Amsterdam - Round 2

Day 8: Rest Day - Amsterdam

Theo Walcott and his friends were staying in our hostel so we toured the windmills and bars of Amsterdam with them for the day. No need to write much about this one. The photos speak can speak for themselves. A great end to the trip.

Amsterdam!

Day 7: Utrecht – Amsterdam
Time: 2:27:26
Distance: 50.33 km
Average Speed: 20.4 km/h

Our last day of cycling could be described as going very smoothly. We went along a canal path almost all the way to Amsterdam with signposts everywhere. I went up the steep narrow stairs to check into the hostel and Leeroy was checking in as I arrived. The hostel owners were insisting we leave our bikes on the street but I argued that we take them in. After a bit of a standoff they agreed to leave them in the back garden of the hostel. We got the feed in a Mexican restaurant then went on a bit of a pub crawl. We were searching for a place with 30 Dutch beers on tap called 't Arendsnest and stopped off for 8% Belgian beers on the way. In 't Arendsnest the barman gave great advice on what to drink and we received a history lesson from a very intelligent Dutchman. After a little bit of wandering we entered a similar style bar where we met American beer experts who had been in 't Arendsnest too. They told us we had managed to find the 2 best beer bars in Amsterdam. We walked through an area where women stand in the windows and turn red lights on then went to a place called Surprise bar. I got a sneaky kebab in around the corner and when I got back the lads were on the Jaegerbombs. Afterwards we went to a messy place that was doing 2 for ones. On the way home we were chatting to a giant man in a white vest. Policemen and horses came out of nowhere and wrestled him to the ground. Drama.

 

Olivier

Day 6: Breda – Utrecht
Time: 3:49:12
Distance: 79.70 km
Average Speed: 20.8 km/h

Starting at the Google maps search pin A getting out of Breda wasn't too difficult. There were cycle paths all the way to Gorinchem and from there the signs to Utrecht started to appear. The cycle paths went along canals a lot of the time making for a nice easy day in the saddle. We went for coffee as soon as we got into Utrecht before meeting my friend Fiona who has been living in Utrecht for the last few years. There are only 3 people living in her place but there were at least 5 bikes. The idea the rest of the world has about Dutch people cycling everywhere is definitely true. It's common to see big groups of friends cycling together on the streets. Walking on the street you need to be alert all the time or risk getting smashed by a cyclist. She took us to a great Belgian bar that used to be a church where we met a famous cat at the entrance. Most of the pubs here have cats to keep the mice away. We have great directions for tomorrow and will go most of the way along a canal into Amsterdam to meet Leeroy.