Did you know that they observe the 4th of July in the Netherlands?  It's true...

It comes just after their observance of the 3rd of July and just before their observance of the 5th of July! :-)  Sorry, I couldn't resist the old joke.

But seriously:  We didn't get to watch fireworks this weekend, and we didn't grill out in the backyard.  We didn't deck the house with red, white, and blue bunting.  We didn't even sing any patriotic songs.  We did very little to mark the celebration of American Independence Day.  But we did have a pretty special weekend, all the same.

Particularly when it came to watching European sports.

Friday evening, the Dutch football (soccer) team stunned Brazil in the World Cup quarter-finals, suddenly making them favorites to earn a trip to the finals (Uruguay comes next, though they're generally considered the weakest of the four remaining teams, and even at that they'll be missing their top player for the next game).  Everyone here in Amsterdam was desperately hoping for the win over Brazil, but I don't think very many were actually expecting it.  To say the least, the city was a pretty happy place on Friday evening after the game...

And then, on Saturday, the Netherlands played host to the opening of the 2010 Tour de France.  I've been following cycling for a good while now (even before moving to Europe, back in the early Lance Armstrong years) -- and when I heard that the Tour would be starting in Rotterdam this year, I decided that I needed to make the trip to experience the event for myself.  Thankfully some friends offered to take our kids to the Efteling (kind of like a Dutch Disneyland), so we didn't have to keep them with us in the crowds and extended curb-side waiting in Rotterdam.  Instead, Marci and I waved them off at Amsterdam's Centraal Station and then took our own train south to Rotterdam, together with our friend Linda.

By the way, if you want to read more about our kids' adventures at the Efteling (without us), you can read Elliot's excellent report on his own blog...

Around the time that they were arriving at the amusement park, Marci, Linda, and I were starting to walk along the racing route in Rotterdam.  As we crossed over the famous Erasmus Bridge, we got to see teams who were making some practice runs over the course.

Eventually, we chose a spot where we'd be able to see each rider twice -- 1.5 kilometers into the route, and then again as they were headed into the last 1.5 kilometers.  We also had a convenient view of a large jumbotron (which showed the riders at other points on the course), and we had a gentle bend in the road which gave us a better view of the cyclists as they approached the finish.  A pretty good spot overall, I think.

But once we settled in there, we had a lot of waiting to do.

All said, we stood at that spot for about seven and a half hours -- through blazing sunshine, drizzling rain, and blustery winds.  But suffice to say, we got to see the Tour de France!

We got to see all the big names, including Alberto Contador (last year's winner), Ivan Basso, Andy Schlek, and Cadel Evans.  But two of my favorites were George Hincapie (above), and of course Lance Armstrong (below).

I've been wanting to see the Tour de France for quite a long time.  And now I can say that I've done it.  I can say that I've seen all the major riders -- all within just a couple of meters in front of me, about the distance from which I normally sit from my television to watch them!  I can say that I watched Lance Armstrong race in what will probably be his last Tour de France.

And now that I can say all those things, I don't have to do it again.

Honestly, I believe that the Tour de France is a sport that is perfect for television.  You can see more of the riders, hear more of the back-stories, get a better overview of the course (all those majestic, panoramic, post-card, helicopter shots), and sit in leisurely comfort while the athletes gut it out on one of the grandest stages in all sports!

Seeing it in-person was cool, and I'm still very glad for the experience this weekend in Rotterdam -- but to tell you the truth, it was not so comfortable sweating in the melting-hot sun and shivering in the cold wind and rain, over the course of seven-and-a-half hours.  It's a pretty amazing spectacle, with all the sponsors and merchandise thrown about, with all the skill that goes into competing for such an event and covering it in a way that so many spectators can enjoy.

But from now on, I think I'll be happy to enjoy it from home, where I can put up my feet, have something cold to drink, and quip about the time that I saw the Tour de France with my own eyes, on Lance Armstrong's last tour.