Day 4 Cycling

The mornings are chilly but we are lucky that the sun comes out in the afternoon and there is no wind.

At 5 am the boat leaves the dock.  In an hour we are at another dock taking on water.  We are having lots of showers after our rides.  Then we sail while the Captain describes what we are seeing in the Antwerp waterways.

Antwerp is Europe's second-largest seaport, after Rotterdam.  Antwerp's inland location provides easy access to Europe via road, rail plus its canal and river waterways.

Here, a huge freighter is in dry dock and getting a complete make-over:

Same ship from the rear:

At 10 we dock again and get on the bikes while the ship heads out to meet us at another location.

Jack points out when we leave Belgium and arrive in the Netherlands.

We ride for a long time through what seems like a beautiful national forest/park then arrive for morning coffee at a hostel.  There is also a school that seems to teach kids outdoor skills.

Our next stop is at a Canadian war memorial/graveyard:

Jack wings it for lunch break today.

  We stop at Fort de Roovere which is part of the West Brabant Waterline. Since 1628 it has resisted several European armies.

At the trench bridge, you literally walk through the water, but you stay dry!

The little cafe has some interesting decorations.  

Here is a fancy gown that Mother Nature might wear:

Then we stop in the most beautifully kept small town.  All the doors and shutters are painted in black enamel and people have lovely little flowers and wooden shoe displays outside their doors.  Everything is so neat, tidy and clean.

The painting inside this church is beautiful:

This was a water pump in the town square:

This is where folks lined up with their horses, 3 at a time when the Ferrier came to town:

We are back at the ship by 2:30 as we must get through a set of locks at a certain time, so we sit on the deck and watch the passing boats:

Shadow gets to go ashore when we are tied up waiting for the gates behind to close, the water to rise, and then the gates ahead to open.

The gates behind are partially closed:

A freighter pulls alongside us waiting for the locks ... very little room between us and we each are virtually against the walls:

A couple of sailboats and motorboats have lined up to go through the locks with us.  

Tonight we eat dinner while sailing, docking in time for Jack's evening telling of what's in store for tomorrow.  After dinner, Jack leads us through the pretty town of Tholen where we are docked.

Today was a lovely mix of cycling and sailing.  Tomorrow is more cycling and our last day of good weather.