Day 2 saw me crossing into Belgium, arriving in Antwerp and experiencing a very surreal hotel check-in! A wonderful day’s cycling and superb evening meal and beers in the shadows of the old gothic cathedral.
Day 1 link – https://youtu.be/R59C5cG2PDw?si=gs5F-3m4Kd217D2m
P.S. Do excuse the constant references to Holland when I mean the Netherlands!
Happy cycling, folks!
morning folks day two looks like another good one cheers right we’re all packed up and pretty much ready to go uh south out of Rental uh towards Essen so we’re going to cross the border into Belgium um probably this morning uh and then just keep making our way south down towards Antworp so it’s looking like another absolute scorcher of a day uh I’ve got the long sleeve on today so I got a bit singed yesterday um but yeah really looking forward to day two um and crossing a border into a second European country so as always come on for the ride and uh yeah let’s stop waffling and get on the bike nearly stop i’ve seen on the map there’s a little bit more greenery today so I think whereas yesterday was very much free port open sort of farmland countryside uh I think on the map there’s a little bit more nature reservy type stuff today now whether that’s different or more of the same uh we’ll find out but what a beautiful start to day two here and again I’m sorry to keep banging on about this hopefully the uh aforementioned banging on about this was in a previous video but just the infrastructure is is incredible i mean this is like for somebody from the UK it’s like cycling heaven cycling paradise this is chill away from the traffic i mean honestly what’s not to like well done Holland you absolutely bloody nailed it on the cycling front baby goats too i mean come on what’s not to like [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] well folks long gone are the days of the hard border crossings in Europe i uh I do remember them from being a kid but this little nondescript road here marks the border into Belgium and we’re going right now i think I’m only going off Google Maps here i’ve not done any great detailed research but I think the house is on that side are Belgium and the houses on this side well fields and farms on this side are in Holland and a couple hundred yards up the road I’ll take a left we’re uh I think we’re just skirting around Essen and then we’ll be entering our second country and it kind of doesn’t mean anything it’s a really short tour but I just think it’s quite cool and there’s something adventurous romantic exciting about crossing borders and uh I’ve always found that my whole life and uh long may that feeling continue [Applause] well Essen has definitely got more of a Beverly Hills vibe than Loental which felt uh a little bit rough and ready but kind of nice all the same We’ve got tennis clubs big detached sort of mansions [Applause] the guy in the hotel last night just couldn’t have been nicer actually he was so hospitable and full of information i was telling him I’m heading down to Antup today and he was saying “Well the cycling’s not as good in Belgium it’s much better in Holland.” And uh well we’ll see about that i don’t know whether that was just a bit of national pride or um whether it was true i don’t know at the moment I’m saying it’s about the same and I mean this would be in the UK Well I I think car drivers would be up in arms if uh this amount of care and attention was devoted to a cycle path there’d be all this you know I don’t pay my taxes to pay for bloody cyclists and all that sort of stuff but it just makes such a difference knowing now I have no idea about Belgium but I suspect in Holland just knowing you can go anywhere in the country safely on a bicycle and just what you know how nice would that be in England or in any country in the UK to be able to just say well I need to get here and I just know 100% there’s a lovely safe well thought through well looked after cycling infrastructure that will get me from that point to from where I am to that point i mean yeah we can only dream can’t we or come to Europe where it’s a reality [Music] [Music] hey [Music] hey hey [Music] well folks what an absolute treat that was going through that little nature reserve area south of Essen just beautiful cycling and super relaxed and chilled out lovely little toasted sandwich there in Karmut I think it’s called and we’re on what looks to be a very wellworn route all the way down to Antworp next stop is Capellan again apologies if I’m mangling all this pronunciation but yeah I’ve got probably about 15 miles left of the ride it’s the shortest day I think today and yeah just looking forward to seeing the uh landscape change as we get to a big city probably the biggest city I’ll uh I’ll visit on this little tour i don’t know what to say it’s just very very chilled out relaxed proper cycling my kind of proper cycling anyway here’s where we are well folks I’m just uh grabbing a little bit of shade for 10 minutes uh this route has spat me out on a very busy road i think going into the center of Antra we’re probably just a couple of kilometers away from the center uh it’s just gone 2:00 p.m so pretty early i’ll be I could probably be at the hotel within 10 minutes 15 minutes uh I think the hotel is in a nice sort of quiet old towny area so what I might do is just head in that general direction uh it’s probably a bit early to check in i think checking starts at 3:00 uh so I just find a quiet spot and hopefully sit down and cool down a little bit it’s very very hot today and uh yeah if I’m being honest that last 5 miles into here was just straight alongside the train track sort of nice in terms of infrastructure and a very easy going pace but not the most exciting bit of cycling I’ve ever done in my life but hey you know when you get the wow moments you got to take the me moments in between I suppose don’t you anyway yeah just a bit of water here couple of jelly babies and then we’re going to head off we’re still on cycle cycle path so there’s no problem with this traffic but yeah we’re going to head off down towards Anwerp I guess that way [Music] [Music] oh oh [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music] oh oh [Music] oh [Music] [Music] well folks it wasn’t the nicest entrance into Anup but uh we found little cathedral area and that’s pretty nice I have to say tried to take a picture but um there’s no way I’m getting that all that in the frame so I think my hotel is down this way on the left and uh yeah not going to be uh short of places to eat tonight it’s a bit take your pick well folks welcome to hotel number two we’re right next to the cathedral that I’ve probably just shown in a a a previous clip um awesome room uh very very posh actually and quite big lovely bathroom on suite i’ve just had the most hilarious check-in experience the hotel’s completely shut there’s nobody around and um I was panicking there and sort of walking up and down thinking I’ve missed it and uh can I sit down i’ll sit down here i just check just happened to check my email and I got a message this morning from uh Peggy the owner to ring her when I arrived and she’d help me sort of check in so I’ve just had uh the owner on speaker phone guiding me through the code to get in and then uh watching me on like a spy cam in reception which is completely deserted and telling me where to find the key and that it’s like the third drawer in the chest of drawers under the glasses to uh go into the bike storage so I got the bike in and then she had to direct me to another part of reception to draw number three literally the draw got numbers on them uh to get the room key uh and I just I just said to her on the phone this is the best check-in I’ve ever had in a hotel so um yeah I I just wanted to mention that for for posterity but yeah here we are so Antworp day two super hot i’ve got a little bit of water left which I’m going to go down now and then we’ll pop out and uh I think just explore this little cathedral area i might have said in a a previous clip the way into the city uh I I think I came through some pretty dodgy rough areas i mean there was like a attempted moped on moped like moped jacking incident right in front of us as we were cycling and it just sort of put me on edge a little bit uh for the couple of miles into the city i don’t know how much I’ll get get chance to see but um the the train station tomorrow where I’ll be jumping on a train is supposed to be like one of the most beautiful train stations in the world so I’m kind of looking forward to just having a look at at Antwor sort of saying that I’ve I’ve been here and I’ve I’ve sort of ticked it off although obviously 12 hours in the city how much are you really going to see or you know 18 hours or whatever it’s going to be but uh yeah that was a great day really really enjoyable day um apart from a few miles alongside the the train line which were a little bit dull but um may bring you back later um I’m not really filming my dinners and where I’m going in the evenings cuz it’s sort of I’m self-conscious enough making these videos without making these videos in public in a foreign country when people are kind of they know that you’re a bit of an interloper anyway so I don’t know how much I’ll film of where I grab something to eat later um but I definitely want to try a few local Belgian beers that’s that’s certainly on the cards anyway enough bothering um catch you in a bit such a weird check in i can’t believe it heat heat [Music] [Music]
28 Comments
Living just 10 miles from the Hull ferry allows me to ‘hop on’ a couple of times a year… I kip almost exclusively on campsites (under a tarp) but would like to ask if you were able to keep your bike in the hotel room? On occasion I stay with Vrienden op de Fiets which I must say is top notch value for money, and the experience of meeting/staying with Netherlanders is immensely rewarding 👍
The one thing Brexit loused up is us Brits are time limited to 90 days within a rolling 180… being retired I’d love to cycle/camp in The Netherlands for months, not weeks 😢
Cheers… your enthusiasm for the cycling infrastructure is fully understood 👍
Incredible content. The difference in cycling infrastructure and how cyclists are treated is monumental. Hopefully, one here in the UK, we can boast the same. Antwerp looks architecturally beautiful. I hope you had the greatest of times.
You really do look relaxed Martin, with mile after mile of not having to share the roads with motors, the countryside is lovely and plenty of opportunity for sustenance aswell, the Border crossing was a bit strange like seamless really, keep on searching for the interesting bits but enjoy yourself Martin, great video and music and cheers 🍺 👏👋
Hi Martin,another great day on the road,your check in experience will last for ever,money can’t buy trips like yours,you’ll keep the memories for ever,that Spa steel tourer was worth every penny,all the best Colin P.👍
I extend a warm welcome to my country and in fact my home city. You'll find cycling in Belgium a bit more chaotic than Netherlands but still very accommodating. Watch out for "skills" 😉 locals who can ride close together while playing on their phones! Wish I was there, I'd show you around 🙂
Really enjoyed Day 2 fabulous cycleways and scenery. Puts the UK cycle scene to shame. Take care. All the best. B. K.
Absolutely mint episode thanks Martin loved the journey and your ongoing tales 😂
Good video we can only dream in Ireland wish we had that cycling infrastructure.
Always enjoy your videos 📹 Always cheerful
You looked like a real "Easy Rider" on your trip Martin.Super smooth and safe cycling in the Netherlands.Cycles used for transport and socialising.How wonderful if that happened in the UK.Unfortunately no chance.
I hear diamonds are cheap in Antwerp. English countryside and Dutch cycleways would be a winning combination, then add some Perth sunshine.
Great video, Martin. Really enjoying the journey. Looking forward to the next.
Great video and content again Martin. The hotel check in was so funny 😂, look forward to the next one.
part of Belgium has good cycle paths and part very bad ones, Flanders has the Dutch-speaking part good, but Wallonia has the French-speaking part bad, Cycling in Wallonia: still a long way to go to be bicycle-friendly,In the nineteenth century, Wallonia was still the third industrial and economic power in the world, after Britain and the United States. The steel and coal industries were growing steadily and labour was in high demand. In Flanders, on the other hand, people were “silently” suffering from hunger at the time. Today, the roles are reversed and unprecedented poverty prevails in this Belgian state. In the mid-1960s, the gross regional product per capita in Flanders was higher than in Wallonia for the first time. Today, Flanders is substantially richer than Wallonia. Flanders' GDP per capita exceeds that of Germany, France and the UK.
I was recently in the Netherlands, I was amazed at the cycling infrastructure and not only that, the absence of litter compared to the U.K. just got back in from my Sunday morning 20 miles, I live in the South Wales Valley’s all hills, the attitude of the drivers here towards cyclists is appalling, looking forward to my next trip to the Netherlands, I will be taking my Brompton on that trip
what's it like carrying all the gear? I have never done it, I fear the weight, any reassurance?
Antwerp is like the cocaine capital of Europe, competing clans are attacking each other with bombings and gun shootings and stuff. Although very nice place, that sort of stuff brings dodgy people and creates dodgy areas, like many big cities I suppose. When I take the train to London I also see some places passing where I don't want to get off the train.
Belgium has the best pro cyclists and 'de Ronde' but the Netherlands have the best infrastructure, it's not close.
When the road goes from smooth to rubbish, you know you entered Belgium. Netherlands has such good roads, its ridiculous.
That was indeed a bit of a weird route into Antwerp, both a detour and a visit to some less nice neighbourhoods. There are better ways, for example in Park Spoor Noord (the quite large very open park shortly after the bridge over the Albertcanal, with all the graffiti on the pylons of the overpass) you could have taken west instead of east, over the pedestrian/cycling bridge over the arterial road below, into the the neighbourhood know as Eilandje ("Little Island"), on to the quays along the river Scheldt, follow those south, then left (east) at e.g. Suikerrui. That would have given you a much nicer introduction to the city.
Then again, the way you did it arguably gives you a more realistic view in a way. A city is more than its historic centre and touristic or upscale areas, for better or for worse.
Day 2, just as good as Day 1, and more super scenery,, 👍👍
Great stuff, Martin 👍
I went on a trip to Amsterdam years ago and was amazed a multi-storey bike park. Went from there to Maastricht and that was very impressive for cycling as was all the areas. No doubt, the lack of hills makes cycling very attractive and I reckon that they are probably a pretty fit nation. Where i ride it is definitely not flat (North Yorkshire) and bad road surfaces reduce the pleasure of riding a bit but I enjoy it nonetheless. Thanks for a very enjoyable video.
Proper paved bike trails! Hard to go back to the cow paths after this. The standard has now been established!
Another cracking episode Martin, and yes if only we had infrastructure like those 😂 problem is we seem to have a love hate relationship with car drivers basically they love to hate us 😂😂 I love the chilled vibes 🚲👍 atb Dave
As someone who has lived and worked in ‘Benelux’ for a couple of decades it’s really interesting to see another Brit appreciate the stuff – especially the cycling infrastructure- with fresh eyes that I now take for granted. Glad you’re having a great trip and the video quality is fab.
5:41 Interestingly, you've missed that there is an obligatory bi-directional bicycle path on the south side of the road you turn into here. I must admit that these are a lot harder to recognize in Belgium, lacking the red color and often more resembling sidewalks, I could only see it by means of the trafic sign on the light post straight ahead.
You've pronounced 'Kapellen' pretty well.