Had my first real German breakfast at the hotel in Baden-Baden before a late departure (waited for the sun to come out) ... cold cuts, cheers, croissants, jelly, fruit, and cappuccinos.
Right outside Baden-Baden, the B500 was blocked for maintenance but went around it after a few turns and twists. What an incredible road .... non stop twisties... perfect pavement ... very narrow and tight for some long stretches ... dark dense forests .... up and down the high mountains ... Wow!
No wonder why everybody talks about this stretch of Germany as a must do on a motorcycle. A great way to wake up to life : )
Riding through rural Germany makes you realize the difference between richer and poorer countries ... everything here is tidy, clean, highly automated, and the villages are sparsely populated with little outside social life. Sometimes I wonder if having more chaotic environments, with more people outside, with more social interaction ... and with more struggles is perhaps better for the human psyche ??!?
It is also amazing that even in old countries like Germany and Switzerland there are still wide open, pristine, beautiful spaces all around the mountains and valleys. There is still hope for the world.
Needless to say the roads are perfect, the motorcycle is running like new, flawless handling, balance, power ... I was just thinking that this is absolutely the perfect bike to take to go tackle the deserts of West Africa in January.
Stopped in Konstanz (on the shore of Lake Constance) to have lunch ... I found a burrito place with amazing options in the main pedestrian area. Just like Chipotle : )
I also noticed that the concrete in some of the 4 lane roads is like glass ... perfectly smooth, no seams, no cracks ... how do they do it?
Finally, arrived to Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein. Small city with a nice pedestrian area, a few bank buildings (their main industry), a few government buildings, the cathedral, and the Liechtenstein Castle perched on top of the granite wall next to the town. I did not realize how small Liechtenstein actually is.
Went for walk around town and ended up at the tourist office buying the usual ... pin, patch, cap, and balaclava. : )
No jet lag today. All good. Dinner at the hotel. Tomorrow is a long day towards Monte Carlo through the Italian Alps and Lake Como.
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