Maastricht

This morning we had to be out of the campsite for 11am, so we were – despite my knocking red wine all over the laptop while I was making a cup of tea (I wasn't drinking the wine at the time you understand, it was just hanging around in an unsealed bottle, asking to be knocked over – the laptop is fine though, luckily) and the shenanigans that surrounded that!

We drove towards Maastricht, spotted a large, free car park – stuck the van in it and then cycled into the town centre. Our first experience of cycling in Holland and it is truly amazing.

I know you hear all this stuff about cycling in Holland – is it something like there are twice as many bikes as people or something? But you don't really appreciate it unless you give it a go. The cycle path network is amazing – you can get pretty much anywhere on it, without going on roads. Scooters also use some of the cycle paths and riders of those don't wear helmets (this was a surprise), and you have to watch what is going on all the time because there are scooters and bicycles and from all directions :) Brilliant.

And everyone has a bike, and people are riding their bikes with their friends, or stopped on a corner chatting with friends – all with bikes – it's just normal, and amazing, and so different from home. And nobody rides mountain bikes (no mountains – makes sense) or road bikes – it is all these town bikes, upright riding position, basket on the front (maybe), chain guard, step through frame – brilliant. Great fun.

Anyway. Maastricht – nice place, smaller than we thought it would be, but nice – old, good shops, pleasant stroll, lovely lunch........brill.

At about 2pm, just as we were eating lunch Jon's dad – the lovely Anthony (Tone) – called to say they were at the campsite, so once we had finished lunch and (finally) located a cash machine, bought some cakes and reclaimed our bikes we headed back to the van and then back to the campsite.

Lovely to see the inlaws. They are off to the south, in search of a bit of sun – and who can blame them? It rained pretty much all day today, and heavily – heavier than we have seen it in a while.

Still, lucky for us their van is bigger and more accomodating for 4 people than ours – so it wasn't all bad – also, they had brought me a copy of Heat (doing well) and Hello magazine. I don't think I have ever read Hello before – not sure if I like it, it takes itself a bit seriously I think – not like Heat :)