March 27, 2009: Cows in Boats

[sandypossum]

Incidentally, there is a similar roadless region in Germany, the Spreewald, about 100km east of Berlin. It's in the ex GDR, and was popular as a tourist spot for East Germans. I lived in Berlin for 5 years, and this is now a popular day or weekend trip from there. It is a much bigger area than Giethoorn, and has a canal network of hundreds of km. The Spreewald is the home to the only officially recognised ethnic minority in Germany (the Sorbs/Wends - a Slavish people) with their own language (the second official language of Germany, Sorbish).

When you hire a kayak (as one does there) you get a "road map" of the canals, which is signposted at intersections just as roads are. We saw locals going about on boats (motor boats), as well as postmen on boats, a police speedboat, and wheelie bins being collected by boat. There are locks (local lads run them for tips, or some you do yourself) and cafes and even otters (but we didn't see any).

Last time I went there was in 1999. I was pleased to see East German business habits lived on here! The only place to rent a boat was in the campground. You rented by the day, and you had to have the boat back by 6pm. As it was summer, of course everyone made the most of their rental, and everyone returned at 6pm. The only takeaway food joint in town was also at the campground (same place that rented out the boats) and - guess what? - the food joint also closed at 6pm! We tried to get into a restaurant, but there were only 2 and they were both full already, and there were no other shops open where we could buy food. Es lebe die DDR!