Sweet Silver Travels

This past winter we stayed at Travelers Rest, near Dade City Florida, for a month, not only to enjoy the park but to see some old friends. I decided to rediscover my hobby roots by joining a painting class and learning to play the Dulcimer. But then we needed to discover where to go this fall....

BIKE HIKE IN THE NETHERLANDS August 23, 2019 On the bucket list

After extensive research, we decided to bike with Holland Bike Tours starting in Haarlem, a short train ride from Amsterdam. We were furnished with German made bikes, a GPS and an itinerary of our 7 day travels. The accommodations were scheduled by the company and it was up to us to follow their prescribed route which included the most scenic byways. Yes, there are bike paths throughout the country and a car is not necessary.

Beginning with HAARLEM (ABOUT A 20 MINUTE TRAIN RIDE FROM AMSTERDAM)

We were blessed by having our daughter Bonnie on the trip along with photographer Denny and me, acting as tour director. Everyone bikes in Holland and they often have more than I bike like we have 2 car families. We saw so much on 2 wheels.

This is a cargo bike that often has children as passengers.

Small bridges over scenic canals with pleasure boats lining the wall are very typical in the Netherlands.

Gardens are so popular all over the country, even container gardens.

Bikes, boats and cars are in order of importance. Cars park precariously at the edge.

We were able to spend a few days in Haarlem before starting out and felt very comfortable there. People are very nice when you engage them and visiting a town where everyone walks was an engaging experience.

ON TO THE REST OF THE NETHERLANDS

Yes, there are sand dunes (very tiny ones) in the Netherlands along the shore of the North Sea.

Our trip was seven days and it was beyond our expectations. The routes were scenic and flat and the weather was perfect. We calculated that we road about 175 miles.

LEIDEN

This was an overnight stop but we had plenty of time to see this university town. The students, a surprising number from the United States, were engaged in orientation the time we were there. It was a bustling area filled with college live.

ON TO DELFT WITH STOPS ALONG THE WAY

Bike paths all over the country just like this.

We often stopped along the path to take pictures of our favorite subjects. Mine was farm animals, Bonnie stopped for cats and Denny photographed sports cars.

I was really surprised that everyone rides a bike...young and old but rarely with a helmet! Paths can take you right in the middle of fields with grazing animals. These 2 Mamas were guarding the new calf born in back them.

It was 90 degrees the first 2 days of our ride and we stopped at a church step to recover in the shade. So many of the homes we passed had gardens and many had farm animals right in the city. Lots are divided by canals.

This was one of my favorite accommodations, a beautiful B&B arranged by the tour company. They made all the reservations as part of their tour, but we opted to carry our own panniers.

The owners built on a site of a monastery and they left a section of the original tile floor which was viewed through a glass floor window.

Breakfast in Delft beautifully made by our hostess, Ann.

We had a view of the street and a back courtyard. All the flats had a courtyard no matter how small. Everyone enjoys a few potted plants on the patio. Outdoor eating or sipping is prevalent in every town or village. And like the restaurant that was below our window, several are on boats. The canal was covered with green algae because the weather was so warm this summer.

Always a church in the center of town.

The city gate of Delft...known for its Dutch pottery.

The town square is now surrounded by restaurants and cafes. Delft also is host to the University of Technology.

The Hague is close to the North Sea where people go to enjoy the boardwalk activities. The sand was dark but the water looked inviting. The capital is a 30 minute bus ride from Delft.

You can't really say that it is a beautiful sandy beach, but when it's hot, it is refreshing.

The famous United Nations Court in The Hague is well guarded. Picturesque gardens surround the court and the neighbor homes are large and elaborate, and many occupied by diplomates.

BIKING TO GOUDA AND KINDERIJK, a World Heritage Site and places along the way

Our tour was called SMALL TOWNS AND VILLAGES with windmills dotting the landscape.

I now have a folder full of windmills pictures.

There are 19 Windmills at Kinderjik, near Rotterdam which is a UNISCO Heritage Site which worked to keep the land intact. It was rather crowded so we were not able to go into the one working mill.

Their apaears to be two different styles of windmill that dominate the landscape but the colors we saw were understated earth tones. Many are homes now, but not at Kinderjik.

All are beautiful with their own names and history and function...either pumping water or milling grain.

So many boats travel along these narrow canals. Some of them are also full time homes. Bikers were waiting at the lift bridge waiting for 6 boats to pass.

Gouda was busy and very diverse and there was not a tour in English we could join. We did notice a few things we didn't expect. You have to pay to use the bathrooms except at your accommodation. The second observation was that very little was translated into English as we visited sites. This was true throughout the Netherlands.

The cows don't mind the company.

Biking in the Netherlands is all about the canals, the boats, the unique landscape and the architecture in the towns. The weather was pleasant, the tour well planned and the bikes ran smoothly. When we returned to Haarlem (our starting point), Bonnie returned to New York and we continue to Belgium via train.

BRUGES, BELGIUM

This is the scene that is iconic Bruges and featured in every travel ad. Like Netherlands, Bruges has its network of canals which were first used for commerce, but now are there for visitors to enjoy.

Untouch by two world wars, Bruges is a delightful well preserved Medieval city that loves to host people from every corner of the world. We had 3 full days of tours, wondering around trying to take in the atmosphere.

These musicians played everyday at Burg square.

There is a constant buzz at the square. The walking tours are free but a tip is greatly appreciated. The main business is tourism.

Town square view from the old city hall.

All set and ready to serve at Market square. The Belgium chocolate is the best, but we were warned about imitation turkish chocolate. There is a chocolate museum as well as a French fry museum. We skipped both.

A city of many churches, the town had a period of religious activity. Those who attend now are few but devoted.

One of the oldest buildings in the city, this is the home of an artist and his art gallery. Our guide told us to see the gallery, not necessarily for the dark nature of the paintings, but to see a typical Bruges home design.

The cat lives at the gallery in one of the most famous building in Bruges.

A very pretty part of the city is this park-like community which at one time was the home of the Beguinus. This was a group of unmarried women (often widows from the Crusades), who had strong religious values, but never took vows as nuns. They mainly did community service. Established in 1244 in Bruges, the members worked at St. John's hospital a short distance away. Unlike nuns, they could leave any time. A few Benedictine nun still live here along with unmarried women.

Our guide told of a story of a drunk painter sitting on a chair painting on a canvas on the grounds of the community. When he fell out of his chair due to intoxication, the women came to evict him from the premises. That man was Winston Churchill!

Everywhere you look is another picture.

Bruges, Delft and Haarlem were my favorite cities on this trip. We spent 5 days in Paris and then off to Germany to spend a few days with a college roommate and her husband before heading back to the States.
Judy and Joerg hosted us and took us biking. Judy and I roomed together at MSU where she studied German and has taught English for 25 years in Germany. She is married to Joerg, a native German. They live north of Frankfurt in a beautiful community.

Biking is their passion and trains will accommodate bikes in Europe.

We left Germany on the train and headed back to depart from Amsterdam, which is not really my favorite city because it is busy with people everywhere.

After spending 26 days living out of our backpacks, we headed home to Michigan on September 17.

Pictures that didn't make the Blog

Rubin and his house museum in Antwerp