Where are John and Kara?: Amersfoort, Utrecht, Netherlands

Koppelport, Amersfort

Although we are still two weeks out from the official start of summer, today was a scorcher. The sun burnt our already freckled arm flesh through the windows of the car as we drove towards the old town of Amersfoort.

Clocking in for our third running race this month and with the breathtaking heat, it was undoubtably to be our hardest.

Amersfoort, just 40 minutes' drive South East-ish from Amsterdam, dates back to the Mesolitic period when hunters and gathers roamed the coastline forest lines. Their blunt flint-like tools and traces of caveman camps as well as the remains of later settlements have been dated to around 1000 BC.

Langestraat, Amersfoort

Kommerstraat, Amersfoort

View of the Koppelport

Quiet residential roads

Walking around Amersfort

Today the preserved medieval city of Amersfoort, which itself dates back to the 11th century, grew around what is now known as the central square, the Hof, where bishops from nearby Utrecht established a local court.

It was also the signing place of the town's grant of city rights in 1259 and at that time given its name after a ford in the Amer river (now called the Eem river).

Backside of the Muurhuizen

Our race however was starting just on the outskirts of the old town by the Koppelpoort, a huge medieval gate which was built in 1425 as part of the second outer city wall.

Finding somewhere to park was more difficult than we anticipated and after walking several hundred meters in the opposite direction (someone may have been holding her phone upside down) we had to double time it back quickly in order not to miss the start!

We just made it and after a quick warm up we lined up in a heaving, sweating and stinky mass of eager amateur athletes all waiting for the starting horn.

What was great about this race was that everyone was lining up on a slight (albeit cobbled) hill.
Once the go-siren screeched we were able to start our jog with a bit of downhill speed, crossing the time markers at a good pace. A good start can help towards a good race.

At the starting line

John by the city walls

Watching the marathon runners

Runners racing through the streets

The race was very beautiful and we weaved through large parks surrounded by thick trees and dotted with random lakes, around flat fields and over wooden bridges decorated with multi-coloured flags. Amersfoort felt so Dutch: cozy, small and friendly. We raced down sunny narrow alleys the walls of houses holding us in like blood cells racing through a vein.

Cafes and resturants on the Hof

The thousand or so runners pounded down residential roads, past houses which had been standing steadfast for hundreds of years. But it was hot, very hot.

The sun brought our blood to the surface fighting against the sunscreen which was loosing the battle as sweat dripped from our foreheads.

Front door parking

We ran past a pharmacy and the temperature gauge flashed in red at 27degrees.

We both had trouble regulating our temperature having not trained in anything nearly as warm (in fact it was just four months ago we had been running past frozen canals!) but we persevered taking in as much water as we could when we hit the water stops.

Windsteeg houses

As the ten kilometer route wound its way back into the city we could see the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwentoren (the tower of our lady) one of the tallest medieval church towers in the Netherlands at 98 metres high. It towered above the brick houses and the lily pad lined canals which wrap around the old town like ribbon on a Christmas gift.

The rest of the race was quite exciting, the town having really made an effort to support the race with kids handing out water or begging the runners for high fives. Marching bands played at almost every bend - cheering on the runners with their loud drums!

Finishing up, everything was chaotic -there were people everywhere- so we grabbed as much water as we could carry and wandered to find somewhere in the shade to cool off.

We both agreed it was such a beautiful city so we decided to have a look around and watch the full marathon runners pass by.

Small bridges

Typical Dutch houses

Canal views

Muurhuizen behind the gates

Catching a reflection in the canal

Our favourite little alley

We walked towards and under the Koppelpoort and along a wide somewhat dirty and dark looking canal towards the tower of our lady. The tower and its church were built in 1444 but the church was destroyed by an explosion in 1787 (the massive tower survived). We had a look around the large brick square below which was lined with so many delicious-smelling restaurants and made a note to come back at 2pm when the tower was open for viewing.

Looking for somewhere to grab a drink after the race

The tower of our lady

Terraces waiting for the lunch crowds

Adorable Dutch houses

Interestingly, in the middle ages, Amersfoort was an important pilgrimage centre and it's so well preserved that it's not difficult to imagine it as it once was. Based on the crossroads between the north and south of the country on a major east-west route the city was a safe haven. Protected by large fortified walls its citizens were able to safely trade. Its main business though was the textile industry, and due to rare natural springs, Amersfoot had a large number of breweries which kept weary travellers hydrated. Most important however was the cultivation of locally grown tobacco which helped the city flourish. It may have been once considered a city of sin and a city of saints.

Sneaking around the cobbled streets

Oh- these shutters!

A huge canal house

St Jeriskerk, Amsterdam

Hof plaza, Amersfoort

As we strolled around stretching our legs we were delighted with intimate squares, canals, bridges and old small houses. The houses were cute with their tiny windows and matching wooden shutters, their stone and brick steps and many had a unique picture of boats, trees or suns decorated into the path outside.

Muurhuizen, Amsersfoot

Interesting houses

There was a street of houses called the Muurhuizen which translates as wall houses. These houses were built on the foundations of the first 13th century city wall. We wandered around looking up and down absorbing in as much as we could and trying to make a decision which house we would like to live in, if we could.