Two delightful days in Marssen.

 We tied up in the center of the town. Both sides of the canal were lined with beautiful and meticulously maintained houses, and some estates. Our Other boats were on either side of us. Most everyone we've met, on the streets, in shops, on the water, are Dutch. But the folks docked next to us, in a boat much bigger than ours, were American. We asked where they were from, and they said Florida, and New York. But they had sold their house to buy the boat, and spent several months of the year on it.  When we came back from dinner, in a cafe on the other side of the canal, they invited us aboard for a drink. But I was exhausted and begged out. The next morning they were gone. I would have loved to know more about their lifestyle, where they spent the rest of the year, where they left the boat when they weren't on it, etc. But never got to ask. Oh well. 

They were one of the very few Americans we've run into.

Our dinner at the cafe had been more appetizers than dinner, all fried foods, as the waiter had explained . He said most restaurants were  closed Mondays and Tuesdays, because there wasn't enough business. And they only served the fried foods. I had a limoncello spritz, and Loring has been drinking gin and tonic because they don't seem to be familiar with martinis except as a canned pre mixed drink, which they didn't have.

Our full day in Marrssen we actually spent in Utrecht. It's a two bus ride from Marrssen, which we managed to mostly handle. You needed to pay by credit card and use a different card for each person. I am not sure why. And you need to check out when you leave or you are subject to a fine. Thexdrivers were very accommodating when our second card, an amex, didn't work, and just waved us thru, and then we snuck thru the exit gate together. 

Utrecht is the Dutch town I spent time in over 50 years ago. I don't think I ever went beyond the beautiful old city. I remember being able see the famous Dom tower from my friends ' house. What we saw of the old town is still beautiful.  We mostly spent our time at the Central Museum. We are in the middle of a heat wave. More about that later. And so our goal was to spend as much time as possible in an air condoned environment. 

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