Day 2 13th April 2011

Remind me to think of a more inventive title for the third day of my tour!!!!!

Had a bit of a wonder around Nijmegen today, fascinating place.  My hotel is on Lange Hezelstraat which apparently is the oldest street in Holland!!  This place was bombed a lot during the war.

I still can't get used to all these Bikes, nearly got wiped out today, head down typing on my mobile phone....could have been the "text us bike chain massacre".  I reckon they should allow a day of "jousting" once a month just to thin them out a bit.

Came across somthing really weird up the main street, a shop devoted to Cowboy boots !!!

 I thought that's got to be a one in a million then, blow me, another hundred yards on there was another one!! 

What's that all about? I scoured the streets looking for more but only those two?

It really is a beautiful city, really quite big, here is a view of the main square.

History abounds here.  Up by the museum I came across this castle

Apparently some Emporer geezer Frederik Barbarossa started this in 1155, well I reckon his blokes have knocked off early 'cos it's only 3.30 and it's not half finished.  Talk about health and safety....no scaffolding here!!!!

The bridges in Nijmegen were the scene of fierce battles during world war II and pivotal to the Allies' success.

Changed rooms 3 times today to get better internet access, and got a free coffee, orange juice and cheese and ham bagel courtesy of the good folks at Bagels and Beans (De Prince Hotel)!!!  I thought I was the one causing trouble!!   They are lovely people, I shall be sad to leave....but on to Sweden tomorrow in search of some serious eel experts