It was a much warmer night last night. For - er - digestive reasons - I had to open the window in the middle of the night and it was really very pleasant. Today has been much milder, too.
The Swan Whisperer decided not to go for a run this morning because he had got so lost last night. We were not away very early, as we had to use services and so on, but once that was done we headed to Altena via the nearest shopping centre.
Altena was lovely, an industrial town on the Lenne river. It has a huge castle above the town
which you reach by means of a lift at the end of a tunnel with an exhibition in it. I don't do tunnels, and the SW, who doesn't mind them, said the exhibition was wasted on him, anyway. He did go up in the lift, but I gather it was just a lift not a funicular or anything fun like that, so I didn't bother, but after lunch we went for a walk along the street that takes you to it, which surprised us by all the shops being shut for lunch, as if it were France (just as well, in the case of the wool shop which looked lovely!). I think there had been a street market earlier but this had now finished for the day.
which you reach by means of a lift at the end of a tunnel with an exhibition in it. I don't do tunnels, and the SW, who doesn't mind them, said the exhibition was wasted on him, anyway. He did go up in the lift, but I gather it was just a lift not a funicular or anything fun like that, so I didn't bother, but after lunch we went for a walk along the street that takes you to it, which surprised us by all the shops being shut for lunch, as if it were France (just as well, in the case of the wool shop which looked lovely!). I think there had been a street market earlier but this had now finished for the day.
We walked back along the river, admiring the hanging baskets sponsored by local businesses and families,
and then it was time to move on to Wuppertal.
and then it was time to move on to Wuppertal.
It was the first time for several days that we had used the motorway. I must remember to take my hearing aids out when we do this as otherwise it is very noisy and echoes through your head in a very tiring way.
We arrived in Wuppertal, to the aire we stayed in last time we were here, in nice time to have a cup of tea and have spent the rest of the time planning what we are doing tomorrow. We know what we're going to do but it's a question of logistics. We are going to spend two nights here and then start heading home on Saturday.