termination shock

High voltage transmission lines, a common sight throughout France, Switzerland and Germany. Solar and wind generation are omnipresent, in contrast with Australia, where despite our more suitable climate and geography such advancements are only just starting to find traction.

battle sands

After an overnight in Mulhouse it was back to Germany, rain on the autobahns, hugging the French border then traversing Mannheim, Cologne and Düsseldorf to the grey twilight of Kleve.

orchestra

Outside Musée national de l’automobile.

yellow yellow

A century-old Pilain.

The automotive collection is vast, assembled in secret by the obsessive Schlumpf Brothers after the second World War. It was hidden in a wool spinning mill until later discovered by laid-off workers and unionists during an occupation protest. Long story short: the collection was opened to the public and it has remained in the factory ever since, with the building being renovated and heritage-listed. The focus is the Bugatti collection, 123 of them, including a Bugatti Veyron.

An apprehensive French guy and I also got to experience a car crash roll simulation in a car, perhaps ironically, of the same make and model as the car I drive.