Just a  quick update from Utrecht  (Netherlands).

On Friday we caught the ferry from Dover to Calais, then drove on up to Gent in Belgium, arriving mid-afternoon.  It was a really big camp-site, very busy and noisy on Friday and Sat night with about 5,000 teenagers on-site because of a Six-a-side soccer tournament  with about 486 teams (and most of them trying to check in at the same time as us – chaos).  They were staying in tents at the end of this huge camping ground, there is a large sporting complex along the road and around us.
These kids partied until 3.00am Friday and Saturday nights – hence not much sleep was had by the rest of the campers.

On Friday evening Jean-Paul and Martine invited us to their place for J-P’s 63rd birthday BBQ with friends and family.
They have a lovely apartment on the 5th floor, in a building opposite the old cathedral in the centre of town.
Jan nearly ended her trip there when she fell down the stairs between floors of the apartment, but miraculously escaped injury (someone up there is looking out for her).
We then spent Saturday exploring Gent with Jean-Paul as guide, ably assisted by his friend Frank (the ex mayor) who gave us a guided tour of the old Town Hall which dates back to the 13th century – a very interesting. Dinner out on Saturday night by one of the canals.
Sunday we toured the markets in the rain, but they were not well patronised on a day like that. The rain cleared in the afternoon, and Monday was fine for further wandering the streets and shops.

Today we drove from Gent to Vleuten near Utrecht – first really fine, warm day for weeks.  We are currently staying with our friend Ria, and we rode bikes into the village here this afternoon, and bought 2 second-hand bikes at the local bike shop to take on the rack on the back of the camper.  The dealers will renovate them with everything necessary, plus servicing, for us to pick them up on Thursday.

Pictures in and around Utrecht: