Cycling in the the Netherlands

I crossed over the border between Germany and the Netherlands a few hours ago, and still have not sighted a single windmill, tulips  or even  one Dutch person wearing wooden clogs. What I have seen a lot of, are people on bicycles. The Dutch  are obsessed about their bicycles. Not surprisingly I suppose for a county as flat and low lying as The Netherlands, it is an ideal  place to cycle in.

There are people on bicycles everywhere you go. Young, old, people in business suits, hard core cyclists. Dutch children probably lean to ride a bike before they even learn to walk.

Since I am in The Netherlands I have decided to spend some time cycling around the Netherlands. I have booked a stay at a hotel calling itself a forest retreat outside of Beekenberg.

The hotel is in the middle of a pine forest. There are numerous cycling trails throughout the area.

I rented a bicycle from the hotel for a few days of cycling in the woods. This is the first time in years since I last rode a bicycle. Very relaxing riding through some of the trails in the forest.

Many people seem to favor these classic style townie bikes

I cycled into Beekenberg from my hotel some 5-6 kms away.

 

A photo of an old antique car in parking lot of my hotel near Beekenberg. There were  5 or 6 vintage cars at hotel. Later found out that there was a vintage car rally going on in one of the neighbouring towns

Side view of 1934 Citroen TA (Traction Avant)

Front view of 1934 Citroen TA (Traction Avant)

From Beekenberg, I headed up north towards the coastal area of the Netherlands. The terrain becomes ever flatter the further north you go. I booked a room at a a hotel ( the only hotel) in the village of Kloosterburen. The northern area around here is sparsely populated, mostly little rural farming communities. The hotel that I found my self staying at was a monastery  for many years, it later than became a religious hospice for the elderly, and at some time after that, it was put into use as a rehap centre for drug addiction, before finally being sold and converted into a hotel.

The hotel is strangely decorated with religious paintings and photos, with what I can only call objects of the absurd, bizarre sculptures and paintings, new age crystals. If Stephen King had a spent a night here, I am sure that he would have been inspired to write some macabre horror story about he place. Lets just say that it was an interesting place to spend a few nights.

Again I took the opportunity to do some more cycling. The roads are very flat around here making for easy cycling.  I went and did a comfortable 40 km ride. Many of the little rural villages in these parts are spread out 3 or 4 kms apart, so you can ride from one village to the next, stop for a break, have a beer and continue on.

All the roads around here , have dedicated lanes for cyclist. Again I am noticing that many of the people I have seen are riding e-bikes.

Holland or Netherlands

One of my first conversation with someone in The Netherlands  was about what their country was called. I always thought that both names, Holland/Netherlands were interchangeable for the country. Not so I was told, there are twelve provinces in the Netherlands, one is called North Holland and another is called South Holland. These Hollands are part of the kingdom of the Netherlands. So calling the Netherlands Holland would be like someone calling Ontario Canada, even if some people in Toronto think and say that.

I may come back one day and do a cycling tour.

View of my hotel in Kloosterburen. Formerly an monastery.

 

Hotel in Kloosterburen

View of one of the hallways in hotel. Hotel filled with strange cultist objects and religious iconography

 

Main street in town of Kloosterburen in the Netherlands

Along main street in town of Kloosterburen in the Netherlands

Clock tower in Kloosterburen in the Netherlands

Another view along street in  town of Kloosterburen in the Netherlands

Out in the countryside around Kloosterburen. Old windmills being replaced with modern windmills.

Riding into Kloosterburn

Out in the countryside around Kloosterburen.

Out in the countryside around Kloosterburen

Bike parked at my hotel in Kloostrerburen

My accommodation at hotel in Kloosterburen

View outside my hotel room. Full moon tonight

Yes !! I finally found an old fashion Dutch windmill

Another view of the windmill