#eglisau

The next day, in Eglisau, I encountered this amusing scene. I'm sure there some symbolism in there, but I can't be bothered to research it. More notable is the fact that I managed to get these shots. My usual compact camera can't do this, but my brother-in-law has lent me one of his reflex cameras - it lets in a bit more light and has a shutter speed control mode which is great for this kind of mid lighting you get in winter.

Like many places along the Rhine so far, Waldshut's status was affected by the Napoleonic wars, though a bit differently. For a while, it had been a possession of the Habsburgs, hence it embraces an Austrian heritage. The Habsburgs defeat to Napoleon at Austerlitz led to Vörderösterreich being dissolved, and Waldshut, on the right bank of the Rhine, was handed to the Duchy of Baden. Opposite, on the left bank, the Swiss nuclear power plant at Leibstadt (47 km from Basel SBB, no station) somewhat dominates the landscape.

From Waldshut, the German Hochrheinbahn makes a beeline for Schaffhausen, while the river starts to meander. So, to follow the river more closely, we take a detour in Switzerland, crossing to Koblenz (54 km). Amusingly, there is another Koblenz along the Rhine, in Germany, but not directly opposite - it's way, way further downstream, past Mainz. I've been there but am yet to make a significant post on it.

And so we arrive at Eglisau (80 km), our last stop for today. Between here and Bülach is a short section with connections for trains to Waldshut, Schaffhausen, Zürich and Winterthur. Below, an international Stuttgart-Zürich DB InterCity double-decker crosses the single-track viaduct from Schaffhausen.

And this is the view of the other side of the road bridge:

Eglisau is a lovely little place, with a charming historic centre - tell me if you've heard this one before. And like everywhere else on this trip, it's probably more popular in warmer seasons. Meanwhile, you know I like me a good clock, and a break in the clouds allowed me to use the sundial: nearly 3 PM solar time, and near the winter solstice on the calendar.