Cereal and chocolate (oh so creamy) yoghurt for breakfast and then we grabbed the bikes for a slow trip to the city. For those that do not cycle too much, Amsterdam is flat, making the bike ride a good way to view your surroundings.
When you get to town – it's a different story. Europeans cycle. This major form of transport rules over cars in the cities. It almost seems impossible to have so many bicycles. So much so, they have their own bicycle lanes and traffic lights from the campsite to and all around the city. They swish past you at any given moment.
Picnic in the park!
Although it gives you the real sense of Amsterdam life, it is not always a good thing to tour on your saddle. Especially if you are looking for specific sites of interest. Nick and I wanted to visit Anne Franks House, Van Gogh Museum and the FOAM Museum. Keeping up with the cycle traffic – you tend to zoom past your turn and end up at the end of town! We stopped for some fresh bread at the Warme Bakke and had brought along some cheese and ham for a picnic in the park. By accident we found Anne Frank's house. There we found a millipede of visitors slowly getting through the entrance. Having taken a photo of the actual house we decided not to spend our time in the queue and move on to the Van Gogh Museum which was close to the FOAM Museum.
Along our way, Nicks bicycle pedal came loose. We had to abandon bike and find a bike shop. Everywhere you look – billions of bikes. There had to be a bike shop? Bike parking garages, bike rentals – but no bike shops! Not one. Reminds us of the poem: “Water,water everywhere but not a drop to drink...”
After many a friendly Dutch person directed us to a potential help point, but nothing, we stumbled upon a general dealer. A very hungover English sales person assisted us and sent us on our way, with a tube of free glue (for other necessary maintenance on the van)!
By the time Nick finished his mending of the pedal – the tiring search was on for Van Gogh, again. My answer to this, a cold beer and chill session. Thereafter we returned home to our Zeeburg Campsite. We made a bacon and mushroom risotto with salad and had a few Hertzog Jan's (a smooth, blonde beer) and Jupilers. Dessert was a apple pastry from the Warme Bakker.
Amy blogging away!
Zeeburg Campsite is highly recommended. There are little chalets, tent and campervan/caravan facilities. Restaurant, store with fresh bakery goods delivered in the mornings, bike hire and free wi-fi... and that smell. At first it is pungent but now is unusually okay. The access to the site and the city is great by car, walk, tram or bike.
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