On this saturday we are planning on a tour tot he Salzgittersee, which is a man-made lake serving as a local recreation area. A friend of mine suggested this trip. Good idea I think to myself, I have not been there so far. At the end of the tour we agree upon the impression: \u201eNever again Salzgitter.\u201c
\nOn the way we are asked to pay 1.000 Euro for posing a question and we are witnissing that people in Salzgitter-Beddingen are using the morning for disposing their empty Vodka bottles. Moreover we can satisfy our coffee thirst quite late, however we are spoiled by a history lesson of a special kind.<\/p>\n
Two Polish guys and a bag full of empty Vodka bottles<\/strong> We start our tour at the Ringgleis in Braunschweig, cross the Westpark and finally reach Gro\u00df-Gleidingen. We discover a signpost to the watergate Salzgitter at \u00dcfingen and decide to have a look. By chance we come across a cycle path directly at the branch canal and follow the trail. On the latitude of Salzgitter-Beddingen we reach the harbour. We spot a Polish ship with two guys on board. We think about going on board but we do not carry this thought out.<\/p>\n After some meanders, unfortunately often on tar roads, we reach Salzgitter-Beddingen. It is Saturday noon. There is hardly anybody on the street. Well, beside a young guy. We stop him to ask for the way. Whereas my friend talkst o the guy I see that his bag is full of empty Vodka bottles. Well, what else can you do on a Saturday in SZ-Beddingen? Just for fun I suggest: \u201eLet\u2019s ask the elderly gentlemen\u201c. The guy with the dog comes up to us and the look on his face tells me that he was kind of waiting for our question. \u201eHello\u201c, my friend says, \u201ecan I ask you a question?\u201c \u201e1.000 Euro\u201c, the guy answers right away. \u201eOh\u201c, we say and smile. Finally he tells us the way to SZ-Lebenstedt and thus to the Salzgittersee. We decide on a different way connection to go back. We go via Broistedt and from there to Lengede. The cycle path bypasses the historical site of the mine disaster which took place there in the 70ies. We literally dive into the history by reading the information boards. In autumn 1963 129 mine workers were dumbfounded by the collapse of a sedimentation-pond. I cannot imagine how bad and scary this must feel.
\nAdmittedly: I was kind of doubtful when I heard the keyword \u201eSalzgitter.\u201c That is because I traveled there myself before and I did neither like the cycle tracks nor the landscape too much. But I am open to anything new and in pairs things sometimes look nicer as they really are. <\/p>\n
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\nA closed village caf\u00e9<\/strong>
\nAt the bridge leading from the village across the branch canal to the other side we spot the signpost for a village caf\u00e9. That gives us hope. We drive once again alongside the branch canal and see \u201eSchacht Konrad\u201c a couple of minutes later. We cycle into the village, Salzgitter-Bleckenstedt. The caf\u00e9 is well signposted, the place is easy to find. But, we are in for a big disappointment: due to Corona the caf\u00e9 opens only on Sundays.
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\nThe 1000 Euro-Question<\/strong>
\nWell, we have to accept this defeat. Still the question remains how to reach the Salzgittersee. Our GPS shows a different route than the bikeway signs. Ony a local can help us. I have already spotted a funny looking old guy with a dog squeaker taking it for a walk. The man wears \u2013 according to his social status \u2013 sweatpans and a baggy sweater. Well, there is no use in overdressing at this place anyway. I have to think of the young man with the empty Vodka bottles again. I guess this guy has already put this phase behind him. The sweatpans are the remains of it. <\/p>\n
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\nDas Grubenungl\u00fcck von Lengede<\/strong>
\nWe reach the artificial lake. The cylcle towards it is not nice at all. For many times we had to take the tar road and that had put a damper on us. No, we do not want to cycle to Salzgitter no more. It is a pitty but that\u2019s it.<\/p>\n
\nPassing by the lakes of Lengede we continue our way back. We reach Vallstedt and head towards Wolfenb\u00fcttel. Having almost reached SZ-Thiede we turn into the direction of Gro\u00df-Gleidingen again. Via country roads we go to Timmerlah. We cross the Westpark again. We are back. \u201eNever again Salzgitter\u201c is our result of the day. It is gonna be Gifhorn next time.<\/p>\n