Europe in Photos

Introduction

2006-02-19T21:34:00.000-08:00

When you look at a bicycle, what do you see? Two wheels, a set of handlebars, a chain, some pedals and a frame culminating in a seat only the most masochistic of athletes would actually consider sitting on.

What does a touring cyclist see? Opportunity.

Touring by bicycle - faster than on foot, slower than by car or train - opens up a world of experiences. The whirr of your chain is the one constant as the towns slip smoothly by the wayside. And each new turn offers a gift. Some sort of revelation. A unique moment presented only to you the cyclist, who sees more of the countryside than backpackers or drivers can ever imagine.

This site is a compilation of photographs taken on a self-supported, 10-country bicycle tour of Europe from May to August of 2005. Browse, enjoy and feel free to dream.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FRANCE
Along the Loire river; D'Orleans to Tours

Vineyards of the Loire valley

D-day beaches

Northern coast; Cliffs of Etretat

People-watching in Lille Flandres

BELGIUM
Following the canals

NETHERLANDS
Lots of grass... helps feed the sheep

GERMANY
Criss-crossing the deep divide

Swiss-Bohemia National Park

CZECH REPUBLIC
All the way through

Cesky Krumlov

AUSTRIA
A Blue Danube waltz

SWITZERLAND
Foot of the Alps

A four-day trek

On top of the world

Gimmelwald, Swiss National Day

ITALY
Cinque Terra National and Marine park

Venice

Florence

Tuscan countryside

La Spezia sunset

Pompeii

GREECE
Greek Island

Greece

2006-02-19T21:10:00.000-08:00

Naxos - unlike it's more popular neighboring islands - is large and surprisingly mountainous. Arid desert roads wind through the landscape to places that few tourists visit

A few hours of riding a scooter along suicidal hairpin turns through the hills takes you to the "other" side of Naxos, whose rocky beaches and crumbling stone walls attract only the occasional goat

Another picture-perfect sunset; a bonus in a land where water is always on the horizon

Fishing boats rest for the night; Naxos

The Mediterranean Sea slips by the ferry between Italy and Greece

Sailors ignore a nosy photographer as the island-hopping ferry leaves the dock on its nighttime run

Any port in a storm: When all the inside seats are taken, tired budget travellers will scout out any wind-sheltered nook on the ferry's deck to catch some sleep.

Children tease a truck full of young chickens in the Naxos interior

Whitewash on a Greek house splashes across the bottom of its door; Naxos

Fig trees grow so profusely it's hard not to wonder if there's some sort of catch, when one reaches up by the side of the road to pick a few

One of many sunsets over warm ocean waters; Agia Anna

Greeks harbour no false modesty about their country; Naxos

Italy: Pompeii

2006-02-19T21:06:00.000-08:00

Visitors enter Pompeii through the large main square and linger there, only to find to their dismay that the far end of the city harbours even more spectacular sights, which they must pass by as they leave at closing time

Mt. Vesuvius stands over her long-ago victim

Abbreviated columns cast long shadows on the lumpy cobbled paths of residential Pompeii

Temples and grand buildings are reduced to isolated walls and more stone columns in Pompeii's mains square

The city itself is big. Pompeii is not an open-air museum, it's a bona-fide city-within-a-city. You can't wander through its streets in a few hours - as with any large town, you can count on needing a full day to see the entire place.

NEXT: Greek island

Italy: Southern sunset

2006-02-19T20:57:00.000-08:00

Here is where Italians go to enjoy the sea. Nope, not pristine sandy beaches, the ones here are made of myriad different pebbles. But here there is no concession to Western tourism, no McDonalds, just a small town with it's privately-owned restaurants, gelaterias and toy shops catering to the families who brave a crowded train ride to the south of Italy for the weekend.

The sun is low on the horizon, but the day has been hot enough to melt chocolate bars, so beach-goers are in no hurry to leave.

The surf picks up and soon the only people in the water are those crazy enough to want to be tumbled, head over heels back onto the pebbly shore, with each passing wave.

The beach empties slowly as families pack up and walk back to a leisurely dinner

The beach is left to the romantics and young couples who stay to watch the evening show

The curtain drops and the beach empties completely. Back in town, the evening comes alive as everyone ventures out for the evening passagieta amongst gelato shops, street lights and music.

NEXT: Pompei

Italy: Tuscan countryside

2006-02-19T20:55:00.000-08:00

Tuscany's explosion in popularity in the last few year has it's costs. Though the residents are warm and friendly, and the landscape is lovely, the countryside itself is becoming more of a mainstream tourist destination.

Winding roads make for a great cycling trip, skirting olive-treed slopes and careening into gentle valleys filled with grapevines. Even the occasional thunderstorm does nothing but pour warm rain down your back.

NEXT: Southern sunset

Italy: Florence

2006-02-19T20:50:00.000-08:00

The Arno river: just another excuse for Florentines to create art

Against even such a grandiose background as this, a shopkeeper can have a bad day

Photographs don't get any more standard for Florence than the ancient Ponte Vecchio (the "Old Bridge")

Street artists and performers practice the centuries-old occupation of entertainment in majestic marble courtyards

More art and architecture than one person can absorb

NEXT: Tuscan countryside

Italy: Venice

2006-02-19T20:42:00.000-08:00

This isn't a place of subtle charm. Venice knocks you over the head and bowels over your senses as soon as you emerge from the train station.

Architecture? They'll show you architecture...

"Over the bridge" is a common dictum for lost bikers getting directions out of the town. Let it be noted: Venice is NOT a place for loaded touring bikes. Even if you do manage to find places to ride, you'll likely get busted by floating Venezian polizei.

How does one make decaying back alleys with peeling paint into a prime tourist haunt? Just add water.

Dusky rose glass lanterns add an air of fantasy to an already fantastic city square.

Pigeons, though they don't get top billet, manage to steal the show in San Marco's square

Gondoliers coplete the picture of authentic Venice, jostling for space in the narrow canals

Like a strip mall parking lot, the main canal is lined with vehicles: ferries, gondolas and powerboats tethered in long rows to wooden stakes

A frenzy of shape and colour greets visitors checking out one of the city's premier mask boutiques

On a cool, gray, drizzly day the hordes of tourists fall away, and abandoned back corners of the town regain some of the haunting, lonely feel of their erstwhile days

NEXT: Florence

Italy: Cinque Terra National and Marine park

2006-02-19T20:29:00.000-08:00

A chaotic pile of seaside houses burn in the light of the setting sun; Manarola

Art imitates life; Monterosso al Mare

The fishing villages tumble down their hillsides into the sea, with any leftover expanse being covered with patchworks of vinyards; Vernazza

Perhaps a reflection of the culture, the colours here are passionate, vibrant and unapologetic; Vernazza

Manarola

Cheap, good food is the order of the day: Focaccia, pesto, grilled eggplant, fresh tomatoes, grapes, oranges and sweet local red wine to wash it all down.

Free public beaches are few and far between in Cinque-Terra. More a showcase of small-town culture and marine wildlife, those looking for huge expanses of seaside sand should look further south; Monterosso al Mare

Cinque Terra's national park status keeps the tourist trap chains out and promotes the display and sale of local products, arts and crafts; Manarola

Pueblos pile on top of each other like blocks, creating alleyways out of walls that look likely to collapse into each other any second; Monterosso al Mare

Vernazza

Manarola

Four of the towns sit at sea level, while Corniglia perches on a steep outcrop. Unknown to most, an secret tunnel burrows deep beneath the village to the other side, leading to a private nudist beach guarded by a grizzled gatekeeper.

Cats are everywhere, sauntering the streets with a posessive strut in Corniglia

Nightfall changes Manarola dramatically. As the tourists take the train home, the hubub quiets down, and only a few souls lucky enough to have a bed in the town itself lean against the railing looking out to the sea, or sit at the panninoteca in the company of the locals.

NEXT: Venice

Switzerland: Gimmelwald, Swiss National Day

2006-02-19T20:24:00.000-08:00

Fireworks cascade over the edge of the mountain from Gimmelwald to culminate Swiss National Day on the first day of August.

The Gimmelwald hostel gathers it's denizens and leads them on a lantern parade through the tiny hamlet, to the vastly amused encouragement of local residents.

The evening ends with beer and song, as residents keep keep an eye out for the traditional signal fires lit by neighboring villages on the mountain side.

NEXT: Cinque Terra National and Marine Park

Switzerland: On top of the world

2006-02-19T20:12:00.000-08:00

Two cablecars take visitors from Lauterbrunnen valley to the top of Schilthorn (2970 m), uo to incredible views of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau peaks.

NEXT: Gimmelwald, Swiss National Day

Switzerland: A four-day trek in the Alps

2006-02-19T19:41:00.000-08:00

A cable car takes tired hikers back down to the Lauterbrunnen valley from here; Sulwald (1530 m)

Fog-hung wildflowers on the way down the mountain; Chueboom (1600 m)

Lauterbrunnen valley unveiled after the storm; Lobhornhutte (1955 m)

Alpine shepherd's hut, bedecked with cowbells

Watering trough familiar to thirsty hikers. Make sure you understand some Swiss-German though: "Kein Trinkwasser" means "NOT drinking water" . Leave it to the cows when you see this label!

A summer thunderstorm rolls over the mountaintops; Lobhorner (2566 m)

Alpine carpet

Nervous sentinels guard the pass between Schwalmere (2777 m) and Lobhorner (2566 m)

A mountain farm teeters precariously on the edge of the mountain face; Schwalmere

Alpine hut residents: the human variety are as welcoming as their animal charges are curious. Hikers be warned!

The morning's wakeup call... You'll never think of cowbells the same way again.

Schwalmere's massif from Kander valley on the other side. As usual, cows graze in the foreground.

Kander Valley

A view into Kander valley, descending from Sefinenfugge (2612 m)

Alpine hut beneath Sefinenfugge

A Swiss dog keeps a watchful eye on intruders from its post beneath the hut bench

Eye candy along the way

Kander valley fron the Hundshorn (2929 m) face

A mountain stream carves its way through a melting June glacier

Stealth-camping on the mountain face; Hundshorn (2929 m)

Roaming sheep mingle with wild mountain goats in the darkening night, eyes gleaming back at the camera

Sunset on the descent from Sefinenfugge (2612 m)

Mountain ranges pile upon each other in the distance, dwindling into the evening light; Sefinenfugge pass (2612 m)

A view from the top; Sefinenfugge pass (2612 m)

Wildflowers brave the icy spring water, even hardier than grasses at this height

Sefinental valley from the top; Poganggen (2039 m)

Looking up toward Sefinenfugge pass (2612 m)

Sefinental valley

A clear mountain stream provides a welcome drink and refreshing shower to hot backpackers; Sefinental valley

A glacier-fed river tumbles toward Lauterbrunnen valley, churning itself into icy froth along the rocks; Sefinental valley

The evening sun glances off the tops of the mountains while the rest of the valley sits in shadow; Sefinental valley; Im Tal (1259 m)

A feline guide escorts us on the first leg of our hike, out of Gimmelwald (1363 m)

NEXT: On top of the world

Switzerland: At the foot of the Alps

2006-02-19T19:33:00.000-08:00

Paragliders descend on an Interlaken clearing

Sunset in Interlaken

Feeding the sparrows; Interlaken

Lauterbrunnen

Cycling up the valley to Trummelbachfalle; some say this was the place that inspired Tolkein's Rivendell.

A view from half-way up the mountain face; Gimmelwald

A backpacker explores the back-streets of Feldkirch, Austria

A young connoisseur takes her time selecting a bouquet; Feldkirch, Austria

Flower market; Feldkirch, Austria

NEXT: A four day trek

Austria: A Blue Danube waltz

2006-02-19T19:04:00.000-08:00

Crossing the Danube

Austrians have their own vacation spots, far from the Salzburg crowds . The Attersee region is one of them.

Mrs. Steinberger herself graces the photo of her guesthouse, which long ago sheltered refugees from neighboring communist countries, including my parents; Wildenhag

Don't be fooled by the guidebooks. Linz may not be a top Austrian destination, but the city (including the train station!) has a charm of its own.

Skateboarders pass a lazy afternoon, sheltered under a bridge from a passing downpour; Linz

Nothing if not a city of art, Vienna's sculptures attract human and avian enthusiasts alike

A medley of Mozart's greatest hits performed in costumes of the time; Vienna

A study of contrasts both visual and abstract, Viennese architecture frames a moveable sculpture promoting a gay/lesbian awareness website

Swans guide cyclotourists following the Danube river in the Wachau region, one of the Classic European bike routes

The Wachau region on the Danube is another UNESCO World Heritage site, preserved for it's myriad of tiny, ageless wine towns nestled by the river bank on the steeply sloping surrounding hills.

In a corner of the world that few backpackers see, a farmwife stops to chat with bicycle tourists; Machland

A mist-veiled tributary to the Danube

Refreshments set out to tempt passing cyclists. The residents have their priorities in order; Wachau region

NEXT: At the the foot of the Alps

Czech Republic: Cesky Krumlov

2006-02-19T18:51:00.000-08:00

Crossing the Vltava river

Tourists come in various guises at this UNESCO World Heritage Centre

The Vltava river reflects Cesky Krumlov's medieval buildings as it meanders alongside

Pedestrians are reflected in the glassware displayed by street shops

Kayakers perch like butterflies on the colourful river surrounding the old town

Back street exploration yields some neat surprises

The Church of St Vitus gleams in the sun

Entering the Old Town through a gap in the hills

NEXT: A Blue Danube waltz

Czech Republic: All the way through

2006-02-19T18:07:00.000-08:00

Hluboka nad Vltavou castle outside Czech Budejovice rivals the German castles of King Ludwig II for pure beauty

The castle grounds are a neat place to have a coffee, if your wallet doesn't mind

Even the architecture sometimes take second place to some incredibly romantic sculpture

Vintage auto outside a Tabor bar

Troublemaker at the fountain in the historic main square; Tabor

Snapshots from the back alleys; Tabor

Sunset on a farmer's field on the way to Tabor

A late lunch break in the north-western Czech countryside while riding the Greenways bike path network

Small village deep in the Czech countryside; Borotin

16 km from Tabor, we're looking forward to treating ourselves to a real bed tonight

Performers and spectators take a break at a local folk concert at the Festival of Rosa; Sedlcany

Sunrise over Sedlcany after a night of debating religion and vestigial local anti-German sentiment over good Czech beer

Wheat as far as the eye can see on the road out of Prague

Climbing out of the Sazava river valley

Building detail of hole-in-the-wall village of Tynec Nad Sazavou

There is one pub and one ice-cream shop/bakery in Tynec Nad Sazavou, so the local cronies spend most of their days bickering over beer at the pub, while the kids enjoy ice-cream next door

Leaving the Old Town Square in Prague, along with all the other scores of tourists

Other than the usual toursit souvenirs and kitsch, puppet-making is a more authentic local handi-craft; Prague

A busking trio in the main square commands the rapt attention of a young tourist; Prague

After playing in the square for over an hour, the musicians were told to move on by the local police when it was discovered that their busking permit didn't allow them to start palying until 4 PM. As they packed up, the trumpet player caught my gaze and I rolled my eyes in sympathy as we shared a moment of exasperation at the authorities.

Prague street market. Mmmm...

Fellow backpacker; Prague

Climbing out of the Elbe river valley, a young subject isn't impressed with my photography; Decin

NEXT: Cesky Krumlov

Germany: Swiss-Bohemia National Park, Via Ferrata

2006-02-19T17:57:00.000-08:00

Elbe river; Bad Schandau, Saxony Germany

Via Ferrata: Iron path. A system of rungs hammered into the cliff face to permit quick climbing. Even without a safety harness.

View from the top; Sachsisches Schweiz National Park

Water-carved canyon in Sachsisches Schweiz National Park (Germany) or Czech Switzerland National Park (Czech Republic)

Breathtaking rock formations; Sachsisches Schweiz National Park

Ferry crossing; Konigstein

Even church windows sometimes need repair; Bad Schandau

NEXT: All the way through

Germany: Criss-crossing the deep divide

2006-02-19T17:50:00.000-08:00

A curious visitor checks out our hardware, covered against the rain.

Half-timbered houses and narrow cobble streets in Bleckede

A fellow cyclist; Elbe river bike path

Sheep are a constant variable on both sides of the Elbe river, the former East and West Germany

Filming a television series; Domitz

Fellow bicycle tourists get strange looks from the locals

Shopping the artist's corner; Dresden

Moulding silver for a pendant in the artist's quarter; Dresden

Water and buildings make a massive soundchamber out of this Hamburg port, and five tolling churchbells are amplified to sound like hundreds, echoing off the walls every hour, on the hour.

Hamburg industrial port on the Elbe river

Germany's major train stations double as malls

Beer - ample reward after a long day's ride

NEXT: Swiss-Bohemia National Park

Netherlands: Lots of grass... helps feed the sheep

2006-02-19T17:30:00.000-08:00

Alone at the end of the road; Vlieland Island

Flat-as-a-pancake Netherlands is a cyclist's mecca

Streetlamps burn on the wet cobblestones of Leiden

Island-hopping

Curious resident; Texel Island

A wooden barn stands out on the grasslands of Texel Island

Sheep outnumber people on Texel Island

A campsite in the dunes; Texel Island

Humans are the interlopers. Tread lightly or run like hell; Vlieland Island

Objecting to the intrusion; Vlieland Island

Dusk on Vlieland Island

Cars are not permitted. Bicycles rule the streets

Sunrise glances off the Harlingen docks

NEXT: Criss-crossing the deep divide

Belgium: Following the canals

2006-02-19T17:13:00.000-08:00

Carriages await the tourist crowds in Gent

Hans Christian Andersen's whimsy crops up in unexpected places

Sometimes, the picture does all the talking

Main square lined with chocolate shops (free samples!) and small pubs, each with its own type of beer; Ieper

The Last Post ceremony brings back memories; Ieper

Narrow roads part to reveal St. Martin's cathedral; Ieper

Automation in agriculture

A brave young warrior defeats the lion

Wet cobblestones; Brugge

The past is reflected everywhere in "Venice of the North"; Brugge

Liquid jet fuel

The shops have not yet opened in this Antwerp square

NEXT: Lots of grass... Helps feed the sheep

France: People-watching in Lille Flandres. Or: What happens when you give your camera to a people-watcher...

2006-02-19T16:40:00.000-08:00

Drinking espresso at an overpriced main-square cafe in Lille, the main event is watching the world pass by. Most of these photos are the product of lending the camera to my travel partner, a much more accomplished people-watcher than myself.

NEXT: Following the canals

France: Northern coast; Cliffs of Etretat

2006-02-19T16:34:00.000-08:00

The chalk cliffs of Etretat, between Dieppe and Le Havre, are worth the trip to their out-of-the-way perch

NEXT: People-watching in Lille Flandres

France: D-day beaches

2006-02-19T16:09:00.000-08:00

Men honour the sacrifices of WWI and II soldiers in a memorial parade

Farmscape near Utah Beach

Sunset on the Caen waterway

The Beach; Grandcamp Maisy

Rusted barbed wire serves as a reminder of the war

Brightly coloured fishing boats stand out even on a grey day

American war memorial and cemetary; Colleville-sur-Mer

A much safer job for young men today

American war memorial; Colleville-sur-Mer

Fishing boat in the rain; Grandcamp Maisy

German war cemetary -- a different perspective; La Cambe

Cows graze on the dunes that shelter WWII bunkers

Beach houses; Grand Hameau des Dunes

Grand Hameau des Dunes

The Normandie and Calvados regions are known for their horses and their liquor

The sad demise of an unlucky paratrooper; Sainte Mere Eglise

Waiting for the train; Bayeux

Sunset on main street; Bayeux

WWII beach bunker

Bunker interior - not a good place to die.

British cemetary; Bayeux

Sailboats; Caen

Juno Beach

The day's catch for sale at the market; Courseulles-sur-Mer

Retired sailboat; Courseulles-sur-Mer

More market bounty; Courseulles-Sur-Mer

NEXT: Northern coast; Cliffs of Etretat

France: Vineyards of the Loire valley

2006-02-19T16:06:00.000-08:00

Roadside display tempts visitors to a free wine-tasting in the Indre-et-Loire region between the Loire and Cher rivers

Typical landscape of the Cheverny region near Blois

Another view from the bicycle seat: rows upon rows of grapevines blanket the horizon

NEXT: D-Day beaches

France: Along the Loire river; D'Orleans to Tours

2006-02-19T15:55:00.000-08:00

Asparagus farmer and his wife harvest this year's crop by hand

"Live" resident dragon at Houdini's House of Magic; Tours

Safe behind dad

Spectators follow our progress outside Blois

Cathedrale St. Croix (Joan of Arc); D'Orleans

Bridging the Loire

Cathedrale St. Gatein dominates the skyline in Tours

NEXT: Vineyards of the Loire valley