motivation

I was not quite motivated to go to the Harz. The plan was to cycle to the highest mountain in north west Europe. This mountain, the Brocken, has a height of 1,142 meter. Lack of motivation makes achieving this plan more difficult.

Yesterday I read about Faust as part of the story written by Goethe. It's the part when Mephistopheles leads Faust through the Harz near Schierke, a village on foot of the Brocken. The village and the mountain were my destination.
I told C., my neighbour, that I read about my destination where I would go to on bike.
She understood immediately that the book was the motivation to go to the Brocken for another time.
I must admit that is a motivation for the next time.

Is it by accident that the not made vacation destination, occurs in a book I didn't plan to read?
No, it gives me the motivation to try it another time.
Is it by accident people fall in love? I can't help.

Today I had to go to my former colleagues. It's a heavy load and that's why I am so positive and happy when I'm there. When I sat there and spoke to someone I suddenly heard the loud voice of E. saying hello to me. Disturbed I watched her and said hello. I did my work and said goodbye when I was ready.

At my new workplace I had much to do and I got a call from E. All work related. She asked me if the payment to a big creditor was made yet. She asked if I could help her with the info. I said I would do anything for her.
She said more or less that she doesn't like me saying that. I was a bit puzzled.

Later I spoke her again after providing her with the information she wanted I asked her what she meant. Rhetorical she said that I knew. I admit I played a game from the book. And E. reacted as I expected. Probably she is more clever than I am. In her vocabulaire no means no.

In Dostojewski's the player the main character likes Pauline Alexandrowna. Her name is mentioned on the first page. On page 40 he reminds her that he's her slave and that on an occasion she could have said one word and he would have jumped into the ravine of the Schlangenberg. He would do anything for her. My guess is that because Pauline didn't say that one word he could stay and love her. She knew that he loved her. Maybe that is what she likes; to be loved.

Probably E. likes people and people like here. But don't go to far. Because then E. can/should/would and will act accordingly. There is a thin line which I shouldn't cross and I know it.

Back

After a holiday of 26 days I returned to Utrecht, The Netherlands. In this period I cycled 1846 kilometers to the Mediterenean. I spent some time in Saintes Maries de la Mer, swam in the sea, cycled over the top of the Mont Ventoux, saw the time trial of the cycling tour Dauphiné Liberé in Avignon and a lot more.
I met and spoke with a lot of people.

It was a vacation exceptionelle, an extraordinary holiday.

I'll place some photo's on fotothing

A week to go

One week work lies ahead for me. Than I go on holiday. I made the decision to go to Paris en vélo.

The last experience in France wasn't very good so I got wipe that out. I'll cycle from Maastricht in the south of the Netherlands to Paris. It´ll go through the Ardennes, Along the city of Laon in the north of France, through the forest of Compiègne to the Bastille in Paris.

Also I think to do more by train to go further south.
The weather is a big disappoinment the last weeks. In Great Britain it rained cats and dogs. Here in Holland we have rain every day and often thunder. Not very good for a cycle holiday. Belgium is the same and the north of France is the same.
Hopefully the forecast will show better weather from the 7th of July.

Wednesday 4th of July: happy holiday.