A change in the weather

After weeks of blue skies and glorious weather, we begin to see a change.  We left Utrecht in bright sunshine

and by the time we reached the nearby Castle De Haar, the temperature was dropping and clouds were building...

A flower-bedecked carriage pulled by four magnificent black horses led us into the castle, obviously part of a private family wedding celebration judging by the smartly dressed drivers. We decided to stop in the castle's stable-yard coffee shop for a pot of tea and our almost daily apple tart but were soon on our way again.

Along the bike paths, we encountered a 100 year old Dutch barge, a wooden lion with a golden mane on the rudder post. The proud owners spoke no English but we carried on a good conversation with gestures and smiles. It is also a region filled with pear orchards, the fruit looking ready for harvesting

We were on our way to Alphen aan den Rijn and had to pedal faster and faster to stay ahead of the weather.  Just as we entered the city, lightening and claps of thunder announced our arrival and the skies opened!  We quickly took the best shelter we could find after covering the red panniers, standing under some balconies of an apartment building.

Suddenly the locked door behind us opened and a lady who had seen and heard us from her balcony invited us into the lobby to wait out the storm.  She even suggested we bring the tandem inside too while she went upstairs to make coffee for us!  Note, hotel shower caps make wonderful seat covers if it rains...

She was so kind and interested in our trip since, at the age of 78, she and her husband had just returned from a two-week bicycle trip to Friesland in the norther part of the Netherlands.  Their bikes did not have the electric option than many use nowadays, either! 

Our stay in Alpen included a visit to the large and very impressive Avi Fauna Bird Park next to the hotel where we stayed.

We also visited our Dutch friends with whom we had stayed last year, a friend of Sal's from school days in Africa.  After fond farewells, we are off to dodge the raindrops again and take our best "weather window". Whilst our trip is nearly over, we are bundling up (or Sal is) and feeling the chill of autumn and the rustle of falling leaves...