Some more from Amsterdam..
Cat sprawling over antlers in shop window
Restaurant cat - apparently restaurants have cats to catch the mice
Beach House
Colin with cat belonging to downstairs restaurant
Liz & Colin's apartment
After two nights in Amsterdam, we cycled south to Rotterdam for a night (cheated and caught a train part of the way - we took a circuitous route and were taking too long to make it in a day!). We had our first "couchsurfing" (http://www.couchsurfing.org/) experience, staying with Jim and Marleen. They were lovely hosts and we were grateful to get some "local knowledge" - Jim even put together a little list of things to do in Rotterdam. They had an adorable cat called Bea. She was generally very calm, but while I was sleepily patting her from my sleeping bag in the morning she suddenly went leaping and skidding into the kitchen - it turned out her automatic food dispenser had released some food, which evidently her ears are finely tuned to hearing!
Bea
We spent the next day exploring Rotterdam and liked it a lot. Since Rotterdam was bombed heavily during World War II, it looks completely different to Amsterdam - lacking the charm of gorgeous 16th century buildings, but with some interesting modern architecture and great public art displays.
Scrap metal on boat
Harbour
Cube building
Matthew, not pleased with my daisy chain gift
Matthew in the under-harbour pedestrian/bike tunnel
Cool sculpture
In the afternoon, Colin & Liz got the train into Rotterdam and the four of us cycled south together.
Straw people
Windmill and NZ flag
Waiting for ferry/train in Vlissingen
Over the course of the weekend, we headed as far south as Vlissingen. From there we said farewell to Col & Liz (and thanks for escorting us on our first leg of the cycle tour!) and they headed home to Amsterdam while Matthew and I and bikes took the ferry to Breskens, planning to cycle to Belgium (Brugges) the following day.
Our bikes on the ferry
Us on the ferry
Rainy but lovely ride to Brugges from Sluis along a canal
Looks like an amazing trip so far dudes. You havent even started!
ReplyDeleteLove the photos by the way. Hot.
Dont forget to check out my bro's travel blog:
http://www.alasdaircowie.com/
Gav
made. my. day. hilarious AND amazing. XXXXXXXxxxxxxoxoxoxooxoxox
ReplyDeletethanks for the comments, how exciting
ReplyDeletegav - we think you would love antwerp, have you been before? hope all is well in dear old glasgow, keep us posted on whether you will be on the continent any time soon..
nicki - you should keep an eye on gav's brother's blog too, he is maybe going to australia as part of his world tour so you could be his melbourne tour guide..