August 1, 2025

Left around 9:15. Nikor. Rainy with some intense showers and occasional clearing, so interesting skies and vistas. Gusty breezes from the northwest, and on the cool side. Straatweg to Loenen, then Vecht to Nigtevecht and across the ARK. Back in the '80s, the (non)view of the city, including Southeast, was interrupted by the new hospital colussus; now, that's dwarfed by the soccer stadium, the ever increasing number of high-rises surrounding it, and even the distant towers on the city's southern edge. Velterslaan with its tight rows of willows, now in full leaf. Together with the high and thick reeds, they provided considerable shelter from the wind. In other places also help from bushes and trees. Gein to Gaasp to Diem. There a serious shower, but most of it caught by the tree cover. ARK to Ringvaart to Javaplein. In the paper a long story on the Russian (shadow) fleet and what countries especially buy Russian oil and petroleum products. Those countries are unlikely to change their transactional (often explicitly anti-Western) approach, and so other ways have to be found to increase the price of the war for Moscow. On the Ukrainian battlefield and in the skies above the country simultaneously, it has to become clear that all Moscow can achieve is a stalemate that's at least as costly for Russia as for Ukraine, if not more so. With the administration in Washington focused, let's say, on other things, we're not likely to get the comprehensive pressure campaign on Russia that's required. And yet, we have to try, which also means somehow getting the U.S. to do more. This month we may find out if the U.S. president is actually capable of confronting Putin. From Javaplein to BG2 through the tourist zoo that is downtown Amsterdam right now. Then a quick trip back and forth on the ferry across the IJ. Busy on the ferry, but on the way back a clear view of a ridiculously tall cruise ship visiting the city, obscene, really. Amstel to Ouderkerk, there a couple of detours leading to the Amstelzijweg and eventually the Holendrechterweg. South, parallel to the freeway. Spectacular wild roses among the reeds on the other side of the sound wall. Oukoop, Nieuwer ter Aa, then tailwind along ARK to Lage Weide. Daphne back into town.