Sunday August 27 Geertruidenberg, Netherlands

A very warm Sunday in August - everyone is out on their bikes.

I think the trip is just about over, must be getting a bit lazy as no blog from yesterday. Anyway, thought I would catch up this afternoon having arrived at a camp on the boat harbour at Geertruidenberg, the weather is stunning, clear blue sky and really warm temperatures.

Yesterday was very peaceful, and great weather. Pottered around in the morning doing a few “sorting out” chores trying to get a little more organised for our last week. Took the bikes to the Jumbo store in town and picked up a few supplies, meandered back to the van for lunch, then off again later for a good bike ride out into the country along the canal banks. We thought the bike trails in France were good, but in Holland they are everywhere and are extremely well used. There seems to be a system with the trails numbered, just need to find out how to get it! And all towns have cycle lanes.

And spent a lot of time just watching the endless line of boats passing by our campsite, including a large one with 3 layers of cars and an even bigger set up with two barges both loaded with new tractors and trucks. By Ian’s calculations there would have 200 vehicles on board. Certainly, no chance of getting bored.

Spoke to the guy in this wee three wheel "car'"!!
He had only just got it, made in Taiwan. Great little
shopping basked, even had a seat in behind.

Laughed at the spelling of this on the banks of the Rhine.

Found a camper stop at a marina on a waterway several hours drive to the west using my new favourite app “park4night”. A fellow camper just recently recommended it to me and I find it so easy to use with a huge number of places to stay. A few issues with language but manage to get around it.  Jilly suggested a two-hour drive to the site via motorways but decided to navigate through the lesser roads. All was going really well until we came unstuck with a closed road in the middle of the large town of Nijmegen, after quite a lot of detouring around little narrow one-way streets with the navigator throwing her toys out we finally made it out the other side. But the drive through the countryside on such a beautiful day was well worth it. Like previous trips we really are so impressed with Holland, really neat tidy houses and gardens and the farms and their buildings are also spotless.

Bike paths on both sides of the road.

Interesting architecture in Nijmegen

No surprises as to what country we are in!

This camping spot is within a gated marina area and they have 15 spaces for campers, with nice lawns and trees surrounding us. There was quite a bit of activity in the marina, the weather was superb and being a Sunday, everyone was out and about.

Took the bikes into the town centre, a tree lined area full of bars and café’s, I still smile as people turn around to look at Ian on his bike. In Holland it is only the road cyclists who wear helmets, everyone else on their big cruiser type bikes let the breeze blow through their hair. But we continue to put ours on!!! We really enjoyed pottering around riding on the bikes lanes that wandered through the town and over the river, such freedom. The town is full of multi storied apartments which are really nice, and very upmarket. Very few people have garages, their cars are just parked on the street. And as a bonus, the camper next to us told me about the app I need to find out about all the biking paths in Netherlands…just what I had been looking for.

These house owners have a great sense of humour!

Taking the dog for a ride.

Modern apartments beside the river.