The Final Lap

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We are on our final lap on our way back to Munich. Will be in the RV this weekend and then in a hotel the last 2 nights before heading home. The weather has taken a dramatic change. The heat wave is over and in fact the temperature has dropped by about 20 degrees so feels very cold after all the heat. Is also raining and forecast is the same for next several days. Was raining when we came and appears it will do so when we leave.

Had a good time in the northern area. As we have done several times during the trip we changed our plan. We left Berlin headed for Lubeck via Rostock, but decided it would be too much driving for time left so we turn a turn west and went directlz to Bremen. Very pretty city with much of the old area intact. Spent time wandering through the old section and visited 2 museums - the Ubersee which had excellent displays on Oceania and Asia. Also went to the science museum at the university that had over 250 hands-on displays for kids and adults. Very well done. Had a great time there. We also took the train to Bremerhaven which is right on the North Sea coast and spend the afternoon in the Maritime Museum. Also an excellent museum with interesting displays and old ships and an early submarine we could go on. We stayed in a brand new campground. They had their grand opening the day we left. The facilities building was fantastic with a large eating room and cooking and dishwashing facilities.

We are now in central Germany at Rothenberg. Small town of about 12000 off the main path. Nothing of significance happened here and no war damage so original walled city is still prettz intact. In fact, you can walk the perimeter following the route the old night watchmen took. Had a good time touring the area yesterday. Cold and rainz today so will head on to Munich.

Final trivia -

There have been almost no bugs and no mosquitos the entire trip. This is probably what saved us during the heat. We could sit outside late into the evening and could have all the windows open, even the ones in the back that didn't have screens. Don't know where the mosquitos are, but they haven't been where we have been.

Europeans LOVE ice cream. It is everywhere. Every small snack shop, grocery and truck stop has a freezer case with ice cream bars and treats. There are also gelatto stands with anywhere from 5-15 flavors all over the place. All the little cafe-expresso shops serve elaborate ice cream treats and aroung 4 or 5 in the afternoon everyone is having an ice cream treat since they don't eat dinner until 7 or 8. Even the larger restaurants are involved. THe desser menus are usually limited with just a few baked items, but every table has a separate ice cream menu with at least 8 different ice cream concoctions on it. Ice cream is clearly the primary dessert item in all of the countries we have visited.

My time is about to run out so will close. Looking forward to talking to all of you when we get home and sharing the hundreds of pictures we have. Take care. Talk to you soon. David and Barb

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