I reached this station by walking from the Bossche Broke via Zuiderpark to the rail station. Quiet a long day of walking but it really gives you a good impression of the surroundings of Den Bosch.    

I have been in s'Hertogenbosch (the Dukes forest) more times than I can recall. I love the vibe from this city - not just the café culture and cosy streets and the bustling market square but also the impressive old city fortifications from the 15-17th Century which are so well preserved, as well as the dominating Gothic  Sint-Janskathedraal . All these elements combined make Den Bosch a unique city to spend time in.  Given I have been here many times I should really know more about the history of the city- but the weather was too nice to explore old buildings and museums for a history lesson - instead just a few meters outside the front of the station and before the temptation of the most famous bossche bol shop in the city got to me - I took a swift left and walked along the Dommel,  to the south side of the city , to Bossche Broek. Here, just minutes form the city centre you really feel disconnected from urban life as you wander the nature reserve - but the towers of S...

I travelled to Vught from Eindhoven. All I know before I departed the train was that Vught was a location of a concentration camp built by the Nazi's during WW2. I did not visit the camp but read up a little on the history in the local library in the centre. The area is also now still a high max prison. I had planned to cycle around that area and the Ijzeren Man Lake- but  in the end the I got distracted  by the city centre  and the church/library. 

Arrived in Boxtel (station number 53) via the sprinter train from Eindhoven. It was fairly grey and the station and surrounding area looked quiet sad - so instead of heading into the main shopping area to see what was happening (and learn a little about the famous Boxtel Giant   who probably would not have turned up until Kings Day anyway)  I wondered down to Kasteel Stapelen.   An area that has been mentioned as far back as 1300. Given the weather it was not surprising that I had the whole area to myself - and that was a nice for an afternoon stroll. I recommend walking from this area to St. peters Bascilica and read the sign posts along the way. If you happen to be in Boxtel on Trinity Sunday - be sure to follow the 'Procession of the Holy Blood' a tradition in Boxtel from 1925. 

So what is there to do in a town in Brabant on a cold grey day. Turns out quite a bit! Best station is day trip number 52 in my travels around the Netherlands. Best is on the line between Eindhoven and Den Bosch.  The current version of the station is from 2000 - a renovation that also saw two new lines (in total 4 between Eindhoven and Den Bosch), but the original station was opened July 1866! I wandered through the town following the liberation trail plaques to learn a little more about the history of the town. Famous for butter (didn't find any or any place that sold it or made it), a shoe making factory (Batadorp) and a type of liquor I picked up at the wijnhuis called 'Un Dulfke'  it is a type of low alcohol bitters - which I hear is popular in North Brabant- so looking forward to trying this out.  There is a green spot called the Koetshuistuin in the centre of the shopping area which is always welcome - and there you can find a memorial to the Scottish 15th Divisio...

What they call the creative heart of Eindhoven, this area was developed from the old Philips industrial site ('the forbidden city') to a area of museums, shops workspaces and a really hip, open creative/design spot. Of course in a nod to this I had to visit (and very much recommend) the Mu Hybrid art space . Loved walking around here the whole area is full of inspiration and ideas and pop ups. If you are in need of some creative vibes - head here. 

Milestone alert-  I made it to station number 50 with unaltered enthusiasm for my project. So in high spirits I departed Eindhoven station. Although I have passed through Eindhoven many times I have never really taken some hours to just to wander around the city with no real aim. Of course I found myself surrounded by food and art! I ended up in  the  Down Town Gourmet Market  and went to the Van Abbemuseum . The Van Abbemuseum is difficult to miss - a massive block imposing unapologetically on the banks of De Dommel. Later in the day as  I sat in the museum café, pondering over all I had seen, in the sunshine, with an iced latte in hand and the sounds of running water altering my perception of the fact that I am in the middle of the city surrounded by hustle and bustle - I thought to myself life is indeed very very good. 

Station No 49 Geldrop, did a little trip around Geldrop on an OV bike, past the large Neo-Romanesque church towards weaving mueum and the meandering kliene Dommel and followed this for a while until I ended up on Kasteel Geldrop. There are various gardens here ( sensory gardens, kids mini farm etc., but the flower garden on the grounds of this estate is so immersing that before you know it you feel relaxed and without a care in the world. Highly recommended. Read more about the castle and its gardens  here.