Day 5 - Hasselt
The football World Cup is about to start and I am looking out for Oranjegekte.
Oranjegekte - or Orange Craze - is a really big thing in the Netherlands where the entire country turns bright orange to celebrate major sporting events and events related to the royal family. I have already seen glimpses of orange bunting and expect that to grow by the day.
My first task this morning is an anxious peer through the window of the Chinese Take Away where my bike spent the night. I left it there to be secure but then omitted to lock it so I was worried that the last customer might ride off on it. Breakfast at the local bakery consists of a coffee and two excellent croissant. The bakery reminds me of a typical French bakery and the croissants were good. Well, time to see if I can extract my bike from the Take Away.
When I do get going I need to divert as the route changes as follows with the numbers being nodes:
"LF9 south-north
At junction 67 at the foot of the Nijkerkerbrug, follow the following junctions:
67-38-32-07-09-82-11-29."
This is art. More interesting - and closer to my definition of art - is that this artwork looks out on to a large pond and a small vertical white bank with holes for sand martins all topped by soil growing red poppies.
Typical scenery this morning.
I stop for lunchtime coffee in Elburg which is very picturesque.
Elberg has a marina full of traditional Dutch barges.
I have somehow picked up signage for the LF9b which is the route I am on. In the Netherlands they are rebranding routes in a similar way to Flanders moving to names rather than numbers.
One entity that has caught my eye is the number of large sports facilities; state provided they include pitches for hockey, football and so on and are all very well kept and well used.
A staple in the Netherlands is the apple pie. It is too early for me to publish the research I am undertaking but I promise you I will publish before the tour is done. Unlike the French croissant which can be good, bad or indifferent, the apple pie comes in different forms and all are good in their own way. With no definitive standard it becomes a question of apple pie form and personal preference.
From the website "The LF9 NAP route has a unique theme: the NAP (Normaal Amsterdams Peil). This long cycle route roughly follows the coastline that would emerge if all dykes and dunes were to disappear. In total, you cycle through nine provinces and pass fascinating cities such as Groningen, Amersfoort, and Utrecht."
Older towns have gates.
I have avoided church photos so far.
As a surprise I need to get a ferry today across a river.
Another city gate; this one is rather grand and I suspect towns tried to impress their neighbours much like the towers in Tuscan towns.
Another windmill.
Another ferry crossing comes as a surprise. This one is run by volunteers who use a pair of wooden 'claws' to grip the metal rope used to pull the raft across. Ring the bell to call the ferry. In truth I couldn't see a ferry, but when I rang the bell a section of what I thought was pontoon started floating across the water.
After an excellent dinner with my hosts I visit the old town which I missed on my way through town and see one last windmill in addition to the beautiful centre.
