A Month and a Day!

Saturday 28thSeptember 2024. Drink Beer Day.

Bad Bentheim, Germany to Deventer, Holland – 83km.

Wow, I have completed a month on the road, on the bike! My body is holding out….just and so is the bike. I’m into my last week (I have booked my return ferry). I have experienced Slovakia, Austria, Czech Republic and Germany. Now is the turn for The Netherlands.

It was a bit of a chilly start but I had a day of sunshine and showers. It’s amazing how a border makes a massive difference to how people live. Instantly there is a different language and housing and character.

It didn’t take long to find a windmill.
Then a canal and a typical Dutch bridge.

There had been lots of cycles and cycle paths in Germany but even more in Holland. My destination is Deventer. It is the most recommended destination of all the Dutch people I have met on this trip….thats two (thanks Henk and Ruud)! So it must be pretty good.

It’s certainly got a big cathedral.
A Dutch style house. The city has a different feel to German cities.
Plenty of narrow shopping streets of character.

The cathedral bells were playing constantly through the afternoon but they were in competition with….

…the mobile barrel organ which couldn’t half belt out Dutch sounding tunes.

I got into my hostel when I could for a freshen up. I’m in a room for four but I was first in so I could grab a bottom bunk. I remembered that today was a choice between Drink Beer Day or Ask a Silly Question Day. Well it certainly was a ‘silly question’ as to which I would pick!

Beer wins every time….and nuts!

I had a walk around the city centre including the riverside.

The city is on the river IJssel, I’m not sure why there is a capital I and J? There was a constant pedestrian ferry running across to an island.

Sadly, I missed the opportunity to go in the Geert Groote Museum….I have no idea who he was or what he did. I think it was something religious many centuries ago. It might have been a lucky escape. He may have been a Dutch version of Martin Luther….but I think he was Catholic!

I wandered around enjoying the city atmosphere. Sadly, I have less Dutch language than I have German….there is only so far you can get with ‘Danke Well’. The good news is that so many Dutch people speak very good English.

I was amused by a main market street called the ‘Brink’. I wanted to get on the Brink…and a Saturday market was in progress, so it was bustling.

Museum De Waag building was quite special but again it was just closing as I got to it.
A fountain on the Brink!

I have been doing a good job picking photos with blue sky on them. It has been quite showery.

In the evening I went to a Lithuanian Bar….there’s a first time for everything.

I had a Koldunai. It’s pork in dumpling with a cream cheese and garlic sauce, fried potatoes and a plain coleslaw on the side.

I was back in the room as late as 9pm. No nightclubbing for me.

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middlevern
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2 responses to “A Month and a Day!”

  1. johnwreford Avatar
    johnwreford

    Great stuff, well done. I’m heading that way very soon

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    1. middlevern Avatar
      middlevern

      Hi John, hope you are enjoying the blog. These places don’t seem to be on our travel hit lists but they have lots of interest and great people. Have a good trip.

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