Days 1-2

And while France votes, and the UK starts to get used to a change of government, we are away from it. The first part of round and round is learning how to switch off again.

Hence travel south and east, by tram, train, coach, ferry, coach, and train to Zaandam. Yay, we are on holiday, and can relax. There is a bit of weather, but it’s not a pain.

Day 3

We had thought of going to Arnhem to see the big open-air museum but that was dependent on being on a train at 10:30, which depended on us sleeping well. Neither of us did, so we settled on a lazy day: breakfast at Backwerk, gently ambling, walk to Hembrug museum, bus back, lunch at another nearby cafe, crash out for a while, have dinner at Eazie, go to the cinema, then watch Tour de France highlights. Here are Elly’s photos from Hembrug:

I worried all through the film (Despicable Me 4) that I had left my wallet on the bus, but was reasonably sure I’d left it in the hotel room after using my key-card. For once my memory wasn’t false.

We’ve both had to do a bit of admin just now while we are waiting for today’s TdF highlights to be available on ITVX. I’m not sure what Elly is doing, but I had to pay a community council bill – its website providers keep failing to take a direct debit from the CC’s own bank account. It’s only £15 so I am far from worried – just annoyed at the provider.

I know this blog entry sounds as if we are not having fun, but this visit to Zaandam is to let us get into holiday mode before the real new adventures begin.