We were running out of clean clothes and the laundry basket was bulging. We chose one campground because it had a laundry, only to find that the single washer had stopped working. The next day we found another with two functioning machines--one load for € 7.50 (about $11 at today’s exchange rate) and we had at least two loads. The dryer is only € .50 for half an hour, so throw in another 75 cents for drying and we should be good for another few hundred miles.
(We realized that our two loads of wash and drying could have bought seven bottles of wine. There’s something wrong there.)
We spent yesterday in Breda: lots of rain and sometimes very strong winds. We were able to get into a car park without too much trouble --only had to go over one curb--and walked into the “centrum.” This one had a modern shoppng center, the ever present Grote Kerk, but also a wonderful doll house collection on the second floor of a little corner of an old monastery. We were the only visitors and they gave us coffee, as well as a flashlight to see into dark corners.
The cities in Holland have well marked parking lots. From a few kilometers away, there are sign posts that will direct you to parking. Unfortunately for us, most are marked with spaces for cars the size of Volkswagons and some even have a height barrier restriction. However, we have managed to find our way into several that weren’t crowded and either parked in a corner or across two places in the middle and in some places just parked sideways through several spaceswhen there were plenty available. We have only done the latter when the parking was free. In the cities one usually has to put coins in a central meter after telling it how long one intends to park, print out a ticket, and put it in the front window. I am always grateful when we can find a place that will not require my jumping out of the cab to stop traffic while David backs out of somewhere. People are very patient with us. We keep telling ourselves three things:
1. “If we’re here, this is where we’re supposed to be.”
2. “It’s not as if we have anything else to do today.”
3. “It’s all part of the adventure” (we use this one several times a day).
And we laugh a lot.
Today we got wet. It was raining when we left the campground and drove to ‘S-Hertogenbosch (known to the natives as “Den Bosch,” home of the medieval artist Hieronymous who took his home town's name as his own). It looked like it was clearing when we found a great empty road to park on. We unloaded the bikes and took off, only to be caught in a downpour several times. We made it to the beautiful cathedral there and sat through part of a service while it poured outside and then we ate lunch indoors at a cafe (which we try not to do too often) while it poured some more. With another break in the weather we rode our bikes back, wiped them off and left town while it poured down some more. We have spent part of each of the last three days stuck in Rover while it rained. It is cosy and dry and warm...but it is also a small space. (Repeat after me: “it’s all part of the adventure...it’s all part of….it’s all….”)