Amsterdam is the city of bicycles. They are everywhere and often the quickest way around Amsterdam is by bicycle. I thought it was fitting to do a bike tour.
The bike tour was a 15 minute walk from my hotel and it involved walking during rush hour. Many of the intersections have pedestrian crosswalks with lights, but they aren’t everywhere. I approached one such intersection and there was a sense of panic that I may not make it to the other side. There were cars, bikes, and street trams. This particular intersection also had an elaborate merge from bikes coming from another direction. The whole road was never clear so it was an intense game of frogger. I made it. Phew.
I arrived at the bike shop early and they fitted me for a bike. Netherlands is the nation of the tallest people and this became apparent for my bike fitting. The guide lowered the bike to the lowest setting and it was still too tall for me. He switched to a smaller bike and on this one my toes barely grazed the ground. It was still a little big, but the next size down was to a much smaller kids bike.
The tour began with a safety briefing by our British guide named Simon. He then asked if anyone felt confident being at the back of the tour to bring up the rear. The look of panic on everyone’s faces led me to volunteer. We then ventured out of the city while having to cross a few intersections. The first light I was separated from the group. Luckily, Simon realized right away that I didn’t make it and the group waited for me. This happened a couple of times. The lights aren’t designed for a group of 12 to make them! After a few minutes, we found ourselves in a park and then things became much easier. The park was beautiful and is used for summer concerts.
We meandered through the countryside at a nice leisurely pace. It was very enjoyable, but a little cold. I had contemplated bringing my gloves and decided to leave them behind. I was okay, but the gloves would have been nice. We stopped briefly at a small windmill. It was located next to a garden and we learned that Dutch children are allotted garden space and they learn to grow fruits and vegetables.
The highlight of our trip was visiting a farm that makes cheese and wooden clogs. We first learned about the cheese making process and then about the wooden shoes. We found out that they are mostly used for gardening. It was a neat experience. Also, only four wooden shoe makers in the country.
After my tour, I meet up with friends who are touring the Anne Frank museum. I walk in the general direction, but I’m walking through semi-unfamiliar territory. I’m on the phone talking with a friend back home as I’m walking and then notice the shops are starting to have stranger things for sale. Condom stores, vagina decor, sex shops, etc. I think I’ve stumbled near the red light distract!!
I arrive to the Anne Frank museum and my friends are still inside so I decide to grab a snack. I go into the grocery store. Travelers always talk about the museums and tourist sites, but the real gems of a destination are the monotonous places that locals visits frequently like grocery stores. A few things stand out to me. 1) There are far less snack aisles. 2) Portions are smaller. 3) Eggs are not refrigerated. I buy some protein bars and a bar of chocolate. The self-service machine prompts me for a long receipt or a short receipt. I’m curious about the short receipt so I select it. The smallest barely one inch receipt spits out of the machine. There is a barcode and the total price I spent. How strange. I stuff it into my wallet and make my way to the exit. I push the exit door and it’s locked. Hmm. How do I get out? I notice a barcode scanner and wonder. Do I really need to scan to get out? I fish through my bag for the mini-receipt and hold my barcode to the reader. The door unlocks and I’m free. It made me wonder, what happens if you don’t buy anything? #biketour #amsterdam #holland #windmill #cheesefarm #woodenclogs
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