Cycle tour 2017 – here we go again!

After our last real vacation, in 2015, wherein we cycled around Belgium and Holland, Sonia and I decided that this was the one true way to travel. So here we are again, cycling in Europe. This time for three full weeks. Our itinerary is... well, we don't have one. Not really. We started with the idea that we'd like to cycle in Germany, and we decided that the one thing we had our hearts set on was cycling down the Moselle river. After that, we're winging it. Or rather pedalling it. The feeling of liberty is astonishing.

After landing in Brussels, we took the train to Arlon, a small town on the Luxembourg border. Everything went smoothly. Our luggage and bikes arrived safely and intact (thanks, Air Transat for making it easy and inexpensive to take your bikes on a plane!). Then it was a matter of getting our bikes on the train.

At the Brussels-Nord train station.

Not as easy as in Holland, but the Belgian rail people were unfailingly helpful and pleasant. Upon our arrival in Arlon, we found our little housekeeping apartment in the Appar'City "hotel" just a short pedal from the train station, settled in, and went to find some groceries for the next few meals. After that, we tried to plan our route for the next morning and then, almost literally, crashed. I was snoring by 9 p.m. local time. It has been a long day on the meagre two hours of "sleep" I got on the plane.

The intrepid cyclists set out from Arlon.

This morning, we headed east for Luxembourg. Initially, I thought we might be able to make it all the way to Trier, on the Moselle River, in one day, but after 20 or 30 kilometres, it soon became apparent that Luxembourg is not Holland in terms of its relief. The hills here, while not punishing, are still a workout. In the end, we made it to Luxembourg City just after lunch, explored a little and found a hotel about 10 kilometres east of the capital. We should get to Trier (or Treve, as the French call it) tomorrow. We've heard from several people that it's lovely, so it's possible that we'll stay there two days.

View of the Adolphe Bridge in Luxembourg.