July 3, 2012
Amsterdam to Leiden
We left a rainy Munich but the sun was shining in Amsterdam - that is to say, the sun was shining in Utrecht. Unfortunately, due to bridge construction somewhere along the line our train didn't continue to Amsterdam and we had to change trains in Utrecht, a bit of a nuisuance but we coped.
In Amsterdam we were confronted first thing with the bicycle traffic. As we later heard from our Dutch friends, the cyclists in Amsterdam are known for reckless driving. They swerve in and out and don't seem to be too concerned with traffic rules. But it was great to be there. On my heavy loaded bicycle, I'm not the fastest at stopping and starting and I rode cautiously like the grandma that I am until we found an outdoor cafe and enjoyed the scene of bicycles as they flew by.
We got our bearings with the aid of our trusty GPS and set out. When we paused at a traffic light - it wasn't the first time and it wasn't the last time - a friendly cyclist stopped and asked us if he could help us find the way. We told him we were headed for Haarlem, but knew the way thank you very much. He recommended a much nicer route than the one I had planned, we should just follow the green dots on the pavement and they would take us all the way to Haarlem. Since he was also going that direction he would accompany us for the first few kilometers. We had a lovely route through a park instead of next to a highway and didn't get lost until we approached Haarlem.
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As we approached Haarlem, there were no more green dots and for some reason we didn't trust our planned GPS route - resulting in confusion and back tracking. Eventually, we found our way to the old center of the city.
Time for lunch. We went for the typical Dutch specialty, the "Hollandse Nieuwe", a raw herring from the North Sea available at this time of year, which was being sold at a fish stall in the form of the popular "Broodje Haring" or "Herring Sandwich". Some more wandering around and pictures and we were on our way.
The road to Leiden wasn't as interesting as our route in the morning. Most of the way we followed a main road, on a bicycle path of course. It was tedious, I was tired from the night in the train, the path was bumpy. It was good that we had reserved a room in advance. We just had to find the address and call it a day.
No trouble finding our B&B, De Haven. When we arrived, our host Paolo grabbed my panniers and ran up the two flights of narrow and steep stairs to the room with them. Dutch stairs are challenging. They are invariably very narrow and very steep and I was thankful for every occasion when I didn't have to negotiate them alone with my bags. I much appreciated Paolo's demonstration of his strength.
For dinner we cycled into town, not far, just a few kilometers, and ate at the Greek restaurant that our B&B hosts had recommended. This was our first view of Leiden and we looked forward to seeing more the next day. But for the time being, I was dead tired and desired nothing more than a good night's sleep.
Today's ride: 60 km (37 miles)
Total: 60 km (37 miles)
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