First stop, camping in Houten

Finally I have an internet connection at a campsite.   The third one.  I could have used the internet at Aaron and Kylie's house but we were always too busy, but more about that later.  The camping grounds at Houten and Hamburg stated they had wifi but it appeared to be a figment of their imagination.  Now finally, in Copenhagen, there is an excellent wifi connection and what is more, it is free.

I need to now backtrack a week.   To Houten, Netherlands.   We stayed in Camping De Vliert, a farm campsite about a 10 minute bike ride from Aaron and Kylie's house.  A very friendly campsite, well laid out, and it came with the fresh farm aroma of freshly sprayed manure.  Perfect.

As it was a weekend with a public holiday on the Monday, the campsite was full.   We were fascinated by the renovated 1963 Peugeot delivery van.  Now a fully equiped campervan.  Sleeps two people.

Mia and Abi stayed with us one night and Raphy stayed with us another night.  The go karts were a big attraction, free for children to use.  In other campsites we have had to hire them, by the hour, for our grandchildren to use.

Raphy also found the games room, with a pool table, table tennis table and a football table game.  All free.  Fantastic place for children.

Walter enjoying the sunshine.  whicb was unusual as he tends to search out the shady areas, but the weather was perfect.

Two very happy girls.

We spent a morning shopping in Utrecht, mainly for me to buy a jacket.  Of course I ended up with three jackets, two blouses, two tshirts and two long sleeved tops.  What a fantastic shopping expedition.  For me anyway.  Then I had to find places for my new acquisitions in the carefully loaded caravan.  Which I did of course.

The step and bell gables of some houses in Utrecht.  So Dutch.

On Sunday we visited Fort Vechten, which has had a great amount of money spent on it. This will eventually be the main museum for the water defence line, used in the 1800s to defend that area of the Netherlands.

The new entrance to the fort.  The narrow foot bridge lifts up, at closing time, which will then keep people out, or lock them in.  Impressive.

Visiters enjoying a drink in the sunshine.

A new area, which will have water in it, in order to show children and adults how the water line worked as a defence mechanism.

The fort is also used for party functions and for conferences.  And will open fully as a museum sometime in the future.  Date unknown.

The Dom tower in Utrecht, standing tall and straight, unlike my normal photos of it.  The leaning tower of Utrecht.

And to finish the day off we attended an 18th birthday party.  A great celebration.