Being summer and located so far north and west in a time zone, the sun did not set until 10:00PM, giving me plenty of time to explore after work. I went to visit the old town of Heusden, which was a major strategic town for many years due to its location at a bend in the river. A moat was built around the island and 20-30' tall walls built along the walls to aid in the protection of the city and protect the castles. I took a walking tour of the area to learn a little of the history of the town. It was expanded from its original size and the old moat still runs through town. A full scale model of the town and surrounding area is housed in the city government building.
I stopped for dinner in the Vismarkt (fishmarket), which has a number of restaurants along the open plaza. It is located near a small inner harbor. I had a huge plate full of spare ribs, and they were delicious. It was quite an effort to get them all down, but I managed.
The next morning before my flight home I rented a bike to do some more exploring. I rode south towards the sand dunes national park area, but couldn't find a good path to take to the dunes themselves. Most were sandy and were better for walking than riding. 
I did see a park working trimming bushes and trees with a lawn mower. He was able to trim them up very evenly, and I was impressed. One of the driveways I passed was lined with many beautiful and large hydrangeas. Another nursery was growing some interesting curly trees. The Netherlands is known for it horticultural industries, especially tulips. The facility that I was visiting actually makes the plastic flower pots used for growing small ornamental flowers. They are also known for Tulips, and I was bringing some home as a souvenir. When I got home I read the inspection sticker and they were actually from France, but were being sold as Holland bulbs in the airport.It was a quick trip in and out, but it was fun to see a new part of the world and take in a few of the sites.
