The morning mist

Had a lovely dinner last night of cheese souffle, sea bass and pot de creme.  Our waiter filled our glasses with Austrian wine--bottomless.  We drank both red and white just to try them, keeping to our "tradition" we'd begun yesterday at the airport. Divine. Had dinner with couples from Indianapolis and Colorado.  Then off to bed--no hanging out at the lounge for us tired babes. The night was interesting.  First, I'd set the room's temp too high and we were a bit warm, plus this morning I saw the heated floor in the bathroom was left on and that added to the warmth.  We couldn't feel the boat moving, but we could hear someone running on the run/walk path right above us on the deck.  thunk, thunk, thunk in the middle of the night.  Someone must not have been able to sleep!

I finally got up around 5:30, put on my running duds and went up on the track.  It was an amazing experience--the boat drifting silently thorough a dark canal, lights from cars and buildings, houses appearing through the mist.  I felt as if I were in another world.  As I ran/walked, the mist dampened my face and hair and I felt suddenly very alive, very energized.  Just me and the very early morning and the mist.

Shortly after a brief breakfast of muesli and yogurt and coffee (wasn't hungry for the full breakfast here), we set off for the Kinderdijk UNSECO site--enjoyed hearing the history of the windmills and traisping through one.  The engineers are masterful in their water management--even planting willows next to the dikes to help suction off water.