The Netherlands is the greatest place on earth.

Ride on! Amsterdam has 880,000 of them.

I had to go to Hoofddorp for work. It's in the industrial zone, as our offices are always. Me and a work buddy were there for 4 days, so we hired bikes. I picked a hotel that was 10km away, in Haarlem, just so we could have somewhere to ride to. It's more beautiful than the industrial zone.

From the airline magazine: "Flying over Holland for the first time, I remember thinking how organised this land looks. So geometric. Strips of grassland divided by narrow waterways, with farmhouses neatly placed at the end of each field. No waste of space. No urban sprawl. It was hard to believe this country was so densely populated. Everything planned." I think I have discovered where I want to retire for the rest of my life.

Amsterdam is my kind of place. There are 880,000 bikes in Amsterdam and 220,000 cars, about 210k too many. At work at home, they were excited about our trip, with all the sex and drugs. Me, I've got a one track mind for things 2 wheeled. By weird coincidence, a buddy from Oz and his wife are there, also cyclists. Their $200 folders from Aldi in Sydney have been stolen here already, so we give them a lift, one person each on the rack, bumping along the gob smackingly beautiful canals, and have dinner before heading to the hotel in Hoofddorp.

Cyclist, buddy, coworker and real French person Philippe.

We rode from Haarlem-Hoofddorp-Haarlem daily, which is easier done than said. The latest company guidelines specifically state that riding a bike is forbidden for business trips. So we do it, and ask later. In the morning, people cycling are all around. Some even indicate to turn. It's astonishing to think that there are enough bikes to warrant indicating your intentions on a path, let alone have company at all. It occurs to me that, in the same way, during the school holidays, Sydney is easy to drive, so too in the Netherlands, it would be easier with so few parents driving their children around.

The Haarlem suburbs are simple beautiful standalone appartment blocks. We ride through fields of cows, postcard perfect canals lined with cheerful boats, and lovely homes, all in great condition. The Dutch don't like curtains. At night you can see the home owners watching TV or reading the paper. Often you can see through to the fields on the other side.

The way from the hotel in Haarlem to Hoofddorp.

It's a nice area! A lady is power walking in the fields. Schoolkids ride 2 or 3 abreast chatting. For such a densely populated place, it has a lot more space than Sydney does! Then again, we do live near a 10 lane freeway on one side, and 6 lane Pacific Highway on the other. I continue planning my retirement, in my mind.

This place is amazing to ride. We roll over a large bike specific bridge spanning a main road, and under several underpasses. This means along the entire 10km route, we stop maybe 2 or 3 times for the lights.

The organiser asks if we rode, and asks how it was. Do these people have no idea of their reputation? How can you summarise a religious life transforming event like this? It's good! I say. I'm used to semi trailers, and fast cars passing too closely.

Where work is in Hoofddorp.

We get lost all the time. The biggest problem the Netherlands has is too many bike paths. Picture a grid of 3m separated paths going in any direction mostly not signposted. Problem no. 2 is rain. It rains all the time.

Dinner on night 2 is in Hoofddorp with work, and night 3 is in Haarlem, a beautiful historic town.

On the last day, leaving Hoofddorp to drop the bike off in Amsterdam, the rain jacket and rainlegs are not enough after 2 hours solid. There are two little 10cm patches of dryness on top of my thighs. The water still beads up nicely on my shoes, but the jeans have fed enough in via the heels, that they squelch.

It's been fantastically awesome. You know the problem with the world is that nobody thinks like I do. Then suddenly, there's a whole nation out there with bike paths going everywhere.

Maryanne and Julia pt 2

Entrevaux - on the walk up.

Yesterday, everyone else went to Entrevaux, a medieval village, with a fort perched above it. They said it's quite a climb to get up, but the boys did it ok.

I took today (Thursday) off work. We went to Ventimiglia to do a bit of shopping (Marie got boots) and Dolceaqua for lunch and to look around.

Our visitors are gone tomorrow, boo hoo.

Entrevaux - view from above.

Entrevaux - the bridge at the entrance.

The old bridge at Dolceaqua

Dolceaqua - recommended!

Maryanne and Julia pt 1

Nice one. Place Massena.

We downloaded all the photos from Julia's camera. So am updating it. Maryanne and Julia's school was in the middle of Nice. They'd pass the dude in the fountain each day. Apparently it's Apollo. He's the first god with horses on his head. A swollen head clearly.

They got off the bus here, walked through the nicer part of town. At home, everyone would do their homework, including Ollie who's getting some this year for the first time.

Louis in Noli

Here's a couple of shots from our day trip to Noli. It's a pretty village, typical of the area.

Typical Italian traffic jam: Noli. 

St Paul de Vence

This week, the two of them went to England for four days to visit family. The second part of this week, there was no school for them.

2 new guys at work

Looks like a nice one Millie.

Filly tells us she's looking forward to coming over. They're practicing by eating croissants. We'll have to have one every day when yous get here then!

Yeeha: the boys on hearing the news that Mill's coming.

In other news, me and the boys went to the beach, and gave Marie a break (that's actually news).


I forgot to mention, when we went camping last time, we dropped in at the wolf park: Parc Alpha. We got to see a few of them during feeding time, but mostly they were laying around sleeping. The boys had a good time watching, then running around the picnic area with the parc goats.


We've got two new guys at work. Neither speak practically a word of French. One guy is Scottish from Australia, the other is from India. That's 2 new accents to get used to. They tell me they can understand the Scotsman, but an Indian accent is especially hard to get. I'm in demand for translating emails, and listening on the odd phone call.

I thought wolves were scary.

Weekend here

Maryanne in a rare photo, and Julia.

We went up locally to Cagnes sur Mer on Friday night for dinner, which led to pancakes for breakfast with John Louis, Sylvie and Romain. We went to a local beach in Nice to watch some sailing races just off shore. Apparently they're pretty good, but we chatted mostly, then walked off for ice cream.

with Marie, Louis and Sylvie.

Sunday we drove over to Italy to a little village, Noli.

Julia and Maryanne's here!

It's always blue skies around here, but as soon as Mayanne and Julia's plane was due to land, a big storm came in. They landed a bit over an hour late. Their plane did a big plunge at one time, "the tower of terror"and their bums got off their seats. All the attendants ran for it, to get back to their seats. Not good just before expecting to land, some screaming all round. Then the turbulence made Maryanne sick. She looked more dead than sick to me after 24 hours odd. Julia seemed ok!

This morning they were trying to beep through our front gate. We finally got the right code, then I told them to run! After making sure they got on the bus, Marie pointed out that we didn't tell them how to get back home again, no way to contact us and no keys. They got back fine though at about 3.

Apparently day one went well enough. They're still jetlagged, so the homework was slow going.

I had a medical checkup at work, and weighed in at 83kg. I thought I'd write that down, as I'm pretty chuffed, and may not get skinny again ever.

Tan man and Stephane visit

Stephane and Tania.

Really nice to have Tania, Stephane, Sophia and Chloe pop in for a visit, and stay. They were in our neighbourhood as Stephane was visiting his family. He got to speak with the boys. After two years, they can talk now. They had the chance to get Stephane read them a story book in French, but they chose The Cat in the Hat. So they got a regular story book with a strong French accent. We went for a walk with everyone last night, as always. Stephane tells us that although it's annoying to be here, when you can't find things, when we go back home, it'll be the same as we won't be able to find the stuff we buy here and break road rules as you need to etc.

The kids got to sleep eventually.

Apple picking at Chateau D'Astros
And in other news, Ollie went apple picking today for a school excursion. He has been over excited for about a week! We got 2 or 4kg of apples afterwards. We'll be making a few apple crumbles, so stay out of the area for a bit. Might have calmed down by the time Maryanne and Julia get here. In three days!!! We have heaps of visitors in the next while. It's something to look forward to, but it'll be depressing once it's all over.

Camping

Car racing track next to our tent.

We finally tried it, and it all worked out well. We got rained on the first time around. Marie froze, and ended up on the boys sleeping mats.

The boys helping the pot to boil.

A bad idea! Turns out, the coffee pot can sit straight on it.

Louis getting in the change room.

Before the second time, we bought two more thermarests. These are warm, give a nice soft layer, and roll up afterwards. This time we got the boys to stay out of the tent while we put the bedding in, much easier. There was a nice patch of dirt to run cars around.


The first one was at Saint Martin Vesubie, where I lost Louis's camera, damn it, and these photos are from Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey.

The long drive back home again.

Louis wonders how to do this one, but walks it, Basel. 

So then it was time to drive back home again. We went through Switzerland, which is nice but pricey. Finally across the top left corner of Italy, and home. Torino has some strange awful suburbs, and a really beautiful town centre. Sorry mum, the shroud is only visible every decade or so apparently. Cuneo is small but lovely.


And school hols were finished, along with summer. The boys were excited to get back to school again. Ollie's in the "big" school this year - the CP.

After going to jump in the lake, Montreux.

Torino has a beautiful town centre, and bizarre suburbs.

Italy's in a bit of trouble for now... Torino.

Couldn't agree more! In Cuneo.

Technikal Museum Sincheim

The Concord is still impressive after so many years.

It has the Concorde supersonic airliner, and the Concordski, the copy from Russia. The Concordski, aka Tupolev Tu-144 is a monster, hugely impressive, loads of seating and supersonic, with amazing engines. The retractable little wings up the front, and the tilting nose are amazing, given they didn't have the same resources as the west.

We got a call from the lady who owned the flat to ask where we were. Why? Because we were supposed to have left already. Woops, got out a bit late after getting back there
.

The Tu-144 supersonic airliner is incredible up close.

Only in Germany, a real cockpit to check out.

Next stop was Heidelberg

A nice old town

The boys at high speed in a local park

Ollie missing the slide for a bit

A local house I'd like to live in.

We stayed in a nice old appartment with kitchen, washer, bedding for 6: the boys jumped on every bed, especially the loft level. The highlight was the Technical Museums - planes, tanks, slides, miniature railways, etc, even a rotating automatic organ was a hit with the kids.

There were bikes all over the place.

We wandered up to the castle. We caught some trams around, but the burbs weren't great! The town itself is beautful.

The technik museum Speyer

Ollie in the cargo hold of the 747.

The 747 is up high, and has a slide.

Where else can you take two kids aged 4 and 6, and have them run around looking at stuff until about 6pm, and not stop once? Except for lunch. Lucky Marie packed some sandwiches. They scoffed odd halves here and there, then ran back to go on a slide, see another plane, model train or whichever.

Electric powered hydraulic digger thing

This place has the Buran, the Russian space shuttle. I love Russian rockets and space paraphynalia. Seeing the real thing, and walking inside is amazing. One of these did go into space.

There's loads of cars, planes and a submarine you can walk through. 10/10.

The Buran from Russia.

Wurzburg

The fountains are for littlies in Nuremberg

Ollie outside the Oliver store.

Wurzburg, another lovely town on the river.

On the main bridge.

Wurzburg has a nice fortress thing up on hill. 

The city of Wurzburg.

Bamberg

A river runs though it.

 We caught a train to Bamberg. We wandered around. We came home to Nuremberg again.

The trains are even a bit more fun

There's a nice Cathedral up on the hill.

Just like that movie Cocoon, old people forget to be old.

The rose garden looking over town.

Nuremberg

Nuremberg - rebuilt, and beautiful.

We drove to Nuremberg via nightmarishly car clogged Passau. We parked the car and left it for 5 days. The local trams and state trains are just the best.

Mum, dad, can we go on the U bahn??

Every loco was perfectly restored.

There is so much to do in this place. The museums are amazing. The train museum was so good, the boys cried when we dragged them out of there. The boys ran around the loco displays. One of the loco engines was cut in half, with animated lights showing how steam works. On the way, there was a whole other museum on communications, where Ollie had a go at being a TV presenter, also fun. On the last level, there was wooden toy tracks, automated model trains, and one a bit bigger that they could ride on. Kiddie heaven.

There is also a toy museum, where all the old interesting toys were laid out, together with a room full of toys to play with, then an outdoor play area with more interesting play stuff.

Making a call in the communications museum

We also ran out of cash for a while. Since the supermarkets all took cash or some ecard thing which we didn't have, we had to take it easy. This just meant we couldn't stop for coffee, and once I had to leave everything at the checkout, which upset Louis a bit. 2 days later, it was back to normalish.

Taking a ride on a train in the train museum

Going shopping in Germany is awesome. Everything is made in Germany. You can't go wrong! I'd love to snap up a bike, but I've already got one.

We didn't even get to half the places here, important places, like the Nazi rally grounds, or where they had the trials. The kids wouldn't be so keen.