Hanging by a thread

To prove my observations about Dutch weather wrong, today dawned bright and sunny, and went downhill from then on – starting to drizzle by lunchtime. Fortunately we had pulled in the washing by then. We made a leisurely start, with not too ambitious a day in prospect, sliding out past the old den Bosch fortifications:

It was a pleasant and easy cruise down the rest of the Maas (for us), with an armada of Dutch cruisers coming the other way, off on their holidays no doubt. Some commercials too, but there seems to be plenty of space for everyone. People sometimes disparage inland waterway cruising as ditch crawling – some ditch!

The last town on the river before we turned off to the north heading for the Waal, as the Rhine is called in Holland, was Heusden. Attractive from the water at least:

We made a stop for lunch and then headed on up here to Woudrichem. The high spot of the afternoon was a family party on a barge whose main entertainment seemed to be ducking young boys in the river on slings hanging from a crane:

I must say I have been pleasantly surprised by the casual Dutch attitude to Health and Safety – no life jackets here, or very much in evidence anywhere. No helmets on scooter riders of whatever age as they whizz around the cities. Quite refreshing really.

Anyway, here we are comfortably tucked up for the night, but somewhat discouraged by the rain from venturing out to do any sightseeing, even though it is supposed to be an attractive little town. Perhaps tomorrow morning. Then on down the big river to Dordrecht.