Poitiers - Vitoria-Gasteiz

After a somewhat restless night - because of the long ride on the motorcycle in the cold and because of too many beers in the evening I had to use the toilet several times that night - I was not early getting up.

At Felix and Eszter I get a delicious breakfast. However, Eszter has to leave for work soon. Felix, who has a customer appointment in the afternoon, offers to give me a tour of Poitiers. And he is truly a very competent city guide to Poitiers, which has numerous old churches and other historically significant buildings or squares to offer. Should I visite this city again, I would like to spend more time looking here. Especially when I can meet Felix as a competent city guide again!

Unfortunately, after just over an hour's tour, I have to set off again. After all, it's still a long ride to Vitoria-Gasteiz in northern Spain, where I'm looking forward to meet Alvaro again, a couch surfer who has been our guest in Hamburg twice already.

On Felix recommendation I ride out of town on a country road. After about 100 km I return on the highway and soon have to pay toll again. This is going to be particularly annoying because the toll stations where I have to pay fare obviously programmed incorrectly, because when I just paid and the barrier is up and the light is green, and I put things back and put on my gloves again and a car enters the station behind me, then suddenly the light turns red and the barrier goes down. This happens to me twice. The first time I'm just under the closing barrier, but I'm flashed, the second time the barrier is down and I call the help by pressing a button. A voice tells me tens times something I do not understand. She does not understand me either. So a stalemate. Then a technician comes to me who checks my voucher and my credit card a few times and checks the ticket machine, then checks my receipt and credit card again. Unnerved I offer him 10 euros if he would let me ride on. I lost about an hour with these toll stations today ... that's really annoying at such a long distance.

At another toll station my credit card just does not work, I push the button again, this time they just let me ride through. Toll stations are really annoying. Especially as a bike rider. For the rest of the journey I passed through the barrier as quickly as possible and then stop behind the barrier for sorting my things.

When there is a toll station every half hour, where you have to queue 5-10 minutes for paying, you start to doubt if there can be a more stupid possibility to slow down traffic. And then you suddenly start to think about a toll for foreigner in Germany with some special bullying for drivers from abroad.

Well, enough complaining about that!

The first few toll booths in Span are run from people and not vending machines. I prefer paying to people definitely ...

So I arrived late in Vitoria-Gasteiz. I meet Alvaro at a place he has told me. There he is already waiting with his girlfriend Iris.

Alvaro has invited me to an apartment which is currently empty. He and Iris stay here during their visit too. I am warmly welcomed by both and well looked after. Really nice to have such friends!

We have a walk in Vitoria, which Alvaro show us with great enthusiasm. Of course, there are many corners that are associated with memories for him.

In the evening we have a glass of wine in a bar together.