# 17 Loop of the Rhine

We want to have a few days of peace and therefore skip the Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Duisburg metropolitan region.

The Lower Rhine just before the Dutch border is our destination. The city of Emmerich offers a parking space at the yacht harbor for 75 motorhomes and is very well described.

If it suits us, we will stay over May 1st and enjoy the good weather. It is showing its best side and is expected to remain that way until the coming weekend.

As we arrive at the entrance barrier, the site manager greets us immediately and kindly guides us into the area. The first row with a view of the harbor basin is taken, but otherwise, everything else is still available. There are maybe 10 – 15 motorhomes in the 1st and 2nd rows (that should change in the next few days).

The spacious site offers electricity at every spot, the ground is freshly gravelled or green meadow. The sanitary facilities are shared between water sports enthusiasts and motorhome travelers.

We have now arrived at our travel destination. The course of the Rhine was our guideline and it flows into the Netherlands at this point. This is also where the confusion begins. A few kilometers behind the border, it is still called Rhine, until near the village of Pannerden, where the water splits, and the main stream suddenly becomes the river “Waal” while the branch is designated as the “Pannerdenscher Canal.” This branch is called “Nederrijn” from Arnhem, bringing the longest German river back to its name, though only for a short time before it becomes the river “Lek.”

I am confused. So, the Dutch have stolen our Rhine.

Therefore, we will not follow the water anymore and will end our journey here.

But before that, there are still 4 days of excellent camper weather over May 1st.

Initially, we aim to explore the nearby city of Emmerich. We already drove over the city's landmark, the “Golden Gate Bridge,” yesterday.

The city has 30,000 residents, and one might think that they are aware of their beautiful location by the Rhine and showcase it.

Far from it. As we ride through the pedestrian zone, we feel like we are in a ghost town. By chance, we discover a passage to the Rhine promenade, which actually presents itself generously and sunlit. But what have they made of it? House ruins and vacancies do not exactly invite you to linger. The few local establishments (ice cream parlors, restaurants) are well-frequented by cyclists, but coziness goes differently.

The people we meet here exude a considerable portion of pessimism and indifference.

We do not want to explore anything further here, but quickly return to the yacht harbor and fire up the grill.

The site has filled up quite a bit, you can feel the approaching holiday. And we have a plan for that too. Just 3 km away is the Borghees golf course, where we will play a 9-hole round.

The course is located right at the Dutch border, so many Dutch people play there as well. But the course occupancy is very manageable, and we can start our round around 2:00 PM without major reservations after a few hits on the driving range.

I would rather remain silent about the result; we also made some good hits.

The beer afterward on the terrace was excellent, and we had earned it.

Back at the site, we had to notice that even more motorhomes had arrived, and the site was now almost fully booked. One inevitably starts observing the newcomers. What kind of people are they, what motorhomes do they drive, do they seem friendly?

At that moment, I felt a bit uneasy.

First realization: There are no children at the site

Second realization: Instead, countless dogs

Third realization: There is always a know-it-all who knows everything

Fourth realization: Newcomers first adjust their TV antenna

Fifth realization: Usually, toilet disposal and washing dishes are a man's job

Sixth realization: The camper community divides into those with and without dogs (sometimes also 4 dogs)

Seventh realization: You are under constant observation

But enough of the mockery. When you reach this point, it is time to go home.

We will stay until Saturday because the weather will remain good until then. On Sunday, a temperature drop follows that we would rather experience at home.

On Friday, there will be another exploratory ride on the bike to Holland. As mentioned above, we want to follow the Rhine until its split and ride on the excellent bike paths in Holland all the way to Pannerden. Along the way, we pass beautiful promenades (Tolkamer) along the Rhine, which I also wished for in Emmerich.

There we go!

In general, I like the ease of the Dutch. Everything is much more relaxed. The roads and bike paths are in excellent condition and very well signposted. We had this impression last year when we traveled around the Ijsselmeer for 14 days.

As a conclusion, we visited the Greek restaurant “Artemis” on Friday evening, just 2 km from the yacht harbor, and made a good choice.

After 40 days on the road, I am looking forward to being home.