"A" for Antwerp

Train for Antwerp was to leave at 8:52 but instead it left at 9:52.  Oh well. We were met at the train station with our three favourite Warm Shower guests from two years ago, Ilisa, Gaert and Bert. 

And a beautiful station it is! 

We had our own personal tour guides to show us their city. Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate, it rained. 

The cathedral in the background is our first stop. The Cathedral of Our Lady took nearly 170 years to build starting in 1352. 

The cathedral is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

They are showing collections of masterpieces by Peter Paul Rubens and other Flemish masters. 

From the outside you can see that there is only one tower. The second one was never finished making this cathedral unique. 

Even in the rain, markets are found in the plaza.

The building behind is the city hall where the mayor works. And the statue in front is of a hero, Brabo with a giant's hand in his hand.

And inside the mayor's office.

Built in the 1500's.

Antwerp has a legend about a young man, called Brabo who chopped off the hand of a giant and saved the town. The giant would charge a toll from those crossing the river, and for those who refused, he severed one of their hands and threw it into the river. Bravo cut off the giant's own hand and flung it into the river. Hence the name Antwerpen, from Dutch hand werpen, akin to Old English hand and wearpan (to throw), which has evolved to today's warp. ( according to Bert and Wikipedia) 

The giant. Time for a Belgium beer and get out of the rain.

We had a chance to see the city from the top of the MAS, Museum Aan de Stroom. We didn't go into see the exhibit but went to the top to see the skyline, even in the wet weather it looked good. 

Norm near the edge....

More walking about finding hidden treasures in the city, some unusual. 

Narrow streets.

A spot where Bert has taken wedding photos. Romantic! 

Time for another Belgium treat, a chocolate store. We had milk with warm hazelnut chocolate.

There is always time for chocolate.

More walking and time for more food. We had dinner at a restaurant that makes real Belgium food. Even though I thought I wasn't hungry, we all managed a delicious meal, stew, pasta, frites, salad...

Back to our host's apartment to relax. Amsterdam tomorrow morning then pack for home. 

Last day of the bike and barge

We have arrived in Amsterdam after biking about 300 km or more. It felt good to be done, a sense of accomplishment and relief. 

Our last day of biking began after a short boat ride to Breukelen and a market. Staring my day with pickled herring seamed like the right thing to do. 

I actually liked it. Norm decided to pass. Note the gloves, toque and scarf, it hasn't quite warmed up yet. 

Next stop was a real cheese farm where they make Gouda cheese. The owner showed us where they make the cheese, the cows they milk and then we tasted samples.  I asked if she ever gets a holiday. With cows being milked 5:30am and 5:30pm every day and the 50 person B&B they operate, no. 

Gouda aging 

Calf just born two days ago. Everyone in our group bought cheese. It was delicious. 

Next stop Amsterdam! We managed to pull into the brewery just as the rain started again. Here is our guide, Marcel, celebrating the end. 

The brewery, Brouwerij't IJ, is right beside a windmill, so Dutch. 

We spent the last night on the boat. Although it was pouring out, Norm and I went for a walk. It only rained a bit and the light was lovely.

We left the boat this morning, walked around Amsterdam for a bit, met Kate and Rebecca for lunch and then decided to cancel our hotel accommodations and stay at Rebecca's and Duncan's place since Duncan is away and there is room. Nice! So we went out again for dinner. 

Tomorrow we have one last adventure before coming home. We are catching a train to Antwerp, Belgium Sunday morning coming back Monday morning. Could be more exciting stories from there before we fly home Tuesday. 

Day four and day five of the bike barge trip

This is our ship, Sailing Home as she sails down the Rhine past us. 

Day four we left Rees and headed to Arnhem. This is a fresh strawberry vending machine. Only 2€ for a basket of strawberries, so cool. 

We had lunch at Doorneburg Castle. Norm being punished.

It was quiet today but on weekends activities take place here. 

We arrived early afternoon in Arnhem so we're able to walk about the town. Since Norm and I had been here three weeks earlier we skipped the "Bridge too Far" and other sites to instead relax and find Norm an English newspaper. 

By day five some of our fellow passengers are maybe a little testy today. The weather hasn't been the best and you quickly learn where it is the best place to cycle amongst the group. I try to stay away from the talkative ones, not behind the slowest ones and away from the dangerous ones, not always possible. 

We left Arnhem and did some really nice biking through the woods, up some hills and great trails.

Some of these open space will be filled with colour once all the heather blooms. 

Next stop a war museum just as the skies poured down. Outside an airplane and old car being worked on. 

Appeldoorn model of damage from the war. (For Lucy)

Back on the bikes through some rain and on to Wijk bij Duurstede. We got to go through a lock which was quite interesting. 

Captain Els. (Elizabeth) 

And the locks open again. 

Walk about that evening Norm found a windmill and a castle.

Last bike tomorrow. Good! 

Group traveling

 I have never taken a bike tour, bus tour or cruise before. So this is my first experience. Will I do it again, maybe. Personalities become clearer as the week goes by. And food....I would never eat this much at home, even though we bike during the day, there is way more food than I need. 

We have on the tour, 14 people. Two are from New Zealand, a family of five from Cambridge, dad and mom with 3 girls, 9, 12 and 14, two from North Bend, just outside of Seattle, one young man, 24, from Hong Kong but schooled in England and just finished his training and is now a GI doctor. And another (older) couple from Connecticut. And of course Norm and me. I stay quietly in the background and let Norm talk with others. I avoid the Connecticut couple at all costs, loud, always talking and usually about nothing.  

Here is our dinner table. Marcel is the leader, left side, red and blue shirt. Tonight's dinner, tomatoes with cheese and basil, chicken with leak sauce, asparagus, gnocchi, coleslaw, green salad and creme brûlée. Yes I ate it all. The day before a guest didn't want his dessert and the chef actually tore a strip off him for wasting food. It was shall we say awkward.

And it was delicious!

Meals are severed when the bell is rung. Don't think about eating something sooner. One guest tried to make some toast at 7:58am and was told, No, wait till 8:00. 

Yesterday we traveled through some industrial areas. Surprised how much industry there is in Germany on the Rhine.

View from the boat. 

We also biked to a site of Roman ruins, Xanten. Made Norm's day. 

Amphitheater.

Roman Baths, quite something!

Under cover to protect them. 

We docked last night at Rees, lovely spot on the river. Check the dinner dessert.

Alfred dinner Norm and I did a walk about. 

City walls started to be built in the 1300's. 

Always surprised to see cigarette machines even on side streets. Love the sculptures.

This stone placed by the Prussian authorities in the 19th century. You can see how far it is to.....

Tomorrow the Nedelands! Arnhem.