Itinerary update

The weather has turned, looks windy wet and cooler, so I am on my way to Provence from where I will ride to Barcelona, and beyond. Have hardly ridden for days since 2 ferocious days of headwinds some days back. These days motivated a short train ride to Goslar, then a longer day of trains to Aachen.

Two matters are of some consequence:

1 There is a French train strike.

2. The French school holidays begin on the 23 rd and I suspect it will get busy down south where I will be, so I may not linger depending on accommodation issues. I might have about 8-10 days in France by the time the trains resume and I get there. The key French train web site I want for the overnight bike-friendly trains uses Flash Player which does not work on the iPad.

So as there is no riding to write about, other matters.

In the interim I am in Aachen, immensely important if you have not heard of it. It is the place of coronation for all the Kings / Emperors (Kaisers) since Charlemagne for 600 years, from 936 to 1531, in the Aachen chapel for 30 German kings and 12 queens. Although the Pope had a role in Rome in all of this too. The chapel was not then a Cathedral as it was the palace church without a Bishop. This place was geographically central to his world, and had good hot spa water and forests for hunting.

A bit more of this history is recommended for those contemplating a Cultural Ride across Europe. Cultural understanding requires context, world linkages.

Aachen

For Charlemagne, Aachen was the new Rome. The evidence is that he was a true Romaphile. The Bronze Wolf statue circa 200AD on a pedestal in the palace church. Marble columns bought from Rome. He was the first Emperor since the Roman Empire.

Charlemagne was pivotal in galvanising the Christians into a coherent group of soldiers and stopping the widespread Islamic destruction of Europe that had gone on for centuries.

Charlemagne bought back education that had decreased since the sacking of Rome and the de-ubanisation of Europe that occurred during the Islamic invasion and widespread destruction of cities (and other matters). It was a key part of the foundation upon which the thinkers, painters and writers could develop, as many needed patronage of some sort, I think. All the other activities (with which some are more familiar) of the arts and sciences, creation of Universities, and later de-christianisation of Europe followed.

Today Aachen has a population of 250,000 and a University of 30,000 students embedded in the historic heart of the town, with all the facilities they need for learning and learning about each other. And a busy train station at the start and end of semester, like the day I arrived, and more so when my train broke down and we all scrambled onto the next train with half of the student body's fleet of bicycles.

To Trier (Germany near the Luxembourg / French border) hopefully tomorrow. A place to see and then for easy access to the French Lunea train I want that gets me to Toulon. Toulon is of no interest but it's hinterland is.