Computer museum – David's Travels

Cycled to just outside Venlo, via Eindhoven and Helmond, today. This was about 70km.

I was curious to see Evoluon in Eindhoven; I’d been there as a child, but it was derelict at the time. Sadly I was there a bit early to see the exhibition on retro futures. It’s certainly a striking building. The area around it is totally different to how I remembered it.

Next stop was Helmond. Atlas Obscura mentioned there was a home computer museum there, which I was keen to see. I wasn’t too sure what to do with the bike, but fortunately there was an attended (and free) bike parking garage, so I left my bike and stuff there.

The town itself was very nice. It was market day and quite busy. Some interesting houses in the centre too

The computer museum itself was excellent. Rather a broader remit than the name suggests..I don’t think many people had a Next cube at home. Covered everything from the 70s to ≈mid naughties. Many of the machines were working and you were encouraged to play. Parts of it made me feel rather old.

I remember using these at university (though mainly to use X windows on the Sun system).

BBC micro. The game was “1984”. I was expecting something Orwellian, but it was an economics simulator/game. I managed not to do a Liz Truss and lasted at least a year, as you can see from the screen.

Of interest to former Manchester colleagues?

It works! But sadly I didn’t have a login. Funny hearing the hard disk noises as it booted too.

After a few hours in the computer museum, I carried on East. It was very hot again today.

Actual windmill. I thought there would have been more, but this is only the second I’ve seen

Found a delightful campsite on the Archie’s camping app just outside Venlo. It’s on a farm and very peaceful.

Sausage and chips are served from the striped door, which were very welcome

On to Germany tomorrow… I’m only about 4km from the border.