Cycling To Amsterdam

This year’s annual Holland visit turned out to be very sunny, in fact it’s the warmest spring ever!

As it was combined with an occasionally chilly breeze, I was well pleased.

Cycling too was a delight, and during the last week I decided to visit an old friend in Amsterdam.

Many years ago, I wouldn’t have dreamed of cycling such a distance, but nowadays, I see it more as a fun ride of some 30+ km.

Note the sundial at the corner!

The area between Loosdrecht and Amsterdam consists mainly of fields, lakes, canals, farms, windmills, churches, and fancy country houses, often postcard pretty!

Along the way, I also crossed the Amsterdam Rhine Canal, which is quite impressive and used by large boats.

No lack of ancient drawbridges, such as this one from 1877 in Baambrugge!

Every village here has at least one church, but whether they're still used for religious purposes is dubious.

In some cases, tombstones were incorporated into the churches' walls!

On the outskirts of Amsterdam, the first graffiti started appearing.

House of the future?

My sister's Brompton squeezed in between colorful murals.

In some cases, the old names of buildings are still visible, but their purpose has completely changed, such as this 'Assistance For Homeless Men', written in pre-war Dutch spelling!

Some of the houses here are stunningly decorated...

A very green building!

And another impressive mural!

I reached my destination in a little under 2 hours, thanks to various photo stops, good fun!