Exploring Liepaja and rolling through Latvia

This morning just a few pictures as I’ve got about 100 km to cycle and some ascent to do… 

On Saturday I’ve arrived in Liepaja and met my couchsurfing family. Monta took me into the city and showed me around the old town and former military base.

In the evening there was a fantastic music night all around the town and the museums were open and free. 

After having left on the next day I’ve made 80 km to the north where I’ve found a small campingsite – only for me with showers as it is still of season. A camper couple from Bavaria on their way to Russia invited me in their warm camper as I had to wear a hat because it was so cold… 

From Klaipeda to Nida and back

So in the morning I’ve started my trip finally with my recumbent bike and took the small ferry to the spit – with many school kids who went to the delfinarium.

After having left the crowded space I’ve entered the national park which had an outstanding beauty. This day the weather wasn’t so good and therefore the sensations where – let’s say medium but really nice. 

You cycle along the dunes for about 54 km and find great options to climb the dunes to have a great view. So after cycling nearly to Nida I had the strange feeling that the suspension is really soft – but thankfully it was just a flat tire and as it was only a small hole I could make my way to the campingsite. 

In the evening I met a swiss couple who do a really great trip for one year around Europe and perhaps they will make their winter holidays in Marrokko. So their where many stories to tell and we sat around our tents, cook some pasta and had a great view in the evening from the nearby dune. 

On the next morning we had together our breakfast with real espresso and decided to cycle together to Klaipeda as we had the same way. So we visited the Grey Dune and could see the Russian Federation not far away. 

We continued our journey accompanied by great sunshine and 25 degrees and I got a sunburn. 

The cyclepath is known in that area as the best part of the whole journey between London and St Petersburg and we enjoyed it very much.

So we reached the small ferry I had yesterday already and drove over to Klaipeda where we had  a short look to the city as the both hadn’t seen the city before. They wanted to go to a hostel and I continued after saying good bye to the next campingsite, about 10 km away. Cycling through woods again it was a real pleasure. But – the couple had to follow me as the hostel was fully booked and we sat together again. In our neighborhood there were two camper also from Switzerland so we sat together and they invited us for an absolut great dinner – wonderful. They made a BBQ, we had delicious wine and a good beer…after a while a french guy came along and we started a talk with him – so finally this day finished again at 11 pm – and now the blog is written and I can fall asleep in my huge tent… 

Let’s go to Lithuania!

Finally I’ve started my trip with the longest preparation time I’ve made till today. I hop on the local trains to Munich where I’ve had my traditional beer with a cold pice of pizza and jumped on the Nightjet train to Hamburg. 

Waking up on Tuesday morning there was rain – like it was predicted. I took the a train to Kiel and cycled to a small bicycle shop where I’ve ordered already a spare mirror for my bike as there where no ones in the shops around my home to get in that short time. 

Having some hours to wait in rainy Kiel I’ve had a look around and found the Nautical Museum including the nearby town museum. Very interesting to find out some facts about ships, the history and the present. 

Now the time had come to go to the harbour to check in. Many lorries where already waiting and a bicycle. I met an older lady who’ve made so many trips in her life so the 2 1/2 h just went by with many stories. 

On the ship I’ve had a wonderful cabin for my own with a shower and after cultivating myself again there was a great dinner and some outstanding views of the harbour of Kiel departing Germany. 

The sun came out and so we had some wonderful views of the coastline and later on a good lithuanian beer at the bar. 

This morning after having a great breakfast we had a little bit of sunshine and finally in the afternoon we arrived at the harbour of Klaipeda in Lithuania. 

After having left the ferry I’ve met a really friendly couchsurfing couple with a great dog and a 6 year old kid and they showed me around the old town of Klaipeda and its history – absolutely fabulous! 

So tomorrow I’m going to take a small ferry to the curonian spit and do my first real cycling day down to the south to Nida where I’m going to camp one night – looking forward to this great adventure!