Amsterdam was only some 16 ks or so to the east so I thought I’d cycle there for a day of museums, culture etc. on the way there I met a girl, who spoke no english, asking for directions to the Ikea store in Haarlem and with much ado I found it on my GPS and we went on our own merry ways.

After ingesting the crowds, dope smoke and general noise of Amsterdam for all of 15 minutes, I decided – not for me and headed back past Haarlem to the beaches, all be it into a rather vicious headwind. Never having been to an Ikea store before, I stopped by the one in Haarlem. And immediately got lost, in a store that only sells household furniture and goods! Finally I found my way out and had a quick hot dog and, you guess it, met the girl I had given directions to some 3 hours before. Anyway I continued on to the beach.