Friday July 21st

Yes we do at “walk of the world’    uhhmmm how much fun will that be.    Yes we went to Nijmegen to watch the walkers of the 4 day walking event on their last day.  The 4 daagse is the largest walking event in the world and thus can claim “walk of the world” in 2016 47,000 + entered this event.

 

Late at night Marius and I ( and Hertog Jan) looked to the map to see what the best route would be.

 

So we took an early breakfast at Marius and Wilma in Venlo and drove of toward Cuyk, to see the marcher cross the pontoon bridge over the river Maas.  Each year the armed forces put this bridge across the Maas, blocking all commercial ( and recreational ) water traffic.  We had to take a few back roads, some barely wider than the little Fiat 500 we drove but we managed to get very close, thanks to following two police cars.  We were directed to some field parking and walked to the pontoon.  From afar we already heard the music from the different DJ’s and the cheering and clapping of the viewers.  it brought back good memories of the 4 times I did this march myself in the late 70’s beginning 80’s

 

Each year the Dutch Army puts a pontoon bridge over the Maas river, where usually the Ferry takes people across, but with  close to 50,000 crossing it would take days.  The bridge is quite impressive.

The scene early in the morning

Walking over the bridge deb got more and more in the mood on the other side we waited a bit and saw how the DJ was pumping energy into the walkers,  The military troops started slowly also being among the group,  A Swiss unit looked knackered, but the DJ started teasing them on with clapping, and there was the First Swiss , and within a few meters they were all clapping with big swings, and taking in the positive energy.

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The Swiss group here being given energy by the DJ

Many people were dressed up, we had Captain Sparrow walking by, bowing and waving his hat.  It was the pirates 5th time doing the March.

The choir singing old dutch songs in Cuyk, Brabant

Person wearing a 36 on their head, celebrating their 35th time doing this walk

A walker from the Caribbean island Curacao ( which used to be a Dutch colony)

Waling back to the Limburg side ( East side ) of the Maas, Deb got caught in doing the Macarena with the walkers right before the pontoon bridge.

 

 

 

 

As you see even Batman came out of his dark cave to help the Dutch Military.

 

 

 

 

Are these really Italian troops resting..I see no wine ?

 

Picture Danish Unifil Veterans

And off  they go, the last stretch, but then the last kilometers you are seeing crowds ticker than here, you are being aided by the music of the marching bands,  blisters….yes I have them but I don’t feel them, Muscle cramps,  I am not going to let it show is the attitude then