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After a week in Bergen, we saddled the horses and headed north through the dunes to Den Helder, the northern most tip of North Holland. From there we took the car ferry across to Texel. It was an exhilarating ride, a strong NW wind and gusty squalls the whole way. Fortunately there were places to stop and warm up. For the last few miles, as we looked seaward, a narrow strip of sandbank extended far out parallel to the land. The sun glinted off it turning it into a golden ghost hovering above a grey sea and heavy sky.

Getting onto the ferry was „a breeze“ and as the ship left port the sun started to poke through the clouds. 30 minutes later we were cycling in the sun through fields of chamomile and poppies.

That night we stayed in a delightful place (The Island Life near De Koog) complete with a private sauna. What a welcome indulgence! the following morning breakfast was served outside in a gazebo like structure complete with heaters. There we met fellow travelers from Belgium and The Netherlands. It was a congenial way to start our exploration of Texel. We opted for the East coast route facing the Waddenzee (.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadden_Sea). This is a shallow tidal body of water that in some places dries up at low tide. It’s a birders‘ paradise. This time the wind was behind us and bicycling was joyful. We even experienced the „Fata Morgana (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fata_Morgana_(mirage)) phenomenon“. The more eastern islands floated above the horizon.

We continued our exploration to the norther most tip of Texel to catch the ferry to Flieland.

The Texel to Flieland ferry experience was an adventure. It started by having to push our bikes along a narrow raised boardwalk, down a steep slope and onto the boat. About 25-30 bikes and people safely managed the transition. On the otherside it was unworldly! The ferry beached itself on a massive sandbank where seals had gathered for the entertainment. Here we manhandled the biked over the bows of the ferry onto the sand. From there we pushed the biked through thick sand to the waiting sand bus. It reminded me of the glacier buses in Canada. With the help of the bus crew all the bikes were hauled up the steps to the bus and then the people squeezed in.

From there it was about a 15-20 minute ride to the Posthuys (https://posthuysvlieland.nl/) where we stayed over night. A squadron of cormorants flew in formation along side our bus route, seemingly enjoying putting on a show of amazing flight skills. They skimmed the wave tops close to the sand and it made me wonder whether there are some special conditions a foot or so above the water that these birds use to fly effortlessly (or so it seemed) over the waves.

By the time we reached the Posthuys, the cafeteria was closed. Fortunately we had brought some sandwiches and cheese from our delightful breakfast that morning and Andreas had packed hot toddy makings. We finished the exciting, memorable day with a beach walk as the sun set.

The following morning after fish on toast breakfast we followed the bicycle path through wonderful dunes packed with grasses and flowers. As we approached the Eastern end of the island we started to encounter a few holiday houses, a glamping site and a large hotel with a very convenient Strandpavilijoen (beach cafe). We arrived just in time as the heavens opened.

Our ferry back to the mainland left from the charming small village of Oost Vlieland. Here we tested out just how strong the sea breeze was. It was able to push me along the waterfront easily at 12 km/hr!

For three whole days we cycled the dykes facing either the North Sea or the Waddenzee. Miles upon miles of protected waterfront that clearly is a Mecca for both resident and migratory birds and seals. What a treasure! The hospitality, awe inspiring shore line and dyke management and bicycle paths leaves an enduring impression. We are hoping to come back to this area next year and spend more time soaking in this wonderful countryside. Yes the double-entendre was intended😉

Our day was not quite over. Another ferry( this time a car ferry) took us back to the fishing town of Harlingen where we enjoyed a canal side loft apartment for the night.

We arrived in Frankfurt and made our way to our regular hotel on the waterfront. For an extra €40 we were able to check in early, freshen up, leave our bags in the room and head out for our first German breakfast before heading over to the cell phone company to reactivate my German phone number. To my great surprise and relief I didn’t have to buy a whole new number and account. I just had to put Money into the account and within 15 mins I was roaming.

2 days later we were in Bielefeld buying my new bicycle. It’s the same style as my AZ bike with a few upgrades.

A couple of days later we were once again on the trains heading for Alkmaar in the province of Holland. We celebrated our arrival with a wonderful bistro supper not far from our hotel.

After an overnight we were off to our apartment in Bergen for the next week. We unload the bags and planned bicycle tours in the dunes. We dodged rain storms but found some bracing wonderful afternoons where we could walk the beach, enjoy fresh ginger tea with apple pie at one of the several beach cafés and use sketching to meet meet people.

As in earlier years I was able to connect with the leader of the Alkmaar urban sketchers group. She took me to an interesting part of town to sketch this building

When Andreas and I managed to meet up again later that day we found ourselves in the middle of a hiking festival celebration. We were heading for a coffee and heard music that turned out to be one of several bands that setup on the side of the street to welcome the hikers to the finish line. It was the culmination of a 4 day annual fundraiser where hikers pledge to walk 10,20, 30 or 40km per day.

The next day we ended up at another sea side village and another community archestra was playing in the town square. The conductor was strikingly young.

This is the fourth year I have come to this area of the Netherlands. I’m increasingly impressed with what appears to be a healthy work and play ethos. Music appears to be everywhere, canoeing, tennis, cycling, windsurfing are extremely popular. Judging by all the orange shirts, football is also high on the list. The blend of tourism, farming, canal management and small tech business leads me to believe that there is something for everyone. The cities and towns are densely packed but green space is plentiful. Houses have big windows with no curtains or shutters. Life and light flow both ways. Maybe I’m seeing the world through rose colored glasses, but life feels full here.

That’s all for tonight… chat again soon

Our next side trip was to the Ashville area where we stayed with one of Andrea’s friends Mike and his partner Gerri.

On the way there we stopped for a bite of lunch at the southern end of Lake Lure. This was on the edge of the area devastated by hurricane Helene almost 2 years go. As we drove closer to ground zero, the remaining devastation was heartbreaking to see. Whole business areas washed away and houses dangling off cliffs where the ground just slid away underneath. Even this long after the storm, road and utility repairs are still underway. The scope of the damage that we saw was unbelievable. It must have been an incredibly frightening experience to have lived through.

Mike and Gerri were keen birdwatchers and had set up a feeder just off their second floor balcony. It was quite delightful to take a cup off coffee out there and enjoy the antics. .

Mike is an old car enthusiast ( especially jaguars). He took us to a British inspired pub that was hosting a classic car show.

Before we left the Ashville area we drove about 20 miles into the mountains on the Blue Ridge parkway. We had to stop at the museum/gift shop on the way. It was here that we saw a tool that our woodshop would enjoy: a pedal powered frett saw!

The road was closed after mount Mitchel (6688’and the highest peak east of the Mississippi) due to ongoing hurricane repairs

Returning to our temporary home base with Kaija near Rock Hill we had time to explore some of the walking trails in the area despite the thunderstorms that seem to be following us since Texas.

We were lucky enough to see rocky shoal spider Lilies in full bloom in the middle of the Catawba River. This stand of lilies is one of the larger in the US. We could see them from the hiking trails, but if I ever get back to Rock Hill it would definitely be worth renting a canoe and paddling between the clumps. The river is shallow with lots or rocks that the lilies love. The water flow is lively but not too scary.

As our time in the Carolinas drew to an end, we said goodnight to the chorus of frogs that serenaded us every night outside Kaija‘s house. The sound of the frogs, Kaija‘s wooden cabin and the lake brought back lovely memories of living lake side on Lac Bernard in Québec. I must admit to a little homesickness.

The time came for Kaija to take us to the airport for the start of the next phase of our adventure. Charlotte airport is a very modern building and despite some long lines we were able to get through all the security stuff with time to spare. The airport supports a lot of travel between Germany and the US due to the nearby BMW and Scheffler plants. Consequently the departures area has a bar that serves American brewed Düsseldorf beer. Well we couldn’t resist… my last State-side sketch was of a fellow travelled with the most unique beard.

Talk to you all soon from across the the pond.

We left the coastal area of South Carolina 21/2 weeks ago and we continue to visit places familiar to Andreas during his 9-5 working life. This is an area of the country completely new to me. The countryside is heavily wooded with pine that is clear cut from time to time. The modern houses have a very characteristic style where the roofline over the central section of the house is higher than the two side wings. This enables a covered front porch. The garage doors are not front and center. Often one of the side wings is in fact the garage and the car enters from the side. It makes a much more welcoming entrance to the house.

Not long after leaving the coastal area we drove through Lake City. A charming town with an ugly dark history of lynching. The first black post master was lynched 128 years ago because white folks didn’t want their mail delivered by black person! It is also the birthplace of Dr. Ronald McNair, a physicist and African-American astronaut who died in the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster

The town now markets itself as an arts center. Every spring it host a massive arts festival. As we drove through I was struck by the compact red brick houses that looked like a variation of the American Bungalow. Turns out that I was thinking along the right lines. According to Google, the houses are in „a South Carolina distinct variation known as the Shandon-style brick bungalow. These homes combined the classic, low-slung shape of an American bungalow with solid red-brick exteriors and prominent gabled roofs“. If we ever come back this way, I’d love to take a closer look at this town.

It is clear why the Carolinas are considered the timber source for the USA. South Carolina harvests pine for the building industry while North Carolina harvests hardwood that contributed to its leadership in furniture design. We visited the magnificent Grove Park Inn featuring Roycraft furniture and the even more spectacular Grove Park village museum that housed a wide variety of contemporary furniture inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement. We were in woodworkers heaven!

One of Andreas‘s friends lives in Greenville. This is an old cotton town totally revitalized as a cosmopolitan city on a wonderful river (Reedy) with waterfalls cascading through the downtown area. It’s an iconic example of Urban renewal and long term strategic planning. Another place I’d like to come back and visit more thoroughly.

To be continued….