With the weather becoming somewhat unpredictable, we decided to spend our last day in the Netherlands discovering the nearby town of Amersfoort on foot. A mere 15 minute train ride from Utrecht, it’s a perfect day trip. We walked into the old town, the heart of the now greatly expanded town from the train station, and got ourselves to the local tourist office to pick up some information on town walks. While it’s always enjoyable to wander freely, we’ve found it even more so to have a little more notion of what we’re actually looking at.
The old center of Amersfoort is somewhat egg-shaped, and surrounded by a canal. Several of the old city gates still stand, and they make a stark contrast with the new world that is creeping up to them. Along with the homes of wealthy tobacco merchants, there is also a very interesting section of homes that were built directly into the city’s walls, the Muurhuizen, –although evidently there is some dispute as to whether or not these were actual city walls or not. As always, the central cathedral lies on one edge of the main open square, and there are numerous other old edifices to enjoy.
Once again the weather kept dry, although continuously threatening rain, and so we were able to enjoy our last outdoor café, complete with people watching and a last look for building details missed in our initial walkabout.
So, all in all, another successful journey. We spent half our days away on bikes, reconnected with my cousins and aunts, went back to see both my parents’ childhood homes and neighborhoods, and visited haunts from my own childhood during family visits. On top of that, we were truly thrilled with the excellent accommodations and hosts we found through the bed and breakfast network in Holland. The ever-changing weather notwithstanding, we only had two days of pretty well solid rain, so—, no complaints on that score either. In addition, contact with a wide array of people gave us a fair window on the solid standard of living enjoyed in the country, as well a better understanding of how some of the social and health services work—particularly for the elderly. Another super plus for us was the stupendous public transportation system—which while complained about to some degree by locals—struck us as fabulous. So now it’s back home to what we’ve heard is hellishly hot weather, something we honestly haven’t missed, but it’s still always a good feeling to be heading home. Until the next time on the road.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Biking along the Vecht River
On the strong recommendations from a variety of corners, we took a day to ride north along the winding Vecht River, very easily accessed from our B&B. Once the choice for large and stately homes of Amsterdam merchants, the area is rife with gorgeous small(ish) villas surrounded by impressive grounds. Along the way, we came through several towns: Oud Zuilen, Breukelen(from which the name Brooklyn), and small but beautiful Loenen a/d Vecht.
Oud Zuilen is little more than a handful of smaller dependencies surrounding a moated castle, which is now a chic restaurant/café. Both other towns were reached by crossing one-lane drawbridges to the western side of the river, and typically have car-free old centers that cluster around one major church. Tiny stiles and lanes radiate from this center, and in Loenen, in particular, the sensation is truly one of stepping well back in time. Sometimes the scale of these villages is reminiscent of a fairy tale. One feels one is literally moving through a story. We crisscrossed the river, riding through small streets, alongside meadows of cows, by the odd windmill, and regularly passed old, stately mansions on both sides of the river.
We later biked across the narrow dike that leads over the sailing lakes of Loosdrecht, and swung back to the Vecht for more of the same, stopping along the way for cover from the rain under a large tree. Minutes(literally) later, we were back on the saddle and enjoying the same sights from a different viewpoint. A really memorable and worthwhile ride.
Oud Zuilen is little more than a handful of smaller dependencies surrounding a moated castle, which is now a chic restaurant/café. Both other towns were reached by crossing one-lane drawbridges to the western side of the river, and typically have car-free old centers that cluster around one major church. Tiny stiles and lanes radiate from this center, and in Loenen, in particular, the sensation is truly one of stepping well back in time. Sometimes the scale of these villages is reminiscent of a fairy tale. One feels one is literally moving through a story. We crisscrossed the river, riding through small streets, alongside meadows of cows, by the odd windmill, and regularly passed old, stately mansions on both sides of the river.
We later biked across the narrow dike that leads over the sailing lakes of Loosdrecht, and swung back to the Vecht for more of the same, stopping along the way for cover from the rain under a large tree. Minutes(literally) later, we were back on the saddle and enjoying the same sights from a different viewpoint. A really memorable and worthwhile ride.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Exploring central Utrecht
Utrecht, the Netherlands’ largest university city with about 40,000 students, lies about 30 km west of Ede, and is one of the four cities that make up the central area of the country referred to as the “Randstad”. The others are Amsterdam, Den Haag, and Rotterdam(really Fran, I checked it online!). After muddling through the central station construction mess, we made our way to the northern reaches of the city by bus to our final B&B in Holland. Despite being located above a shopping center, we were amazed at the room, and even more so at the fantastically hospitable hosts—undeniably the winners of the hosting prize for this trip. They spent a while talking with us over tea & coffee, and explained how they’d been drawn into beginning the B&B after walking from Utrecht to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, and subsequently biking from Utrecht to Rome—both trips of about 2400 km. Once again, we feel fortunate to run into this caliber of human beings.
We spent the afternoon and much of the evening doing out first run around the old center of Utrecht, which is nothing less than fantastic. While Amsterdam often gets press, Utrecht is at least as worthwhile, even older, and also visually distinct due to its canals, which lie much lower than those in the capital, as they were designed with smallish wharves alongside the water. Many of these wharf areas in the heart of the center now house endless rows of cafes and restaurants, and the amount of activity alongside the canals is nothing short of dizzying.
Of the days we spent downtown, lots of time was spent doing aimless wandering, comprised of lots of looking up and around, standing still and just taking in the scenery—both human and architectural. We also climbed up the Dom(cathedral) tower, the highest in the Netherlands. Fortunately the window of weather was fabulously clear, and we were literally able to see as far as Rotterdam, Den Haag and Amsterdam, The aerial view of Utrecht was also more meaningful after having spent good long hours meandering. Additionally, the young tour guide was excellent, giving ample explanation on each of the three stops prior to reaching the highest outlook point, which lies at about 95 meters.
We also took a unique self-guided night lights walking tour. Once one finds the beginning light, the walk weaves through a significant portion of the old center. Strategically located lights in the ground lead you through different types of mini light shows. Each stop has been put together by a different entity---some by the city, but most by private individuals or groups of students. Sometimes it is as simple as the lighting of an underground passageway to a canal. At one of the old churches there are projections of some of what can be seen inside the church projected on the entryway hall of the church. Other spots combine light with sound. Some are static, others constantly moving or repetitive. Amazingly, and despite our hours of previous walking, we felt like we were in a new place at many of the stops. Just as we were finishing up, it began drizzling, and then seriously raining, but we’d again managed to make the best of an unusual tour.
We spent the afternoon and much of the evening doing out first run around the old center of Utrecht, which is nothing less than fantastic. While Amsterdam often gets press, Utrecht is at least as worthwhile, even older, and also visually distinct due to its canals, which lie much lower than those in the capital, as they were designed with smallish wharves alongside the water. Many of these wharf areas in the heart of the center now house endless rows of cafes and restaurants, and the amount of activity alongside the canals is nothing short of dizzying.
Of the days we spent downtown, lots of time was spent doing aimless wandering, comprised of lots of looking up and around, standing still and just taking in the scenery—both human and architectural. We also climbed up the Dom(cathedral) tower, the highest in the Netherlands. Fortunately the window of weather was fabulously clear, and we were literally able to see as far as Rotterdam, Den Haag and Amsterdam, The aerial view of Utrecht was also more meaningful after having spent good long hours meandering. Additionally, the young tour guide was excellent, giving ample explanation on each of the three stops prior to reaching the highest outlook point, which lies at about 95 meters.
We also took a unique self-guided night lights walking tour. Once one finds the beginning light, the walk weaves through a significant portion of the old center. Strategically located lights in the ground lead you through different types of mini light shows. Each stop has been put together by a different entity---some by the city, but most by private individuals or groups of students. Sometimes it is as simple as the lighting of an underground passageway to a canal. At one of the old churches there are projections of some of what can be seen inside the church projected on the entryway hall of the church. Other spots combine light with sound. Some are static, others constantly moving or repetitive. Amazingly, and despite our hours of previous walking, we felt like we were in a new place at many of the stops. Just as we were finishing up, it began drizzling, and then seriously raining, but we’d again managed to make the best of an unusual tour.
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