Exploring in Bavarian

We started our day in the baroque town of Kelheim by going to see the Danube Gorges and the 800 year old monastery built at their entrance. The story is that a cherub sent a message to a monk telling him to build a monastery at the mouth of the Gorges, and presto, 800 years later we get to visit this fantastic site that has a chapel that is absolutely magnificent.

We then cycled in a large 10 km circle, just to see what it would feel like to be lost, and it felt kind of like being lost. Once we found the Danube we continued to Bad Abbach, the home of the Kaiser Therme (with its Thermalbad and Saunawelt) – an unbelievable spa complex located in the hills above Bad Abbach. It looked so inviting to our tired bodies that we changed our plan – we decided to shorten our cycle to Regensberg, about 20 km further down the river (so we did a little over 50km for the day), then take the car back to the Kaiser Therme for a little relaxation. On the way to Regensburg we passed a wedding celebration, complete with Bavarian band and guests dress in Bavarian finery.

After we found a hotel (not easy because the Regenburg marathon is tomorrow - Sonstag) we went back to the Kaiser Therme in Bad Abbach, and it was great. We spent two hours lounging (actually luxuriating)  in very large thermal baths, whirlpools, steam baths and saunas – scented with various oils and of various temperatures from hot to very hot. There was something for everyone, and Serge, Wayne and I unanimously agreed it was fabulous – we all felt rejuvenated, and if the Therme wasn’t closing (it was 6pm) we would have stayed longer.

Regensburg is a very old city dating back to Roman times. The bridge over the Danube, one of the few not destroyed during WWII, was built in the 12th Century. The cathedral is famous. We will visit it tomorrow.

Tomorrow we do not cycle – a rest day – thankfully.