The town of Schagen in the province of North Holland. Working in a clockwise direction the first picture is of people in costumes of 1900.  The old town of Schagen is famous for its West Frisian Market which takes place every Thursday from June  to September. There is a parade of carriages, landaus, street organ and fire engine pulled by Frisian horses and the people dress in peasant costumes.  Each Thursday has a different theme, such as children, animals, crafts etc

The great church in the market of Schagen is the neo-Gothic Reformed Church which replaced one destroyed by fire in 1895.

The two medieval towers on the moat are all that is left of the castle in the centre of Schagen which was originally built round about the early 15th century. The crumbling ruin was demolished in 1820 but the two towers were used as a prison and also jailer's residence until the end of WWI. A hotel was built on the castle site in a semi-medieval style in 2001.

Lastly the town has a "wide variety of pubs and terrace cafes" and this is one of them.  Time to have a rest, notice the bronze of sheep, these are still traded at the Thursday market. 

The card came with the 2009 stamp for postage to Europe. How nice to jump on a bike and ride from

country to country.

You would have to start off from Holland with its nice flat roads to build up to the fitness required to cross the alpine passes.

Or alternatively take the inter-city train that runs from Schagen to Amsterdam and beyond. Whichever choice taken, this stamps seems to invite you to travel the world. but at the moment I'm only doing this via postcards.

The card came from Wim whose home town this is and he tells me it is pretty all the year through.

The card travelled 343 miles (522k) and took 7 days. 

Thank you Wim