I love visiting cities!
Today I visited shortly Arnhem, Arnhem is just an hour of my city Almelo. I like Arnhem, it has lots of green parks, good stores and lots of history, and ofcource the biggest and largest canal streams trough this city.
Battle of Arnhem.
In World War II, (September 1944), the British 1st Airborne Division and the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade were given the task of securing the bridge at Arnhem. The units were parachuted and glider-landed into the area on 17 September and later. The bulk of the force was dropped rather far from the bridge and never met their objective. A small force of British 1st Airborne managed to make their way as far as the bridge but was unable to secure both sides. The Allied troops encountered stiff resistance from the German 9th and 10th SS Panzer divisions, which had been stationed in and around the city.
The British force at the bridge eventually surrendered on 21 September, and a full withdrawal of the remaining forces was made on 26 September. These events were dramatized in the 1977 movie A Bridge Too Far. (The bridge scenes in the movie were shot in Deventer, where a similar bridge over the IJssel was available, as the area around Arnhem bridge had changed too much to represent WWII era Arnhem). As a tribute, the rebuilt bridge was renamed 'John Frost-bridge' after the commander of the paratroopers. The official commemoration is 17 September.
The current bridge is the third almost-identical bridge built at the same spot. The Dutch Army destroyed the first bridge when the Germans invaded Holland in 1940. The second bridge was destroyed by the US Army Air Forces shortly after the 1944 battle. A second battle of Arnhem took place in April 1945 when the city was liberated by I Canadian Corps of the First Canadian Army. Although it is generally said, as above, that the British Force at the Northern end of the Arnhem bridge surrendered, General John Frost, who as a Lt Col commanded that force, fiercely denied that. He stated that he and his men were overwhelmed and captured.
On my way!
That is enough history for this moment, on with today. So yeah, I decided to go out today after having doubt after doubt. What kept me from going was the busy schedule and the money, if I wanted to go I had to do a few things before I would head off. My last groceries, picking up my new glasses and I needed to go to the bank, and it was already late until I decided to go out. I went out and oh what a rush in the morning, lol. First off to the optician to pick up my new glasses, it 9:15 and I thought I was nice on time, at 9:00 the optician will open his store I thought. But no, the store opened at 9:30. I had to wait 15 minutes, no problem.
I did not wait 15 minutes, I went to the nearest supermarket to do my last groceries. I needed a few other groceries then normal, cause I am cooking something different Sunday. I needed a green pepper, tomato paste and apricots in syrup. The green pepper was not there, lol, I picked a red one, the apricots was easy to find, but the tomato paste was horrible to find. I needed to ask someone, lol, and that someone needed to ask someone else.. in the end I took to long for my groceries. I went back with a full bag of groceries to the optician, the store was open. It was 9:45, within a half hour my train will leave, still I needed money from my bank...
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| New glasses! |
A bit exhausted but I was determine to go out today, lol. The train trip went fine, no delays, within a hour I arrived in Arnhem. I have not been in Arnhem for more then 5 or 6 years, I enjoyed the changes, there still building on the new huge train station, it is bigger and so much nicer. But oooh, the busses, I needed a bus to bring me to the record fair, what is going tom be held in the Rijnhal. The busses was a disaster, many people were waiting for the right bus, but it was really a puzzle to get the right bus. It took me more then 30 minutes to figure out what bus I needed. There were signs ofcource to see what bus goes where, but damn, that sure was not easy. I missed the bus two times, sigh, lol.
It did not made my afternoon fall in two, though I was tired, I was excited to be here. I really like and love visiting cities lately. If the money will let me I will do it more often. Around 1:00 I arrived in the Rijnhalcd digging begin. The hall was nice and not that busy, I like that. I think I spend a hour of 3 or 4 there, then I headed back towards the train station again. First i wondered a bit around to look for nice spots, Canal the Rhine caught my eye and I went there to take some nice pictures. There was a cold wind, but the sun so now and then made it feel comfier. After a hour I went back to the train station to catch my train back, I was nice on time, and before I knew I was home.
I bought a few nice cds, a nice new Beatles coffee mug, and the good thing was I had money left over. Arrived at home I prepared a simple dinner, I was hungry. Potatoes with spinach and a sausage. Plans for the rest of the evening and tomorrow? Nothing but rest and naps. I had a nice afternoon, I enjoyed it, I am glad I went.
