Day 2 Utrecht to Gouda

Gouda to Dordrecht 51kms

The day dawned cold and grey. The biggest question was "three layers or four?" I settled for three, and felt cold for most of the day. We saw our first windmill. I jinxed one of the American sisters by saying "at least no-one has fallen off their bike". She promptly fell off twice. Ray had to use his clown horn, which just cracks me up. Fortunately Theresa wasn't badly hurt, but she will be sore tomorrow.

We stopped at a Gouda cheese farm where the Brazilians bought up big and the girls had to pose for a very cheesy photo. We are stuck at the back of the pack just cruising. I can't believe how flat and easy it is. In Gouda we toured the town on foot with our guide Aari.

The Brazilians were celebrating a birthday so they headed straight for the bars, but we were much more cultured and did a tour of the church with its 60 stained glass windows dating from the 16th century. Quite amazing.

You will be pleased to know that we found some cheap bottles of wine to buy there as well. So all wasn't totally a waste. Can't wait to see how cold it is tomorrow.

Dalmation sheep.There are quite a few getting about

this is the field/euipment forthe sport of Fierljeppen or canal vaulting. The contestants run along the platform, jump onto a pole that is sticking up in the middle of the channel, climb up the pole before it falls over, then fall onto the opposite side of the channel onto the sand. It's mad. See here

Cows in a organic dairy farm. About 50 in the shed. 

Typical streetscape in Dordrecht

Fellow travellers from Canada, Vancouver Island specifically. Note the lady on the left. She is 86 years of age and she's completely mad. We found a dead turtle on the first day (maybe a leatherback) and so she snaffled it and is gutting it so she can take the shell back to Canada with her!

Our first windmill. There will be more.

Holy cheeses! We happened upon a cheese shop and the Brazillians wanted to buy some cheese. And buy they did. And apparently not that expensive and all hand made at the location.

Say Cheese! The 5 Brazilian girls saying it in their specially designed cycling shirts. Look at those teeth! And the cheese.

One of the 60 or so painted lead light windows in Gouda Cathedral. Originally a Catholic church, it is now protestant, however they left all the Catholic leadlights in place when they took over the church. It is the longest church in the Netherlands. The windows are spectactular. They were saved during WW2 by residents storing the windows in farms and other safe places. It took them 12 months to reinstall them after the war.

The impressive choir in the church

Part of Gouda's historical heritage.

Brneda's new shoes

Ride notes.

Flat, flat, flat.

You don't need to know more except that it could be cold