Nijntje

Part of the fun for the spectators of the Tour de France is the the long caravan  that precedes the race and whose advertising vehicles are all sorts of shapes and sizes, the vehicle occupants also throw various objects out to the waiting crowds.  I never expected to see Miffy motoring down the road towards me this year when I was standing on the street of York  ready to watch Stage Two of the Tour.

She is riding along with her proper Dutch name of Nijntje ( a diminutive of konijntje meaning "little rabbit"), although the English speaking world knows her best as Miffy.  Being Dutch of course Nijntje rides a bicycle

but I wondered why she was in the Tour, then I found out that next year's start is from Utrecht, the home town of Miffy's creator, Dick Bruna.  The 2015 Stage One (the Grand Depart) on the 4th July will be a individual time trial through the city and Stage two will also start out from Utrecht.  I wonder if they will take in the square named after her Nijntepleintje which in Dutch rhymes, like the verses in Dick Bruna's Nijntje books.  Although he is most well known for the little rabbit (which he famously drew as female because he wanted to draw a dress rather than trousers) he has published many other children's books and produced book covers and illustrations for his family's publishing company, Bruna and Zoon.  Now well into his eighties he announced his retirement this year although I believe he is still riding his bicycle around Utrecht.

An entry to ABC Wednesday, a journey through the alphabet this week sojourning at N here