yesterday we trained our way to gorinchem - where syl was born and mark and ellen lived for awhile.
it is an ancient city with the old centre's wall largely intact. the cathedral - which is huge and dominates the central plein - started to list on its foundations during construction in the 12th century. undeterred, the builders pressed on to completion, so it has a very distinct kink about half way up.
we arrived (by coincidence) during a boat show and the canals were lined with boats for sale - most with owners sunning themselves on deck! there were also lots of stalls, selling things nautical and food including exotica like gerooked paling - smoked eel - and a middle-aged male dutch choir belting out oom pa pa tunes. all good!
we bussed onto nieupoort - new port - which undoubtedly was new when settled in the 1200s but is now world heritage listed for its unsulllied antiquity! It too has a surrounding wall, built to exclude marauding french, but which served better in protecting the town from flooding over the centuries.
back in dordrecht we rested our tired adult feet then took cait and hugh down to the local park for a run. we have concluded that hughie especially, is like a puppy that must have a run or becomes very naughty. the kids hooked up with a mob of girls in the playground for soccer and fun was had across the language barrier - all it takes is a ball!
on the way home we stopped at our local - one of many - for a drink. a beautiful old place with cosy booths looking out over the harbour and a small bar. it is, as you might expect in old dordrecht, a tapas bar and we enjoyed spinach and cheese croquette, fritte mit mayonaise and bifstek skewers with some limburg beer, french rose and local limonade. we four sat at the bar like old sailors.
hugh had bruised his shin in a final lunge at the makeshift soccer goals and the waitress made an ice pack for him. so there we were, perched at the bar with ice first aid, when the ladyt barber's quartet arrived, downed a quick glass of white and, announced only by a hoot on the little harnomica thingy to set the key, burst into 'yesterday', followed by abba and some dutch classics that must remain nameless. maybe it was the cosy bar, perhaps the beer, but they were gooood! It was, we discovered, a choral festival of sorts in dordrecht and they were like pub-crawling mills sisters.
now i'm finished - but please let me see your comments! bye peter
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