2011-10-16 | Newest page on this website:

GPS Tracks for ATB/MTB

The Netherlands have hills, just in the south where the Ardennes and the Eifel just branch out into our borders. Still, there are some nice spots for ATBs, and some routes are not quite fit for my road bike. Below the gps-coordinates for some tracks.

2012-01-08 | Latest file added to this website:

08-01-2012_Durgerdam_Marken_Monnickendam.zip

A short round trip which will bring you past the villages Durgerdam and Uitdam on the Markermeerdijk (dike) to the former island of Marken. Back via Monnickendam and Broek in Waterland, and along the Noordhollands Kanaal towards Amsterdam Central Station. Good for an easy day trip: spend some time on Marken and in Monnickendam.

Latest picture gallery:

Hartjesdagen 2011 Gallery | Sat, 27 Aug

August 21, the Zeedijk in Amsterdam was crowded with Queens and Hearts, the traditional parade where the men go as women, and women as men. Luckily, it was back to two days, after last year's compressed edition of just one day (because security was too expensive, it was said; this year, I think the city government smartened up and realised that it is just a fun festival, nothing destructive as football celebrations tend to be).
Via the link, you can buy prints and downloads of the best pictures I took.
And here is the link directly to the gallery page where you can find more pictures of the Hartjesdagen 2011, and other events.

New galleries and gps-tracks | Tue, 26 Apr

April is the month that all the flower bulbs are blooming. It also has been unusually warm and sunny, so enough opportunity to bike and walk along the bulb fields. I have of course made some pictures, and I also took the opportunity to extend the list of gps-tracks with routes that will lead you along the fields.

Back from the future? | Sat, 15 Jan

When Dutch railways used to be cutting edge, they invented the TEE, the Trans Europe Express, fast luxury trains between major European cities. The line between Amsterdam and Zürich (Edelweiss) was one of the first of these connections, and specially for this service, these trains were build and were put into service in 1957. Decommissioned in de mid 70s, they served in Ontario. Four coaches are now back in Holland and being restored in their original colours. It is a far cry from the deplorable state Dutch Railways are in now. High speed connections take too long to build and start service. Everyone is blaming each other, and the privatisation. It's rather incompetence and total disinterest of the parties involved, I think. A real shame, because travelling by train is so enjoyable. Luckily other companies are doing their best. DB, for one, has plans to put in a direct link between Amsterdam and London.
Above the train sitting east of Amsterdam Central station; one coach still showes the partly stripped colours from Ontario.