Regensburg to Deggendorf 8-22-11

Wahalla Temple built by Leo von Klenze for Ludwig I between 1830-1847.  It honors distinguished people of German history.

Walhalla

The Danube valley from Walhalla

Cute statue in a park along trail

Another castle along the trail

We left Regensburg early to beat the heat.  The last couple of days it has been hot and muggy.  Just out of Regensburg is Walhalla which sits on a hill overlooking the Danube valley.  There is 354 steps up to the monument which wouldn't bother me going up but would kill me coming down so I stayed with the bikes while Johanna walked up.  When she got to the top there was a fee to go in and she hadn't any money so she walked back down after taking a few pictures.  It is modeled after the Parthenon in Athens and is immense.  Another one to look at Google earth. 
After Walhalla the trail stayed mostly away from the river and ran thru corn fields.  It got really hot and muggy but we pushed on only stopping twice for beer to keep up our energy.  We did 95k this day, a record so far.  We ended up in Deggendorf at the Hotel Hoettl. 
I want to comment about ice cold water or iced tea.  In Germany and probably all of Europe there isn't such a thing.  There are lots of fountains but no drinking fountains.  If they had drinking fountains they couldn't sell you water in a bottle and warm water to boot.  I saw one drinking fountain along the way and it was set up so you couldn't fill a bottle or a cup, only drink.  In stores there aren't any cold sections that store water or beer so whatever you buy there is room temp.  The only time I bought water was in Bad Bruckenau.  We had had along ride and we stopped at an eis shop and ordered cold water with the ice cream.  We got .2 litres of water each for 1 euro eighty each or 4$. No refills.  Never again.  A lot of people order water with wine and it comes in a .75 litre bottle and has gas in it.  It is usually as expensive as the wine.  When I got back to home after this trip I made a jug of ice tea.  I got some ice cubes and poured the tea in, added lemon and slowly savored it.
And another thing, there are no air conditioners in the hotels or anywhere else.  The last 4 days of this trip there was a heat wave.  With no way to move the air in the hotel rooms they remain hot all night.  At gasthaus Delegera we left the hall door open even.  The only air conditioner I've seen was on the train and not all of them have that.  The local trains have openable windows.  Enough bitching