A short trip to Utrecht, plus a pleasant Sunday

A short trip to Utrecht, which turned out to be a visit to Primark.   Primark was not initially on our list of places to visit here, however we seemed to have done very well at this shop, and have returned many times.  We have stocked up for the future, for sure.

The photos below were of our first visit into Utrecht.   The visit left us speechless at the amount of redevelopment of both the railway station and the shopping centre, Hoog Catherijne, which was attached to it. In fact on the first visit we only managed to see the shopping centre.   

I can remember the dowdy looking area, before the transformation.   First the chip shop, then a series of small shops plus a covered walkway over the road, before reaching a large department store, Vroom and Dreesman, and the streets of Utrecht.   

Now it is a very smart shopping mall.   

The railway station has also had a revamp, which makes it light and airy, and reasonably warm in the winter.   There was now a huge covered open space, surrounded by restaurants, where once stood the narrow passage way and chip shop.    

Walter posing inside the light and airy shopping mall.

There was no longer a road under the shopping mall, instead it had been changed back into the canal it once was, many years ago.   A stunning whale made out of plastic old plastic containers adorns the canal.

Another view of the mall.

And Primark, the busiest shop in town, I think.   Sadly Vroom and Dreesman went out of business a few years ago, another old and traditional shop which was bought by a ruthless business person and allowed to run down until it could not longer remain a viable business.   Primark and another retail store, called Hudson Bay, use the shop space.

Finally a topic that is opposite to retail shopping, and that is a pleasant Sunday spent out in the countryside here.

Our initial intention was not to cycle so far, but due to trying to satisfy our need for coffee, we cycled some distance in the morning.

We started off by cycling to Vroog, a cafe with delicious cakes and coffee, not too far away.   However, it was closed due to renovations as a result of a fire in the kitchen.   That was a bit of a disappointment.

Walter looking fit and healthy and ready to cycle far.

Then we cycled to Fort Vechten where there was a cafe, but it was also closed, due to a family function that was going to take place on the Sunday.

We were getting a little desperate so decided to ride to the centre of Houten, which took us via a beautiful tree lined road,

and the remains of a Roman fort.   The display board,

and the outline of the Roman fort.   Fascinating.

Then back through the woods, with people going on walks or running, or just out riding their bikes in the sunshine.   It most certainly was a beautiful day, and the need for people to be out and about was certainly there.

We finally made it to Houten where we went to our favourite cafe, and celebrated the long bike ride with a huge piece of apple tart each, plus coffee.   We certainly needed the caffeine after such a long ride.

We were feeling very fit and healthy in the afternoon, so decided to ride back past the Restaurant Vroeg to the park behind it, in order to have pancakes.   Abi and Raphy came with us.   It was extremely busy there,

but luckily we managed to find a table.

Walter, Abi and Raphy ordered banana pancakes, which were delicious,

and I ordered what I thought was the healthier option, a mozzarella salad, which came with huge chunks of the restaurant's bread. 

On the way back to the campsite that evening we were accompanied by a brilliant sunset.   The perfect end to a lovely day.

Lets say, our legs were a little tired the next day, due to extra cycling.