Amsterdam
Does innovation stick around in the same spot over the centuries? Amsterdam is a city with its own unique way of being, one innovative idea manifested after another. From deliberate architectural planning to human powered transportation, there is no other place like Amsterdam in the world.
First there was the idea of canals. What better way to move about a city than a tranquil ride on still waters. Experiencing the city from the canals gave me a feeling of peace, a silent slow way to commute. Although when I looked down at the icy water while riding my bike along the path, a thought crossed my mind.... what if I fell in. My god the walls are shear and it would be a long freezing swim to anything that remotely resembled a way out. I think hyperthermia would surly get the best of anyone who had the great misfortune of taking a swim . Some design.
Then of course the idea that marijuana and mushroom use is as legal as liquor and cigarettes. Giving the choice and responsibility to the individual adult makes nothing but sense, takes the pressure and the expense off the justice system. But I have to say California takes the frontseat on the smoking scene... can't believe it is still cool to smoke here, yuck.
The red light district... is it because less crime is better for business or does the legalization of prostitution bring a sense of normality into this part of town? I'm not sure but most tourists and citizens alike can walk through most any time with relative safety.
But the most impressive, most idealistic, most practical, innovative idea of all and the one I'm dying to spread with the utmost determination is the beautiful, awe inspiring, unbelievable bike story! This city and the people in it are truly set up to get around by non polluting, human powered bicycles. In the rain, snow, sun and sleet, EVERYONE gets around by bike. I stayed on the third floor of a street side building with nine hour jet lag. I looked down at the street at all hours of the day and night.... three o-clock in the morning and a strong majority of the traffic (which was surprisingly heavy) was still bicycles.
And no one wears a hat, what's up with that, its ten degrees out there and hardly anyone wears a cap let alone a helmet. Now that I think about it I have yet to see a helmet, makes me wonder. Wonder what the statistics would reflect if everyone wore helmets....I wonder if everyone could afford a helmet, and if they would be as willing to ride. I have often been accused of being a poor role model when I ride without a helmet, but after being in this truly bike oriented culture for just one weekend I realize that the real criminals, the real lousy role models are the ones who design our communities and towns without bike routes included, the ones who make excuses of too cold, too far, not enough time to ride, the ones who don't willingly share the roads with the cyclists, and the ones who pile the kids in the SUV to go do the shopping. In Amsterdam you see all the American car activities done by bike and with a smile. So cool to see kids riding along side Papa and their little sis who sits up front near the handlebars.
One other thing I noticed, that still doesn't make sense to me, is that every bicycle is old.... what happens to the new bikes? Do they go through an aging process before you actually get to ride them or perhaps they are manufactured old, like the Levis of today, in any case there are no new bikes in Amsterdam.
Mom's with multiple kids and groceries, young students and business persons, middle-aged woman, and grizzly old men all look normal here riding bikes down town through the rain. God what I would give to see that in my hometown USA! Come on America wake up. To top it off obesity is a rarity and now I truly know what a dutch ass is......very fine.
One final sad note is the absence of xtracycles.... an innovation yet to come I guess.
First there was the idea of canals. What better way to move about a city than a tranquil ride on still waters. Experiencing the city from the canals gave me a feeling of peace, a silent slow way to commute. Although when I looked down at the icy water while riding my bike along the path, a thought crossed my mind.... what if I fell in. My god the walls are shear and it would be a long freezing swim to anything that remotely resembled a way out. I think hyperthermia would surly get the best of anyone who had the great misfortune of taking a swim . Some design.
Then of course the idea that marijuana and mushroom use is as legal as liquor and cigarettes. Giving the choice and responsibility to the individual adult makes nothing but sense, takes the pressure and the expense off the justice system. But I have to say California takes the frontseat on the smoking scene... can't believe it is still cool to smoke here, yuck.
The red light district... is it because less crime is better for business or does the legalization of prostitution bring a sense of normality into this part of town? I'm not sure but most tourists and citizens alike can walk through most any time with relative safety.
But the most impressive, most idealistic, most practical, innovative idea of all and the one I'm dying to spread with the utmost determination is the beautiful, awe inspiring, unbelievable bike story! This city and the people in it are truly set up to get around by non polluting, human powered bicycles. In the rain, snow, sun and sleet, EVERYONE gets around by bike. I stayed on the third floor of a street side building with nine hour jet lag. I looked down at the street at all hours of the day and night.... three o-clock in the morning and a strong majority of the traffic (which was surprisingly heavy) was still bicycles.
And no one wears a hat, what's up with that, its ten degrees out there and hardly anyone wears a cap let alone a helmet. Now that I think about it I have yet to see a helmet, makes me wonder. Wonder what the statistics would reflect if everyone wore helmets....I wonder if everyone could afford a helmet, and if they would be as willing to ride. I have often been accused of being a poor role model when I ride without a helmet, but after being in this truly bike oriented culture for just one weekend I realize that the real criminals, the real lousy role models are the ones who design our communities and towns without bike routes included, the ones who make excuses of too cold, too far, not enough time to ride, the ones who don't willingly share the roads with the cyclists, and the ones who pile the kids in the SUV to go do the shopping. In Amsterdam you see all the American car activities done by bike and with a smile. So cool to see kids riding along side Papa and their little sis who sits up front near the handlebars.
One other thing I noticed, that still doesn't make sense to me, is that every bicycle is old.... what happens to the new bikes? Do they go through an aging process before you actually get to ride them or perhaps they are manufactured old, like the Levis of today, in any case there are no new bikes in Amsterdam.
Mom's with multiple kids and groceries, young students and business persons, middle-aged woman, and grizzly old men all look normal here riding bikes down town through the rain. God what I would give to see that in my hometown USA! Come on America wake up. To top it off obesity is a rarity and now I truly know what a dutch ass is......very fine.
One final sad note is the absence of xtracycles.... an innovation yet to come I guess.
posted by gypsysista at 8:44 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home