Everywhere you go in the Netherlands you will find bicycles. In Amsterdam the city has special bike paths that put Melbourne's to shame. Visitors to the city need to quickly get their heads around these paths, otherwise you will be run over by a bicycle and I kid you not.
Graffiti above a bicycle reminding me which city I was in.
Even the posher suburbs have bicycles chained to their lovely faux period lamp posts!
Somewhere in Jordaan:
Did I incorrectly give you the impression that bicycles are neatly chained up one per post?:
Less cluttered:
So many places have signs stating not to leave or chain your bicycle near or against walls/windows.. This person ignored the sign and the neighbourhood cat was not impressed!
The thing that struck me about Amsterdam was the variety of styles of bike:
Using a milk crate on your bike as storage must be a universal idea?
When I arrived back home I was inspired to buy a dutch style bike. The bike shop I went to was run by a Dutch man..what are the odds? He advised that the heavy frames on these bikes are fine for the flat Netherlands, but not so good for bike riding in Melbourne...So I left empty handed, what a shame!
Maybe I will simply have to move to the Netherlands?
For now,
Vaarwel!
All photographs copyright matthew schiavello 2013-2014
Hello Matthew,
ReplyDeleteThis was such an interesting way to give a flavour of your trip to Amsterdam. The bicycles are indeed very varied and have obviously been, in many cases, completely customised to the needs of their owners. Wonderful!
We shall be in Rotterdam in late May so shall keep a look out for the bicycles in particular. One imagines that there will be the same love of the two-wheelers there.
And your own bicycle looks great. That is just the sort we should like although when we owned bicycles for a very brief period we struggled with even the slightest incline!
Hello Lance and Jane, Enjoy Rotterdam! I wizzed through it on a bus.... As for my bicycle, I wish it was, I couldn't find any Dutch styled bicycles at home...so I walk instead. :-)
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