Konnigswinter - Germany August 1982

Friday July 30th

Left home 5.34am for Dover to sail at 1pm. Foggy but bright. Reached Stamford at 7.25am then stopped at a Little Chef at 7.40am for an 'Early Starter' breakfast. Arrived Dover 11.21am. Luckily or not, we arrived early enough to get on the preceeding boat the St Christopher to Calais. The crossing was a little rough. Simon Gnome was on board [no idea - Ed.]. Arrived Calais 14.04pm.

Set off to Dunkirk and arrived after a brief stop for refreshments. Dad and I went to see about accommodation. We found the information building in the form of a belfry, a massive bell tower. We were given a list of hotels in the area and we booked into one behind the belfry. Then when we had unpacked, we looked for a restaurant for a meal. After ages of walking around we stopped for a drink and consulted a list and I found a suitable place. For 45Fr (£1=11.58Fr) I had a ham and mushroom pizza, then grilled steak with runner beans and chips. Finally finished with a chocolate mouse and coffee. Got back to the hotel at about 10pm. I went to bed with the chimes of the belfry and a thunderstorm.

Saturday July 31st
Woke up at half past seven. Breakfast was tea, croissant and bread rolls with strawberry and rhubarb jam. After packing we had a quick look at the beach before heading to Belgium on the E5. The weather was cloudy but the temperature was high and the air was humid. We changed onto the E3 then E39, past Brussells and Gent to Antwerp. Very hot as we stopped for a sandwich lunch. Later on the A4 in Germany we stopped at a service station and i bought myself a bowl of fresh fruit (2.50DM). Then we went on past Cologne, over the Rhine and passed opposite Bonn to Konnigswinter. After a lucky right hand turn we found the Gut Buschoff hotel complex. It was a huge set of buildings, restaurants, pubs, tennis centres.

We walked up two flights of stairs to our rooms. Private toilet and shower, telephone and radio alarm clock, special writing paper and bedside lamps. After a shower we went down to the main restaurant. We had a set lunch - a bowl of ace salad (cucumber, prawn cocktail sauce, sliced turnip, tomato etc.). We thought this was a 'starter', but then a plate of some ace pork in a savoury sauce with mushrooms and runner beans was brought. After that we had ice cream. We took a walk around the grounds and to the ten or so outdoor tennis courts and six indoor as well as squash courts. There were several pubs/restuarants on site, even an English pub.

We looked for skittles as promised in the brochure and after asking we were shown the bowling alley (10DM per hr).Rather weird, you only had one chance at nine skittles but they were on strings and fell independently, so no-one could get nine down.

Sunday August 1st
After not too bad a night I woke up at 8 and got ready for breakfast at half past. Not knowing what to expect, we were suprised to find a table with jams, meat spreads, cheese spreads, cold meats, cheese slices, bread, cornflakes, orange juice, plates and cutlery for you to help yourself. I had a drink of orange juice, a bowl of cornflakes, blackcurrant jam on bread and butter and a ham and cheese sandwich.

After raining pretty heavily in the night, it had stopped. We decided to go to Bonn even though the shops would be shut. We found a car park and walked into the centre precinct which was paved and cars were prohibited. We took a few photos and looked around.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lingz/32699391132/

For lunch we eventually decided on a value for money snack of a giant hamburger avec cheese, salad, chips and coffee £1.50 each.

https://trip101.com/article/spend-a-sunday-in-bonn-germany-like-the-locals

Later on in the afternoon the sun came out and it got quite hot. Dad bought us an ice cream, then we took the car and went down to the Rhine and watched the barges go by. Got back to the hotel about 6pm and after a shower and change, went down for dinner. We had soup - thin like gravy with meat in it, very tasty -then chicken in a sauce with rice. Afterwards we played tennis.

Monday 2nd August
For breakfast I had a cherry yoghurt, boiled egg, sliced ham & cheese on bread, tea, orange juice and bread with recurrant jam and apricot jam. Afterwards we went into Konnigswinter and looked around. It was very hot. Had homemade lunch then afterwards had a nice walk along the Rhine to Bad Honnef. As it was two miles or more we were v thirsty and glad to find a cafe open on an offshore island that could be reached by footbridge.

https://www.goosmann-ferienwohnung.de/bad-honnef/

I bought myself a piece of Gooseberry cake 2.50DM. I had the idea of getting a cruiser back to Konnigswinter and as it only took 20 minutes, it was easier and nice watching the barges go by. For lunch we had an ace salad - potato salad, salami, ham, cheese, red cabbage, asparagus, boiled egg and lettuce - then ice cream to finish. Afterwards mum, Stephen and I went on a walk behind the tennis courts. We went through the forest then round some fields of cows. I thought of giving an apple to one from the many trees around us. A calf wandered towards the fence when it saw us and walked between the wire and on to the track. We got behind it and eventually pushed it back through the fence. When we got back it was quite dark, so we had a drink and then went to bed [what happened to tea? - Ed]. V hot at night.

Tuesday 3rd August
For breakfast I had cornflakes, orange juice, boiled egg, smoked ham, another cold meat, cheese, cherry and redcurrant jam on bread and tea. We then rushed off to catch a cruise from Konnigswinter down the Rhine to Bad Breisig.

https://gruppenreise-navi.com/en/search/region-search/der-rhein-von-koeln-bis-koblenz-siebengebirge-rhein-sieg-kreis/1916-tourist-information-bad-breisig/booking

It was very hot, so we sat down on the second deck under cover at a table. We went up on deck from time to time to feel the warm air and take photos. When we got to Bad Breisig however we decided to go further on to Andernach.

https://www.geysir-andernach.de/en/geysir-besuch/in-andernach/

We looked around the town and I had a drink of milk and a cake. I bought some thin chicken soup 3.90DM and i got a free sample of aftershave in a bottle. Then we caught the 3.30pm boat back. For dinner we had thin soup, then beef, chips, peas, carrots, onions and asparagus. Then suprisingly we got some ice cream as well. Afterwards we had an apple cake an then i read for a while before going to bed.

Wednesday 4th August
For breakfast I had orange juice, raspberry yoghurt, ham, cheese and pork sandwiches then bramble and redcurrant jam on bread with tea. We reached BadGodesburg station after crossing the Rhine on a car ferry. Then we took the train to Cologne (Koln). The station was just outside the Cathederal, so we went there first.

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cologne_Cathedral

It had a cery high ceiling but only a few stainrd glass windows. At one end there was a big gold casket [The Shrine of the Magi - see https://www.cologne-tourism.com/see-experience/cologne-cathedral/interior/].

When we came out, we were in the main shopping area, a pedestrian-only street with lots of shops of many kinds. We first of all went into the famous 4711 shop which sells exclusive perfumes and toiletries. I bought some soap for nanny and got a free bottle of aftershave aswell.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4711

After ages walking through the shopping area we turned off the beaten track a little and found a restaurant (1.45pm) where I had a chicken and pineapple salad. After that we saw another 4711 shop and went in for a look around. Then we went to a good restaurant and had an ace piece of gateau and three cups of tea. After that we went back to the station and after a half hour wait we got the train back.

For dinner we had tomato soup and cream, then some meat, boiled potatoes and some kind of green in a thin sauce. Then green and pink ice cream. Afterwards there was a thunderstorm but that decreased the temperature and I got a better night's sleep.

Thursday 5th August
It was raining when i awoke at 7.57am and after the same breakfast with an 'all fruits' yoghurt and no egg, it was still raining, so we stayed in until about 11am, listening to BFBS on the radio. We set off for Linz and caught the car ferry across the Rhine and started up the Ahr valley, a good wine area we were told.

https://theculturetrip.com/europe/germany/articles/best-wine-tasting-tours-ahr-valley-germany/

There were vineyards everywhere. After a picnic lunch, we went further on and the weather brightened up and we stopped at a place called Altenahr where we bought a bottle of wine 'mit pradikitt'.

http://www.travelandlifestylediaries.com/2015/10/wine-shopping-in-wine-village-of.html

We walked on through gift shops until we came to a chair lift, so Stephen and I decided to go up it even though it was still misty. Afterwards we came down and had a piece of fruit and cream flan. On the way back we stopped at Unkel for a look round and bought another bottle of wine.

For dinner we had chicken and rice in a mushroom sauce and ice cream.

Friday 6th August
For breakfast I had cornflakes, orange juice, a ham, pork and cheese sandwich, then bramble and strawberry jam on bread with tea. Set off to Bonn and parked in the underground. We came up some stairs straight into one of the main squares. Immediately we saw a fruit and veg market and had a look around. There were many different types of produce like artichokes and long white turnips. The smell of the ripe fruit was strong. It was also the last day of the sales so Stephen and I bought some 25p handkerchiefs after looking round the shops and stalls.

We had lunch in a fish bar and afterwards we bought some things from a chocolate shop. Then we went to a good restaurant and sat outside and had an ice cream. I had oranjuice mixed with rum on a vanilla ice cream. After that we went down to the river an sat watching the boats, before goingback to the hotel. After a shower we came down for dinner. It was a thin meat and vegetable soup, then omlette, mushrooms and chips. We packed a little afterwards then came down and talked with the Wrights. Went to bed about 11pm and after a 'not bad' night, woke up to the sound of the radio at 7.20am.


Saturday 7th August
Went for breakfast at 8am. I had Cornflakes, orange juice, boiled egg, then bread and honey and tea. Then we packed the suitcases into the boot and set off to the supermarket to spend any change we had.

We took the A59 to Cologne, then onto the E4 for a while before getting on the E41 into Belgium and near Liege. The weather was pretty bad now with fog. Then we joined the E5 for a while before rejoining the E41 then stopped for a picnic lunch at about 1pm and by then the weather was brightening up and we joined the E10. The sun got hotter the further we went on. Joined the A16 to Lille.