So we are at the hotel 14 Sterren, on Texel. It’s a Saturday afternoon and there is the sound of a wedding in the background. It’s going on at the restaurant in the buildings next to where we are staying. We have had a short but fun ride to get here, and that was yesterday, cycling from Alkmaar to here.

Today’s very short cycles were into the centre of town and back:

Cycling without luggage was welcome. I don’t think we are at the full strength of former years at the moment. That is, we could have done the 36 miles from Alkmaar to our place in Texel in a morning or even the full 58 from IJMuiden to Texel, (i.e. IJMuiden to Alkmaar and Alkmaar to Texel) in a day if we had wanted. But we didn’t want. This is holiday, which means we don’t have to strain our bahookies.

Today is day three, which is always a bit of a strain from the neck up. By now we have worked, got somewhere but are not yet happy with the rhythm of arriving, beer, unpacking, showering, eating, sleeping and packing it all up again to go and do another 50 miles, but don’t yet have the fitness or pre=trip adrenaline to do so.

Instead, after shopping this morning, Elly and I have both been chained to our devices. In my case, I’ve been writing a report I forgot to do before we left. This of course took longer than the 2 hours I thought it would, but it’s now done and I can get into holiday mood. I do’t have words at e moment so here are pictures;

Breakfast in Alkmaar

Church in Alkmaar next to the cheese-market

Canal in ALkmaar

Koffie!

The restaurant next to our hotel. Not the thatch **on top of** the tiles.

Donkey-sugar!