As the days get longer and winter draws to a close, the time to prepare the fields for the coming spring season approaches – not just in the countryside, but also in the city. While it is still too early to plant outside, preparations of the garden beds are already underway. In Amsterdam, I am… Read More Preparing for the spring: urban agriculture style
In Amsterdam, sunshine is a rarity (despite what photos or postcards may depict). But when the sun shines, the city is magical. Sunshine dances off the canal waters onto old brick buildings; locals and tourists cruise by in boats; families and pet-owners pile into Amsterdam’s parks and every (outdoor) chair at every café is packed… Read More Amsterdam snow days
While Paris is famous for the Louvre & the Eifel Tower, it also has a world-class metro system featuring 300 stations & 16 lines, covering 10×10km of central Paris. What is not accessible by metro, is serviced by bus or bicycle – including Paris’s Velib bike-sharing system, with 200,000 bicycles & 1800 docking stations. There is simply… Read More Paris: public transport and entertainment in one
Short & sweet, but worth watching this short video. Leave it to the Dutch to find fancy new ways to make cycling safer, more convenient – and high-tech. BBC discusses with innovative designers of cycling infrastructure on possible future strategies to increase cycling in the Netherlands (more than current rates!!) One of the key messages… Read More Futuristic cycling
I love fall: the air is fresh, the sun sits lower in the sky and the colors almost pull you outside, begging for exploration. In Amsterdam, this is always best by bicycle. With the city and its surroundings turning yellow and orange, the Amsterdamse Bos (a 1000 hectare park) is a perfect destination for a cycle… Read More Biodynamic farm on the edge of the city
My fervent enthusiasm for the bicycle-way-of-life comes from my own perspective. I do not (yet) have children, and I rarely transport anyone but myself – save for a ‘double-bike’ if a friend has a flat tire or left their bike at the wrong location. And fairly, I often get the comment from friends (who are… Read More Family-friendly transport: lifecycle by bicycle
One of my favourite reasons to walk or bike is the ability to have a random encounter with something extraordinary. The other day, while wandering the streets of Amsterdam with a friend, we came across the creation of a beautiful street-side mosaic. What was once a bland electric box slowly transformed into a new city… Read More Stumbling upon urban public art in the making…
This post comes a bit late, but it’s so fun & so Dutch, I had to share. Since coming to the Netherlands 2 years ago, I have moved 4 times. This can be a bit unsettling, but I was looking for the right place. 🙂 First, I lived in the small town where my university (Wageningen University… Read More Carbon-free moving
I’m not a musician; nor do I follow many bands religiously. I love the occasional concert, but rarely justify the money. Let’s just say I was never a groupie. Still, I consider myself a music lover – especially when it completes a particular scene. I have always been a fan of street music,… Read More Street Music
I’m new at this: blogging, websites, the whole deal. I have wanted to start something for a while, but was waiting for the inspiration to hit me. Sure, good excuse. Suddenly and randomly, in the most peculiar way… it really did. Let me back up a bit. I live in Amsterdam – the city of… Read More It started with a road block…
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