What German city's name starts with an X?

If you guessed Xanten then give yourself 100 points! It's the only city in Germany that does start with an X and that's where I am tonight. They also happen to have a carnival going on in the town square today. This is the 3rd festival I've accidentally attended on this trip. 

It's a strange juxtaposition to have all these carnival rides and games surrounded by old German buildings, and even the original arched gate to the walled city. The gate is 700 years old and survived heavy bombing during WWII. 

The cathedral was not as lucky, but it was restored. 

Last night's hotel was pretty minimal and did not serve a breakfast and I didn't find a restaurant that did. Because the route is often out of town my breakfast/lunch consisted of snacks I found at a small (very small) shop in a town off route. 

So, I decided I'd opt for a good dinner. A Paprika Schnitzel with salad and pommes frites (French fries).  I actually learned that last one at a McDonald's in Munich 50 years ago. 

So what else happened today? 

Spotted a nice little car (Fiat Topolino) you could park on your front steps. This was a 1 seater but I think that was just an option or modification because I saw another that had a passenger seat. They sell new for under €10,000.

Leaving Duisburg behind

And crossing the Rhine again

Lots of water

Germans, as a whole, are not comfortable with the Nazi past. When I talk with someone and the subject of the war comes up (usually at a war memorial) I will end the conversation by saying "war is an awful thing."

People working on a suspension bridge. I only noticed them when I stopped to rest and eat a little loaf of bread. 

I don't mind heights but I don't think i would volunteer for this job. 

BTW, almost all major bridges have a fairly modern look to them. The German army was able to destroy almost all of the Rhine bridges during their retreat. There was a lot of rebuilding to do. 

I think Germany shut down all their nuclear power plants after Chernobyl.  One was under construction at the time. The cooling tower has been turned into a popular amusement park. I should see it tomorrow. 

A railroad bridge that was destroyed during the war. It was originally 2 kilometers long. 

A closer view of one end of it. The arches remind me of the 7 mile bridge in the Florida Keys. It was originally a railroad bridge too

A hinged river boat loaded with John Deere tractors. 

Not as many pictures today. 

I ran into another forced detour when the road on the dike was blocked due to reconstruction of the dike. There are no advance signs for bike path blockages and no signs for how to get around them. Very frustrating, but the reconstruction is because exceedingly heavy rains, 30 years ago, caused devastating flooding in Germany and The Netherlands. 

Late in January of 1995, heavy rains in the Alps, France and Germany caused the Rhine and it's tributaries to reach historic heights and overflow dikes and other flood protection. This happened just 2 years after the last 100 year flood in 1993. With the fear of what climate change may cause, many of the dikes are being raised and improved for an uncertain future. 

I can relate. I experienced 2 or 3 100 year floods while I was living in Oregon

See you tomorrow.