Day # 35 Speyer to Germersheim.

Wow! That's a low one!

          Great breakfast at a most unusual location. Not everyday that I am able to commence my efforts by passing under a suspended jumbo 747. A short walk today --20 kms and due to the small sizes of the towns involved, simple from the navigation standpoint. Flat agricultural land. Due to this flatness the Rhine has obviously created havoc here in the past, probably not least to the small towns, until the dike/levee systems were constructed. There are a number of ox-bow lakes nearby and it is apparent that the river now runs a significantly straighter course than in years passed--a relief to the large barge captains whom must navigate this section.
         To while away the more boring sections of the walk. I play a game (that was initiated by my walking companion of last week, brother-in-law Keith). To every German I pass on the country bike and hiker trails, I offer a friendly "Guten tag" and a smile, just to see how many will return it---or be faster on the draw with their own  "Guten tag". The answer from my non-scientific research is about a low 50%. The other half stare, or look right through me. Perhaps the sight of a geezer pushing a stroller is just too much for them. Certainly not anywhere as friendly and welcoming as those nice Dutch folks that I met on my first week.
           Rolled into a very quiet and deserted Germersheim at about 1.00pm. Found a small hotel and inquired of the manager the reason for the 'quietness'. Was n't I only yesterday commenting on the noise and industry of Germany? Apparently it is the 'Nation Reunification Day holiday--East & West Germany re-joined in 1990.
          Tomorrow, off to Karlsruhe, a major regional centre. Rain forecast---quite a stranger on this walk--only 3 wet days in 34 which explains the irrigation pipes I saw working in the fields.

 20.2 kms. walked today per Google Maps.
Cumulative kms. walked: 669.2
Type of overnight lodging: Post Hotel Garni.
Cost of lodging: 46E.