Amsterdam Intersection
For me, this is the high point of the tour… I’m looking forward to revisiting those days in Holland, I lived there for a year in 1960 - 61. I was in grade six, that odd time before those teen years.  Once we settled in, it was an adventurous time, especially after learning the bicycle paths that seemed to go anywhere… hanging out with my international buddies… Yuki, whose dad worked at the International Court, Palco, my Hungarian buddy who taught me some football passes and numerous US friends who have parents in the military.

Besides all that independence on the bike, there was the music, listening to Dutch pirate radio, Radio Veronica http://www.icce.rug.nl/~soundscapes/VOLUME02/Years_of_Veronica.shtml… Dutch DJs playing British and US music… and just catching the beginning of the British blues scene, under the covers at night with my transistor radio listening to Radio Luxembourg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Luxembourg playing the same from 9 - 11 pm.

But first, we have to get to Amsterdam, we’ve booked a morning flight from Belfast… a short flight on one of the EU's many cheap airlines… EasyJet. We leave a bit early, we need to return the rental and then clear customs. Kathy and Beth aren’t coming on this leg, they’re off on a bus tour of Ireland.

As we check-in, a notice comes across the board… our flight is now delayed for five hours, which will have us landing at Schiphol in the early evening, missing an evening walkabout and dinner out. Not much you can do, we settle in for a lunch, and hit the newsstand. And the laps around the small concourse of the Belfast airport begin. As I’m walking around I notice a group of young men, who seem to be getting drunker and louder, I’ve always wondered how anyone could afford to get drunk paying airport bar prices f… we finally get the boarding call and there they are, this is a stag party heading for a dirty weekend in Amsterdam…we’re lucky it’s a short flight, they just keep getting more obnoxious and ignore the stewards, it was nice to see that the Dutch police were waiting for them when we exited at Schipol.

We’re off on the train into Amsterdam, when over the PA comes the warning that there are pickpockets working the train, and to keep an eye on your luggage and backpacks… and turning around, there’s Moira’s pack unfastened… but all is safe.

We’re staying at the A-Train hostel… not far from the railroad station or from where we catch the boat… but it’s late when we get out for a walk around… we find an outdoor café for a beer and something to eat.

Falked Again Day 1
Amsterdam - Vianen
We have much of the next day to wander about… the desk clerk draws me a map to where the boat is tied up, and we make good time easily finding it. We’re able to drop off our luggage… we don’t leave Amsterdam until 3 pm and Moira wants to visit the Anne Frank Museum, Kyla has the walk to the museum worked out, so we’re off… and there is much to see. But the weather isn’t cooperating, we manage to crowd into a restaurant just as the skies open up… and then it quits as quickly as it started. We discover that the line for the museum is around the block, and most folks have already purchased tickets on line. We continue a loop around town and end up at the public library, near the harbour. And it seems to go on and up forever… including two coffee shops and a restaurant. We settle in a sunny corner overlooking the harbour… grab a late lunch, catch up on some emails and do some reading.

We’re taking the Southern Tour Relax, which does a clockwise circle starting from Amsterdam - Vianen – Gouda - Delft – Leiden – Haarlem – and back to Amsterdam. On this trip we also went through the dunes near Zaandvort, and on the return trip to Amsterdam, we went through Zaans Schaans. CycleTours is the company, https://cycletours.com/, and our boat is The Wending.

We’re the only Canadians on board, along with British, American, Spanish and a group of Austrian women, who soon turn into the bad girls on the trip… our guide is Wil, she’s been doing this for years. You can tell the hardcore riders, they had their bikes shipped to Amsterdam, we’re riding the bikes provided by Cycletours. The trip works pretty easy, we get up to breakfast waiting, make our lunches, fill up the water bottles, check out the bikes and then ride anywhere from 40 to 60 km a day, and arrive to find The Wending waiting.

We’re all on board and the boat leaves for Vianen promptly at 3:00 pm cruising for about three hours, and overnighting outside of town. We meet everyone in our group and are introduced to our crew and guide. There’s an honour system for beer and wine, and everything else is provided. Wil reviews the itinerary, the rules of the road and some insight into the area we’re travelling through. We get the option of getting a map, and leaving the group to travel on our own, the girls shut down that option without a blink! We settle into dinner, no assigned seats in the dining area, so you get to move around and meet new folks at each meal. We tie up and take the bikes for a run… adjusting seats and handlebars. Like every other night, we get a short but interesting lecture on the area we’re riding through, along with maps and a bit of local history.

A break on the path Day 2
Vianen - Gouda
I have to admit, I’m a little leery about today… it’s been a very long time since I’ve ridden 40 km on a bike… flat land or not. We’re up for breakfast, I begin my routine of having an early coffee on deck, it's quiet… only the skipper in the wheelhouse. Today’s trip takes us from Vianen through Schoonhoven and meeting the boat in Gouda. We’re on the way, and soon strung out in three groups… I can see why Wil is in such good shape, she’s back and forth making sure all is well.  We’re also riding with an eye on the weather, there’s a storm blowing through… and it hits quickly. We head for a gas station that’s covered by those large canopies… and it’s obvious that Wil has been there before… we’re off after a short time, but not for long. Turns out the Austrian women have taken a wrong turn, and Wil can see them in the distance, heading the wrong way on the dyke. We’re told to wait while she goes off to round them up… I’m glad we’re sticking with the group. Wil shows up with them in tow as the rain starts up again, and we head for the closest pub to wait it out… and as we ride into Gouda, there’s the boat, waiting on the canal. Other than a sore butt, I’m doing well. We try out the beer fridge, enjoy a grand dinner, go over the next days itinerary and head out for an evening stroll in Gouda. I soon discover that every square I seem to find, there’s always a Subway in the background of whatever building I’m trying to photograph!

Against The Wind Day 3
Gouda -Kinderdijk- Rotterdam - Delft

I’m up early, to get out of the way while the girls get ready… I’m up on deck with a coffee, and end up chatting with the skipper…he goes over the maps that show the canals, almost as complex as the bike paths… I have to get below deck to grab a bite and make my lunch… today is going to be a long run into Rotterdam, but being in the city on a bike path is much easier than dealing with the cars.

We have a sunny day, no rain rolling in and it’s a short run to Kinderdijk… a village of working windmills… a UNESCO site. There’s a museum and a working pump house, where you can see how the windmills are pumping out the water to the next level. We’re a few feet below sea level here, so the pumps are constantly running. We’re here until lunch… and there are many images that need recording. Lunch in the sun and then we’re off for a quick run to catch a ferry… Wil gave us a choice, ride the 25 km through Rotterdam or ride the ferry and get a tour of the harbour along the way. The ferry pulls up… a Euro to board, rack your bike… it holds 100 and we’re off for a 45 minute ride on the water… it’s a quick run through Rotterdam and all of a sudden we’re in Delft. The canal seems to be busier than previous stops and we’re rafting up next to another boat… a few of us are helping with the ropes… all of a sudden I hear “Norm” and I turn around to see my friend Dale… he’s on a tour going the opposite way. I spend the evening sitting on his boat, and we finish a few too many beers. It is a small world.

Riding The Dunes Day 4
Delft - Den Haag - Wassanar - Katwijk - Leiden
It’s the summer solstice

We don’t ride far, we’re visiting a small factory that produces those small blue and white pieces of pottery that makes Delft world famous… then we’re off for Den Haag and Wassanar, where I spent my year in the Netherlands… and I’m looking forward to seeing if I can recognise some familiar haunts… but I’m beginning to wonder… day 4 and I’m not recalling much of my Dutch…while I wasn’t fluent, I was able to make myself understood. And Den Haag has changed, the palace at the town centre is familiar, but that’s it. I sort of recognise the bike path passing by the palace in Wassanar… it’s an afternoon pedal along a highway and come down a long hill into Leiden… where we’re staying for two days. We’re anchored right downtown, so we’re off on our own for the evening. The girls have a craving for some junk food, so the cook directs us to the grocery store… and it turns out it’s not much different from anything back home… including the brands of chips on the racks. We go for a late walk around town and spend the rest of the evening sitting on deck taking care of those chips…and chatting with the group, most of us are out there late, we’re not starting early. Windmills

Day 5
Leiden - Cheese Factory and Bakery… the foodie day

We’re on a slow day, it’s a leisurely ride to a local cheese factory, along with a small museum. We cruise along one of the canals, until we find a spot for lunch… the old windmills pumping away the water, and the new ones catching the wind, providing power for the nearby villages. We’re back at the boat in the early afternoon. I take off for a walkabout… the abandoned building across the canal is intriguing, and I’m trying to make my way over there. I also find the library in Leiden, so there’s a quick check on the wire… nothing important.

It’s a quiet evening after dinner, the girls come along and we check out a few more places before heading back to the boat.

Wending Waiting
Day 6
Leiden - Keukenhof -  Haarlem

The rain has returned, so we’re easing into the day, Wil has changed the route. Moira has decided to take a boat day, as is a few of the other riders. It’s another long day, riding 50 km. And it’s slow on the water, we pass The Wending along the way, and the group is getting strung out… there’s some unplanned construction along the way, and we have to negotiate many detours to get into Haarlem. Along the way we’re riding through the tulip fields in Keukenhof… at this time of year, there’s not much growing, but they are massive. We stop for a break at a nursery… this one is the size of a box store, but there’s not much for sale.

By the time we hit Haarlem, the group has split up and we pass the boat again, it is in a line, waiting for a bridge to go up. And we’re now in the city, having to pay attention to stop lights, pedestrians and cars… we’re all waiting as the boat arrives.

It’s still early afternoon, and the Fran Hals museum is open for a few more hours… I’m off there, the girls are going shopping… there is definitely a big city feeling to Haarlem. We first stop along the way to grab an order of patat frites mit mayo… a sidewalk treat!

We go out for a group walk, but you can feel the trip coming to an end, we’re heading back to Amsterdam tomorrow.

Windmill B&W
Day 7
Haarlem - Spaardam - Zaans Schaans - Amsterdam

It’s an early start, we’re on the road before 9 am, working our way through the city… we’re about two blocks away when there are thunder and lightning, and the sky opens up. We duck under the store awnings, along with most of the others on the bike path. It’s crowded, and we have to hug the railings to allow the bikes to pass… one of the women in our group is putting on her coat, and extends her arm into the bike lane, knocking a surprised office worker to the ground, and as he goes over his bike rides up my leg… no damage to either of us, but Wil moves us on, rain or not!

We take a small ferry, it’s operated by the neighbourhood and crewed by the retired residents… and takes 5 bicycles at a time, an interesting operation… the rain picks up and Wil gets us to the Prins Hotel, where we ride out the storm over a coffee. We’re back on the road before the rain quits… heading to Zaans Schaans - a model of old Dutch villages and trades. We head for the wooden shoes but Moira soon has us heading off for pannekoeken at one of the restaurants. I’m off for some more shots… and after a long two hours, we head off for Amsterdam. Along the way we have a break in a park, that seems like it is located in the country… we’re back on our bikes and in a matter of minutes, we’re in Amsterdam, and the paths are crowded. We meet the boat at its home port… we’re spending the last night tied up in Amsterdam. There’s an even grander dinner prepared, and then we’re out on a canal tour. We spend a bit of time on deck, chatting about the trip and setting up an email exchange with the promise to share photographs. Looking For...

Day 8 -10
Amsterdam -Scheveningen

We’re up early for the last breakfast on The Wending, we have to be off the boat by 9:30… checkout time!

It’s a short walk to the train station and we’re soon heading for Den Haag, we’re spending three days there, more of that search for my Dutch and familiar places. We catch a cab, and we’re at the hotel before check-in time… so it’s drop off the suitcases and head for the beach. It’s an overcast day, and many of the cafés are still shuttered. We find a small place, and grab lunch and head off on the boardwalk, ending up at the pier, and of course, it doesn’t look anything like the one I’ve remembered.

We have the top floor of the hotel… it’s two bedrooms, kitchen/living room… and a grand view of the beach… we’re on the fourth floor… but there’s no elevator. We head out for a walkabout and groceries… and then sit on the balcony for an early evening at home.

We only have two full days in Den Haag, so we’re filling up the days. A former student of mine, Maja Groff, works at the International Court and lives in Den Haag, so we’re meeting up with her at The Humanity House https://humanityhouse.org/, it’s an interactive exhibit that puts you in the shoes of a refugee fleeing from political or environmental disasters, and it’s quite the experience. The day is warming up, and we’re off to find a place for lunch… we end up sitting in a large square in front of the Mauritshuis Museum https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/the-collection/rembrandt/. We sat for an hour over lunch, and a beer… then off to the museum, especially the Rembrandt exhibit… The Laughing Boy, Girl With The Pearl Earring, The Bull and Bird are all favourites.

Afterwards, we walk over to where I lived for the year… 53 Adriaan Pauwstraat. For some uncanny reason, I’ve always remembered that address… we met the present owners and had a wee chat… the house looks pretty much the same. A short walk to the tram and a ride to the hotel. We go for a walk on the beach and find a restaurant open for dinner… the girls contemplated taking in a film, but we ended up going back to the hotel and caught a film on TV. #53 Norm

#53 Day two is an early rise for me, went down for breakfast and sat with the paper and a coffee on the outside deck… Kyla joined me partway through. She’s taking the morning off, going to do laundry and catch up on some emails. Moira and I head back downtown on the tram, we’re getting a tour of the International Court, and catch a mid-morning coffee at an outdoor café while waiting for the entrance to open. We decide to walk back to the hotel, and it’s a nice stroll, but I’m not recognising many familiar places. We meet up with Kyla and head off to the beach, it’s hot out and the beach is packed. We take a walk through the pier, the bumper cars I frequented as a kid has been replaced with a crane and bungee jumping! We go grocery shopping, cook up a nice dinner and sit over beers on the outside deck. I head out to the working harbour and get some final shots of the sunset over the beach.

Final day in the Netherlands, we grab a cab to the train station, the girls are off to Brugge in Belgium and I’m catching the next one back to Amsterdam, I’m flying back to Dublin to meet up with Kathy and Beth, we have the last day there. But my luck holds out, and the thunderstorms are postponing flights both in and out… in the end, my flight is eight hours late… we even get boarded and then told to go back to the terminal. We finally head out, and I don’t get into Dublin until after 11 pm… and the cab drivers aren’t familiar with Kilronen House, the B&B where we’re staying… and I didn’t write down the address… I finally find a cabbie who looks it up and I’m off to a dark building… but as the cab door shuts, there’s a crack of light at the front door! The Delivery

The final day and I’m off on my own heading downtown… I’m taking advantage of no VAT tax paid, and trading in a lens I don’t use, for one I’ll use most of the time. I’m out in front of the store, shooting across the street to a man sitting on his own, reading the paper. There soon this little dance, as young men drop off large bags near him, and another fellow picks them up as he makes phone calls… it’s the local bookie collecting the morning bets…

I make a trip out to Maynooth on the bus to pick up a suitcase that Kyla is sending home, we have free luggage going back. We go out for a quiet dinner and that’s the end of the adventure. We fly home the next morning.