This area is also known as Gascony. While cycling from Thuy to Marciac, we passed vineyards, orchards and fields of grain. Animals and plants thrive due to twenty rivers which originate in the High Pyrenees. Farmers specialize in garlic, goose fat, chestnuts, plums and foie gras.

Historically, the residents remain self – confident despite centuries of domination by Romans, English, French and the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy. The fictional character, D’Artagnan, from The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, was loosely based on a man born in the region in 1611. He remains an international hero due to books and over 50 films about his adventures.

The Lutheran Frauenkirche was destroyed during the four bombing raids on Dresden’s city center in 1945. It was still in ruins as of 1991. It took an international campaign and seven years before it was consecrated in 2005.

Dresden was once called the Florence of the Elbe. Reconstruction of the Zwinger Palace and museums continues.

We ended a ten-day bike ride here and were inspired by this elegant Baroque church and statue of Martin Luther. We are reminded that healing from WWII is slow.

Lutherstadt Wittenberg , Germany is the home of four UNESCO sites which honor the work of Martin Luther. The two churches, Castle Church and St. Marien Parish Church, are being restored in preparation for the five hundred year anniversary of Martin Luther’s posting of his ninety five thesis or reforms.
Lutherhaus is a museum displaying his actual home and the manner in which his words spread across Europe. This wooden pulpit is
where he began preaching against indulgences.
At a time when only 10 % of the population was literate he had a talent for making his written words sound like a sermon.

We crossed the former border between West and East Germany. The Elbe River bike trail intersects with this historic site in Boysenberg, Germany. Since there was also a concentration camp there and four hundred Hungarian women died due to harsh conditions, the painting of the cheerful Germany soldier on the restaurant is incongruous.

South Iceland’s natural wonders are reached via a driving route named The Golden Circle. Pingviller National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site as well as a vast glacier fed lake. Vikings gathered there in 930 AD for the first national parliament in the world.
The Gull Foss or Golden Waterfall drops 32 m in two stages. Icelanders have chosen to preserve the Hitachi River and it’s furious forces by refusing to harness its power.
Truly the best of Iceland is its people and their commitment to preservation, pure air, naturally clean drinking water and a balanced life.