Day 15 2016.10.08 Oplgabbeek

For the breakfast my waiter suprised me with speaking German. Ok it’s not really surprising many Dutch are able to do that and I was near the border too. But it’s still one of the most impressive things about the Dutch people that they are very often able to speak up to 4 languages. That’s at least my personal experience and most of the nationalities I met abroad are Dutch or Germans. This fact was one of the most important reasons why I wanted to visit the Netherlands this and the fact that I can’t remember when I met a not polite Dutch. First target of the Day was again the Northsea. I had never seen the tideland before. After the first steps into it is easy to imagine that a guided walk can be very impressive. It’s full of shells, crabs, algae …

Of course I found some windmills in old style and much more in in new style. In a small city I stopped for lunch. Again a perfect place, very good meal and a pretty waitress. I really started to like the Netherlands even if I still think that the landscape behind the coast is boring. One of my targets was also the Bridge of Arnhem now called “John Frost Brug”. Some of you may know the warfilm about the famous battle for that bridge. Some more of the Bridges were named after British and American soldiers that fought there.

I felt a bit strange about all these memorials already in Russia and now again in the Netherlands. It’s a really difficult topic. Memorials and also the warfilms will always not just remind to those who deserve that. They will always feed a young boys wish to be such a hero and you just can be one of this heroes if you have an enemy. That is in complete conflict with my pacifistic conviction and I’m sure there are enough boys in uniforms with that crazy idea in their mind. I tried to get these thoughts out of my head with driving. So I reached Belgium earlier. After a stop at a Hotel and two campsites I camped. But I can’t say my start in Belgium was good the personal at the campsite wasn’t very polite at least they offered a discount and let me stay for 17€ before I could refuse to stay for 30€. Even 17€ are crazy for a small tent and a motorcycle. Next time I do a motorcycle trip in better developed areas of Europe I have to inform me better. My typical calculation with 50€/day + Fuel raised up to at least 70€ a day. Luckily this trip is short 🙂