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. 

Station no 48 was Heeze. On the line between Roermond and Eindhoven. I cancelled my plans for any onwards travel to Eindhoven as I cycled around discovering what Heeze has to offer. Started with a nice lunch on the terrace near the station. I cycled around checking out the pretty thatched houses, impeccably neat farms,  visited the 17th Century Heeze Castle and ended up on a nice trip around the Strabrechtse Heide. The Heide is a heathland full of beautiful heather and the distinctive twisting trunks of juniper trees. A mild heathland not sweeping or dramatic but certainly a unique and refreshing view after a year of no train trips! 

Station no 47 Maarheeze may not actually have a station house but it represents the first station I have visited after lockdown and for that reason I am very happy to have visited Maarheeze. I brought my bike with me so I can roam around the area. I found myself on Kerkstraat and found some monuments along Kerkstraat near the old school house and St. Gertrudis  church . I finally peddled back to station via the stocked fishing pond. 

Station No.46 Helmond Brandevoort was designed in line with the surrounding neighbourhood. The neighbourhood was built to resemble a fortress the station with its dual platform looks like a gate entrance to this fortress.  The windy cycle and walking paths by the canals  and long grass that surround this suburb do well to disguise the fact that a lot of people live in this small area.  

  Continuing my travels around Brabant I cycled from Helmond station to Helmond t'Hout. Helmond has more stations that I realised (Helmond Brouhuis, Helmond, Helmond 'tHout and Helmond Brandevoort). As I cycled I passed the RailCam which you can watch live here  . I continued my journey towards Helmond Brandevoort