Rest day? 

It is Anne’s birthday today and we take some time to explore Dordrecht. Of course being a Monday absolutely everything is closed! 

The is no signs of life! I wondered if everyone was hungover from the partying the night before but even everything related to yesterday’s festival had vanished! I began to wonder if I had imagined it! 

The tourist office was miles away in the new bit of town and were helpfully unhelpful. At least we got directions for the bike hire place near the station. It was easy to spot by the 30 foot bike outside although I did not notice it at first. Hiring bikes was surprisingly easy for country where we have been told we cannot use our credit cards because they are bumpy! The only proviso was that the bikes had to be back before midnight! We both agreed that that would not be too much of a hardship.

Without much of a plan we headed out on the Oranjeplaan towards Biesbosch National Park. On the way out to the park, which was an extremely long 5 km we noted lots of houses with thatched roofs, the explanation of why was in the park. The park area was originally cultivated reed banks and willows. So plenty of things for thatching roofs. It also formed the basis of building the dykes. Their origins date back St Elizabeth’s flood of 1421. 

After lunch we cycled round the park before heading home via some nice cycle paths and a stop for iced coffee by the old port entrance. 

Cycling is good fun when it is flat, with no hills and nice wide cycle paths, special road junctions and cars that don’t come at you from every angle! I guess that is basically Holland…..

Back at Grace after dinner in the main square, we have walked miles and are both a bit saddle sore but console ourselves that cycling and walking use different muscles so we would be much more tired if we had only cycled or only walked all day! Very strange logic indeed!