Euro Trip and a Training Break

The Netherlands has Windmills

We just got back Thursday from a wonderful vacation in the Netherlands and the UK. The Netherlands was our first time visiting with my father and his committed life partner, not quite married, but with some legal status, girlfriend. We arrived at Amsterdam (Schipol) airport after a long flight, and were all quite tired, but it was 7:40 AM Netherlands time, so I attempted to stay awake until a more normal bedtime. Bree and Emy both napped, and they probably made the right call. Anyway, I either caught a virus, or was experiencing intense allergic reaction to something in the Dutch air. The malady stuck with me for the entire 10 days of our trip, unfortunately.

We had a nice couple of days in Gouda (pronounced HHHowda) adjusting to the time change, dipping in the North Sea, eating pastries, and marveling at how everyone rides their bike to/from work, to/from school, to/from town, and just about everywhere else. It makes me so envious that the infrastructure provides for bike travel as a first-class mode of transport, in some cases to the exclusion of drivers. Amazing! We then took a short weekend trip to visit our good friends the Knopfs, who have relocated to Marlow, UK, somewhere west of London/Windsor area.

I am hooked on euro style cappucinos

Emy reunited with her friend Molly, and they had a grand ol time for the next couple of days. Emy had her first two sleepovers, the first night, and the second night. The two of them did so well together, despite being only children and having to share all space and time for 2.5 days. We traipsed around the town, and made a super-fun trip to Legoland (dads plus girls), which is an amusement park plus lego mania. It was great - Emy and Molly were roller coaster crazy, and with it being a weekday, they got in lots of runs. Both Molly and Emy got their "drivers license" on a ride at the park. I had to encourage Emy to lie about her age (yes, I know!!!) and say she was six so she could do it. She passed and now has a license. Unfortunately, she learned to drive on the left side of the road! While Aaron and I had the girls, Bree and Jenny went in to London to see Westminster Abbey. You can read about it on Bree's blog.

Legoland taught Emy to pilot a boat and drive a car

We said goodbye to England under rainy skies in Windsor, and headed back to the Netherlands on a short British Airways flight (one hour flight, and they still give you food - BA is awesome).

We spent the next 5 days doing fun stuff in Gouda, a trip to Efteling, which is the Dutch version of a Disneyworld, but far superior in style and substance (and a distinct lack of humans in constume). Emy again took in the rides like a kid at an amusement park. She was very egalitarian - some rides with me, some with Bree, some with Grandpa Burt, and some with all of us. It was a long and fun day.

Emy Loves, Loves, Loves the Pirate Ship

The next day was a day trip to Amsterdam, with the explicit goal of not trying to "do everything" in one day. We had a nice boat tour as introduction, and then walked around the central area of the city, Madam Toussou's Wax Museum, and the famous Rijksmuseum, where we took in some Rembrandt, Vermeer, and others. Luckily the museum is under renovation, so we really could see all they had on display in a short hour. We had a great Indian dinner at my dad's favorite place in Amsterdam, and then took the train back to Gouda. The trains are also awesome. Why do we suck in the USA? Bikes and trains are perfect, and yet, we have essentially neither as an easy and encouraged mode of transport - we need some serious urban planning, and some tax revenue being spent, I say!

I really don't see it, but some say there is a resemblance

Bree rides with Lance

Did I mention there are bikes everywhere - Amsterdam has parking lots

Emy did SO MUCH WALKING on this trip, and handled it well.
Sometimes you just need a piggyback ride, though.

The following day was the flight back to Seattle, which went well, except for an hour on the runway to "cool the brakes".

We can't wait to return to both countries, this time with separate trips for each. We didn't get to see Windsor castle, which was high on my list, as the Queen was presiding over a royal Tattoo! No, the Queen was getting a barbed wire around her arm, or a celtic knot on her left butt cheek - apparently a Tattoo is some sort of military party/event. So, of the five days the castle is closed per year, one of them fell on our planned visit to the castle.

Training Break
So, I used the vacation as an excuse for a mid-season break. Yeah, I commuted by bike a few times in Gouda, but that doesn't really count. I got in three good runs on the trip to make sure I didn't completely atrophy, and they were all nice.

When we returned on Thursday, I went for a one hour ride, but between jet lag, and being completely exhausted, it was like riding drunk. It's a good thing it was 7 PM and there was no one on the trail. I was probably all over the place. Strangely enough, I still averaged a fast pace, so the exhaustion was really in my head.

I took the next day off and tried to sleep. Luckily, with the jet lag, I have no trouble getting up early to watch the Giro d' Italia streamed on the internet at 6 AM.