Day 23 Amsterdam

 Rode 32 miles into Amsterdam

Due to such wet weather I have decided to end this ride in Amsterdam.  Of course I have mixed feelings on not completing the planned ride.  I don't like the idea of not finishing, but even my friend Paul from the Netherlands said he would have stopped long before me due to the weather.  I could keep riding but it would be more like a repetitive exercise of pedaling to get somewhere rather than enjoying the ride and stopping here and there to explore a new place.  

But I have to view the trip as a success.  I got to spend time in Prague, Dresden, Wittenberg, Berlin, Hamburg, Groningen, and Amsterdam.  I also met many wonderful, very kind people who extended hospitality to me and informed me about the place in which they live.  And I got to spend time with a cycling friend I made a few years ago while on a ride along the Danube river.  It's hard to complain about that.

Today started out well with cool temperatures and sunshine.

Friday must be market day because several towns I rode through had open air markets set up.

Waiting for the last ferry ride of the trip.

These short ferry rides across rivers and canals have been free of charge.

Fall is clearly in the air.  Approaching Haarlem, Netherlands.

 

De Grote of St. Bavokerk te Haarlem.  Constructed in 1479.  Both Mozart and Handel played here.

Once I got to Amsterdam I started to walk around to bike shops looking for a box to put my bike in to ship home.  Finally at the 7th shop they had a box.  Yeah!!.  Now just a few loose ends to tie up before I'll be ready to come home.