A last sunrise!
And then we were on our way by train to Brussels...
We met up with Annemarie's cousin Peter and his lovely family who we know well from their time living in Vancouver and our visits to Holland. What is that painter painting down there?
This is the northern route which runs down from Amsterdam and picks up many branches as it moves south to Paris where is becomes the Vezelay route. A possible walk some day?
And then the main event...
But soon we were on our way to a birthday party in El, Holland as the surprise guests! It was a wonderful evening seeing Ted and Ros and their clan. Always so welcoming to us. We were invited to the 45th wedding anniversary gathering as we cycled through 3 years ago. Always seems to be a party going on here!
Woke up this morning with a cold. Thought about next steps and decided that rather than share my cold in Holland, I'd bring it home and share it in Canada! What a nice guy! I checked on line and there was a flight tomorrow direct from Frankfurt to Vancouver...just 10 hours straight through, then onto the ferry and home! I'll be able to pick up medicinal substances in duty free!
As the sun reflected off the water.
Where we witnessed a famous statue peeing, but dressed in clothes today for a celebration...how odd?!
A beautiful city centre to stroll through.
Yet another very clear Camino sign on the side of this very old, Camino related church...
A little lunch...
A little chess...
High end Belgium chocolate!! One needs a supportive banker to manage the prices of chocolate in this mall!
So much good stuff!
Annemarie flies the same day from Paris and I'll beat her home by just two hours, pick up the car and drive back to get her at the ferry. Seemed destined, and it's time to return home, heal-up and regroup. We have plans to return next year, perhaps to bike guide on the barge and then for sure to walk in Portugal and Spain...will be working on a new language this winter! I'll be multi lingual with mechanical bits and pieces all suitable only for walking. Too funny!
It's been a very odd trip. Started off to walk southern France and central Spain and ended up walking only the Massif Central then cycling through northern France and into Belgium. Oddly the sun will be shining here now for the next couple of weeks after all that rain. However, we hear from home that good weather is expected there as well. Nice:-)
It's been a great, if unusual walk/bike this season. Thanks as always for the kind support provided by many. We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to experience this world in bits and pieces. It's an amazing place full of wonderful people and beautiful places.The opportunity to meet new people, exchange ideas and experiences is unparalleled. Such a joy. Can't wait to start all over again next year...but first there are family and friends to reconnect with, leaves to rake, projects to complete and time to savour our experiences.
Bon...
I will return;-)
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