Keep peddling, we're almost there.

My boredom and curiosity got the better of me today, and I ventured away from my warm home to the very nearby town of Schijndel (SKINE-dell), which is closer than 's-Hertogenbosch (zer-TOE-gen-boss) but doesn't have quite the shopping. I have visited both cities briefly as a passenger in a car, but as this was my first bicycle tour, I sacrificed purchasing opportunities figuring I was less likely to get lost in the smaller of the towns.

With the exception of groceries, stories don't open until 1:00 on Monday, if they're open at all, so I did feel that bad about spending good 15 minutes deciding whether I wanted to be classy or warm. After deciding on warm I headed out, scarf and all. The ride was even shorter than I expected. Schijndel is only a couple of miles away, but that's pretty much farther than I've ever ridden a bike in my life. I again was grateful for the flatness that is the Netherlands.

Most of the stores are on one little street, so I locked up my bike and starting walking. It didn't really take long. I found a pair of great pants for five euros, but in the end was too lazy to try them on. Shopping in the winter is never the best of experiences. I ended up just getting some kleenex to help me deal with the cold I'm still battling and some toothpaste, which comes in much smaller containers here. I'm glad I made the switch to Colgate a few months ago, because there was no Crest to be found, and I'm not quite ready for the world of pastes not approved by the ADA.

Dutch Word of the Day: fiets. Bicycle.