't Ankertje

My long working holiday weekend started today with a flight to the Netherlands, preparation for a workshop tomorrow which is concerned with the control of hospital infections, and a business meeting over dinner. On a whim we chose a Greek restaurant and, although the vegetarian options were limited, the food was very good indeed. I was thinking of you Spartan!

It would be hard to guess from this shot where I am staying and also hard to believe that it was taken in the middle of the city, only ten minutes from the central railway station. I'm actually in Utrecht. It has a certain charm about it, an intimacy even, which I think has a lot to do with the canal system and the fact that everyone seems to get around by bike here. It means, though, that you have to have your wits about you as a pedestrian. There are bikes coming at you in every direction! And in jumping out of the way, it would be very easy to end up in a canal!!

I just took a short walk in the spare hour I had before dinner and took lots of shots of bikes and of the windmill near here, but I kept returning to this as best projecting that feeling of a city which has a very human scale. The name means "Little Anchor" in Dutch.

An early start for me tomorrow so only time to post and fall into bed. Enjoy the holiday tomorrow, all those who are lucky enough to get one!