Post Happy Town

Sorry we were unconnectable yesterday - oh, no-one noticed?
We had a great night in the beautiful town of Glückstadt - went for a meal at Der Kleine Heidrich where I had a wonderful local pork dish with all the triimings and we had several samples of the local beer (and schnapps!).
The morning brought us a great breakfast in the dining room which was more like an antique shop with catering (the food was not antique) - and if anyone is ever to pass through this wonderful town, Bei der Museum is the place to stay.
We were as sad to leave as Happy Town (which is the town's name in English) was and we were therefore treated to head wind and rain for most of the day. We followed the river Elbe (sometimes it seemed that we were in it!). Visited the war memorial in Kuden on top of a hill (there really are some hills on the route- most days we "climb" around 300 metres so pancakes it ain't anymore - more like waffles !). It is strange - and moving - to see the names of the German soldiers killed in Russia, Belgium, France, and of cause in their homeland 1940-45. Yes they were collowing the wrong guy, but that still happens and they probably did not have a choice. On through Meldon, rather pretty, to the sea side resort of Büsum - "Disneyland" on the coast. Lovely accomodation, great breakfast , actually fantastic breakfast, but the town- nah, give it a wide berth.
But today we woke up to sunny skies and after the super breakfast we headed out - into a stiff north-easterly which was exactly where we were going  - I hope that Cornwall does not have similar meteorological features today when Stephen and Guy sets off - towards John O'Groats. But they do it supported i.e. No luggage, whereas we do our journey the hard-man way: the first 60 miles today into a stiff headwind dragging the usual 14 kilos (no that is not the weight of my companion, he has lost some but not that much!).
We passed through several pretty towns - Garding with its lovely Medieval church richly decorated with murals, Husum a beautiful town centre around the (dry ) harbour. I made up for this with Flensburger Beer and meatballs, D. Had coffee and beer - but he is a solicitor, as you know!.
At approx 20 miles before our destination the goddesses of wind - no not THAT wind even though we were riding along  Das Deutsche Kohlstrasse - the German Cabbage Route where I would have presumed tail wind to be guranteed -anyway whoever sorts out winds messed it up and we ALMOST had a tailwind for the last 20 miles. We arrived in a rather charming small sea resort, Dagebüll, where we are staying at a rather posh hotel. Our room is big eneough for a game of squash or handball, and Darren had hoped that the Swedish (why Swedish I said?) female hand ball team could come and practice but it appears that they are not in town. So it is just us and our dirty lycra and  I guess our "pulling " power may be limited.
We are now only 30 miles from the Danish border (that is 8400 pedal strokes for me! On top of the 236.600 done so far - and the knees are tip-top - it is all down to lubrication - and determination!)
We will spend tomorrow on the Danish (hurrah - Home is the cylist, home from the hill and the sailor .... Now how was it that went that poem by the well known Danish author of Treasure Island, Robert Louis Svendsen), the Danish island of Rømø, and the last night in the very pictoreque town of Ribe. I have booked us cells in the old jail house which has been turned into a hotel. My son Jonathan will be joining us coming down from Aalborg where he is working in a boat yard. I look forwardvto his company.
I bet you can't wait to hear more - oh, you can? Well I'm off for a beer then - the first since the last one I had!!