Anne Frank Huis, Amsterdam

July 30, 2026

A flight home scheduled for late today had been cancelled and rebooked for tomorrow. We therefore had a day to poke about. After donating the old bikes we had flown over (1), we wandered to the Botanical Garden, where Hugo de Vries had done much work to bolster Darwin's work by studying genetics (2). A canal cruise followed.

Notification of the flight came early enough to book a visit to the Anne Frank House (3). After an introductory lecture (4), the crowd moved in respectful silence through the secret annex in which Anne Frank and others hid for two years during World War II before being discovered and deported to Auschwitz. Only the father survived. 

(1) Uncertain about the difficulty of flying with our bikes, we opted to bring old bikes on the one way trip and donate them in Amsterdam. With a trip of over 200 miles, it was good to have our own bikes which fit well. Also, what we saved in bike rental cost (almost) paid for new bikes at home. 

(2) Neither Darwin nor de Vries was aware of the Gregor Mendel's studies  on genetic inheritance in peas.

(3) A common destination in Amsterdam, the memorial tour regularly sells out.

(4) Drastically oversimplify Hitler's rise to power as a direct result of America's Dawes Plan.

Goodbye to our old bikes

In Amsterdam

Hortus Bonaticus

 Carnivorous plants

From the Canal boat

Lowering furniture down the outside of a building

Common sign in Amsterdam protesting Gaza war

Last night in the Netherlands

Next morning: train to the airport and home

Cycling down the Vecht to Amsterdam

July 29, 2026

Having coffee outdoors in Utrecht, a man approached and asked where we were cycling to (1). Replying "Amsterdam," he told us to follow the Vecht, which is a sinuous river between the two cities. While a little longer than the direct route along the canal, I'm glad we took his advice. 

The ride was through lovely suburbs south of the capital city. Many people were out cycling, boating, and watching the world go by on this warm summer's day. We popped back and forth across the river various times. Our hotel in Amsterdam was near the Concertgebouw (2) in the southwest of the city. Given our approach from the south, we thankfully avoided cycling in the central part of the city. Rode 32 miles today.

The German National Youth Orchestra performed this evening. Rachmaninof's 3rd Piano Concerto was performed with gusto by 26 year old Georgian pianist Giorgi Gigashvili. He banged his feet on the stage and thoroughly enjoyed himself (as did the audience). The progran ended with Pictures at an Exhibition, one of my wife's favorites before the orchestra performed another (unannounced) short piece to conclude the evening. 

(1) Our friends had a time commitment, so they had opted for the train to Amsterdam. 

(2) The name means "Concert Building;" simple enough

Riding through Utrecht

Church tower chimes at Maarssen Dorp mark 11:00.

On the Vecht River south of Breukelen

Drawbridge at Breukelen (Brooklyn)

Back on the east bank of the Vecht

Waiting for the bridge at Mijndense Sluis lock. My wife was wearing a small painted birdhouse at her waist which we had bought earlier in the trip, drawing questions from a Dutch cyclist. "All the cool kids are wearing them."

Across the river from Loenen aan der Vecht

The bridge tender at Vleeland rigged a hose to keep the metal bridge cool and prevent expansion in the heat (which also sprayed the passing boaters) on this hot day.

Toward Nigtevecht

Archimedes screw used to raise water from the polder to the Vecht

Power for the Archimedes Screw 

Arriving at Nigtevecht

View from Liniebrug over the ship canal separating Utrecht Province and North Holland

Amsterdam starts abruptly after the fields

The Concertgebouw

Hugs all around at concert's end

The hand-pull cable ferry at Haetsterveet

July 28, 2026

Water seemed especially prominent south of Giethoorn with the usual canals and rivers being joined by large lakes. Cycling through Zwarthuis to Hasselt, we opted to stop for coffee in the lovely square. A sign here pointed towards Zwolle on the north side of the river. A look at a map revealed a ferry ride as part of the route and the local info office confirmed the ferry was running today.

The scenery was delightful as we rolled along the Zwart (Black) Water River. A short road led to Haetsterveet and a small booth in someone's front yard with coffee, cake, and some paintings paid for on the honor system. Ringing a bell, we convinced the artist to wrap two paintings, which fit well in the bike panniers. The dimunitive ferry was basically a wooden raft holding 6 bikes. Propulsion was effected via the driver pulling a cable through his hands using blocks of wood. The ferryman said there was an ancient charter granted to run the ferry. Definitely worth the detour to get here.

At Zwolle, we espied an open door in an old city gate leading to a tower. The guide was very proud of city dating from the 1200s: "older than Amsterdam." The city's name is simple: there was a mild rise in the land (i.e., the land was swollen (zwoll) surrounding a river called the "aa."). Oddly, there was no view from the tower. 

After about 20 miles, we hopped on the train from Zwolle to Utrecht. Urban cycling in Utrecht was more organized that I had expected (based on previous experience in Amsterdam). 

Causeway across Belterwijde lake south of Giethoorn

Beukersluis lock

SSW wind was perfect to sail north on the Beukersgraft canal

Toward Zwartsluis

Cycling drawbridge at Zwartsluis

Stadthuis, Hasselt

Hasselt kerk (Church) steeple

Moelen De Zwaluw, Hasselt

Along the Zwart Water River

East along the Overijssel Vecht

Fingerpost near ferry

Myrna the artist holds the paintings we bought

Paintings fit pretty well in the pannier

The hand drawn cable ferry

Windmill at Zwolle

Sassenpoort, Zwolle

Clockwork mechanism, but no view from the tower.

Evening walk at Utrecht