Anneke and Wim went to an event in the centre of town last night…classical arias were performed, there were sing alongs…they had a great time. We were invited to join them but we reluctantly had to decline as we needed a shower and early to bed.
Yesterday we arrived at the home of our Vrienden op de Fits hosts, Anneke and Wim in Hertogenbosch tired after a good but hard day of riding. They welcomed us into their lovely home with coffee and treats. As fellow cycling travel enthusiasts, we had lots of stories to share. We instantly felt at home with them. All too soon, it is time to leave. We have enjoyed meeting them and hearing about their extensive travels.
Riding these streets, it sometimes feels like nothing has changed here in centuries, except for the addition of mod cons like electricity. The familiar cobbled streets with homes that have stood the test of time feel timeless.
We decided to visit the scenic and historic small town called Heusen. From an aerial view, you can see that it is similar to an island, surrounded by water, yet there are a few narrow areas that connect it to the main land. The village is very scenic and quaint with wonderful old homes and businesses, windmills, a bustling waterfront and so many visitors. What a popular place, and there are so many cars with day trippers. Lucky us to be on a bike as we could ride into the centre of own. People in cars had to park out of the centre and walk some distance.
We decided to visit the scenic and historic small town, Heusen on the Maas River. From above, you can see that it is similar to an island, surrounded by water, yet there are a few narrow areas that connect it to the main land.
The photo above shows the uniquely designed footbridge which has a high middle section with sharply angled sides. This allows most boats to enter, but it can also be completely opened up manually.
Needed lunch and we agreed that the restaurants and cafes in town were too busy and pricey for us. So we rode to the Coop Grocery, picked up some lunch and headed back to the waterfront for lunch. At the grocery store we encountered this young family with their kids riding their bikes as they are campng nearby. As they arrived we could hear the excitement in the voices of the children. We misunderstood as they were excited because they have the same Dutch bike trailer as us. We love our Radical Design trailer and finally we have met someone who also owns and loves this trailer.
As usual, people are intrigued by our tandem. These fellows had been studying our tandem trying to figure it out. Barry explained the features of our tandem and why we like it.
Today is one of the first warm days that people in Holland have experienced in the last two months so people are out on the water having a wonderful time
Ponds like this and water in the dykes is higher than normal. Climate change is affecting us all. The Netherlands recorded record rainfall this spring sparking concerns about flooding of the Maas River.
We went to the local grocery store to get supplies as we were staying in our B&B for two nights. Barry was very pleased that the store offered free coffee. When we were in Holland on previous trips most grocery stores offered free coffee and tea. However during Covid this practice was stopped. Stores are slowly getting back to providing coffee for customers.
Our B&B is a special place. The owner is very friendly, the resident goat and sheep are friendly, but Sammy the cat took a little work to warm up to us. Barry will never give up on a cat , soon Sammy was enjoying Barry’s attention.
