Zurich - Switzerland: SECOND REST DAY

I don't think I'm ever going to catch up! I'm afraid that this entry can't be long as they charge 1 Fr. for 5 minutes!!! That's a small fortune!!!

Next week we begin the Alps part of our journey - the extreme of our physical exercise! I'm not quite coming into it in peak form as I hurt my knee last weak, but I've been resting it at every opportunity and spent thursday in the van, not cycling. Actually, on the day that I was in the van there were 5 injuries among the cyclist all up! Some days we have such a tight schedule that people's bodies just can't hold out!!

This week we travelled through Luxembourg, France, Germany and into Switzerland. The French were quite responsive to us, but the Germans and Swiss were much more silent. They don't seem to like loud demonstrations. Though one thing I've noticed about the Germans is that they're not good at cheering you on (or even smiling at you) if you address them as a group (they prefer to pretend that there is no group of 25 cyclists in dazzling green zooming past them singing), however, as far as they're concerned individually, they're excellent. There was one moment where we were unknowingly riding on the Autobahn on our way to Freibourg to meet the mayor (I was in the van, not cycling) and a man came right up to my window, his car parallel to us, and told us we were on the Autobahn, that it was very dangerous and that we should follow him off it! He took us off and then asked us where we were going, we told him and he then opted to take us there (he knew his way around)! And so this lovely German man led the prossesion of front van, 25 cyclists and back van! I think he was quite chuffed!


We've been quite cut off from the news while cycling, so I am not completely up to date, but it seems that Israel continues to make less friends than enemies. I wish that we had a larger Jewish presence on the Peace Cycle, but that is very hard to get. I am afraid that our obvious Palestinian emphasis is alienating the Israeli side even more, but how do we solve that? The fact is that within the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, Israelis are in the stronger position and therefore, in my opinion, have more power (and responsibility) to make a push towards peace. The Palestinians are severly disempowered, and Israel is responsible for this.

I understand that Israelis feel they are surrounded by enemies and therefore under constant threat, but occupying the Palestinian territories and subjecting them to humiliations such as checkpoints and constant raids will never lead Israel to a safe and peaceful future. The occupation must end. The philosophy that one Israeli life is somehow worth several times more Palestinian or Arab lives needs to end. Give the people their liberty back. Yes, some extremists would use an Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian territory to their advantage, but Israel is an extremely militarily powerful nation with the backing of the West.

I don't think that Israel has any excuse for the abuse it gives to people.

I would love to know what others think.


PS - Thank you thank you thank you for your wonderful comments!!! They are positively fantastic!!! Please keep it up! Oh, and Houston, as I have only just read your post about Belgium beer, I'm afraid it is not possible. :)