Cycling Western Europe
Day 2: June 30, 2007 (Den Haag to Delft and back, Holland/Netherlands)
Route: Hook of Holland - The Hague - Delft - The Hague
Weather: sunny (AM); rainy (PM)
Total mileage: 25 miles
I'm in paradise! Yes . . . Holland and the Netherlands is probably the closest place to my ideal lifestyle as it can get. Check this: there are cycling roads EVERYWHERE! Ok, I'm not talking just the here-and-there "cycling paths" that we have in the US. Oh, no, no, no. It's a whole other world overe here in the land of bicycles and cycle touring. There are probably more bikes than cars on the streets in the cities (or so I've seen thus far in The Hague). I mean, every street has a separate cycling path that is both paved and marked. Moreover, at every intersection and junction, there are signs directing cyclists (in red) and motorists (in blue) where to go for each nearby town and city. I was able to ride straight from Den Haag to Delft (7 miles way) this afternoon along one of the river canals without having to worry about cars or trucks. Amazing! It's a cyclist paradise, I'm telling you.
Ok, enough of that. I am a little too excited about the whole thing still.
My day began with a 7am wake-up call in my $150 "Comfort Class" cabin (which was the only room left for yesterday) aboard the cruise ship/ferry from England to Holland. After a hearty breakfast--scrambled eggs, baked beans on wheat toast (English style), yogurt and granola, and orange juice--I packed my bags and headed for the car deck to retrieve my bike. After waiting for about 1/2 hour to depart the ship and get through immigration, I opted to take the local train to The Hague (the capital of South Holland, NL) since I wasn't sure of the route from the dock. Too bad, because it would have been a beautiful ride through Holland country, and the weather was fabulous. Nonetheless, I arrived in the city at about 10am and was able to book a room at the local hostel: Stayokay. Then it was back on the bike and off to nearby Delft (a local village known for it's windmills, churches, and pottery: Delft Blue).
Figures . . . it started to rain once I arrived in the village, but after dealing with a week of bad weather in England I wasn't about to abandon my day trip. Following signs and cycle paths, I came upon a local farmer's market and Saturday fair in the centre (British spelling) of town. Waving through the crowd with other cyclist walking their bikes, I found a small restaurant selling the best sandwiches and soup I've had in ages: goat cheese sandwich and eel-zuccini soup. Followed by some Dutch coffee and cookies, I was set for the rest of the day. Can it get any better than this? Yes! As I made my way around the village, I came upon a beautiful old church at the end of a quaint alley running along one of the many small canals that laces through the town. I spent the next few hours just touring the area on my bike before heading back into Den Haag.
I decided to take a different route back, following the river on the opposite side than I came and cutting through a local park. Although I got lost in the woods (what's new?), I found some wonderful little ponds and fields holding horses and cows. It was nice to just give myself over to nature for a bit. It took a bit longer to get back, but I eventually found the road back to the city (thanks to the trusty road signs) and the hostel. Although it was another day of riding in the rain, I was glad to have taken the time to explore the outer areas of The Hague. Tomorrow, it's off to Arnhem (a city in the Gelderland province, which is east of Holland near the German border). More to come soon . . .
Day 2: June 30, 2007 (Den Haag to Delft and back, Holland/Netherlands)
Route: Hook of Holland - The Hague - Delft - The Hague
Weather: sunny (AM); rainy (PM)
Total mileage: 25 miles
I'm in paradise! Yes . . . Holland and the Netherlands is probably the closest place to my ideal lifestyle as it can get. Check this: there are cycling roads EVERYWHERE! Ok, I'm not talking just the here-and-there "cycling paths" that we have in the US. Oh, no, no, no. It's a whole other world overe here in the land of bicycles and cycle touring. There are probably more bikes than cars on the streets in the cities (or so I've seen thus far in The Hague). I mean, every street has a separate cycling path that is both paved and marked. Moreover, at every intersection and junction, there are signs directing cyclists (in red) and motorists (in blue) where to go for each nearby town and city. I was able to ride straight from Den Haag to Delft (7 miles way) this afternoon along one of the river canals without having to worry about cars or trucks. Amazing! It's a cyclist paradise, I'm telling you.
Ok, enough of that. I am a little too excited about the whole thing still.
My day began with a 7am wake-up call in my $150 "Comfort Class" cabin (which was the only room left for yesterday) aboard the cruise ship/ferry from England to Holland. After a hearty breakfast--scrambled eggs, baked beans on wheat toast (English style), yogurt and granola, and orange juice--I packed my bags and headed for the car deck to retrieve my bike. After waiting for about 1/2 hour to depart the ship and get through immigration, I opted to take the local train to The Hague (the capital of South Holland, NL) since I wasn't sure of the route from the dock. Too bad, because it would have been a beautiful ride through Holland country, and the weather was fabulous. Nonetheless, I arrived in the city at about 10am and was able to book a room at the local hostel: Stayokay. Then it was back on the bike and off to nearby Delft (a local village known for it's windmills, churches, and pottery: Delft Blue).
Figures . . . it started to rain once I arrived in the village, but after dealing with a week of bad weather in England I wasn't about to abandon my day trip. Following signs and cycle paths, I came upon a local farmer's market and Saturday fair in the centre (British spelling) of town. Waving through the crowd with other cyclist walking their bikes, I found a small restaurant selling the best sandwiches and soup I've had in ages: goat cheese sandwich and eel-zuccini soup. Followed by some Dutch coffee and cookies, I was set for the rest of the day. Can it get any better than this? Yes! As I made my way around the village, I came upon a beautiful old church at the end of a quaint alley running along one of the many small canals that laces through the town. I spent the next few hours just touring the area on my bike before heading back into Den Haag.
I decided to take a different route back, following the river on the opposite side than I came and cutting through a local park. Although I got lost in the woods (what's new?), I found some wonderful little ponds and fields holding horses and cows. It was nice to just give myself over to nature for a bit. It took a bit longer to get back, but I eventually found the road back to the city (thanks to the trusty road signs) and the hostel. Although it was another day of riding in the rain, I was glad to have taken the time to explore the outer areas of The Hague. Tomorrow, it's off to Arnhem (a city in the Gelderland province, which is east of Holland near the German border). More to come soon . . .
