I arrived a day early in Bonn due to flight schedules.
I'm expecting to be pretty busy during the conference so I took the opportunity of this day to have a good look around Bonn.
First I wandered down to the Rhine which is always busy with barge traffic. Notice the loaded barge traveling up-stream (to the right) low in the water while the barge going downstream behind it is empty and sitting very high out of the water.
The barge traveling upstream is transporting coal.
"Biological Diversity needs our attention".
This poster is prominent all over Bonn at present.
Consul Hotel where I am staying in the background.
The fresh produce market in the Market Square with the old 'Radhaus' in the background
See live webcam image.
Fresh asparagus is one of the numerous products on sale. Wish I had a kitchen at my disposal!
A Suzuki Bergman - a little older than mine.
Chestnut trees in full bloom.
And note all the bicycles. Everyone (and I mean everyone) in Bonn seems to cycle. Cyclists rule the roads here in Bonn and are treated respectful by drivers and pedestrians alike.
One of the primary entrances to Bonn University.
Beautiful architecture.
In the 'Münsterplatz' the Lady Mayor of Bonn, Ms Bärbel Dieckmann opened an event of Biodiversity Ballet by local school kids.
She gave an excellent background about the CBD COP to the assembled crowd and explained all the activities that Bonn had organized to involve the citizens so that the event did not only take place within the confines of the Maratim Hotel Conference venue.
Some of the older ballet dancers.
Most of the dance that I saw seemed to be about growing and watering plants!
Lots of proud parents taking photos.
There was a climbing wall sponsored by Rheinaction a local environmental NGO as part of the ...
(see also here)
... biodiversity awareness fair in the Münsterplatz with lots of activities - aimed mainly at kids.Try some biodiversity origami for example.
The Western Cape's unique flora should provide an origami challenge of note.
After lunch I hired a bicycle from the hotel and took a ride down the Rhein. Nice and flat - just a bit of a headwind on the way back.
But riding on the wrong side of the road is ...
So I chose to ride down the cycle track along the Rhein where all I had to avoid were pedestrians and other cyclists. Keep right idiot ... Where did you learn to ride a bicycle? Rusape in Zimbabwe, about 1955, if you really want to know lighty!
In some parts of the world Mallard Ducks are not exotics!
Stopped to watch some cricket.
The teams seemed to be of Indian or similar origins - definitely not locals
A view from the cycle track.
It drizzled lightly every now and again so I stopped to put on and take off my rain gear.
Barges and pleasure craft.
Passing through the United Nations precinct I stopped to photograph this wonderful pair - an bronze sculpture and a beautiful old tree ...
A ferry over the river.
The cycle and walking track goes all the way to Frankfurt something like 125 km away.
I wish that I could have carried on.
Königswinter on the other side of the river.
There are a couple of castles on the hills behind Königswinter
A huge castle up there!
Mallards with ducklings
Commercial and luxury river transport.
No sailing craft. I guess it is too hazardous to allow tacking back and forth across the river traffic and the strong flow probably also makes sailing very dicy.
... and recreational transport.
I passed a number of 'Rudder' clubs, one of which was having a 150th anniversary celebration.
More castles!
The romantic Drachenfels, crowned by the ruins of a castle built early in the 12th century by the archbishop of Cologne, rises behind the town. From the summit, which can be accessed by the Drachenfels Railway, there is a magnificent view, celebrated by Lord Byron in Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. A cave in the hill is said to have sheltered the dragon which was slain by the hero Siegfried. The mountain is quarried, and from 1267 onward supplied stone (trachyte) for the building of Cologne cathedral.
Maybe my son Nick can tell me if this wall is built of basalt columns
... or is it just my imagination?
Beautifully constructed walling in any event.
On the way back I rode slightly upwards to Freizeitpark (Free time park) ...
This is the Auensee ...
With 6 bridges across to various islands.
The huge park was hosting a circus in one area.
The 10km Naturathlon 2008 was run on the following day, attempting to set a world record to beat 107 nationalities participating in a single event.
The Course of the World
Here is an aerial image of the Freizeitpark.
Note that just to the right of centre is the wastewater treatment facility around which it is built. Not a hint anywhere that the Auensee is treated wastewater which is clean enough to use in a public recreational context! And not the faintest odour on the breeze. Only in Germany!
Can you imagine any of Cape Town's waste water treatment facilities operating at this high standard. Not likely!
And at the top of the park a huge flea market.
Not many craft stalls selling high quality crafts like we have back in Cape Town though.
But the variety of secondhand goods for sale was truly amazing.
Lots and lots of space for Bonners to enjoy.
When I was here in 2004 there was a very hot public holiday and the place was full of happy people.
The flea market was packing up by the time I was through.
A view over the river to the yellow Hilton Hotel where most of the SA delegation are staying.
My hotel is about three or four blocks away.
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