“Like freedom ? She lives in the countryside.” Andres Bello

Wake fanfare by Dutch police, which explains in English that we do not normally have the right to sleep here : identity check. They relent when they realize that Ronald is Dutch (francophobes ?), explaining that this car is not really creep but “no problem, take your time”. We stay there for lunch, five minutes after it is a drug dealer who comes to offer us all kinds of drugs… Welcome to Netherlands ? ! We leave Roosendaal and his strange car to head Rotterdam : immense port (the largest in Europe) and rain, but still some nice corners and my first Dutch windmill near !

Break in Roosendaal

Canal in Rotterdam

The sun finds us early afternoon when we arrive in Gouda (pronounced “raouda” in Dutch). The city is traversed by a network of canals, which even run at the feet of gardens and houses. Cycle roads, greenery, ducks, and even pheasants, Gouda is very pretty and Ronald told me that it is representative of Holland, almost all cities are like that : I love ! A Reeuwijk, nearby, Houses often have a small boat docked at the edge of the garden to navigate the canals and visit the lake nearby.

Gouda

Thatched roofs

After buying Gouda Gouda (still !) Dutch specialties and some others which I am equally fond Ronald, Nieuwegein we drive through the Dutch countryside. House thatched, Sheep, cows, Horses in the gardens and meadows still surrounded by canals : I am delighted ! I also want a goat or a sheep to mow the lawn ! We turn a bit in Nieuwegein, south of Utrecht, to find the house Jurgen, Marloes and their children Sam, Joep et Mik. The cousin Ronald, Fortunately for me, speak French, otherwise English is required : most Dutch, if not all, are bilingual. We spend the evening in the garden, I put the site up to date, cousins ​​talking.

Dutch country

Around Amsterdam

We still enjoy some Internet Friday morning before we set off to Amsterdam. Our first meters in Amsterdam remind me of my visit three years ago when I first joined Ronald time for a great weekend. We return to where I was introduced to the Amstel (the river, it is also the name of a beer pub and former Ronald), in Pijp which saw an old friend : Alexsandar. The camper parked, we stay in the area between the garden Alex, the Rijnbar and a snack I remember discovered “Peanut Sauce” that I adore : a peanut-based sauce… Yum !