Haarlemse Hofjes (Almshouses)
Reading Time: 6 minutesWhen in Haarlem, take the self guided tour on the hofjes, those green oases in the city centre.
Travelling abroad
Grocery Deliveries by E-Bike in Amsterdam
Reading Time: < 1 minuteDutch super grocer Albert Heijn is testing grocery deliveries by cargo bike.
The Netherlands, a Nation of Cars too
Reading Time: 5 minutesThe Netherlands is known for cycling like no other country. But did you know that there are also eight million cars?
Vamos a Mexico City
Reading Time: 7 minutesIn which we take a bird’s eye view of cycling in Mexico City without being one bit complete.
Rotterdam: City Centre as City Lounge
Reading Time: 4 minutesRotterdam is taking a lane away in their downtown arterial to create more space for pedestrians and cyclists. The population had asked for it.
In Holland, Everyone Can Ride a Bike
Reading Time: 6 minutesI remember that in my youth back in Holland in our village of 13,000 a teen called Sjaak (from ‘Jacques’) with Down Syndrome cycled by our house regularly. He had an upright bike with two enormous mirrors. His bike was his pride. The freedom for him was fantastic. He could go where he wanted, was sent out for errands by his mom and everyone knew him. Note that this was the 70’s, indeed over 40 years ago when Dutch bike infrastructure was probably not even 10% of what there is now. But Sjaak cycled on a busy road, with vehicles on [Read more…]
Back from Holland – The Train System
Reading Time: 8 minutesThose who follow me on Twitter (@HansontheBike) got a pretty good impression of what I have been doing the last three weeks. Karen and I were in the Netherlands. I live in Canada and although on average I go back once a year, it is often for work, which means I can only add a day or two to my trip in the weekend. We also go to other places in Europe, but we make sure we make a stop over in the Netherlands for 4 to 5 days. However, in all those 17 years I never went back for a [Read more…]
The Most Beautiful Bike Path in the World is in Liguria
Reading Time: 6 minutesMention you have been to Italy, and people usually assume you have been to Rome, Venice, Tuscany and Pisa. The odd person mentions Capri, Sicily or even the Italian Alps, but few will ever ask if you have been to Liguria. Liguria Liguria is the province that stretches from the French border, past Genua towards Cinque Terre along the Mediterranean. Think Cannes, Nice, Monaco and then start from the border at Ventimiglia along that same coast eastbound. It feels like time stood still in Liguria and that is perhaps because it is mountainous (the Alpi Maritimi); perhaps that has kept [Read more…]
The Town of Velsen, North Holland
Reading Time: 3 minutesIn all likelyhood, you have never heard of Velsen in the Netherlands. I have, but I have never been there. Today, I received a blog from BicycleDutch (written by Mark Wagenbuur) in my inbox. It is one of the few blogs I follow as it gives me a good picture of what is going on in the Netherlands. Contrary to popular belief, I am not often in the Netherlands. The last time I visited the Netherlands is already about 2 years ago and I have no plans to go there soon either. Usually I am not reblogging stuff that others [Read more…]
5 Gorgeous Dutch Bike and Ped Bridges + 1 Bike Garage
Reading Time: 3 minutesNetherlands’ cities have been building some fantastic bike infrastructure in 2012-2013. And not only in Amsterdam, but throughout the country. I collected some pictures from Twitter, Facebook and the web. Unfortunately, I don’t know who took the pictures, but I trust someone can let me know. Here are some pictures and a clip of a bridge in Zoetermeer (near The Hague) that is nearly finished. Plus one new bike parking garage for 1500 bikes (which is fairly small for a Dutch city). Of course, it is not always the cheapest option that is chosen, but don’t underestimate the effects of beautiful design. It puts [Read more…]