Swimming or Shopping? Rosie's Dilemma.

GRASBERG.

We are just about to leave when two coaches arrive full of old people desperate for the toilet. Rosie has to join a long queue before we could leave! Still that delay has one bonus. As we drive through the outskirts of the town, we spot 4 deer grazing in the roadside fields.

Rosie has found a shopping centre on the outskirts of Bremen. 4,000 parking spaces and a 170 shops. It's her idea of heaven. Until we drive through a town on route which offers a swimming pool. Then she was torn. But not for long, we swam yesterday, she hasn't properly shopped for 9 weeks!

I decide to leave her to it and jump on a tram to the city centre. It transpires that I can get a tram either side of the road. A German speaking lady tries to explain that I should be on the other side of the road from the one that I choose. An English speaking lady explains that I would have had to change if I'd stayed on the other side. She also kindly showed me how to pay on the tram. 40 minutes later I'm alighting at the central station. It's drizzling which takes the edge of my site seeing. There is a long queue for a soup kitchen, the first I've seen on the continent.

I walk down to the cathedral, take in the old town Schnoor, observe the statue of the three musicians of Bremen but give up on the harbour front because of the weather. The four musicians are from the tale by Grimm.

Buying a return ticket provides a small bonus. The previous traveller left their change behind so it only costs me 60 cents.

Travel to Grasberg which offers free parking for 10 vans. 5 are already there and they appear to be somewhat of a clique. Undaunted, we park the van opposite to them and bed down for the night.