Day Twenty: Arnhem: (Year 20: 1987)

October 10, 2017

Flash Back to 1987:

In the previous year everyone was having adventures but Dodie's Mom Hilda felt left out. So early in the year Dodie and Hilda set off for Hawaii, all by themselves.

In July the two young boys and I set out for the Rockies.

The Rockies are beautiful but can be harsh. We were so swarmed by mosquitoes on the way there that we could not leave our tent at all. Then in the mountains we hit snow though it was July. I bundled the boys off to the hot springs in Banff to warm up.

Steve and the boys freezing in the Rockies in July.

Over the years we have made many trips to Hawaii. Hawaiian singer IZ came to capture the spirit of the place for us.

When a neighbour started repairing fibreglass boats upwind of our farm, toxic fumes were drifting into the kids windows. We found a property north of Victoria and spent the winter designing a house and making plans to leave. Just as when we had bought the original farm, the new place was beyond our means and we landed back in debt. With time and help from Dodie's parents, we dug out.

This is the year we bought a larger piece of land. Just 11 acres, it was still costly because of the west coast location. Here Steve's parents, Josh, and goat check out the land.

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Fast Forward to 2017, the Netherlands:

I am sorry to be putting up a post like this one is going to be, since this blog was supposed to be about a joyful romp through some of the most beautiful and interesting regions of Europe. But poor Dodie has had a hard time, and that is continuing.

Dodie is in hospital today, in Arnhem.

It started yesterday, about an hour after lunch in the Hoge Veluwe park. Dodie came down with severe cramping, diarrhea, and also rectal bleeding. Things calmed down a bit and she made it to Arnhem. But the bleeding continued.

This was awkward situation, since the bikes/gpx track had landed us in the middle of a city with which we are completely unfamiliar. Google Maps identified a medical clinic about a km away. It was said to open at 8 a.m. Maybe by then Dodie could make it. So at 3 a.m. I was making notes about where we were, where the clinic was, plus various phone numbers and websites for medical help for travellers.

At 7 a.m. I went out to track the clinic down. It was apparently located in one of two high rise towers associated with the new train station. How unfriendly the station and the surrounding roads seemed. They were clearly someone's idea of a great new modern thing. But the roads were uncrossable and the signage poor. I thought if this is Arnhem, then what an icky place. My opinion would change later, but read on.

Unfriendly streets and buildings, espcially of you are looking for help.

Somebody obviously thought a modern look like this was great.

Streets near the train station are difficult to cross. To be fair, designers area having to accommodate cars, bikes, and pedestrians. Each has their own path and traffic lights, so confusion is hard to avoid.

My clinic research ended on the 10th floor of one tower, in front of a blank closed door bearing the names of the clinic plus several other miscellaneous businesses. Hmm.

I went to talk to the main hotel staff - we are in a remote annex with no one around, so it's ahike to the actual hotel. They insisted that there is no such thing as an emergency clinic in Netherlands, and that one merely has to make an appointment with a doctor. The "boss", a stern but kind lady named Joke, made a phone call and was told that the doctor was busy all day. But she handed over the phone and said talk to them. I told the story and they said, basically, the doctor will see you right away. So Joke called a taxi and soon Dodie and I were at a doctor's office, we know not where. The doctor was quick to refer us to the hospital emergency where there are gastroenterologists. Another taxi ride, and now we were also we knew not where. The emergency doctor consulted with the specialist and they decided it could be food poisoning, or it could be a breakdown in the gut. Either way, they were keeping her for observation and analysis.

Another taxi ride and I was back at the hotel to pick up some needed things. But this time I was watching the route. A little work with Google Maps and I came to understand where things were. I was on my way to becoming the Arnhem expert, as I had done in Apeldoorn.

It turns out that the train station complex is something of an aberration and too bad it was our introduction to the town. Just a little east, on the same side of the Rhine, is the old town. This is a fairly extensive collection of traffic free streets. Admittedly the architecture was not overwhelming, and many of the stores were chain affiliates, but still it was nice.

Arnhem downtown, with the grey blot of the train station area on the north west corner. What's to dislike? They have both McDonalds and Burger King.

I tracked down a travel book shop and bought a very nice cycle map book for the lower Rhine. It is by BVA and is the official guide of the German bicycle club. On the other hand, I also checked out the trains, and found that though the ICE and other fast trains do not allow bikes, the "Abellio" train does. It is a milk run with many stops, but there is one per hour to Dusseldorf. Depending how much more time and strength we lose here, it could be the "ticket".

By the way, the Grampies have reached the Rhine again - sort of.

The guide from Arnhem to Dusseldorf. We have the gpx already and this would make the trip very easy. But we may not have the time any more.

The guide is not from Bikeline, but seems as good or better.

Past 1 p.m. now and I had not eaten since the evening before, so time to locate a café. The upscale shops and cafes of the main downtown were not what I wanted, but I accidentally wandered into a small quartier that was just a little scruffy. It's called the Spijker Kwartier. By scruffy I really only mean it had traffic allowed, groceries with product out on the sidewalk, more bakeries than otherwise, and yes, Kebap shops. I found one and asked the man to just make me something. The photo shows what I got. Easily enough for two. Where is Dodie when I need her!

The downtown has lots of traffic free streets.

I found a travel bookstore with lots of Bikeline (half are shown here). The had Elbe 1 and 2, which is in our plans for next year, but they did not have Rhine 4 (lower Rhine).

Arnem has four or more large churches. They are nice but do not have the romantic appeal of the ones in southern Europe and France.

The Spijker neighbourhood was a little rougher, but more interesting than downtown.

French style pastries are rare here. These are for Ardell.

Tired of taxis, I then started the hike up to the hospital. The way passes by a fairly wild park called the Sonsbeek. Actually I think our route took us through it on the way in. It is always fun to try to make out the foreign language (normally, German) signs on a trip, and to note how words are often very similar to English, but spelled much differently. So the sign at the hospital "Hoofdingang" clearly means if you are hoofin' it, go in this way.

OK, so hoofd actually means "head" and the sign indicates "main" entrance.

Dodie had been nicely installed in a room that actually is bigger and nicer than our hotel room. I am typing this at my desk there, using the hospital wide free wifi! On the door is a fairly scary warning, "Let op!" - the lady in here is in solitary - isolation. Actually it was not that bad, not the cap and gown protocol, but just a lot of hand washing.

A bit scary, until you read the details. Of course, you need to learn Dutch first. Hint verpleegkundige is a nurse.

In an hour they will throw me out, and I'll trudge back to our little hotel room. Dodie is resting quietly - but they still have no answers. Tune back in tomorrow for the update. What a tiring way for Dodie to boost the hit count!

The open central courtyard of the hospital has lots of seating, light, an open cafeteria with very high quality choices, a gelato stand, etc. It's a brilliant design that makes this a pleasant place for staff, visitors, and patients.

View from my desk in Dodie's room, out over the courtyard.

Dodie's hospital supper was carefully arranged.

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