Dusseldorf Trip 2012 - The Way Home

This year we finally made to the Dusseldorf Caravan Salon.  After 3 days at the show, and making our way home, we stopped off at Venlo, Holland, Xanten and Kleve in Germany, and Maldegem in Belgium before crossing the Channel from Dunkerque to Dover.

All the pictures were taken either with a Panasonic Lumix TZ7 compact or a Lumix GH1 with 14-140 zoom lens.

The extensive marina and motorhome aire at Venlo Jachthaven, TZ7 

Xanten is a lovely little town, with a pretty square but also the remains of a Roman Metropolis and a couple of man made lakes featuring a lido.

The Gothic coffee house in the square, GH1

St Viktors Cathedral, GH1

The late sun casts its glow, GH1

The market square, Xanten. TZ7

Delightful bronze in the street - note the glass "water" in the bucket! TZ7

The working windmill and bakery, TZ7

Through the old city gate into the square, TZ7



Down by the lake....

We weren't able to identify this goose - any ideas? TZ7

The next generation!

Cycle paths all round the lakes, TZ7

The perfect picnic spot.... TZ7

Water skiing the environmentally friendly way! TZ7

Keep those knees bent!

The Roman ramparts rise again. TZ7

Well..why not? TZ7



After Xanten we visited Anholt Castle, a Baroque family residence - now a museum and hotel, in Wasserburg.

The grand entrance, GH1

Restored ornamental gardens

The old kitchens

Still one wastrel in the dungeons!



Our next stopover was in Kleve, the birthplace of Anne of Cleves. Heavily bombed in WW2, it is still in the process of rebuilding and re-generation.

Kleve on 13th February 1945 (taken from a public photograph). GH1

An amusing and imaginative bronze. GH1

The Zur Post hotel and restaurant gave us a good meal. GH1



Now into Belgium for a wonderful stopover and a great meal in great surroundings at t' Brigandje, Maldegem.

t'Brigandje, just an unprepossessing farmhouse... GH1

Inside... colourful and atmospheric

Stone flags and wooden beams

Sunset through the window

The perfect end to a perfect meal



Across the Channel, we slept well on the sea front in Dover, then stayed at the Fox and Hounds, Charlton Adam, set in a quintessential English village.

The Fox and Hounds, Charlton Adam. TZ7

Green fields and weeping willow. TZ7

Sunday morning gossip...

The Parish Church. TZ7

That quintessential Somerset lane. TZ7

Dusseldorf Trip 2012 - Outward Bound

This year we finally made it to Europe's largest motorhome show. There is not a lot of point of posting a lot of shots of motorhomes that you can get from the manufacturers websites, but here are the best from our stopovers on the journey out there.

All the pictures were taken either with a Panasonic Lumix TZ7 compact or a  Lumix GH1with 14-140 zoom lens

 First stop was Totnes, Devon and a boat trip down the River Dart to Dartmouth.

Totnes's distinctive church spire, TZ7

Classic Totnes shot, GH1

The River Dart, from the boat, GH1

The Dartmouth Castle river steamer, GH1

A camping spot to die for... GH1

...and a house to die for, GH1

Smoke from the Dart Valley Railway hangs in the air, GH1

The Kingswear chain ferry and Floating Bridge Public House, GH1

Bayards Cove, Old Dartmouth, GH1

The return trip at low tide, GH1

Totnes church appears in the distance, GH1

  
Safely back to Totnes, GH1

The infamous Totnes Orange Race, TZ7

TV personality Rory McGrath takes part, TZ7

Even the Police join in! TZ7



We took the ferry from Dover to Dunkerque and then drove through Belgium via Eeeklo and Holland via Venlo to Dusseldorf

The Jachthaven at Eeklo, Belgium. GH1

St Vincents Church, Eeklo. GH1



Around the Jacthaven are littered sculptures by local artists. These are some that caught my eye.

Meeting by Veerle De Smet

Escape by Stef Orti

Socrates by P. Nand. R