Nijmegen

Next it was off to visit Maaike’s brother Sjoerd in Nijmegen. Nijmegen is the oldest city in The Netherlands. Or, at least, it thinks it is. Well, even if it doesn’t actually think it is, it *declared* itself the oldest. Either way, it’s a groovy city – not least for the hot chocolate (more about that later).

Nijmegen is traditionally a city for hippies and liberals. Sjoerd seems to have made his way into one of the most hippyish and liberal accommodations in the city. And it’s very very cool. Basically back about 40?! years ago a bunch of like minded individuals bought 4 houses in town beside each other to make a small community. They took out a mortgage and ran the whole place as a community (knocked down the garden walls to make a really big allotment). As time progresses people (inmates?! ;) come and go, but the basic philosophy stays the same. Rent is cheap, you cook and eat together (if you want), play games (more on that later) and generally it’s not completely unlike the place where I live (and love). What’s interesting is that the mortgage is coming to the end of its life – and I’m not quite sure what happens then – but it would be a shame if it fell apart.

Anyway, seeing as it’s unlikely anyone is actually reading this (rather than skimming to pictures ;) I’ll put in a picture of Sjoerd and his friend Merijn, and the fine, fine dinner they gave us one evening (honestly, it was, as they say, scrumdiddlyumptious)

Dutch oddity #4 – Clogs

This is a picture of a clog (wooden shoe).

Now, as you know the Dutch are renowned as an economical people – which should be recognised as an excellent trait in our current consumer age. Now, as wooden shoes have a very very long shelf life – basically everybody wears them – all the time. It’s kinda disconcerting the first time you walk down a street and hear what sound like millions of tap dancers – but hey – you get used to it.

One day we went for a cycle around the outskirts of town – seeing all the polders (reclaimed land).

This was followed up by, frankly, the best hot chocolate I have ever had in my entire life. If you’re in Nijmegen – this is an absolute must do. A must must do. Its served in De Blaauwe Hand – (The Blue hand – so named because of the textile makers who had blue hands from the dying process). Basically they get quality flakes (well, 5mm diameter balls) of good Belgian chocolate, steamed milk, and an aperitif?! and you mix it up yourself. It was sensational.

This has turned into quite the gastronomic post really.. still, this was followed up another day with just my favourite thing for lunch – a fresh Baguette and Boursin cheese. Honestly, my favourite. Still not sure if / where you can get Boursin in NZ.

Oh – and we played a really fun game of Werewolves and Villagers. In the basic game everyone gets given a card (You don’t have to have special cards (though we did, and I want to get a set soon!)) with a picture of a werewolf or a villager on it.

With 9 people, 2 would be werewolves, and the rest villagers. The werewolves get to identify themselves secretly to each other (everyone closes their eyes at ‘night’) and kill someone. Then everyone wakes up (villagers and werewolves) and try to work out who did it. At the end of each round the villagers vote to kill someone they think is a werewolf. So the werewolves have to try to sneakily get the villagers to kill one another.

It’s a really fun (and stressful ;) game. Well worth a play.

Unfortunately it was then time to leave Nijmegen and cycle to Maaike’s parents place in Posterholt. That was about 100km cycle or something. My bum wasn’t quite up to it. No idea why, it has plenty of padding – but I think just not used to their saddles / the position you sit in on the bike. Or something. And yes, I am making excuses, but it’s my blog and I’m allowed to. :Þ

So we took the cycle networks – complete with maps showing you where to go. It really is the ideal country for biking.

Then when I really couldn’t hack it any longer – we put our bikes on the train for the rest of the journey.

And a short video of us leaving Nijmegen.

And finally, a picture I thought was funny ;)