Day 2: Emden to Norddeich

We've got another long day of cycling ahead, from Emden to Norddeich - 56 km. However, we start the day with the best part of Youth Hostels: Entertainment. Whilst the grown ups pack and get ready, Niklas challenges me at the table soccer.

From Emden on, we have well and truly reached the North Sea. The bicycle track takes us along the waterfront, on either the water side of the dyke, or the inland side. The concept of a dyke is strange: They have build a 3-4 m high wall along all of the ocean, including bays and river mouths, so that king tides and storm floods are being kept being the earth wall without flooding the land.

Table Soccer in the bicycle-parking area in Emden.

Ready to push on. Clockwise: Petra, Opa, Oma, Great Uncle, me, Niklas 

Kesselschleuse in Emden: Europe's only 4-way water gate where 4 different water levels meet.

Me and Heinz along one of the dykes.

They don't want to be patted. But I am fast enough to catch some. Their fur is very oily!

Morning tea break somewhere along the dyke.

This one is for Isaac: As close as I get to Holland on this trip! The ebbing ocean in the foreground, Holland across the bay in the background. I am the one with the red helmet.