16 September – We followed some minor roads around north Netherland and onto the motorway heading south crossing a huge causeway between the IJsselmeer Bay and the North Sea.. It has been 6 weeks since we left the sea at Medveja in Croatia. What a contrast from 35 degrees and swimming to 16 degrees and windy. We realized that it is the longest time that we have ever been away from the sea!! We are at a camp in a village called Petten, right on the coast and protected by a huge dyke. It is sunny but windy so we went for a walk along the flat sandy beach with storm protecting groynes sticking out into the sea every 500m. The dyke starts by the camp where there is a project to analyze the effect of the sea motion on the sea bed. There was an information centre explaining the project and had some dramatic photos of the various storms that have damaged this area. The dyke is huge. At least 15m high, with stones on the seaward side, and stretching along the coast as far as the eye can see. We walked into the village and had a great meal at a little brassiere – salmon and sea bass. This is not an area where English speaking tourists visit but everyone seems to speak a little English and is very helpful.

17 September – Our plan was to walk into the village in the morning and buy some groceries and ride the cycleway along the dyke in the afternoon. All went to plan and we listened to Ireland beat Australia (RWC) on a UK radio station, but the rain and wind set in at lunch time so we abandoned the bike ride.

18 September – We left camp in torrential rain and strong winds and drove south towards Amsterdam. On the way we visited an old Dutch village, Zaanse Schans which has been restored as a tourist attraction. (Thanks Julie) The rain stopped and we enjoyed the original shops, many windmills, a cheese factory, a pewter foundry and a clog factory. One of the windmills was operating so we to go into it and climb up. The mechanics are fascinating and still working. Our camp is half way between Amsterdam and Haarlem on the coast.

19 September – We biked to the bus stop for our trip into Amsterdam. The central city is based on a series of canals like Venice. There the similarities end. There are bikes everywhere. Unlike NZ, people use bikes as a means of transport so they are not flash mountain bikes but set up with high handle bars, spongy sprung seats, chain guards, big mud guards, and a lot without any gears. They often have 1 or 2 children’s seats and big carriers. Amsterdam was beautiful, tree (turning golden) lined canals with house boats along them. Many of the canal houses are converted warehouses, still with their hoisting arms, shuttered windows and great gables. We wandered the canals and found the Dam Square with its cathedral and the royal palace. We took a boat trip onto the harbour and thru many of the canals. Good value! Lunch was at a Pancake House before we caught the bus to Haarlem. The bus driver showed us where the many sights were. Very friendly. This is a charming town with a great square where we enjoyed a wine in the late afternoon sun. The same bus driver drove us back to our bikes and honked and waved as we left the bus.

20 September – We drove a nice road thru the suburbs of Haarlem and south to The Hague past the Keukenhof Gardens. They are famous for their flowers but are closed at this time of the year. The weather is warm (18 degrees) but very overcast. Our camp is on the coast, close to The Hague. After lunch we cycled passed many of the embassies and the World Convention Centre, to the Madurodam. This is a famous miniature city made up of all the famous sites in Holland. The highest spires are about 2.5m high. This gives you some indication of the scale. It really is a summary of all the best bits of Holland. After the Madurodam we cycled to the coast and spent some time at the pier at Scheveningen. There were even some people swimming. There is a beautiful hotel but is a bit like a Dutch version of England’s Brighton. We followed a cycle way along the coast back to our camp. We decided not to go into the centre of The Hague as a lot of it was closed because the Queen was opening the parliament.



21 September – We drove around The Hague and out to Delft, famous for blue and white pottery. Cycling into the square past some great little canals was great. The square itself is dominated by the Town hall at one end and the Cathedral at the other with many shops selling Delft pottery, most of it made in China. Back on the road and again off to the Kinderdijk. This is a stretch of the River Lev with 19 windmills pumping water over the dyke and back into the river. We cycled past most of them. The last part of our trip was slow as we met a huge traffic jam going around Rotterdam. (about 45 minutes delay). We are now camped in Zeeland right on the coast with a nice beach on the North Sea.

22 September – A quiet morning catching up on domestic chores. After lunch we set off and cycled along the dykes, thru the farm land, and thru some great little villages. At one stage we found another working windmill. They are fascinating. From a distance they look peaceful and serene. When you get really close you realise that they are huge, noisy and slightly scary. The sails rotate at an amazing speed, generating huge power. The clearance from the ground is only about 1m. The ride was along the usual great cycleway well away from the roads. We covered about 35 kms. Back at the camp we enjoyed a swim and a spa in the camp’s indoor pool. This camp is huge but is mainly permanent chalets and mobile homes.

23 September – The weather is now much better, sunny and warm. It was a very short drive off the island we were on, to another island. These islands are connected by a series of dykes, bridges, and huge flood control systems. We are now in the SW corner of The Netherlands. This is another big camp much like yesterdays. After lunch we walked to the beach over high sand hills and then along a wide beach set up for summer with beach huts and restaurants. There were many parasailers using the slight on shore wind to stay aloft for long periods. We eventually passed the sand hills and immediately dykes had been built to keep the sea out. We had an ice cream at a lively little village with many bars and restaurants. This area is obviously very popular in the summer but there are still many “older” locals enjoying an autumn holiday.

24 September – Another lovely morning as we headed south off the island we were on and into Belgium. We left the island via a 6 km tunnel under the sea. (Expensive toll of 17.80 euro) The AB’s v France game was in progress and we listen to it on a scratchy UK radio station. We have decided to bypass Brussels and instead go to Brugge, a much smaller city. The first camp we tried was full and we ended up on the last site of another camp. Evidently there is an antique market in Brugge this weekend.

25 September – Off on the bikes into Brugge about 4 kms. What a great city with two huge squares, many great buildings and several canals. There were quite a few tourists around but it was not too crowded. Most of the shops here either sell chocolate or lace. We found the antique market with hundreds of stalls selling trash and treasure. If you knew what you were looking for, I bet there would have been some bargains! We enjoyed a nice lunch in the square and then decided to cycle around the canals on the way home. Unfortunately we got a bit lost and ended up cycling an extra 20 kms. All very nice though. As there is reasonable internet at this camp we will publish this blog. There will be one more before we return home to NZ on 1 October.