Winthrop

8.9. In the morning we take a long shower. Since the lady at the reception couldn't read my chicken scratch, we have to stop by again. When I try to pay with my credit card, it doesn't work again! The 4th time in a few days…. Roman once again has a long phone call with his bank. Once the problem is somewhat solved, we pay with the little cash we have left and then head back to Leavenworth. We need to restock our supplies and then I really want to try the Danish bakery for breakfast. ;)

It's worth it and the coffee is enjoyable too. Fully refreshed and sugared-up, we head towards Cascades National Park. We stop in the town of Winthrop. The most beautiful and well-preserved town so far. The old facades are in good shape, there are many nice clothing stores, a brewery, and a wine shop. We drive to a nearby campsite by the lake and reserve a spot for the night. Then we immediately go back to Winthrop. We stroll from shop to shop. We satisfy our lunch hunger at the central burger joint. In one of the outdoor shops, I buy new flip-flops, as my shoes are slowly giving up after intense wear in Mexico and the States. I hope they have a long life ahead of them. At the second mountaineering shop, we learn that the area in and around Winthrop is THE cross-country skiing area in Washington: over 170 miles are groomed every winter! That already makes me look forward to winter (in Switzerland) and cross-country skiing. Of course, a stop at the brewery is a must, but the flight is not a soaring experience. So we buy a bottle of red wine from the wine shop across the street for the camping. When we arrive at our spot, we watch a herd of deer with two fawns for a long time, as they leave the tall grass at dusk and stroll around between the RVs. Roman prepares a platter with cheese, pecans, vegetables, and olives, and we treat ourselves to a glass of wine. It was a very cozy and beautiful day!