Amsterdam (non-TS)

I booked two bike tours for us — a City ride on Sunday (when, I reasoned, it would be slightly less busy traffic-wise), and a Countryside ride on Monday (let’s get outta town!).

I have very few interesting photos from either!

During the city tour, we lost a rider! The three other members of his party never spoke up! Sheesh. It was another guy (sort of a blow-hard) who said, “Hey, I think we lost your dad/granddad!” We were all instructed, in the event we got left behind (totally happens because big group, traffic lights, etc.) to STOP & STAY PUT, which, of course, this lost guy did not. So we all hung out in a park while our guide went back to find him. Meanwhile, blow-hard’s wife took a left when we entered the park, instead of a right, so she was lost for a little while, too!

It started to rain just toward the end of our city ride. We were on a narrow street (they’re all narrow) and a BMW was trying to pass us — going too fast & not really giving a shit — side-swiping the previously lost guy who then fell. Thankfully, he was OK and we all hoped that Beamer got a good scratch for not even stopping.

We loved the people of Amsterdam unless they were in or on something with wheels. Ruthless.

The country ride was much more relaxed — once we actually got out of the city. At the start of that ride, on or way to the ferry, I fell! I wasn’t as comfortable with my bicycle on Monday as I was on Sunday, and lost control as we navigated two very tight turns. I have a few bruises in weird places, but otherwise undamaged.

We stopped at a little village cafe for more apple pie, and I asked our guide if we could please stop somewhere in the countryside to take some photos. The sky was amazing that day!

I wasn’t able to “operate” my Merlin app while we rode, either, but I did manage a few new “lifers” during our time in the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, back at our hotel…

We loved the “art swap” area on each floor near the elevator!

I had information on this community project, and now I can’t find it! It was really cool, though, a cooperative project participated in by people of all ages. And it looked great!

We passed this place a few times, as it was sort of on the way to the bicycle shop. The photo does not convey very well how much this place leaned — it seemed to undulate! If I was over 400 years old, I supposed I’d be undulating, too. haha.

We had some quiet evenings in, watching Taylor Swift documentaries & music videos (total immersion), and we enjoyed a delicious dinner at our hotel one evening. As I think I mentioned in an earlier post, food was not a big focus, but we did enjoy a couple of nice cafe lunches, too.

And then it was Tuesday & time to check out! The flight was smooth and I got some sleep, thankfully, because I had to drive back across the state again once we landed. I dropped Ann off near Chippewa Falls as their family was spending the week at a lake up north. I didn’t get home until almost 11 and, y’know, no rest for the wicked… I was back at work on Wednesday morning!