{"id":1729,"date":"2021-05-07T12:22:56","date_gmt":"2021-05-07T10:22:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kommt-zeit-kommt-rad.ch\/danube-bicycle-path-too-easy-change-of-plans\/"},"modified":"2025-08-03T19:35:10","modified_gmt":"2025-08-03T17:35:10","slug":"danube-bicycle-path-too-easy-change-of-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kommt-zeit-kommt-rad.ch\/en\/danube-bicycle-path-too-easy-change-of-plans\/","title":{"rendered":"Danube Bicycle Path? Too easy! Change of plans!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With our legs rested, our stomachs full, and our heads filled with exciting conversations and lots of tips for the rest of our route, we left Barbara and Andreas from Linz after three nights.The first interesting and at the same time deeply sad stop was the memorial site of the Mauthausen concentration camp, which existed from 1938 to 1945 and, including the satellite camps, led to the deaths of at least 90,000 people. <\/p>\n\n

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The staircase of death today<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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Barracks of the concentration camp<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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“Skydiver” wall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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Left: Gas chamber, from the right room the gas was injected<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/figure>\n\n

Insider tip: Take the ascent via the death staircase instead of the signposted route to the remains of the concentration camp. The concentration camp \/ the remains are open to visitors today.<\/p>\n\n

Thoughtfully, we continue our journey and are again directed to positive thoughts by the beautiful sunset with a view of Greinburg Castle.<\/p>\n\n

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Influenced by the Corona situation in Germany, we initially wanted to avoid Nieder\u00f6sterreich until 3.5. because there was an all-day curfew until that date. However, we learned from reliable sources that, among other things, sports activities are among the exemptions. So we dared, as well as numerous locals, to continue following the Danube cycle path, along the beautiful vineyards in the Wachau region.<\/p>\n\n

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Between Grein and Ybbs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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Monastery Stift Melk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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Beni’s fall \ud83d\ude02?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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The Wachau, known for vineyards and apricot trees<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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At colleagues of Andreas and Barbara in Krems we had our next stop. <\/p>\n\n

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Thanks to his “slightly” older bicycle we got to talk with Don<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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1. coronatest for overnight stay in Krems<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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Krems city tour<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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The pioneer of graffiti<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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Kaiserschmarrn (specially prepared for us by Pete and Gerlinde \ud83d\ude0b)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/figure>\n\n

On the way to Vienna, we came across the Zwentendorf nuclear power plant<\/a>, which is the only nuclear power plant in the world that was completed but never put into operation.After the nuclear power plant was built, 50.47 percent of those who voted in the referendum on November 5, 1978 rejected its commissioning. After the referendum, heated discussions ensued. The then Chancellor Bruno Kreisky had announced that he would resign in the event of a vote against the power plant, which he ultimately did not do. Today, the nuclear power plant is used for educational purposes, among other things, since the radioactive fuel rods were never put into operation. In addition, it is also used as a festival site.<\/p>\n\n

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Cargo ship on the Danube<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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Impression of the Danube Cycle Path<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/figure>\n\n

In the evening we searched a bit off the bicycle path for a campground just before Vienna. While setting up the tent, we noticed several wild boar tracks in the meadow, which did not look very fresh. If only we had stuck our finger \ud83d\udc49\ud83c\udffb in the \ud83d\udca9, then the warmth would probably have told us that the leftovers were fresher than thought\ud83d\ude05. In the middle of the night Nicole shook Beni out of his sleep and whispered “do you hear that too?” Beni’s facial features abruptly changed from bummed out to ready for battle when he, too, noticed the grunt right next to our tent. With bated breath and a pulse of 200, we waited stock-still until the wild boar(s) moved on. With so much adrenaline, we couldn’t find a peaceful sleep that night. A rare sight was offered to us when leaving the forest the next morning, when we saw at least 20 wild boars incl. young animals – what a rare sight.<\/p>\n\n

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Wild boar playground<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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From now on we better keep a lookout<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/figure>\n\n

Since we had both been to Vienna several times before and the weather was not very good, we only made a dinner stop in the center. The take-away Wiener schnitzel, which we were really looking forward to, was unfortunately more like a Wienerschmarrn \ud83d\ude02, dripping with fat and later still soaked from the rain \ud83d\ude05.<\/p>\n\n

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Here are a few more impressions of our last kilometers in Austria:<\/p>\n\n

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Eckartsau Castle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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Power nap in the castle park<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/figure>\n\n

As the title suggests, there is a change of plan for our route: Since entry into Hungary is not possible due to still closed borders, we cannot follow the Danube bicycle path any further and therefore, after crossing Slovakia, we drive via Ukraine to the Black Sea. <\/p>\n\n

Route adjusted, border crossing tackled, we see a fence on the green border with Slovakia. Under the curious gaze of a Slovak woman with her child, Beni tries to open the fence \ud83d\udcaa\ud83c\udffb. When we passed this hurdle, Beni still had the nerve to ask the woman for a photo, Nicole would have preferred to continue directly, because we still had to cross a bridge until we definitely arrived in Slovakia.<\/p>\n\n

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In front of the border<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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Done!!<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/figure>\n\n

We were received like kings in Slovakia by Henryk (Warmshower host). He gave us a culinary insight into the local dishes and wines, helped us plan our rough route through the country and guided us through Bratislava the next day. We could write 3 blog posts about Henryk`s stories. He has supposedly lived in every country before, and over 20 years ago he took a honeymoon trip around the world with his wife and a Swiss bicycle, which still guides him safely through the streets, also with a destination in Australia.<\/p>\n\n

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With Henryk in front of the opera in Bratislava<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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Yoohoo, the terraces are open<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/figure>\n\n

Our journey really began when we reached Slovakia: a different language, infrastructure, and architecture.It’s exciting to see how old and new blend together, with faster internet like in Germany (not very difficult \ud83d\ude05) and triple-glazed windows on the one hand, and houses with thatched roofs on the other.After a VERY stormy day, fortunately with a strong tailwind (see video), we are now staying in an Airbnb, as the accommodations here are open, and taking a two-day break.<\/p>\n\n

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