“No”
“Sorry no”
“Sorry, fully booked”
“Only if you stay two nights or more”
“No, not for tomorrow”….
Were the answers we got on the phone yesterday. And many other hotels did not even pick up the phone. At this extent it happened for the first time during our trip. For one hour we were trying to book a room in Greifswald, our next planned leg of journey. In vain. So we decided to cheat. Yes, we will cycle to Greifswald but then take a train to Stralsund, the next bigger city, where there were rooms available.

“80 years” reveals a talkative gentleman his age who joined us on the tour to Greifswald. Pedalling his e-bike at the same speed as we are. Even on the slalom like track in the woods or on the heavy gravel.
“You are in an amazing shape” I state the obvious
“It is because I never possessed a car.”

“Please tell me what is your program, I am not from Germany” I ask a young volunteer at an AfD booth in Anklam.
“We are labelled by the press and opponents as extreme right wing political party”
“What does it mean specifically?” I keep inquiring.
But before a profound discussion can start, my wife summons me to join the rest of the group for a coffee. I leave the booth politically uneducated…

A befriended ex-colleague of mine lives in Switzerland. But I remember he originates from somewhere here. So I texted him yesterday, where exactly he spent his youth.
“Greifswald”
“I will be there tomorrow.” I text back
“Me too, but just for two days” he replies
I could now start an extensive polemics if there are coincidences in life or not. The simple truth is that we were able to meet for one hour today. After 7 years. So though Greifswald did not offer a hotel room, it mediated a lovely reunion!