We rode from Biesham to Strasbourg along more canal paths, around 75 kms. Even though we were still in the Alsace region we still never saw any vines, just corn and potatoes and very pretty canals. Strasbourg is a completely lovely city and our last stop in France for the holiday. Our hotel was just opposite their cathedral, the main tourist attraction in town. We were upgraded to a room with a view of the cathedral and the joys that came with it; buskers from early morning until night and the musical/ light show spectacular that occurred at 10 till midnight each night. Such a beautiful city and we were very glad to have stopped for more than just a few hours.
Figolu, the french version of squashed fly biscuits, cycle food of champions... well Reuben anyhow.
Strasbourg's little France
The cathedral is too big for our camera.
This french food is almost German, dinner of Six Meats on about 3 kilo of sauerkraut. I feel so manly right now.
We said goodbye to Basel and Switzerland for the last (fifth) time as we continued our journey, somewhat along the Rhine. Following our book it suggested a much more pleasant ride following canal tow paths instead of the river proper and east a bit through the Alsace region of France. All we knew of Alsace was they make wine (and that awesome pizza thing) so we were happy to go with that plan. Although a pleasant ride we didn't see one grape, as you can imagine the disappointment was quite severe. There was lots of fields of corn and wheat and some war memorials. We did stop at a pretty amazing fortified town along the way to be touristy and then do some washing and get tips on were to go to dinner and after 70 kms we ended up at the town of Biesham for the night. Reuben starting to feel a little unwell after the exertions of the last week, too much alcohol, rich food and, well, partying really.
I hurt here... and here, here, here and here.
These bike paths are amazing
They like to be called Canard!
GPS saves us hours if not our lives
Those bags even look heavy even from here. Note to self don't buy wine, DON'T BUY WINE.
We were up early for our flight out of Brussels. The shuttle picked us up at 8 am and dropped us off at the airport. We were handed a Tommowland bag with food for the journey home. As we progressed though the airport we saw hundreds of festival goers asleep in corners of the airport, we wondered if they had been there all night or were just as completely shattered as us. Easy-Jet got us safely back to Switzerland, Reuben managing not to snore the entire flight. We found our bikes safely where we left them in the sci-fi bike park and stepped outside, pouring rain, like really, bucketing down. We only had to ride 5 kms to our hotel but by the time we arrived we were saturated and completely hammered and we hit the hay at like six PM.
Roo at the airport trying to have a little sleep without sitting down
Just some of the 'Tomorrowlanders' in the background
Planning the next day with some Flammechueche (Thin crust white cheese pizza, Anne-Marie's favorite specialty in the region)
Forgot the camera today, just a few shots from the nearly flat GoPro. We made it to the festival feeling like we had already partied two days straight, go figure. We dragged ourselves to a dessert tasting by world renown Chef Roger Van Damme, Roger introduced the dessert personally to each table. Set to music and looking like DJ decks the molecular gastronomy delight was a complete sensory overload.
Back to the music where the huge selection of world class DJs and producers on at any one of the 16 stages at any time was once again overwhelming. We gravitated back to the main stage where the enormous music and crowd was matched by the scope of the sets and theater. Fireworks, smoke, streamers and confetti galore. Words cannot do the performance justice. Just to say, watching Steve Aoki bring the crowd to a rapturous culmination of the whole three day extravaganza was a highlight of the holiday.
Phewww.
A collection of highlights from over 45 minutes of crap GoPro video footage taken today.
Chaos and Cannons at the main stage.
Smile you're on Fish eye view.
Selfie's are difficult with a GoPro
Hard to see but a good example of international conflict.
We roused ourselves at a healthy 10am in time to get dressed, have some breakfast and make the midday bus back to Tomorrowland. Feeling a little exhausted we pulled out our waterproof picnic blanket and sat on the grassy hill in front of the main stage and chilled, trying to recover from the previous day.We realised we where the only people out of 180000 that had thought to bring a picnic blanket. Hmm maybe we are getting old.
A delicious steak at the steakhouse at 4pm roused us with, if it's even possible, a better view than Maison Bru. Then back to the party with a wild and unmatched vengeance. We met up with Uri and Uric again and rocked on till 12.
So impressed by the sets, sound and organisation. So many stages all very different and unique; some built over the water, some up high and some hidden partially underground. Even though it had poured the previous night it wasn't muddy as they had managed to cover most of the ground in planks and plastic tiles. It was awesome to just enjoy the festival and not have to worry about missing a DJ or queuing for toilets and drinks for hours.
Having to tear ourselves away from the last act an hour early was hard but the bus and exhaustion called. An hour and twenty minute walk only to have to wait forty five minutes for our driver to leave, whence he quickly became lost and our thirty five minute drive home stretched on to four thirty am. Agggghhhh. It was still an unbelievable day.
Anne-Marie under the bubbles
A couple of the awesome characters that help make Tomorrowland what it is
Our seats at the steak house, Cheers
Reuben has to work on his outfits obviously
Some Luxembourgers we befriended
Uric and Uri in better shape than last night
Sneaky
Uri is tall
Uric earns a hug
Just horsing around
It rained again
Such a cool crowd
Anne-Marie photobombs a Swiss couple
The Tomorrowland fairies where something to behold
The end of the night was a bit like this, loud, bright and a bit shaky.
The bus (soon to be nemesis) picked is up at a cheerful 12 midday and dropped is safely at the main entrance of Tomorrowland to pick up our missing tickets. Two hours of standing in the sun with close to a thousand other sweaty frustrated wannabe festival goers and we where in.
Huge, just huge, we spent around six hours exploring stages, admiring sets and making friends. Everything and everyone was beautiful. We had lunch at Maison Bru a restaurant run by a famous chef from Brussels that overlooks the main stage.
Two guys from Brussels Uri and Uric provided boundless entertainment as the skies opened around nine pm. We staggered to the bus (about an hours walk) by the required midnight cut off to get back to our hotel. Sunburnt, drunk and already exhausted we crashed.
Anne-Marie relaxes while Reuben organises a chauffeur to pick up our lost tickets.
Anne-Marie at the Carl Cox arena, what a lady
Anne-Marie at the B2B stage, mushrooms and light everywhere
The view of the main stage from Maison Bru, Festilicious!
A close up of the crowd. It's a plague of Aussies, No seriously there where thousands of us. By the end of the festival I was saying I was a Kiwi to avoid people going "Not another one". The cook islanders threw a lot of people as well with their flag.
After the rain Reuben with his new friends Uri and Uric crazy awesome guys
One last dance before heading home at the little Radio Modern stage out on the water. Too much fun was had today.
Today our tomorrow land journey began. After a relaxing morning wandering central Basel and another three course lunch everything went to plan, bike storage, ticket printing, airport shuttles and arrival at our five star hotel in Brussels. Now if only they can find our festival tickets.
Mmmm dessert
The tommorowland reception desk at the Brussels airport, Chaos
Tomorrowland staff, happy to please
The tomorrowland baggage carousel
Six busses from the Tomorrowland global journey bus service
One of the many interesting characters we are to sure to meet over the next four days
Reuben on to his 4th pair of sunnies for the trip
PS. This hotel may have the fastest internet I have ever enjoyed. May be time to upload some more GoPro movies.
Konstanz was lovely, reminded us of Melbourne with it's friendly cafe culture, restaurants and cyclists everywhere. The thunderstorm the night before had washed the hay-fever apocalypse of pollen from the air (Reuben feels like this) and the streets where fresh and alive. We cycled around taking in the scenery, the lake, fresco'd buildings and Swiss/Germanic Architecture. After lunch we headed by train back to Basel ready for a good nights rest before we Fly to Belgium tomorrow for TOMORROWLAND!
Reuben with his early morning coffee (Espresso is reliable and good, go figure)
