Van Drachten naar Zwolle

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Ah the camera has made a comeback. Welcome back I said.

I'm still not up to a heck of a lot. I ran the half-marathon in Leeuwarden the other week where I finished third so was OK for a bit. However upon receiving my prize they called my name out as Kees Kuiper (or something). I mean, I'm in the Netherlands- I don't have to spell my name out or correct people a billion times a day- so I expect a bit bit better from the Leeuwarden marathon. But on the otherhand, Kuiper does sound pretty good.

Now I'm in the middle of the Netherlands somewhere, staying with other relatives, so I'm getting closer to Amsterdam etc.

Yesterday I cycled from one city to another, it was around 80ks, via all sorts of little towns and through the forest, along canals, through some small far-right Christian communities- the northern outskirts of the infamous Dutch 'Blackbelt' (which was obviously the highlight) and saw all sorts of things on the way. In the process I rode through three different provinces- which shows just how small the Netherlands actually is. My back brake cable snapped just as I left Drachten but that was OK, didn't need it anyway.

I've included plenty of snaps from my little excursion but sorry I failed to come across any tulip farms, windmills or high intensive industrial clog factories. Also check my previous blog for photos from Friesland. :-)

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Photos

Drachten's blue street
They're building a waterway here right into the city centre. With the blue, they're trying to 'prepare' people. Piant Costs: 60,000Euro. Money well spent I say.

typical farmland: Drenthe

translation: Darktrousers
Don't ask

snack time in Appelscha
nearly half way

11km's through the forest
Boswachterij Smilde

Comments

[Jean Genie]

Following in Martin's Footsteps?
Is that... a beard?!

[DestinationAlgeria]

beard?
na super-imposed. See you soon in Amsterdam

[Emu]

Bike intel
How long would you say the 80 odd kms took, riding time? Glad to see you're keeping up the running, its nice that you're trying to get yourself in shape. Dinky says he misses you.

[DestinationAlgeria]

80ks
Well I was stoping every 10mins to take a picture and pissed round for a while here and there. But 80ks in the Netherlands (so flat) should take 3.5-4hrs. You're still coming over?

[Annick]

Flat NL
It's really quite strange to see you and Gina visiting (giggly) the places where I lived some years ago and found rather low in interest... I on the other hand go to New Brighton on the week end, walk on the beach and find myself living a very exotic life in Christchurch.

[Chris Campbell]

Beard ????
Hey mate youll need to shave off the beard itll be giving you too much wind resistance !!!!!