PepijnNov 24

Good evening mastodon! Tonight I'm staying in the quaint #Dutch town of Hoevelaken*!

Join me on a little tour of the center of this town you'll never visit!

We start with a video showing the grand entrance of town. Local Hoevelaken youth buzzes by on their way to local youth stuff!

*pronounced [hoof-ai-lake-an]

🧵 1/10-ish

#tourism #visitHoevelaken #CityTour

Show threadPepijnNov 24

Entering this town center we encounter a variety of shops, food places and facilities serving the community.

First we pass one of the multiple (!!) local snackbars. According to Google Reviews burgers "not that bad. Better than the chicken". Unfortunately I could not test it myself as they're closed on Monday and Tuesday and the rest of this week.

Some guy named John Stuur does not like how there's a unisex toilet.

Show threadPepijnNov 24

Moving on we stumble upon a Rommelmarktwinkel (rommel markt winkel). Literally translates that makes a Junk Market Store. More sensibly: a flea market store selling used trinkets.

#language

Show threadPepijnNov 24

Entering the main square Hoevelaken-de-gekste!

Moped drivers are not allowed. Cyclists are.

The restaurant ("Italian & World restaurant La Salita") is genuinely a good place. The owner is a nice guy.

Show threadPepijnNov 24

Tonight I'm not eating at the restaurant though. After spending ten hours at work talking with people my social battery is like American democracy, so I'm buying some food to eat in my hotel room.

I'm buying this at the excellent local supermarket called ̶A̶l̶b̶e̶r̶t̶ ̶H̶e̶i̶j̶n̶ Jumbo.

Show threadPepijnNov 24
Hoevelaken cares about its less mobile citizens. That's why there's a mobility scooter store right in the center.
Show threadPepijnNov 24

Outside the mobility scooter store we discover something exciting: no war on #xmas in Hoevelaken! What an exciting and festive pumpkin! 🎃

edit: oh,.. it was pointed out this might be an exciting and festive halloween pumpkin. So data on whether there's a war on #christmas in Hoevelaken is inconclusive.

Show threadPepijnNov 24
Now. Not to be negative but Hoevelaken also has its dark side. Due to, what I assume, the high population density some of its inhabitants just have to park on the sidewalk.
Show threadPepijn

That said, Hoevelaken cares about #nature. Here's a box for leaves (ONLY LEAVES).

Yes. 'Cause you don't want stray leaves.

Nov 24 at 8:15pmWeb
Show threadPepijnNov 24

The leaf box is close to this excellent #sequoia, a tree famous for being an evergreen.

I like this tree.

Show threadPepijnNov 24
People of Hoevelaken love putting items in dedicated boxes. #Dog poop goes here.
Show threadPepijnNov 24

Quick reminder. Hoevelaken is not just any town. They have a passion for quality. Discover it!

And that's what this thread is all about.

#amazing #quality

Show threadPepijnNov 24
Now here's a fun thing many people don't know about #Holland. Due to the ever rising popularity of #cycling, gas stations all over the country have been converted into bicycle repair and rental shops. Here's the one in Hoevelaken.
Show threadPepijnNov 24

We're getting to the end of Hoevelaken Main Street. For spiritual enrichment a reformed church is available.

The sign says "private property, no unauthorized access". I guess this is to keep out the catholics.

#Pillarisation

Show threadPepijnNov 24

And here we are. The end of Main Street. Beyond this there's just a long road to Amersfoort, only interrupted by a typical Dutch mini-roundabout, a tunnel ducking below a highway and some train tracks, and a awkward road crossing over a surprisingly busy minor road.

End of 🧵. Thanks for joining me on this visit to Hoevelaken!

Show threadAstridNov 24
@Pepijn that was really exiting!
Show threadCaz MockettNov 24
@Pepijn excellent tour! Where will we be visiting next?
Show threadPepijnNov 25
@cazmockett I'd love to revisit Treforest (Wales) one day. Unless they cleaned up since 2006/2007 it be a bit too depressing though..
Show threadPepijnNov 25

@cazmockett yeah.. I'm going to wait a couple years before visiting.

That was my local pub. Played darts with Tom Jones there. I don't remember it all giving that sad a vibe..

Show threadCaz MockettNov 25
@Pepijn erm, yeah. 😬
Show threadBetestaNov 24
@Pepijn thanks for taking us around H. looking forward to the next tour !
Show threadMarco van Burgsteden 🍋Nov 24
@Pepijn The cstholics are literally across the A28 highway, in Hooglanderveen...
Show threadPepijnNov 24
@Marrekoo oh yes. But I didn't walk there tonight ;-)
Show threadgeeeeroNov 24
@Pepijn As far as I understood it, a surprising amount of Dutch history boils down to "keeping the catholics out", isn't it?
Show threadBob TregilusNov 24
@Pepijn Very cool!
Show threadSimon 🐮Nov 24
@Pepijn That's not just in Holland, it's all over the Netherlands.
Hoevelaken, in the photo, is even in Gelderland, not either of the Hollands
Show threadJeppe Bundsgaard på MastodonNov 24
@Pepijn there is a really wonderful symbolism in that! 🚴‍♂️🚵‍♂️🌞
Show threadLori M OlsonNov 24
@Pepijn I would honestly love to see one of these compared to when it was a gas station. Bonus if it was a Shell station.
Show threadVirginicusNov 25
@Pepijn The particular attraction here is 20 m2 in which it is not raining.
Show threadjustafarmerNov 25
@Pepijn
Show threadjustafarmerNov 25

@Pepijn That could be a scene from the movie Cars, but it would have to be Bikes.

Pixar, are you listening????

Show threadSebastianNov 25
@Pepijn What a wonderful country it must be...
Show threadAnjaNov 26
@Pepijn 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Show threadCaz MockettNov 24
@Pepijn the leaf jail does not seem to be very effective 😂🍂🍁
Show threadPepijnNov 24
@cazmockett Yeah. Many of the leaves appear to be taking part into a rehabilitation program where they re-enter nature..
Show threadAnjaNov 26
@Pepijn You'll find these everywhere, even small towns. They are set up in areas with lots of public trees. Instead of complaining to city council and city council having to pay to keep cycle paths and side walks free of leaves, people are nudged to help with this.