This blog is a little cheesy

Ok first of all, I may have been wrong about the odd outdoor toilet privacy barriers being no longer available. Today I spotted one & couldn't resist taking a photo (it wasn't in use at the time or you would spot some legs at the gap below) 

Onto the more interesting part of my day...Mike's Bikes country tour!!! I had no anxieties about cycling through the city of Amsterdam. That is until the tour guide went through the safety prep talk! I've finally got use to their multiple lane system as a pedestrian (although I still don't understand if I have right of way at a zebra crossing with no lights?) & here I was now needing to make sense of it all while part of the traffic *eekkk*

Once we set off, it was rather exhilarating. The only risk was not crashing into each other as we tailgated at a cruisy pace. We almost had a stack up when the woman in front hit her breaks suddenly creating a ricochet  effect behind her. I believe no one was injured :/ Then the woman who caused it kept anxiously slowing to ask if her friend behind was ok...just breath. Amsterdam is rather flat. I was able to remain in the same gear throughout the tour. Their definition of a hill equates to a mild incline of bridge. 

First stop was the original windmill followed by a working farm visit. Complete with a discussion on cheese tasting...I mean cheese making. She creates delicious Goulda from their small cow herd. We learnt Goulda means 'farm cheese' & the different shape of the label defines if it was created by farmers or machine. The other farmer then demonstrated wooden clog making. Both farmers had wicked personalities that kept their talks interesting. Naturally more cheese tasting followed. If only I could lug some with me?

 Their oldest cheese wheel is 26 years old...doesn't expire

The tour continued through stunning farms & past old manors. We passed through the Vondelpark which reminded me of my old rides through Centennial Park *sigh*. As sometimes the simplest things are the most pleasurable...we cycled through the Rijks tunnel before reaching our end point! The only downside to the tour is not as many photo ops as you need to keep moving with the group.

http://www.mikesbiketoursamsterdam.com/countryside-bike-tour/

After the tour I just so happened to pass a cheese museum that offered modest sized samples.  Can you guess these flavours?

I finally had my 1st proper sit down 'native' meal...a dutch pancake. Seriously for something that is thinner & perhaps more egg based then what I've known pancakes to be, it was soooo filling. It was the size of a pizza & had 2 scoops of ice-cream & 4 pear halves. I failed to finish it 

http://www.pancake.nl

Note to self

-patience is a virtue 

- Am I developing a cheese addiction?