it has been 3 years since we returned home from our Amsterdam adventure! and as i type this, mike has taken nora to explore this awesome city. i am so glad that she now has the opportunity to go there and see what her brother and sister saw! so far she has been to Vondel Park, NEMO, van Gogh museum, Anne Frank Huis, eaten cheese and stroopwaffels, and spent 2 days on a bicycle! i can't wait to hear about all of her experiences!! she is blogging at http://europetime.webs.com/
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Monday, June 8, 2009
ams to msn
this is what we looked like as we departed for amsterdam in february.
and this is what we came back with in may.
we've been home from amsterdam for 3.5 weeks and it feels like 3 months already. we accomplished so much in this time getting the house back up and running, gardening, viting with all grandparents, getting kids back into their regular activities, and just generally resuming normal life.
somebody moved into our houseboat a week ago. i feel slightly resentful about it...
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
more about bikes
cycling is king here. i am amazed at the number of bikes, number of stores that revolve around buying, selling and repair, and the wonderful bikes lanes everywhere in this city. cycling trumps every other mode of transportation except trams. i don't think trams stop for bikes so please be careful if you ever come to the netherlands and rent one. but cars and people absolutely give bicycles the right of way and do it graciously!
i can bike down a one way street the wrong way and still make a car stop or move out of the way for me. i can nearly run down somebody on my bakfiets and with a simple 'ching ching' of my bell have them step aside. i can bike on a crowded street, taking up far too much room, and NOT get honked at. it's craziness!
in 3 months only 1 person had the nerve to beep at me while cycling with the kids in the rain. an onlooker glared at them and then looked at me with a certain look in his eye like 'clearly that asshole is from germany'.
people lock their bikes anywhere they can - to trees, other bikes, bridge railings and even boats. the bike parking at amsterdam's central train station houses thousands upon thousands of nearly identical black bicycle (with the occasional orange spray painted variety).
you would think that with a country crazy about cycling they would take good care of their bike but you would be wrong about that. most bikes are pieces of crap but they do the job. poor unused bikes lay dormant with deflated tires and bent wheels like fallen soldiers. police tag bikes that are obviously abandoned and eventually cart them away leaving more space to lock up new ones.
but getting around this city by bicycle can totally elevate your mood. you can get anywhere in a matter of minutes and there is really nothing like cruising down a canal street on two wheels.
i can bike down a one way street the wrong way and still make a car stop or move out of the way for me. i can nearly run down somebody on my bakfiets and with a simple 'ching ching' of my bell have them step aside. i can bike on a crowded street, taking up far too much room, and NOT get honked at. it's craziness!
in 3 months only 1 person had the nerve to beep at me while cycling with the kids in the rain. an onlooker glared at them and then looked at me with a certain look in his eye like 'clearly that asshole is from germany'.
people lock their bikes anywhere they can - to trees, other bikes, bridge railings and even boats. the bike parking at amsterdam's central train station houses thousands upon thousands of nearly identical black bicycle (with the occasional orange spray painted variety).
you would think that with a country crazy about cycling they would take good care of their bike but you would be wrong about that. most bikes are pieces of crap but they do the job. poor unused bikes lay dormant with deflated tires and bent wheels like fallen soldiers. police tag bikes that are obviously abandoned and eventually cart them away leaving more space to lock up new ones.
but getting around this city by bicycle can totally elevate your mood. you can get anywhere in a matter of minutes and there is really nothing like cruising down a canal street on two wheels.
dutch minivan bike
i can't believe the trip is nearly over and i haven't discussed my bakfiets. pictured here is how the kids and i have been getting around town for the past 3 months. i bought it on the second or third day after arrival here off craig's list for 200 euros. it is a chinese knockoff of the nice dutch bikes most people with children have here. the bike clearly had issues and needed some repair work and was 'joyless' to ride, if i can quote mike here. it was heavy, wobbely, and took tremendous effort to propel forward despite the flat terrain. the front brakes grabbed at different rates, sending the box portion wrenching to the left or right in inopportune times. however, it was our main mode of transportation and allowed me to go to the market and buy 4 or 5 bags of groceries AND haul the kids at the same time. getting up and down bridges was challenging with it completely full and the kids would give me a turbo charge and chant 'i think i can do it' as i attempted to get up, typically having to pop off almost at the crest of nearly every bridge for a final push to the top. as the weeks went on i got better at the bridges and we would cheer like crazy as we zoomed down the other side.
i sold the bakfiets this past sunday for 300 euros which recouped almost all of the repair work we did. the things is still a piece of crap but at least now it has a new chain and coaster brakes. the people who bought it are using it for their new newfoundland puppy. if we lived in a flatter area of WI i would totally consider importing a nicer bakfiets. i have really enjoyed being car free for 3 months and the kids love being biked around everwhere. nice dutch brand bakfiets go for 1600-2000 euros but are quite beautiful and hopefully much better made than the one we had.
bye bye bakfiets. i will actually miss your squeaky ride.
Monday, May 11, 2009
more videos
i am not sure if i posted this video link on facebook or not, but here is a night cruise in our canal neighborhood.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBGakUY69cg&feature=channel
and also a video of us in the bulb district, about 45 minutes from Amsterdam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFlaPDnGl9M&feature=channel
david going to school. i think i did post this one earlier.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI4rdG3IxkU&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBGakUY69cg&feature=channel
and also a video of us in the bulb district, about 45 minutes from Amsterdam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFlaPDnGl9M&feature=channel
david going to school. i think i did post this one earlier.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI4rdG3IxkU&feature=channel
more on Queen's Day
here is a video clip of our early outings on Queen's Day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtuByJUfvjk&feature=channel_page
you can also see other people's QD videos - there are a slew on youtube for your watching pleasure.
we did have another unusual thing happen that day - for the most part this houseboat moves very little - every now and then you get a swift moving boat that causes too much wake and the house rocks every so slightly. well, on QD there was a boat moving WAY too fast which caused a tsunami-like effect on our block, making all the houseboats rock violently. it caused one of the rings mounted on our house that we tie our little boat to to be ripped out, sending the back end of the boat drifing into boat traffic. the poor people across the canal, sitting out on their terrace and boat enjoying some food, were drenched by this wave. all i could think about was the nasty canal water in their faces and food. yuck.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtuByJUfvjk&feature=channel_page
you can also see other people's QD videos - there are a slew on youtube for your watching pleasure.
we did have another unusual thing happen that day - for the most part this houseboat moves very little - every now and then you get a swift moving boat that causes too much wake and the house rocks every so slightly. well, on QD there was a boat moving WAY too fast which caused a tsunami-like effect on our block, making all the houseboats rock violently. it caused one of the rings mounted on our house that we tie our little boat to to be ripped out, sending the back end of the boat drifing into boat traffic. the poor people across the canal, sitting out on their terrace and boat enjoying some food, were drenched by this wave. all i could think about was the nasty canal water in their faces and food. yuck.
dutch names
while holland has its share of emmas and hannahs, what this country does NOT need is another sophia. i have met more little girls under the age of 3 named sophia than i can count, although most of them have been from expat families. this morning i copied down the more interesting dutch names from the cubbies at david's school.
i think most of these are girls names: fije, sanna, elisa, suus, pilou, isa, lotus, benthe, meis, jacobine, maud, bien, feelin, hylke, sita, riva, nomi, philein.
i think most of these are boys names: lars, arlen, pascal, cosmo, luuk, bas, ramses, thymen, noortje, jep, milou, mels, teun.
not a lisa or heather in the bunch.
i think most of these are girls names: fije, sanna, elisa, suus, pilou, isa, lotus, benthe, meis, jacobine, maud, bien, feelin, hylke, sita, riva, nomi, philein.
i think most of these are boys names: lars, arlen, pascal, cosmo, luuk, bas, ramses, thymen, noortje, jep, milou, mels, teun.
not a lisa or heather in the bunch.
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