Travelling abroad

Cycling the Ecopista de Évora in Portugal

June 8, 2023 Hansonthebike 1

Reading Time: 7 minutes Throughout Portugal you can find an increasing number of dedicated cycling facilities, often called Ecopistas. Recently I wrote about an Ecopista starting in Vizeu in Portugal. This week, we’ll take you on an interesting ride on the Ecopista de Évora in the Portugese province of Alentejo, known for its cork trees, white washed villages, wine and vistas. Many years ago, I visited Évora (the emphasis is on the ‘E’, not on ‘VO‘), an old city in Portugal. It must have been around 1990-1991. I was there for an agricultural trade show and for a visit to a dealership of the [Read more…]

Ecopista do Dao paved red.

A bike ride on the Ecopista do Dão in Portugal

May 28, 2023 Hansonthebike 1

Reading Time: 7 minutes The Ecopista do Dão wasn’t on the agenda for our trip in Portugal, but we found this gem of a rail to trail in the hinterland of Portugal. Closed for trains in 1988, it is now a paved trail through a lovely, peaceful part of rural Portugal.

Escape from Amsterdam: Zutphen

March 30, 2023 Hansonthebike 2

Reading Time: 4 minutes Most of the cycling images you see on social media are from the western part of the Netherlands. But let me take you to a much more laid back part of the Netherlands.

bike share

Cycling in Lyon, France

March 26, 2020 Hansonthebike 3

Reading Time: 8 minutes New Hans blog: a trip to Lyon, France in spring was an eye opener for us. It is easy to spend an entire week exploring the city and the area around it.

A bridge connecting with Christiania.

Copenhagen on the Bike

January 21, 2019 Hansonthebike 7

Reading Time: 7 minutes Hans on the bike visited #Copenhagen and cycled around the areas outside of downtown too. Here are some impressions of Copenhagen infrastructure.

Breakfast in Copenhagen

Four days in Copenhagen

January 15, 2019 Hansonthebike 1

Reading Time: 6 minutes Hansonthebike is visiting Copenhagen. With the sun out, we decided to bike around town and take in all the sights. #ottbike

The Dutch railways conductor was waiting with my backpack in the back of the train

The incredible service of the Dutch railways to return my backpack within three hours

April 24, 2018 Hansonthebike 3

Reading Time: 4 minutes Last Saturday I took the train of the Dutch Railways (NS) from a small town north of Leiden to Aardenhout south of Haarlem. It is only a 13 minute ride, including a stop in Hillegom, centre of the Dutch flowerbulb industry. The flowers are currently in full bloom and the waft of Hyacints is all over, outside of the small towns. Bikes on trains You have a great view on the fields from the slightly elevated train tracks and I was moving a bit between the left and the right side of the train to get the best views. I [Read more…]

Ney-and-Partners-Groentje

7 Gorgeous Bike and Pedestrian Bridges in the Netherlands

July 11, 2017 Hansonthebike 3

Reading Time: 6 minutes This blog about bridges appeared earlier but after Brent Toderian retweeted it last week, I thought it was time to update it. I added two bridges and updated some of the text. I have also added the architect and the estimated cost of each bridge so you can compare it somewhat with the infrastructure that is built in your own municipality. Bridges as an image of a city Netherlands’ cities have been building some fantastic bike infrastructure in the last decade. Bridges that look more than just a utilitarian crossing over a river or road. Cities don’t always chose the [Read more…]