Culture

For the love of bicycling in the Netherlands: Part 2

written by Sarah

So, I’ve talked a little bit about how much I absolutely love bicycling here in the Netherlands, how easy and convenient it is, and how excellent the infrastructure is, but that’s far from the end of it!

Life by bicycle

The bukfiets!

As you can imagine, with all of this impressive dedication to and infrastructure for bicycles, the Dutch put it all to good use. Commuting by bicycle is common, and rush-hour bicycle traffic is definitely a thing! Its estimated that 27% of trips taken in the Netherlands are made by bicycle, which is pretty impressive in itself. In Utrecht 43% of trips under 4.6 miles are taken by bike, and it is estimated that 125,000 bicycle trips are taken each day in the town of 330,000 people!

Bicycling is also part of the family experience, and there are numerous ways to bike as a family – from piling toddlers and young kids on to special seats on your own bicycle, to letting them ride out front in the bucket of a ‘bukfiets’, and graduating to riding on their own two wheels next to their parents when they are ~5+ years old.

My morning commute is often shared with numerous families biking their children to school, and on weekend afternoons there are many families out and about on bicycles – shopping, heading to the park, or to get an ‘ijsje’ (Dutch for ice cream!). Teenagers also seem to benefit from the bicycle culture – traveling together with a great amount of autonomy, while getting some good exercise at the same time.

In fact, our Dutch friends confirm that the transportation of choice for students in the higher elementary and high school is indeed the bicycle, and tell of biking to school as a group with their friends for quite a distance – perhaps 30-45 minutes each way – especially if they lived in the suburbs or outside of town.

They all seem to look back on this fondly as a pleasant part of youth. Most Americans I know who have observed this comment that these kids have a significant amount of freedom that they don’t see in the US today. People of a slightly older generation also remark that it is what life was like when they were growing up…a return to a simpler time. (Though this doesn’t mean these kids aren’t texting and biking, generally horsing around, and sometimes making (hopefully harmless) trouble just like they are everywhere else in the world!)

Healthy living

One great impact of all of this bicycling is the public health influence of so much free and passively collected exercise on Dutch citizens. With my commute, I get more than 20 minutes of certifiable exercise per day (and when I am in a rush in the morning, it’s definitely cardio!). Although this isn’t an incredible amount, it happens whether I have energy or time to go the gym or not, and really adds up over the course of the week (especially including the other errands I do and trips to town that I take). I have been impressed that all of this biking makes a noticeable impact on my fitness (and my ability to eat all those frites and mayo, without too many significant consequences! ;)).

You can see this result in the whole population as well…even my German family comments that the Dutch are in great shape compared to their average countryman, so they must be doing something right. The government is aware of this as well, and estimate that the country can save $23 billion in health care costs due to reduction of mortality and number of deaths prevented in the population from bicycling. And all of this comes before even talking about the carbon emissions saved by riding bicycles rather than driving gas powered cars, which is significant…not bad for an activity that brings me so much joy!

Safety first

The other key factor for bicycling being so enjoyable here, is that it has reached a critical mass and collective importance that it feels (and apparently is) considerably safer than bicycling back home. Here drivers know to watch out for bicycles everywhere (in fact it can be a bit nerve-wracking to drive a car!) and are well aware of bicycle lanes, habits and dangers. It is my impression that traffic laws also favor bicyclists in the case of an accident, which also keeps things safer – important when you are traveling with your whole family along with traffic! (I am not sure about the details of this though, so if anyone knows more, please let me know in the comments!)

At any rate, having bicycled in a few different cities in the US, I can say that all of this affinity for and awareness of bicycles, as well as the prolific infrastructure for bicycling, make the experience here feel significantly safer, pleasant and more convenient. This, combined with the increased amount of exercise I get, and the pleasant moments it brings to my day, add up to this being my absolute favorite part of life in the Netherlands.

What about you? Does this still sound like something you would like to try? If you’re Dutch (or living here), have I represented the Netherlands love of bicycles well? Or is there anything you would add? And in what sort of ways can we encourage bringing this experience to other parts of the world? It would be great to be able to share this awesome experience in more places…Let me know what you think in the comments – I’d love to get your input!

October 8, 2017 1 comment

Culture Life Sustainability

For the love of bicycling in the Netherlands: Part 1

written by Sarah

When people ask what I like most about living in the Netherlands, my immediate, no-thinking-required answer is, ‘The bicycling!’ This doesn’t mean that there aren’t tons of things I love about living here, of course – but it does mean that, hands-down, the thing that stands out the most is how pleasant, convenient and easy it is to get around here on two self-powered wheels.

When we arrived, even though we were expecting bicycling to be a big thing, the sheer magnitude of bicycles was a bit overwhelming. Leaving the train station, it was immediately clear that bicycles ruled the road, and that both cars and pedestrians were lower in the pecking order (the possible equal to the bicycle is public transportation, mainly because the buses can fill the narrow streets so completely that bicycles often must make room!). At any rate, one of our first orders of business here was buying secondhand bicycles, and although we had a bit of a learning curve, we quickly became adept at bicycling nearly everywhere we go.

Freedom and joy

The thing I love most about riding a bicycle is that it feels like flying. When you’re pedaling along on a nice flat road, with your wheels whirring smoothly underneath you and the wind blowing through your hair, it just feels like freedom to me. Especially if I’ve had a stressful day at work, I love the feeling of getting on to my bicycle and pushing off – leaving my cares and the awkward plodding of two feet behind. There is sometimes rush hour traffic, but usually I find a bit of open road where I can relax a bit, while enjoying the feeling of floating home.

On top of this, I really enjoy being able to bicycle everywhere and for everything. It always feels special to bike to a dinner and movie date with Phil, or to meet up with friends on a Saturday night. It is also fun to ride home with friends after a night out – continuing good conversations by bicycle, and calling goodbye as they peel off, one by one, on their own individual paths home.

Downhill both ways – in all kinds of weather

At any rate, somehow the Dutch have fully embraced the love of bicycling, and have made it part of their cultural identity, which is amazing to experience. There are more bicycles than people in the Netherlands (one bicycle apiece is clearly not enough!) and life here seems largely built around the activity. One of the benefits of bicycling in the Netherlands is that the country is notoriously flat (as the ‘lowlands’ that give the country its name). This means that the only ‘hills’ one generally experiences are those created by bicycling into the stiff wind (though these are not to be underestimated!).

The other benefit to biking here is that the warmer water of the Gulf Stream and proximity to the North Sea keep the climate quite mild and regulated. Much like the weather on the West Coast of North America, the weather is seldom very hot in the summer, or very cold in the winter, making it relatively easy to bike through (compared to the challenges of bicycling in the winter in Minneapolis – possible, but not for the faint of heart!). Although the geography is also notorious for producing a lot of rain, the Dutch are quite adept at dealing with it all – throwing on a rain suit and getting out there no matter what the weather.

Bicycle infrastructure

Having fully embraced the bicycle as a central mode of transportation, the Dutch have also worked to make the experience as easy and pleasant as possible here in the Netherlands, which is a dream.

First, most roads have a dedicated bicycle lane. Most city thoroughfares have a well-marked bike lane going in both directions along with traffic. Often the lane is completely separated from the road – either by a curb, or sometimes with a median between traffic and the bike lane. Other times it is on the same plane as car traffic, but is well delineated with painted lines or red-colored paint or bricks. There are also ubiquitous traffic signals for bicycles, along with those for cars and pedestrians – so bicycles always have personalized traffic instructions to keep them operating smoothly and safely with the rest of traffic.

In addition, the roads connecting towns and villages nearly always have a well-maintained bicycle path running separately and parallel to the road – so if you can drive there, you can bike there! On our second Thanksgiving here, a Dutch friend very kindly invited us to a full-fledged Thanksgiving dinner at his place in the next town over from Utrecht. Being November, it was a cool, blustery, ~45-minute bicycle ride there – but the food and hospitality was so welcome when we arrived, and the post-dinner food coma was so completely vanquished on the bicycle ride back home, that I decided a Thanksgiving bicycle ride would be a great annual tradition!

Not only is there excellent infrastructure for riding bicycles here, but there’s excellent infrastructure for parking them. There are many municipal bicycle parking garages which usually allow you to park free for the first 24 hours. In these and other epicenters of bicycle parking (like the train station or the university) there are rather ingenious double-decker bike parking racks. Here you can lock your bicycle in a rack below, or lift them above with a mechanically assisted rack. (Phil loves these, and although I have a bit more trouble throwing my heavy bike up there, it is nice to have the option when needed.)

Utrecht has also made the international news lately, for building the world’s largest bicycle garage, in conjunction with an ongoing project to completely renovate the central train station. The garage is opening in phases, and although the first 6,000+ spaces are available now, by the end of 2018 there will be 12,500 spaces for cyclists to park on their way to the train. Phil and I stopped by the newly opened garage for the first time last weekend, and it was really quite impressive – with tons of spaces already in use, and curving ramps allowing you to bike between levels, just like in a car parking garage. Again – it is all free for the first 24 hours, which is incredibly convenient for people like me, who need a place for their bicycles during the workday when commuting by train!

At any rate, there is quite a bit more about bicycling in the Netherlands that makes it enjoyable – including how seamlessly it is worked into daily life, and how it impacts Dutch society as a whole – but I’ll talk a bit more about it all next week.

In the meantime, I am interested to hear what you think. Have you biked in the Netherlands? If so what were/are your impressions? If you haven’t, does it seem like something you would like to try? And would it be possible to bring any of this experience back across the pond? Let me know in the comments – I’m interested to hear your thoughts!

photo by: Travis Hornung

October 1, 2017 5 comments

Culture Life Travel

A Saturday cycle through nature in Hoge Veluwe National Park

written by Sarah

The weather has been lovely in the Netherlands this weekend – bright blue sky and 20C/68F with lots of sunshine. Having been here for some time now, we know we should enjoy good weather when it appears – so an adventure was called for! We had been discussing a trip to the nearby Hoge Veluwe National Park with friends, and happily the stars of good weather and open schedules aligned for a Saturday afternoon away.

About the park

Hoge Veluwe is outside of Arnhem, a mid-sized city about an hour’s drive east of Utrecht. As the country is quite developed with a high population density, ‘natural’ land can be hard to come by. There are, however, a number of preserved areas and parks which showcase the unique ecosystems of the sandy, low-lying, coastal country, with Hoge Veluwe being one of them.

Although it is possible to take the train to Arnhem and bus/bike to the park, it is a bit easier and quicker to rent a Greenwheels car-share car, which is what we decided upon. After picking up our friends in Utrecht we pointed ourselves east – driving our little Volkswagon Up through the flat polders of farmland, and finally reaching gently rolling hills and forests close to Hoge Veluwe.

Combining nature and art

Hoge Veluwe exists thanks to a wealthy Dutch/German couple – Anton Kröller and Helene Müller who started developing the estate in 1909. Kröller was an avid hunter, and purchased a significant track of land, which was then managed for game. His wife had a passion for art, and amassed quite a collection of it – especially contemporary art – which includes one of the largest collections of Vincent Van Gogh’s work. The couple was keen to share the combination of nature and art with the public, and – in collaboration with the Dutch government – the couple created a museum for the art on the estate and converted it to a National Park for all to enjoy.

Phil and I had visited Hoge Veluwe before to visit the Kröller-Müller Museum, which is absolutely wonderful. The Van Gogh collection is indeed stunning, covering the different phases of the painter’s short but prolific career, with some of my favorites like the Four Cut Sunflowers and the Portrait of Joseph Roulin. I also remember some lovely Signac and Seurat paintings, as well as a rotating contemporary art exhibit and lovely sculpture garden.

Enjoying the park

This trip, however, was dedicated to getting outside and enjoying the weather. Hoge Veluwe is also famous for its free white bicycles (1,800 of them in total!), which can be borrowed from any entrance to the park, and used to pedal through the many kilometers of bicycle paths that bisect the park’s forests, dunes, heath and fields.

In order to fuel our ride, however, we first stopped at ‘Ijs van Co’ – a little ice cream shop in a town at the north-eastern entrance to the park, called Hoenderloo. We had also stopped here on our previous trip and loved it – this return did not disappoint! The ice cream is homemade soft serve – spooned out with a scoop. It only comes in vanilla, but is so delicious and creamy that it is one of my top-10 ice creams ever…which for me is saying something! 😊

Nature in the Netherlands

Energy and blood sugar levels high, we left the car at the park entrance, and walked a short distance to pick out our white bicycles. The first path we struck out on took us immediately into a lovely coniferous forest, with flitting birds and the sweet smell of pine and moss in the air. The path continued – winding in and out of mixed forest patches and open grassland fields. With the deciduous trees beginning to turn colors for autumn, and the sun filtering through the branches and pine boughs, it was a beautiful, peaceful ride. We stopped quite a few times for pictures, found many mushrooms, fallen acorns and chestnuts, and late season flowers.

When we reached the teahouse at the hunting lodge on the estate – which sits on a lovely pond, we stopped for a break and picnic. Refueled again, we continued on through the rest of the northern section of the park – passing into sandy heath and sand dunes – with many small coniferous trees and pleasant vistas. Here we saw a few of the red deer that the grounds are famous for (though too far away for a picture!) and enjoyed the softening colors of the sky as the sun began to set.

Bicycling past the museum, though too late to go inside, we headed back to the car along a different path. Again, passing through mixed forests and open fields we chatted and enjoyed the passing scenery in the early evening twilight. Back at the Hoenderloo entrance, we parked our bicycles along with the others and walked back to the car – tired but content, with lungs full of fresh forest air and thoughts of nature in our heads.

The ride home passed quickly, and ended in the dark. Everyone seemed happy to be home and cozy, but also to have enjoyed the adventure, so it was considered a success! We noticed that there is a camp ground at the park, and as Phil and I have yet to use the tent we brought all this way, perhaps during our next visit we can stay a little longer, and explore the rest of the park! Until then, we will enjoy the pictures and thoughts, and knowing that such a lovely relaxing place is only an hour away!

September 30, 2017 1 comment

Culture Life

So, what is life in Europe like, anyway?

written by Sarah

When we learned we were moving to the Netherlands, Phil and I had plenty of expectations and preconceived notions about what we were getting ourselves into.

We had both had the privilege of visiting the continent before (for travel, to visit family and friends, and for work) and we were both excited (and a little nervous) about the proposition of living in a place that, for all intents and purposes, felt ‘exotic’.

We had visited Amsterdam together previously in December 2012 – when, coming back from my dear cousin’s wedding in the south of Germany, we had had a 12 hour, overnight layover in Amsterdam. Thinking this might be our only chance to see the Netherlands, we took the train into the city center from Schiphol airport.

Amsterdam at night.

That night we walked around the misty canals, smelled the smoke wafting from the coffee shops, dodged boisterous revelers and drunken stag parties, and ate frites (fries) with mayo and snacks from FEBO, the (in)famous ‘vending machine’ fast food, before returning to Schiphol for a restless few hours of sleep on the floor and our early morning flight.

At the time, Amsterdam felt like a truly foreign place, but as I think back on it now – how often we have walked through Amsterdam Centraal Station and along the canals with friends and family, or on a Saturday afternoon – it is interesting how such foreign things start to feel normal and familiar. Like anything and anywhere in life – people are people, places and things become commonplace, and life goes on!

Similar, but different

Domkerk, Utrecht.

That being said, there are many things that still feel different and new about living in Europe. The layers of history here are deep, complex and interwoven into everyday life. Our city of Utrecht was a settlement on the northern edge of the Roman Empire in ~50 AD – though before that it was probably occasionally inhabited by humans in the stone and bronze ages.

Today, the city’s defining feature is the awe-inspiring Gothic church and it’s Dom Tower – a Catholic cathedral until it was gutted during the Reformation, remaining a Protestant church today. The buildings stonework, flying buttresses and beautiful courtyard garden make me think of Quasimodo and fairy tales.

This – coupled with the beautiful bi-level canals lined by the distinctive architecture of Dutch row houses and the cobblestone streets bisecting the historic city center – often feels (to this North American, at least!) like you are living on the set of a movie, or in Disney World. My daily bicycle commute takes me past the Dom Tower, and I am regularly struck by how beautiful it is in the morning or evening light and in all kinds of weather, often with clamorous carillons sounding the time of day or playing beautiful music.

Integrated daily living

In addition to this deep-seated sense of history, our day-to-day experience also feels quite a bit different than life back home. In general, daily living feels strikingly integrated here. We live within three blocks of a grocery store, a number of bakeries, restaurants, a hardware store, a hair salon, our gym, a park, a pharmacy, and our doctor and dentist’s offices. These are a bit smaller than their counterparts in North America, but they generally have everything we need, and are quite seamlessly integrated into a friendly, walkable (and bikeable!) neighborhood. I think this may be magnified by living close to the city center – but overall, small, often locally-owned businesses are woven more completely into the fabric of the neighborhood here than in similar places that I have lived back home.

A sunny summer terrace – Vismarkt, Utrecht.

This does change how we approach daily life. Most significantly, I think, it means that we have been entirely able to get by without owning a car for the past three years. We do have driver’s licenses, and have a subscription to a car-share service that is parked close by, though we hardly ever use it. We have occasionally also rented a car if we want to go on a longer trip with a group of people and need more flexibility than you get with the train – but overall, bicycles and public transportation have been the easiest way to get wherever we need to go.

I love riding my bike and find a train commute much more relaxing than sitting in rush-hour traffic in a car, so I thoroughly enjoy this aspect of life here. It did, however, take us a bit of time to get used to doing our shopping more regularly, in smaller batches. When we first arrived, we would get everything for the week at once (as we used to back home), and would get some strange looks from others at the store as they took in our overflowing conveyor belt of groceries, and our bulging shopping bags.

Over time, our traditional weekly trips to the grocery store with a big list, many bags, and a car to bring it all home has morphed into more frequent, smaller stops at the conveniently located stores. Sometimes I stop at the train station on my way home from work, sometimes Phil swings by the neighborhood store for milk or bread after he gets home. We do still stock up on the necessities in one larger weekend trip (old habits die hard!) but we carry it all home on bike or by foot, so we keep it as light and manageable as possible.

Interestingly, the grocery stores will also deliver orders of groceries for a small fee, which is how I understand some busy Dutch families do it. Phil and I live so close to the store that we have not tried this yet…but maybe someday!

Availability of public transportation

Along similar lines, public transportation is incredibly prevalent and easy to use here. Many a North American traveler has enjoyed the freedom of crisscrossing the continent with a Euro-rail train pass, but I have also been impressed with how conveniently connected things are here for our daily needs. Of course, this varies from country to country – I have been privy to more than one conversation with coworkers about the merits or detractions of various train systems (commuting by train in London does not sound like fun, for instance.)

This conversation often starts on a day where there have been delays on the Dutch trains (when they work, they work quite well, but when there is a problem, everything grinds quite quickly to a halt – and there have been a few days where I chose to work from home rather than wait for the tangled mess to sort itself out.) In these instances, the Dutch are quite adamant that their trains are often frustratingly late and problematic – but to me, they seem to be quite smooth and efficient. Nothing wrong with striving for perfection though, I suppose!

Amsterdam Zuid train station.

As with the bicycling, however, I am always thankful for the train portion of my commute – catching up on news, emails, chats with friends and family or a meditation. We have also taken trains to and through many corners of Europe (to Paris and Germany, through Poland and the Czech Republic, around Stockholm, Barcelona, London and Copenhagen, etc. – augmented by metros, trams and buses in the cities). Thus far, we have always found them to be pleasant, convenient ways to get around, and enjoy the freedom that they bring to our European adventures.

Diversity of cultures, languages and cultural identities

I am also always impressed by the variety of cultures, languages and identities that seem to coexist in Europe. Of course, there are significant historical and sociopolitical backstories and nuance to all of this, and it is not easy…it’s a topic that could fill blogs of its own. But regardless, the open borders of today’s European Union mean that our experience living here is a rich and multicultural one.

We have dear friends from all corners of Europe and the world, and can easily spend a weekend in a completely different country, which speaks an entirely different language, and has a unique cuisine, history and cultural identity. I also work in a global organization with coworkers from more countries that I can count, and constantly enjoy the diversity and energy that this brings to our work culture.

There are, of course, many similarities and common threads through the countries, and also sometimes disagreement and discord. But overall I have been impressed by the way these counties work together, and have enjoyed the experience immensely.

A grand adventure

Oudegracht, Utrecht.

At any rate, our experience living in Europe has been an amazing adventure so far, and one we have thoroughly enjoyed. We still get homesick, and of course miss our family and friends back home dearly – though we have been lucky enough to get to see them once or twice a year. But overall, we have enjoyed settling in to life here, and gaining some idea of what it is like to live in the Netherlands and Europe on a more permanent basis.

Our experience is only one of many, and other experiences, times and interpretations could be quite different! Does this sound like what you expected life in Europe to be like? Does anything here surprise you? Have you had or heard of experiences living in Europe that are similar? Or totally, completely different? And is there anything you want to know about what life is like here or what we have been up to? If so, let me know in the comments…I would love to hear more!

September 3, 2017 6 comments

Culture Life Sustainability Travel

Welcome to my little life in Europe

written by Sarah

Hello, world! Phil and I have lived as expats in Utrecht, the Netherlands for almost three years now, since moving here for Phil’s job. It has been a wonderful, wild European adventure, but I have not been very good at sharing it with people, so I am working on this blog to make it more accessible.

Life in Europe has definitely been exciting and different. It is amazing to a North American that you can travel between completely different countries with their own unique languages, food and culture so quickly and easily. We have done our best to take full advantage of these opportunities (meaning we travel whenever we have a good excuse and the time/money to do so) so I will share some of these experiences when I can.

Europe is also an interesting place, because although many things about life are similar between home and here, they are also strikingly different. Since I find these distinctions interesting I also want to share some of those details, like the nuances of daily life, Dutch and European culture, the European natural world, and the overall expat experience.

In addition, I work in the field of sustainable development, so there are lots of things about the way the Netherlands and Europe operate that I find fascinating from a sustainability perspective, and I will feature those when I can.

I also want to create an open dialogue here, so if you have questions about life in the Netherlands, or Europe in general, be sure to ask them in the comments and I will do my best to answer them.

At any rate, if this sounds interesting please keep an eye on this space for more. I am aiming for one post per week, to start, so follow my RSS feed or Bloglovin profile to have the posts come to you! Also, be sure to follow ALLIE in on Twitter and Instagram for more glimpses of life in Europe!

August 27, 2017 0 comment