Day 9 - Travel Day

So we woke up a little early, mostly because our neighbors on both sides must have been families of about 20 who needed to shower and slam doors. But that was alright since we needed to hit the souvenir shops before we left Brugge. We hopped in a taxi for the train station and were informed that our driver was an olympic swimmer and competed in the Atlanta and Sydney games and now teaches classes. The train was just about empty which was awesome. We then caught a high speed train to Aachen, Germany. The Belgain country side is absolutly beauftiful. It is so green with trees seperating property and fields rather than fences. As we got near Germany everything got even more green as the horizon rose due to rolling hills. Little villages scattered throughout deep valleys and old farmhouses fit nicely in their surroundings.

The trip to Aachen was about an hour, we got in another taxi headed for Enterpise rent-a-car where we had a reservation. We were then informed that we needed to be German residents and they don't have a large enough fleet for renters to make one way trips, so we couldn't rent there anyhow. They suggested we go to Hurtz up the road about a quarter mile. They did do one way rentals... but they didn't have any cars, so we had them call the other Hurtz in town... they had no cars as well. Well... there was another car rental place about a half mile back the other dirrection, so we walked. They don't do one way either. About another half a mile down the road is the last car rental spot in town. So off we went. Sixt was the name of the company. It just so happened that they do point to point, but it is the weekend and they are all out of.... oh wait! there is one car left! So we got our Ford Fiesta and off we went! We were a little discouraged when we heard Ford Fiesta, but the new models are solid, attractive and comfortable. We originally wanted to stop in Aachen to see the cathedral there wich Charlemange first started constructing. It later saw a variety of additions in various types of archetecture ranging from Byzantine archs to Gothic roofs. Unfortuanly due to all the set backs this was not possilbe. Here is what we would have seen. Oh, well.

We left around 3:30 and fiddled with the navagation system for a bit before getting on the right course. The German courty side is amazing as well. We are either surrounded by thick woods or high above little villages on bridges or hills. Everything was beautiful today. There were amazing little suprizes scattered all throughout the scenery like a little white house atop a tall and steep hill where the only thing breaking the thick green forrest was that house. Or, tops of castles sticking out above the tree tops and sitting above towns off in the distance. It took us 4 hours of driving at autobahn speeds, but we finally made it to Rothenburg, a preserved medieval town much like Brugge from which we just came. Tomorrow should be very exciting.