HIKING IN GERMANY

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 91, 15 October 1934, Page 15

HIKING IN GERMANY

TOUR THROUGH RHINELAND

REMARKABLE JOURNEY

"A walking tuur in the Ehincland brings us to Munich tonight tired and happy," writes an Australian girl to tho "Sydney Morning Herald" under date of August 20. "Wo subside into a funny little pension near tho railway station. Part of a holiday hastily planned in London to fill in part of two or three weeks before leaving again for home is over and we're greatly the richer. "As I begin to write a strong dramatic voice comes booming over the wireless. It is Hitler talking at Berlin about the pending election. But curiously enough I'm more interested at the moment in watching the landlady preparing the beds. They look mighty good to mo, these beds—for as I said, we've slept in Hitler's youth hostels, and, believe me, they give no encouragement to dreams of anything but the dawn. DAY AT COLOGNE. "We spent a day at Cologne scampering through the cathedral and museum and art gallery. I had imagined myself rather tired of churches—until I saw the majestic old cathedral. Its size is colossal. Tourists wcro wandering about in it looking like so many ants. A marriage ceremony was going on in ono of the corners. The small group around tho lovers took not the slightest notice of the visiting strangers. In a few hours we boarded a train. It was packed, of course, but what did that matter—for the. first few miles at any rate.

"The Ehino could be seen from the windows. Old castle ruins stood in the settings of fairy tales at here and there along tho bants. After a time,

train travel grew tedious and we decided to get off, and shouldering our packs, trudgod into the unknown. It was glorious, though, rambling along the riverside till wo reached St. Goar. In a narrow cobble-stoned street we saw a miniature cafe and there demanded tea. Something called tea was served in pewter mugs. Viewed as tea it was simply vile. to Australians. But we drank it. Then on we went to Bacharach.

>"The castle of Bacharach is half an hour's climb above the town —but it was worth it. All the way up one could look down on the Rhine winding away in the distance, and at quaint houses and churches. A village nestled away to the right between the hills on the highest peak, a huge swastika loomed against the sky. What a haven the castle proved—and how we loved it! The Herbergsvater cordially greeted us, and all the lads and lasses flocked around us in welcome. We spent two nights at this delightful castle at a cost of about 9d per night. Food cost just as little. PUN IN A EEEE GARDEN. "Next day we hikeu out through Wiesbaden to Gros Geraii—a tiny old town. There having rested our weary limbs in the shade of some apple trees, we sought the beer garden. The people were flatteringly excited at our presence. They evidently had se«n no strangers for some time. In no time a dozen had gathered round —talking things we couldn't understand and offering us drinks and cigarettes, which we could understand. We had great fun here, and at dusk found the local youths' hostel beneath tho town's only school. it was rather damp and forbidding, and wo were just going to take up our packs and go in search of something a little more comfortable —and expensive—when some of our beer garden friends arrive^. They wore so solicitous about our welfare that wo decided to make the best of it —particularly as our German was too weak to protest. In tho morning wo had breakfast at the beer garden in amongst tho flowers and creepers. A

attain was playing in the sunshine. A lovely little place. "From Gros Gerau we continued down the Khine through Lake Constance, and the charming little village of Mecrsbnrg, where we caught a boat to Friedriclishafon (Germany's great Zeppelin base). We spent so 'tnuch time dallying along this fascinating river that we had to leavo Lindau at tho other end of the lake straightaway —so that we would reach Munich by night.

"The lady of the house has finished her bodmaking, am. I feel a sneaking satisfaction that we aro not hiking off to some distant hostel, and wo aro paying only iibout 2s 6d for both of us.

"There is cheering in the streets and a band is playing, but I am too tired to go and see what it is all about."