Day # 9 Arnhem to Nijmegen.

The bridge over the Rhine into Nijmegen.

  PLEASE NOTE: for detailed route information please click on the map located on the right side of the page.    

           Left the very friendly and pleasant 'Tamboer' guest house, Arnhem, right on schedule at 7.30am, just as the good burghers were crowding the bicycle paths on their way to work. My course today and for the next 5/6 weeks, will be due south as far as Basel, Switzerland, when a sharp left turn is to be executed. The change of direction is appreciated, as it will mean that I am not walking directly into the rising sun for what hopefully will be many dry and bright mornings to come. Once over the bridge, across the 'small River Rhine', out of Arnhem, my route today was almost a straight line through a series of small towns & villages and past intensively cultivated fields--mixed, fruit & wheat plus fields of diary cattle. So much activity in this small country which qualifies (I believe), as the most densely populated country on Earth.16 million crammed into a space only 3 hours across by car, at its extremities.
        Arrived in Nijmegen at 1.00pm after crossing the main railway- pedestrian bridge that spans the 'big/major' Rhine, as opposed  to the the 'small' Rhine that I have been following all the way since  Amsterdam. Observed from the bridge were the streams of massive barges hauling all types of commodities and containers up to and from Rotterdam, as far as Basel, Switzerland
         Walking across the Netherlands for a full week, it occurred to me that until today, I had not seen a single police officer or an emergency vehicle on the roads with sirens turned on,---and that includes Amsterdam, a mega size city. What that seems to say about Dutch society, their organization and apparent harmony, I will leave to the reader to conclude.
          I booked my reservation at the Vlinder (Butterfly) B&B and was immediately impressed with the organization and orderliness of the building that is composed of two large old houses that have been connected and which are located on a quiet street in the central area. Interestingly, the manager lady  informed me that the business was supported by the city as a means of assisting former psychiatric and other clients to constructively adapt for a role in society.
        This was my last day in Holland: the German border is only about 5 kms. away.

20.3 kms. walked today per pedometer:
154.3 cumulative kms. walked:
Type of overnight lodging: Vlinder (Butterfly) B & B Hotel.
Cost of lodging: 40E.