I've got the Gypsy in My Soul: Saturday in Vlaardingen

If you've never been to the Netherlands...you might not know about the bikes. Let me tell you...they are EVERYWHERE. It seems as though everyone owns and rides a bike. In fact, we were told by someone in The Hague, that most everyone owns at least two bikes. And...you will see all kinds of people riding them...including thin people and heavy people...very old people and young people...groups of teenagers and whole families...people that smoke while they are riding...people who are dressed in suits...and mothers with a child on the front and another on the back. Some bikes pull carts, while most have some kind of basket on the front or saddle bags on the back. You will also find very nice bike paths that lead all over the country...hooking cities and villages together. When you go to the train or metro station you will see huge areas where you can store your bike during the day until you return at night. It truly is amazing.

Last Saturday on our way to the park we saw an unusual number of people flocking into town on their bikes, and dropping them off in the bike parking lot. As we walked through the downtown area, we realized there was a market set up in the plaza.

At the market they sell a wide variety of things...including flowers...both plants and fresh cut...

fruits and vegetables...

fish and cheese...

Big store coolers are actually brought outside to store the meat and cheese

and waffles, plus other goodies.

After visiting the market, we continued on to the park where the Foodtruck Festival was taking place.

We arrived as things were just opening up.

The Foodtruck Festival takes place all over the Netherlands. They are scheduled for a different city from the middle of May to the end of September. Each truck or tailer offers a variety of food or drinks.