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.