshed and "showered" ourselves while searching for our room in heavy rain. Finally we succeeded, and we got the beautiful view out of our window  on the Lake Constance after the storm.

Bodensee - Day 1

Soon after Königssee, Chiemsee cycling tour, me and Tomaž were so enthusiastic about cycling tours, and so got an idea to cycle around Bodensee (Constance Lake). Last weekend of June was promising a nice weather, so we quickly made plan which way will we go and where will we sleep, booked rooms, bought train Bayern Ticket to Lindau, and HIT THE ROAD ;)

Lake Constance (German: Bodensee) is a lake on the River Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps. The freshwater lake sits at 395 m above sea level and is Central Europe's third largest, after Lake Balaton and Lake Geneva. It is 63 km long, and at its widest point, nearly 14 km. It covers approximately 571 km² of total area. The greatest depth is 252 metres.

Day 1 (29.6.2012): Lindau - Konstanz (80km)

We started in Germany, drove through Austria and Switzerland and ended the day just over the Swiss-German border in the city Konstanz

The historic city of Lindau is located on an 0.68-square-kilometre (0.26 sq mi) island which is connected with the mainland by a road bridge and the causeway of the railway to Lindau station.

Lindau's famous harbour. The 6m high monument with the lion looking over the lake is a work by the sculptor Johann von Halbing. The Bavarian heraldic emblem flanks the harbour entrance together with the 33m high lighthouse.

 The old town hall 

Intersting traffic lights in Austria

 SWITZERLAAAAAND

 In the Swiss site of Bodensee we mostly drove a bit away from the Bodensee shore, over small hills and during the hottest part of the day. So when we arrived on the hill over the Bodensee, we let off our breaks down the hill and "drove" into the lake to refresh and try the Bodensee water for the first time. PERFECT!

Back to Germany, city Konstanz with most famous gates (2 statues) you can see on the photo in the background.

 He really knew how to fight the heat. I would also do the same, but I'm afraid I wouldn't fit in.

So instead of fountain I tried the horse :P

 Rheintorturm

 Münster

Regensburg

Regensburg was the first capital of Bavaria, the residence of dukes, kings and bishops, and for 600 years an imperal free city. Regensburg is located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate. The large medieval centre of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Oskar Schindler lived in Regensburg for years, and today one of his houses bears a plaque to his achievements commemorated in the Steven Spilberg epic Schindler's List. 

We, a group of international students, decided that Regensburg is worth of visiting. And so, on sunny Sunday, there was 11 of us, who explored the city together =)

 Dom St Peter

 

 On the bridge over Danube

Chiemsee - Wasserburg - Freising

Biking trip, day 3 (28.5.): on our last day we cycled all the way back 'home' to Freising. On our way we stopped in fairy city Wasserburg am Inn (The historic center is a peninsula formed by the meandering Inn River. Many Medieval structures remain intact, giving the city a unique air.), and almost couldn't escape Erding = 'Bermuda Triangle' as we call it, because we usually get lost in/around Erding, the same was this time, additionally, storm almost caught us. Then closer we were to Freising, sunnier it got ;)
Distance 115 km  http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/97069229/ 
Distance  over 3 days: 250 km

 Wasserburg

That was my wardrobe for 3 days ;)

Königssee - Chiemsee

Biking trip, day 2 (27.5.): second day we were driving away from the Alps, stopped in Bad Reichenhall, Traunstein, and approached Chiemsee, which gave us impression of the seaside. There were many people sunbathing, swimming, sailing, cycling... We also took it easy, relax, went on Fraueninsel by boat and in the evening found the place to sleep. Both nights we stayed at farm houses, which was a way better option than hostel.
Distance: 78km  http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/97065613/

 Witch-mountain

 Salt-museum in Bad Reichenhall

 Rathouse in Bad Reichenhall

 Traunstein

 Chiemsee

 To the knees in Chiemsee :D

 Brewery on the Fraueninsel ('woman-lake')