August 17: Notable in the The Netherlands
In looking at my map a couple days ago I noticed that Belgium and the Netherlands were kind of on my way to Germany from France. So, I decided to make a mini detour today to South Holland to see some of their iconic windmills. What a delightful trip!
Heading northeast from Calais this morning I took a variety of main roads up through Belgium and into The Netherlands, turning off onto smaller side streets just a little south of Rotterdam to enter the tiny village of Kinderdijk, a location known for its collection of 18th century windmills.
The town boasts an impressive water management system with 19 windmills, 3 pumping stations, and a variety of dikes and reservoirs to control flooding in the low-lying areas. As I entered the city and began riding parallel to one of its dikes, I couldn’t help but notice all the bicyclists and even some people on scooters riding on top of the barrier. They looked like they were having so much fun I was tempted to ride the Adventure Baby up there and join them although I didn’t think it would go over so well.
After passing through the town’s main street, I turned right onto Molenkade Nederwaard and parked right next to the visitor’s center where I began walking along the pathway next to the canal. The waterway was filled with lily pads and small boats were tied up on the edges. It was an extremely pleasant stroll, with windmills perched on both sides and colorful flowers lining the banks.
When I was finished admiring the views, I headed back down the main street to stop for lunch in town, ordering the mustard soup and a fried croquette so I could sample something local. Satisfied from a good hot lunch I got back on the bike and headed south to Germany.
This summer’s trip has kind of taken on its own rhythm, with me often not figuring out where I’m heading until the night before. On some occasions I have spent several days in the same town and in other cases I’ve gone to three countries in one day. Today was the first time I rode through four countries in one day. Although that wasn’t really part of any plan it was fun to experience it anyway.
