Bayern

Wir sind ab morgen in Bayern mit den Fahrrädern unterwegs. That means, as of tomorrow we'll be in Bavaria on our bikes. I might persuade the Sous Chef to buy some Lederhosen while we're there. On the right legs they can look damn fine inded. If there's one thing he has, it's outstanding legs.

but he might insist I get myself a Dirndl.

and if there's one thing I do have it's the suitable accessories to go with it.

I jest but that style of clothing (called Tracht) is still worn in Germany and is not unlike the kilts of Scotland. I don't feel German enough to wear a Dirndl (the skirt, apron, blouse and bodice that women wear) nor indeed have the funds to afford one, but I do actually like them (and not all as low cut as the one pictured above. I'm thinking the girl in the picture does not rely on her witty conversation to keep people's attention).

I'm especially excited about this trip because we're getting there by train. There is a sleeper train from Paris to Munich and we're booked into a double cabin and should arrive in Munich, refreshed (or dishevelled, depends what we get up to) at 8am Saturday morning to cycle from Munich in the South to the Ruhr district in the North.

Despite being born in the land of thigh-slapping, beer drinking, sausage eating (ok, enough cliches) people I have actually seen very little of the country. I've never been as far south as Bavaria and I'm not even sure I'll be able to understand what they're saying through the thick Bayerisch accent or that they would understand me with my (now British accented) Ruhrpott German.

I'm also clueless regards the different beers, having left there at about the legal age to drink and I'm not likely to be trying the 1200 varieties or so of sausage (I made that number up. It might well be far more). In fact, I'm not sure I'm going to be much use if Landlord was hoping I'd be able to act as a tourguide. I can say " We're lost. Where is the nearest pub and when is it likely to stop raining" (though I might be giving my Britishness away by talking about the weather. Germans tend to make smalltalk about their health problems; their circulation and blood pressure being the most popular topics)

We're back 3 weekends from now. Hopefully with lots of pictures.