Friday, July 2
While one major impetus for this trip was the Tour de France, today was largely about football. You know, the kind where the ball is round and the men wear short pants. Holland was playing Brazil in the World Cup quarter-finals and we had the great fortune to watch the game from under an elm tree on grassy expanse in Rotterdam’s Zuiderpark. The facility was set up to support the start of le Tour, but today most of Holland was in orange costume and focused on this pivotal game. We ended up celebrating the 2-1 victory lots of cheers, hugs and Amstel.
Prior to the game, we did have the opportunity to spend some time wondering around the Finishing line for the race prologue, the television production area including the Versus truck where they produce the US coverage (didn’t see Bob, Phil or Paul) and the team support areas. Seeing all this stuff made it feeling of actually being here a bit more concrete.
Today’s other highlight was walking out on the prologue course, taking our official Live Strong yellow chalk and inscribing a couple of messages—hopefully for all the world to see.
We’ve been no stranger to the frites with mayo, bier and other refreshments, but I think walking several kilometers a day will yield some defense to an increase in chubbiness.
Traveler’s note: The staff at the Hotel Bastion in Rotterdam is great. Our desk attendant/barkeep/wait person/concierge seems to work 8 days a week and is always cordial and helpful. She even got us ice for our in-room Scotch.