Riding through the lush Czech and German countryside is a motorcycle rider's dream.

Wonderful weather, sweeping curves, great roads, sweet smelling pine forests and everything green, green, green. There were lakes between the groves of pine trees and motorcyclists were everywhere - well the fact that it was Saturday and a weekend could have had something to do with the numerous bikers!

Motorcycling nirvana you might say.

Our ride today was just over 300 km, about half on the country roads and half on the Autobahn. Kerrie's arm was put to good use as she waved to the many riders going in the opposite direction and also those who overtook us. We were also greeted by the "bikers' kick" - the right foot off the pedal as one biker colleague to another. A well known European greeting when being overtaken.

We saw more motorbikes today than we have seen in the last few weeks. We were also overtaken by Maclarens, a Lotus, Porsches, Lamborginies, Audis, BMWs and numerous VW's - even a couple of comby vans! The biggest shock was seeing a rider on a Hyabusa with his knee on the ground as he sped by - must have thought he was on the Nurbergring!

Nuremburg (Nurnberg to the locals) was today's destination. This is also a revisit city for us. Our first trip to Europe was as backpackers in 1982/83. At that time our American friends, Bob and Sally Konowicz, were living in Nurnberg so we spent a few days with them here. Our memories of that visit are quite hazy so we decided it was time to come again. Our hotel for the next two nights is The Radisson, just across the road from the Altstadt (Old Town).

Our sightseeing day in Nurnberg was split into two sections. The morning was spent in the Old City marvelling at the beautiful Medieval architecture. We wandered passed several churches and fountains, the most unusual being the Marriage Merry-Go-Round Fountain near St. Elizabeth's Church.

Lorenza Platz, which has St Lawrence Church as its main attraction, was the scene today of a beach volleyball competition. We also trudged up the hill to check out Kaiserburg Castle and gardens. Beer o'clock came early today when we found a great spot near the Chained Suspension Bridge where we watched varying coloured ducks and their multiple ducklings diving for food in the slow moving stream while we sipped our chilled lager.

Our afternoon was spent indulging Greg and his love of history. We took a walk to check out The Palace of Justice. This was the site of the Nuremberg War Trials held in 1945-46 after the Second World War. Greg was engrossed in his audio guide and had to revisit several of the displays twice or was it three times?

It was quite earie sitting in the Courtroom 600 where such notorious Nazis as Herman Goering, Rudolf Hess, Albert Speer and Grand Admiral Doenitz and others were tried and convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

As it was over 30 degrees celsius we took a taxi back to our hotel as we had already walked 8 km by 3pm and it was too hot to hoof it.

We couldn't help but think of our friends Bob and Sally as we wandered around Nurnberg and it is great to know we are going to catch up with them in USA in about 12 days.

*Blog of the Day 8