The Stage is Set
Netherlands & Belgium: Stage 09 – Liège to Maastricht 33 Km (Thu 14 July 2022)
Weather: 11⁰C min – 24⁰C max, windy (headwind of course), partly cloudy
“Happiness is not by chance, but by choice.” ~ Jim Rohn
Staying in apartments I always tend to spread out too much, so I had to get up early to make sure I had everything packed in my panniers and then ride to the train station to catch the 9:58 am train to Liège. From there I will ride north to Maastricht, Netherlands, where I will spend tonight before heading west to Hasselt.
Looking for something good about the ride, all I can say is that there was a bike path for the whole 33 km to Maastricht. But if you are looking for scenery you can forget it because the the path along the Meuse River could hardly be described as attractive. Liège itself seemed tired and in need of a makeover. Even the graffiti on the wall alongside the river was low-grade and unimaginative.
But arriving in the lovely town of Maastricht made it all worthwhile. The AirBNB where I am staying is appropriately called “A Cosy Corner in Maastricht” and the host Hamid welcomed me with a couple of large slices of watermelon, just what I needed after a tough ride into a headwind all the way from Liège.
There is a buzz of excitement in town tonight because André Rieu, who was born in Maastricht, is putting on a concert for the local community. The stage has been set up facing thousands of empty chairs and all the adjacent terrace restaurants have their tables set ready for a massive night in Maastricht.
But I will be heading back to A Cosy Corner to get ready for my ride to Hasselt tomorrow. I have my own kind of excitement!
You’re not wrong about the graffiti – nowhere near as good as some of that you’ve captured on your travels. It looks like all roads lead to cheese – did you sample their wares?
I had my fill of cheese in Gouda. Nothing beats the Newtown and Enmire street art