There is numerous non-functional bridges across the river Neiße. Some of them just closed but still standing, some broken in the middle, from others just one remnant pillar on the embankment. To me silent witnesses that a) before the WW2 they were needed in this industrious area since also the other bank belonged to Germany and b) the brotherly relationship between the communist East Germany and Poland was not strong enough to keep them.

“Sorry, no”; “Sorry, no”; “Sorry, no”; “Sorry, no”; “Sorry, no” I heard six time on the phone when trying to book a room for tonight in Eisenhüttenstadt. Four other hotels and B&B did not bother to pick up the phone. The later the afternoon, the gloomier the feeling. Having no other option, we keep pedalling.

Three short stormy showers. Not long, probably 15 minutes each, but each time spending additional 15 minutes with putting on and off our Goretex stuff.

“I will not keep you standing in the rain” tells me a joyful lady’s voice on the phone and adds how she likes Austria, that she is just on her way to the concert of Andreas Gabalier (note: this Austrian singer is not my taste), that her 17 years old will show us their B&B and countless other details. When I mention to the daughter my call with her mum, she just laconically adds: “Yes, she talks a lot”

Anyway, the last bridge we crossed today after 95 km lead to the future – Fürstenberg, a suburb of Eisenhüttenstadt, where we found a roof over our heads. The talkative landowner on the phone called is a “neat apartment”. Seeing it, we respectfully & silently disagreed. But yes, it was a roof over our heads 🙂