Through a glass darkly... or maybe not. My very first glass of Rhine wine, in this case a light, fruity, interestingly pétillant but elegantly dry Silvaner from the Vollmer vineyard here. Jolly good of the local wineries to get together and stick a tempting stall under the bridge next to the artificial (and why not?) beach, complete with jazz music - irresistible to the passing cyclist.

I spent a good quarter of an hour here, observing the passers-by, chatting in broken German, savouring the wine, conscious of the sun on my shoulders and the distant nagging voice of muscles long-unused... absolute bliss!

I raise my glass to you. Here's to many more!