Day #5 Utrecht Bunnik to Wijk bij Duurstede

            Arrived in Wijk bij Duurstede (WBD), pronounce that!! at about 2.00pm having left Utrecht about 8.00am. Attractive small town, boasting 5000 population. Basically followed the free-way via a local side road passing through several small towns enroute. Flat countryside, with fruit farming (especially pears) appearing to be the major agricultural activity. Was able to capture the quintessential Holland with both windmills and contented Friesian cattle in a single picture.

Dike & windmill in a single pic.

           At last, I thought that I had reached the Rhine river, only to be told by Joost, a vacationing ships engineer that I met while sitting on a roadside bench enjoying my morning coffee, that this was only the ‘little Rhine” and an area that has two river Rhines. Apparently, a thousand years ago, the river flooded and split into two. Little and Big. Further east, in several days & nearer Arnhem I will reach the major and wider Rhine waterway.

            The weather is cooperating nicely at this stage. Bright & sunshine early, about 20 C., & clouding over later in the day. I’ll take that!

             A market town with a strong tourist element, WBD seems to be suffering the cold winds of the European economic recession—almost all the small hotels & guest houses seemed to have closed down and for sale signs on local business much in evidence. As a result, I am forced to spend the night at the only hotel in town with rates that exceed my projected per night shelter budget.

24.0 kms. walked today per pedometer:
Cumulative kms. walked: 82.7
Type of overnight lodging: Golden Lion hotel.
Cost of lodging:  77E.