Day #4 Hilversum to Utrecht-Bunnik.

Pleasant dining in central Utrecht

    8.00 am saw me emerge, albeit stiffly, from my hotel into the deserted streets of Hilversum. The Dutch seem to value Sunday as a day of relaxation & family time. Thanks again Mr. Google for the pedestrian routing that took me twisting and looping through a maze of city streets, eventually emerging onto the main secondary road towards Utrecht. Such is the lay of the very flat land in these parts, that I could see the spire of Utrecht cathedral for a full hour before I arrived. Very pleasant city layout, the banks of the many winding canals providing attractive locations for the numerous restaurants that seemed to draw in the crowds this warm, humid, yet dry day. The city of Utrecht, a major university centre, is vibrant and one is impressed how polite and orderly everyone behaves. Poverty in the population is not evident -- youth drop-outs and other anti socials are not obvious to the casual eye—even outside the main railway station, a place that is frequently a magnet in many cities.

        The theme of this walk is to follow the River Rhine to its source in Switzerland. Since Amsterdam, I have been walking southwards parallel to the Issel, a tributary to the Rhine. I have to admit that so far, I have only glimpsed the Issel a couple of times and need an occasional reassuring glimpse at the map to see in fact that I am really near the river. Tomorrow, I join the Rhine proper, so perhaps myself and that lady will soon become better acquainted.

          Totally impressed with the health and fitness ethos of the people in the Netherlands. Obesity epidemic—what epidemic?? Everyone is so fit and trim. No accident—these people enjoy their exercise. Bikes are used by all for both personal transportation and as sports machines, irregardless of social position—from tots piled two and three at a time on a bike with their mothers, to the old age pensioners that wobble along the bike lanes. At weekends the roads are clogged with pelotons of fit young men whooshing along at 45 km/hr. Getting pasted by one bike is bad enough, being hit by a pack of 25 high speed guys is too grim to contemplate! Have to be careful to remember to 'walk to the right' on the footpaths.

23.5 kms. walked today per pedometer:
 Cumulative kms. walked: 60.0
Type of overnight lodging: Stayokay Youth hostel
Cost of lodging: 38.00 E