If you didn't know this already, Amsterdam is a city of bikes! The canal-ring in city center actually has more registered bikes than cars! But that's because you can navigate and park your bike much easier than a car on the narrow streets!
Here are some random impressions:
Here are some random impressions:
Sometimes it's the color that grabs my attention!
Sometimes it's where you find it!
Or the size of it.
Or its silhouette against the picturesque canals.
One reason to NOT have a bike is all the flat tires you will invariably get. Or the fact you have as good a chance as the next guy to have it stolen! It's still a better "problem" than having a car!
For the time being, because we're there only half the year, we've decided it's not worth the hassle to get our own bikes, in case anyone is asking.
Ooops! See what I mean! Don't know if the tire was stolen or if the rider took it with him so the bike wouldn't be stolen??
Down but never out!
Flower power is very much alive and well in Amsterdam!
And there's always more than one way to skin the cat!
If you come back from a trip via train (that's the train station in the background that takes us to and from the airport!), and you want to park your
In my last post I mentioned that Donica and I were flying back to Atlanta today for just the weekend. It's true. She flew on Delta and I flew on KLM, arriving at Passport Control at exactly the same time!. Donica's mom's 67th birthday was yesterday and we'll be home to celebrate it on Sunday, before Donica flies back to A'dam and before I fly back on Monday!
Talk about a whirlwind. But it's better than riding bikes back-n-forth! :)
ADDENDUM (Sunday 6/3/07): Donica was able to change my frequent-flyer flight back to Amsterdam for today instead of tomorrow. So we leave the house by 10a to go celebrate Mom's birthday and then both leave on separate planes around 5p for over the pond. At least we're both going back at the same time!
Talk about a whirlwind. But it's better than riding bikes back-n-forth! :)
ADDENDUM (Sunday 6/3/07): Donica was able to change my frequent-flyer flight back to Amsterdam for today instead of tomorrow. So we leave the house by 10a to go celebrate Mom's birthday and then both leave on separate planes around 5p for over the pond. At least we're both going back at the same time!
what a cute post Ginnie....and I get to be the first one to comment ..yay!!! :)
ReplyDeletewhen i arrived in holland it was fascinating to see more than half the country on the bicycle.. more than 20 million bicycles on roads...thats quite a number, eh!!! :)
am glad u reached Atlanta safely....:)
awesome bike montage, Ginnie! Coincidentally, I took photos of bicycles today, too. :)
ReplyDeleteGreatest bday wishes to Donica's mom!
Safe travels to the both of you!
No wonder the Netherlands uses bikes as the country is so flat. This was a great montage and well documented Ginnie!
ReplyDeleteI assume you saw some bikes in Oslo when you where in Norway too:-)
I'm glad you didn't use the bike when you went back to Atlanta though!
Moi: That is a HUGE number. I knew it was a big one but didn't have a clue it was THAT big. Thanks for commenting here. :)
ReplyDeleteMad: Awww. Like minds, of course! And thanks for the travel and b-day wishes. BTW, I'll be flying back tomorrow instead of Monday. Donica was able to get my flight changed so that we can both travel back on the same day, but not the same plane.
Renny: It's funny but I don't remember anything about bikes in Oslo. But we hadn't moved our apartment to Amsterdam yet, so I wasn't thinking of them!
I also loved the bicycle parking garage :)
ReplyDeleteWow, I know Donica's mom appreciates the travel for her birthday!
ReplyDeleteThis is a brilliant post!! What great photos, and I look forward to seeing some of them on shutterchance, methink! I just love the sepia photo, all of them. And that parking ramp is way cool!
rauf posted an amazing bicycles in India post you might want to check out.
These pictures are so funny - especially that bike in the tree/vines. :) It's like if I were there again.
ReplyDeleteBTW: I have decided to stay at home this weekend. OX is alone in Holland. I just didn't feel up to it. Me thinks me has to read through my horoscope again. Deep dip!
RRD: HA! I've never seen anything like it anywhere else in the world.
ReplyDeleteRuth: Yes, I'm sure Donica's mom is very appreciative of what Donica does for her. She did this same turn-around for the Mother's Day weekend! Thanks for your comment, and yes, I looked at Rauf's incredible pics. Oh my!
CS: Ohhhhhh. Talk to me, Milady! I guess I don't feel so bad right now about thinking I had missed you. I'm going back tomorrow, BTW, instead of Monday. So I'll be back a day ealier than I expected. I hope you'll be feeling better by the time O-X gets back home!
I love these photos!
ReplyDeleteHow nice for you to see Donica's mom and celebrate her day. How do you handle the lag? It boggles my mind all the goings back and forth!
I didn't know Amsterdam was the city of bikes until I heard about the Spencer Tunick photos.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos, Ginnie! I love this whole thing about the bikes in Amsterdam.
ReplyDeleteMrs.M: Sometimes it boggles my mind, too, Shari, when I stop long enough to think of it. But usually by now, we're so used to it that it's no big deal. I didn't sleep well on the flight last night and needed a short nap when I arrived this morning. But Donica usually sleeps well enough to go straight to work after arriving and functions okay.
ReplyDeleteJeff: I had no idea what you were talking about until I Googled this and couldn't believe it! That parking garage, BTW, is just a hop, skip and a jump from us. And in case you're wondering, NO, I was not one of the 2000 women! :) How fun.
Karen: I love it, too!