We really enjoyed the city of Breda. We couldn't find any camping so we decided to find a hotel. Barry went into the first hotel, Royal Tulip. We thought that it was too expensive so Barry got the map out and walked to all the other hotels in the area. After five hotels we realized that it was the best deal in town. The Royal Tulip was a lovely hotel with a helpful and personable staff. Seavo, our bike got his own carpeted room so he was very happy.In Holland it appears that you pay extra for breakfast so we opted to have our own muesli and yogurt in our room.
The last time we travelled in Holland by bike we joined the organization-"Friends of Cylists" or in Dutch,"Vrienden op de Fiets". There are 6000 B&B style guesthomes and 80,000 friends(guests) in the organization. The membership is only 10 euros and this entitles you to stay at a guesthouse for 19 euros per person per night breakfast included.These are non-commercial private homes of people who love cycling. You have to be on a cycling or walking trip to stay. Also, your stay is limited to one night only. Vrienden op de Fiets has an excellent website that lists all 6000 guesthomes. It is great way to meet local Dutch people who share an interest in travel and cycling.
We decided that we wanted to ride about 50 km. so we booked a Vrienden op de Fiets room with a woman in Lekkerkerk, which is a lovely village on the Lek River right across from the village of Kinderdijk where 18 windmills from around 1740 are located.
Holland is a tiny country but there is so much to see. We had planned to get to her home earlier in the day but after a slow start and a few too many stops we arrived to be greeted by Ans our hostess.She showed us to our room, private bathroom and after showers we joined Ans for dinner- delicious tomato salad and spicy chicken with dessert. You have the option to request dinner for an added cost of 10 euros. We talked to Ans late into the evening about Holland and traveling. Ans has just started hosting people in her home and we were her third guests. What a wonderful experience we had.
Breda is a beautiful dutch city with many places to sip coffee, eat or watch the world go by.
Jumbo is a dutch supermarket. We read that in Breda they had built Europe's largest supermarket.60,000 square metres and 300 employees. Prior to it being built there had been a major campaign to have the construction stopped as it would adversely effect other businesses in the city. Jumbo has been voted the best supermarket in the Netherlands. Our first Jumbo was not so jumbo, but still a very nice supermarket.
A surprise of the day - we don't read Dutch very well, and our guidebook is completely in Dutch. When we rounded the corner we were expecting to find a bridge - but no, one must take the water bus. Naturally, we had just missed one, so we waited for the next one. Seavo is waiting too for the water bus to arrive
When we asked the woman who worked on the water bus, how would we know when we had to get off, she said just look for Noah's Ark. To our surprise there indeed was an ark at our stop
