Fun Facts - Bicycles!

Who knew that bicycles are celebrating their 200th anniversary this year?

This is a bicycle garage. Have you ever seen  one? Can you guess where this is located?

It's located in Amsterdam, and right over a canal. How cool is that? Of course the Dutch, with their flat country recovered from the sea, have taken biking to a new art. Here you see a fellow who's so confident on his bike that he can ride and text at the same time.

Today's bikes are a lot more stable than those of the 19th century, which caused Mark Twain to say, "Get a bicycle. You will not regret it, if you live."

After being improved several years later, women took to riding bikes. This enraged some men so much that students at Cambridge University hanged an effigy of a woman riding a bike.

Of course, the Wright brothers owned a bicycle shop. Thus, they had the tools and the expertise to experiment - and thus was the successful airplane birthed.

And here is my favorite photo of how a woman can be emancipated by a bicycle!

Here's more information on bicycling in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam - Red Light District

Sex for sale – right out in public like an ice-cream store or a fruit and vegetable stand. This is not something you'll see too often.

When I traveled with my family to Amsterdam, I figured the red light district was something we might as well see while we were there. We set out one night after dinner, during the long European summer twilight.

The red-light district is located in one of the oldest parts of Amsterdam, with historic architecture, winding alleys, and dark canals. You know you've arrived when you start to see the red lit windows which stand out easily against the old, dark buildings. The main thoroughfares have some red windows, but most are located in narrow alleys, lined up one after the other, like rows of teeth.

Each window opens into a small room with a bed and a washstand visible. The window is full-length and spans the width of the room. The young woman stands in the window, clearly visible due to the red lights in the room.  The woman are more covered up than what you will see on many a public beach. The outfits are more like two-piece bathing suits than sexy lingerie (although there are exceptions). There is no actual nudity. A heavy curtain stands at the side, to be drawn over the window when the room is in use.

Although there are certainly plenty of men around (generally in groups), the area is part of a city like any other, with all types of people walking around. There are other tourist attractions present, from ancient churches to nightclubs, restaurants and shops.

I had my kids with me, all teens, and after five minutes, we'd seen enough. On our way out, we saw a particularly long, narrow alley, jammed with people, and lined on both sides by the windowed rooms. The cobblestoned alley was only wide enough for one person to walk between the old buildings.

My oldest, game for anything, wanted to walk down the bustling alley. My youngest flat-out refused to go and I was in sympathy with her. It was creepy. Generally, we didn't look at the women. Here, it would be hard to escape viewing them (hence, the popularity of this alley?)

So hubby took off after the oldest and the rest of us waited at the end. Suddenly, we saw them rushing back towards us, the oldest pale, hubby laughing.

"What happened?" I asked.

"A man stopped me," my intrepid daughter reported. "He said, 'How much?' I ran away as fast as I could."

I was horrified.

"Don't worry," my husband said. "I was right there."

That was the end of our adventure.

I guess I'm not sorry I did this, but it was a sadder and more disturbing experience than I had anticipated.

The girls we saw looked like they were from Eastern Europe. Do they do this to escape worse circumstances? Or, as reported in the research I did, are they lured into the business by boyfriends?

Wikipedia reports that many of the girls are also from Asia and Africa, but I saw little evidence of that. Perhaps they are concentrated in areas we didn't reach.

One last note: Our vacation guidebook had mentioned that there were "Pimp-free" signs in some windows certifying that the woman was working for herself and not for a pimp. I was interested to see one of these signs. Alas, I never did. Not one. Was it a short-lived experiment? Is it possible for a female sex worker to operate without the protection of a man? I don't know the answers.

Bicycling in Amsterdam

What is the most common mode of transportation in Amsterdam? If you looked at the picture, you know the answer. A bicycle.

As a city reclaimed from the ocean, Amsterdam is totally flat. Therefore, bicycling is easy, and everyone does it. You will see chic ladies in high heels and skirts, businessmen in suits and ties, senior citizens, and kids of all ages, including teens in social groups.

The authorities have encouraged the practice by building bike paths everywhere there is a road. Bicyclists also have the right of way over anyone else, including pedestrians. Which means walking can be hazardous. Each road consists of the car roadway, a paved bike path, and a sidewalk. Major streets also include tram tracks. Oftentimes, all these things are on the same level, with little to mark one lane from a different one, not even a curb.

Whatever method you are using to get around, you need to be very careful as people and cars come from all directions. Not to mention the scooters, which as far as I can tell are allowed on any surface they can find. Cars often park on the sidewalks, which forces pedestrians onto the bike path, and bicyclists will not be happy to see you there.

Notice the child in the box on the picture above. To his right is another child on his own bike. It is common to see a mom moving her children around this way. Or here's an alternative method. Ride on the back.

 

Even adults ride on the back. I loved this shot of an older couple. The woman is pedaling along and the well-dressed man is enjoying the ride.

You will see people carrying umbrellas, texting, talking on their phones.

If you are observant, you will have noticed one unusual fact about bicyclists in the Netherlands (versus the US). No one is wearing a helmet. No one. I never saw a single helmet on a bicyclist in Amsterdam. Not even toddlers in the little boxes attached to the front. (See note below.) But I did see my first bicycle garage.

The bike garage is right over a canal. How cool is that?

Note re bicycle accidents: Amsterdam is a very safe city traffic-wise. Approximately 200 people per year die in bike accidents in The Netherlands, with an average of only 6 per year in Amsterdam. http://www.tobysterling.net/2007/12/bike-accident-deaths-in-amsterdam-and.html
Death in traffic accidents overall is the lowest in Europe at 45 deaths per million inhabitants per year vs. the comparable US rate of 147 deaths per million and the European rate of 90 deaths per million. (credit Toby Sterling). So I guess that's why they don't feel the need for helmets.