Posts Tagged ‘bicycles’

The Shell and the Bull

Sunday, January 17th, 2010

Although 2010 is, according to The Economist, expected to be the hottest year since climate measurements began, Rotterdam was not spared heavy snowfalls. Many parts of the Netherlands were covered in white, causing the train system to break down at some point. Luckily, I was able to spend the hardest time in other parts of Europe; now the temperatures are rising again.

When the weather barely reaches zero degree for days, the dikes in Rotterdam freeze. This is probably the most enjoyable time for Dutch families since children run on the ice where usually ducks take a swim. Also, school children would try to break the ice by throwing nearby stones on the ice, causing a hassle for construction workers since these stones were to be used for fixing the sidewalk. Some kids nevertheless play too much and would get wet feet (the ice sometimes does break).

For bikers this time of the year is the most uncomfortable and dangerous one. Slippery roads turn curving into tricky actions, where talent sometimes does not prevent a fall. Before Christmas I was able to enjoy a nasty fall due to an icy curve. A few minutes later I nearly fell again but this time it was because a biker in front of me lost her balance (breaking on snow usually doesn’t work that well). But as I’m writing this post, the sun is melting the last icy remains and the roads will, hopefully, be save again.

During Christmas, apart from spending a few very nice days in Italy (posts will follow), I received a nice gift, a bottle of red wine of the winery ‘Concha y Toro’ (the shell and the bull, if my translation is accurate). This Chilean wine was served for our annual family Christmas brunch; this year it was ‘fondue chinoise’, a meal where different types of meat are boiled in a hot soup on the table, served with vegetables and different types of sauces. As I returned to Rotterdam I found, to my surprise, two ‘Concha y Toro’ wines on my wine rack. Although it is not the premium edition like the present I received, the ‘Casillero del Diablo’ nevertheless is a good table wine. However, when drinking the wine with your partner be careful not to end up in devil’s rack…

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Two-Wheelers

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

There is, slightly exaggerated, nothing nicer than updating the world after the sun finally broke through the thicket of clouds. After five days of constant rain Rotterdam’s streets lust after a period of drought. These wet paths can be dangerous; especially curves covered with autumn leaves are tricky even for experienced cyclers. Yet, real dutchmen don’t mind getting wet. It is part of the ‘Dutch experience’.

A large part of the Dutch people cycle themselves to work, to the supermarket, or to school. Parents give their kids a lift; yet, as soon as the youngsters are able to balance on two wheels they pedal on their own. Since many cities in the Netherlands have special lanes for bikes cycling is much safer than in other places; in Bangkok I personally would not dare to conquer the dense traffic.

In Rotterdam these lanes are made of red paving stones, so they are easy to recognize, even at night. Even though some paths are marked as one-way you won’t catch angry looks when riding the opposite direction. Traffic rules actually do not seem to apply to cyclists at all. Confronted with a red light, there’s a good chance that the rider just crosses the road, after a careful glance to the left and to the right of course.

This behavior can save you a lot of time; Dutch people are, like the Swiss, a rather hurried nation. Yet, also in the more ‘relaxed’ countries, there are times where people seem to be unable to wait. In Bangkok, for example, people are already entering the skytrain as passengers are still getting of the wagon.

Admittedly, bikes are very convenient provided the rain doesn’t drown the city. Yet, two-wheelers can turn out to be very nasty as well. Since you always need to lock your bicycles properly, otherwise they get stolen quickly, losing your keys can be fatal. Recently, maybe also part of my ‘real dutchman experience’, I needed to shoulder two bikes and bring them to the closest repair shop. Because it was a Sunday the only shop that was open was somehow distant. And yes, it was raining.

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