Bike and Barge

My second summer holiday was planned by Tim and a friend from America - a "Bike and Barge" trip from Amsterdam to Brussels.

The fearsome foursome in 's Hertogenbosch

Our friends arrived in Brussels on July 4th from North America after 10 days in London and Wimbledon. After a quick stop in Leuven (Belgium) we welcomed them to our new-to-us home in Venlo. We enjoyed a few fun-filled, yet relaxing days visiting the Floriade and Nuenen (the "Van Gogh Village") before setting off for Amsterdam.

Our hotel for the week

The trip was a great way to reconnect with old friends and make new ones! The daily cycling distance was about 25 miles (40 km), so the trip was not strenuous. We had time and energy for a guided city walk nearly every evening after dinner on the boat. Because I was "in training" for a big walking event, I did a little extra walking each evening, usually to a geocache to two (by the end of our trip, everyone knew what a geocache was, and one of the other passengers was hooked). Sometimes there was a special treat, such as a carillon concert in Mechelen.

Mechelen, Belgium by night

Staying on the boat was an option for those who needed a rest day or just wanted to avoid the rain. But because the wind is always blowing in the Netherlands, the rain tends to come in showers. So when it wasn't raining, the skyscapes were lovely.

Willemstad, Noord-Brabant (the Netherlands)

Despite less-than-perfect weather, the trip was a blast. The boat was crewed by the owners, including their two sons, about 6 and 9 years old. From sailing the boat to serving dinner, everything was done with a smile, making us feel like welcomed family guests. The other passengers came from Australia, Italy, South Africa and the US and were excellent company, which made the close quarters cozy and congenial even though we spent a lot of time indoors.

The passengers on our cruise
saying "tot ziens" at Brussels Station

Even though we had met only a week before, it was hard to say goodbye to our tour companions, our guide Ingrid, and the boat's crew. Our rainy week was brightened by the warmth of the people around us!

Guinness and Fiddles

I must admit, Dublin wasn't on my "must visit" list when we moved to Europe. But when I found out discount airline Ryan Air is based in Dublin, I decided we had to go. We chose to skip Carnaval in Limburg (a controversial decision) in favor of a long weekend in Dublin, before the summer crowds and prices hit. Did it rain? Yes, a bit. Were there partying students? Yes, they just added to the charm. We'll definitely be back, and it will be a longer visit so we can see more of the country next time.

Five outstanding reasons to visit Dublin:

Photo: Em' Milie

They say that Guinness tastes better in Dublin than anywhere else. More Guinness stout is produced here than anywhere else in the world, including every pint consumed in America. Having enjoyed it on two continents, I can affirm that it tastes good, no matter where you are.

Photo: munksynz

The Book of Kells is neither a book, nor is it from Kells. But it is a cultural gem and Trinity College's Old Library is a lovely setting. Don't forget to go upstairs and check out Ireland's oldest harp.

Photo: Éole 

Speaking of harps, Dublin is a great place to experience traditional Irish music. To learn a bit about it, we joined a musical pub crawl our first night there, and the next night visited a pub recommended by the musicians (it turned out to be right around the corner from our hotel). The music was amazing, probably because the musicians were playing solely for their own enjoyment.

Photo: Fergal of Claddagh

Dublin is crammed with history and the architecture is varied and delightful. We enjoyed old churches (St. Michan's hosts a slightly creepy crypt tour complete with mummies you can touch), parks such as St. Stephen's Green and Merrion Square, and charming Georgian terrace houses.

Dublin's best treasure is Dubliners. People were very willing to encounter us, and invariably friendly, gracious and welcoming.

Photo: me!

We were standing in front of this pub Monday morning, looking at a plaque. A man came out of the pub and asked if we were James Joyce admirers; we told him we were following the Ulysses walk. He told us the pub didn't open until 11, apologized, and invited us in for a look around. Which we did (we now feel as though we must read Ulysses, but that's another story ...)


Still not sure Dublin is for you? Check out this video:

Hooray for Hollywood

I must admit I'm not a big fan of American movies and television. But living in Europe has taught me gratitude for the American entertainment industry. Partly because of the apparently universal appeal of blockbuster action films and reality television, people all over the world are entirely familiar with my language. And that's good, because being American, I am a monoglot. Meaning, if you speak English, we can talk. And if not, not.*

Thanks to the ability and willingness of others to speak my language, I've been able to chat about shoes with an Austrian couple in a monastery beer garden in Salzburg

Bräustübl Tavern in Mülln

and talk about tandem bicycling touring along the Rhine river with a friendly German couple

I was even able to give these folks directions!

and get tips for where to stay in the Moselle river valley from a Belgian beer brewer in one of Limburg's best pubs.

Our semi-local pub, the Hertog Jan brewery tasting room in Arcen

So thank you Warner Brothers, United Artists, and all the other media companies who have enriched my life. Even though I don't want what you're selling, I sure am enjoying the byproduct.

*I'm working on this, but at my age, it's uphill all the way.

Road Trip

Vineyard near Husseren-les-Châteaux

My parents are volunteering in the Black Forest for a few weeks, giving me a good excuse for a spontaneous road trip.

Splashing in the fountain, Eguisheim

I drove south through Germany on the A61 motorway, aka autobahn. The one thing everyone seems to know about the autobahn is that there is no speed limit. It can be a bit startling to be passing a truck that's going 80 km/hour (about 50 mph), only to be passed on the other side by a car going close to 100 mph. Add in rain and construction diversions, and it turned out to be a fairly stressful drive. Luckily the weather was partly clear and I was able to enjoy the spectacular scenery just south of Koblenz, aka the Romantic Rhine, an area I hope to revisit soon.

Despite weather and traffic I arrived safe and sound, and in time to enjoy a good German meal with my folks. It was great to see them again, and we had good travel stories to swap as they had recently been in Tanzania and we had just returned from Greece. It's pretty obvious who I got my travel bug from!

Cobblestones and 16th century residences in Equisheim

We spent Saturday exploring the Alsace region, my first visit to that part of France. It's a beautiful area, a hilly patchwork of vineyards spread nearly up to the forested tops, ornamented with charmingly historic villages. Although now part of France, it is historically tied to Germany as well, as shown by place names like Kaysersberg, Obermorschwihr, and Steinbach.

We shopped for fruit at the Saturday market in Rouffach, enjoyed a delicious lunch of French and German specialties (the onion tart was especially yummy) in Eguisheim, tasted Riesling and Pinot Noir wines in Ammerschwihr, and listened to an impromptu organ concert at the Romanesque church in Kaysersberg. I was surprised at the good wine values, and it was interesting to see how the French spend a sunny afternoon - eating good food, then shopping for wine to accompany future meals. I could get used to that!

Marché du samedi in Rouffach

For the trip home, I chose a route through France, partly to avoid some of the construction diversions that helped slow me down on Friday, and partly just to see some different scenery. The French motorway was definitely different - the pavement was rougher and there were no rest stops. But with a speed limit of 130 km/hour, at least I wasn't startled by cars zooming by.

The most interesting sight I saw on the return trip was the disused, seemingly abandoned border checkpoint near Lauterbourg, France. Seeing those rusty, dusty buildings helped me better understand what Europe gained by unifying. I imagined a world of abandoned checkpoints, where instead of wasting time and energy fearing and distrusting each other, we enjoy a good meal together and then shop for wine. I could get used to that, too.

Photo credit drw25

Photos from the Pieterpad

Another beautiful day on the Pieterpad, this time with lovely daughter Robin. We rambled through farm land, heaths and woods. She had the camera and I enjoyed seeing the landscape through her eyes.

In the Quin Nature Reserve

The Pieterpad guide describes the Quin as a "great fen fed by seepage water and rain. Goats and Highland cattle graze. A 30 meters high river dune offers a beautiful overview. Wet heath vegetation, such as sundew, lavender, beak rush, and different kinds of amphibians."

Gennep town square

 Our walk ended in Gennep, where we enjoyed a well earned rest and cold drink.

Thanks, Robin, for a great day!

P.S. I'm behind with details of our cross-country ride but have a great reason: a visit from Bellingham friend Alex, who is on a fabulous adventure of his own. Do check out his blog - many of the photos are taken from a moving bike!

Special Meetings

Fellow Pieterpad walkers, near Puth, NL

Walking the Pieterpad has so far been a joyous experience. I've mostly been walking alone - Tim walked one stage with me, and Robin says she will join me for a stage or two once school is out. I feel safe, even though many parts are quite rural, and others are in the woods. I have walked for hours without seeing another person, although I see plenty of birds and many farm animals, sometimes while crossing their pasture:

A friendly cow

While encounters with other people have been rare, some have been very special. The photo at the top shows three kind souls who let me tag along for much of a rainy Thursday. We huddled under a cherry tree during an intense shower, puzzled over confusing route directions, and enjoyed coffee and vlaai for a well-earned break.

Another special meeting during one of my first stages ended up in someone else's blog. Marjolein and I met in Swolgen where we finished connecting stages at about the same time - she from the north, and I from the south. The next day I met her again in Venlo as she was finishing the next stage. Turns out, Marjolein is walking the Pieterpad and then continuing to Santiago de Compostela, a pilgrimage route I mentioned in an earlier post. I am happy to see that Marjolein is doing well on her journey, and wish her succes!

This week I experienced another kind of special meeting when I enjoyed the hospitality of Panchita, Paul and Fay of Gangelt, Germany. We connected through Vrienden op de Fiets, an organization that facilitates homestay accomodation for bicycle and foot travelers (fietsers en wandelaars). Their friendly and gracious hospitality was most welcome at the end of a 34 kilometer walk, and I will long remember them with great fondness. Dank U wel for the wonderful conversation, comfortable bed, and lovely breakfast!

A breakfast to remember