I recently stated that bicycles are the most social means of transportation. Some would say I’m merely preaching to the choir, others might quip “Yeah, sure, maybe in your world, over here it’s war/we’re not even allowed to ride two-abreast/we don’t have time for that sort of thing”.

I understand all that, but putting that aside for a second, I’ll go out on a limb and say it’s really the case. I witness it every day, the socialization factor is X. Yes, Social Factor X marks this mode. This social mobility is vertical, horizontal and diagonal. It enhances city life, personal experiences & generally puts the observer in a very good mood. A win-win.

Using a bike for practical purposes is no different than, aka part of, just going about life, really, so just this fact alone allows every aspect of life to continue, albeit on two wheels (or more).

Amsterdamize was established to not talk the talk so much, but show it, so here we go. First up, a man moving his painting by bike. Again, Dutch people carrying stuff on their bike is as ordinary as…well, name anything.

Then he slows down and gets off his bike. At first I thought he had arrived at his destination. But no, he dismounted because he saw a friend and decided to catch up with him, walking along.

Others bumping into a friend and catching up…

Which brings us to the classic ’sharing the ride with your offspring’…

Equal to walking, it also allows you to catch up with the state of affairs on the fly…

And it helps speed up the shopping together process…despite a few inclines here and there…

You’re also more likely to have some heartwarming interaction with street photographers…

Finishing lunch while making the handicapped more able…

Strengthening the father-daughter relationship…

Checking up on your daughter and friends, swimming in the Amstel River…

Finally, when you’re a kid, there’s no reason not to continue fooling around with your best buddy…

Well, the following ain’t half bad, either :)…

At some point I got a call from my friend Gabemac: “This weather is nuts. Whaddaya up to?” “I’m hitting the city, playing catch up with the blog.” “Wanna walk around together? I’m bringing my camera, too.” “Of course, dude, come on over.”

I finished my coffee, watching the neighborhood coming to life.

Morning Feeding Time

Then 15 minutes later…

My Accomplice Arrives

And off we went.

Leaving Mr & Ms To Bask In The Sun

Cutting Through The RLD

Train

Buying Flowers & Owning Flowers

Forgot His Gloves

Bipedal & An Act Of Three (III)

Casual Chic Attack

Follow The Red Tarmac Road

Rare Species

Sunday Suit & Secret Service

Bipedal

He Also Takes Pictures Of People On Bicycles

Spot The Tourists

Purple Haze & (No) Thought

Jolie

Two Going Up & Two Going Down

hAMSter Weeks

Practical, Spots A Spot & Parks It

Just The Three Of Us, Gezellig.

#BikeAMS & Daddy-Son-Dog-Mum (II)

Yeah, Seriously?

I Always Smoke A Cigar & Read A Book When I Ride My Bike & MMM

Urban Camouflage

TXT (VII)

Red Lady In Red

Leaving & Arriving

Legs, Pedals, Rail

Penny For Your Thought & Front Row

Porcelain Is Boring

She Doesn’t Do Sit-Ups

Sunny Chic & Comfy

Color Splash

Into The Darkness

Tubes & Spokes

Practical Petit & Carry On

And Then She Smiles

She Does Art

Handlebar Talk

Chauffeur & Passenger

The Bearable Tightness Of Bike Parking

Him & Her

I saw Haley, a friend, ride by, going too fast to acknowledge & yell ‘hi’…well, I could have opted NOT to take this pic, of course :)

Fun Two

Later on our friend Rose joined us, who always adds flavor to any day. Not coincidently, she wrapped up in style.

Peace, Out

Yes, a picture perfect day. Bring it on, spring.

Humans and their pets. One thought that comes to mind is that we mostly treat ‘m like humans. In good & bad ways, but let’s go for the majority vote, the good. A snippet from a municipal policy guideline:

No city can really thrive without animals. Animals represent an important part of our community. As companions, as an endangered species and sometimes as a source of nuisance.
By connecting the interests of users (humans and animals) of the public space and align these with each other, we’ll be able to create a more harmonious co-existence. The municipal welfare policy should not only represent the human vision, but also give animals a voice. There needs to be recognition that animals shouldn’t be viewed primarily on the basis of their meaning, usefulness or the damage they possibly cause to humans, but that they should be assessed on their value as living beings.

Isn’t it striking how one can so easily replace the above subjects with ‘people on bicycles’ & ‘car drivers’, to describe a virtually equal objective? Or for that matter, ‘people on foot’ & ‘transit’? Exactly. I could now veer off into an expose on how equality has prevailed in everyday traffic & policies in the Netherlands, but I won’t.

In these pictures you can easily see the ‘chain reaction’ of positive bicycle policies & promotion at work. The more human you treat your city landscape (by design), the more inviting and inspiring it is for people to act accordingly. Cycling is dealt with as a faster way of walking, so that gets facilitated appropriately. Cycling becomes the norm, then the most normal thing in the world: not giving it another thought. With the ease of cycling comes the natural selection of applications, aka: what can I do on my bike? The options are almost limitless. And pets, well, they form just one extension of those applications. Thus, people are able to seamlessly have their pets join them on their A2B routes, regardless of time & place (& weather).

In short: nobody will look funny at you. Better yet, people copy behavior. And who wouldn’t want to copy this, right?

And why not add ‘The Chase’, while I’m at it. And click here if you wanna see me ride around with my parents’ Jack Russel named ‘Beau’.

You may remember this post from last fall, Le Grand Départ, in which I showcased my lovely Lauren, leaving the house & getting on her bicycle. Simple, mundane but beautiful. To me, anyway.

To recap, she dressed (up) for the occasion/destination (a night out with friends/cafes, clubs), stepped out, unlocked her bike, walked her bike to the bridge and set off. It was a beautiful evening, not too cold, no wind, all perfect to enjoy the ride, even more than usual that month.

Fast forward to a week ago. One nasty Saturday. Cold, heavy winds, non-stop rain, a real downpour. Now, to show you more than one side of the coin, here’s an updated version of that series: ‘Le Grand Départ…quand il pleut’ (The Grand Departure…when it rains).

Where she was going, you ask? Again a social occasion: a bachelorette party, which required her to go all over town and take all kinds stuff with her. She dressed to a T once again…the only thing different was she put on my rain coat. “Way too big, but it is way more practical”, she said.

Hence her smiling, despite the rain. :)

It’s uneventful and a given, but I share what I enjoy and last night was nice. On our way to a cafe for pre-dinner drinks, Lauren and I cycled along the Amstel River and the mild temperature allowed me to whip out my iPhone to record a little something. With her family back in the US in mind and Amsterdamize, of course.

An hour and a half later we rode on, into De Pijp. A little damp, but a very nice ride. Hardly any car traffic, soothing, adding to an already good mood.

We turned into Albert Cuypstraat (which during the day has a buzzing market) and parked right outside Turkish restaurant Bazar.

Convenient, as it goes in a bicycle-friendly country.

Let me pick up where I left off a few posts ago. Adjusting my lens a bit, zooming in, focus.

Scene 1.
Setting: (again) Skinny Bridge over the river Amstel.
Topic: interaction.

It starts with the top photo: Mother & daughter chatting up a storm, having a laugh.

Approaching the intersection, the mother gently gestures to her offspring to hold…and checks the (right of way) road for (bicycle) traffic.

A split second later: yes, it’s clear.

The girl needs to step it up a bit, while the conversation continues..

..and it eases even more on the way down. Time to adjust your earmuffs. Blast, that wind!

Scene 2.
Setting: on top of a brick bridge over a side canal of the River Amstel, not far from Skinny Bridge.
Topic: interaction. One difference with Scene 1: the interaction is with me.

I see these two fellas approaching, one of them is ghost riding, a familiar scene in Amsterdam.

Just how familiar ghost riding is you see here: he spots me & makes the effort to wave at me. Not a wobble.

Then they start laughing. Probably at the fact that they can’t figure out why on earth anyone would be interested in a taking a photo of them.

The boys continue, comfortably, in their natural habitat, and make an effort to entertain their audience. “Did you take that one? Did we do ok? Yeah? Cool.”

And life goes on…

There’s this little ol’ bridge over the River Amstel. De Magere Brug, aka Skinny Bridge. It’s a popular route for people biking east from downtown Amsterdam & vice versa.

It’s also one of my popular spots to take my time and watch, observe & click. This is one of a few sequences I clicked a week ago:

Now tell me, didn’t you just feel that Dutch wind yourself? :)

Just in case you didn’t, watch this video I shot back in 2008:

“…what we need is more people that ride bikes.” True words spoken by Michael Bauch, maker of the now well-known bicycle documentary ‘Riding Bikes With The Dutch’.

There are many words for different purposes utilizing the best invention ever. Don’t let the labels distract you. And there are many people who like you to believe that you need to worry about all sorts of gear before even thinking about hopping on that saddle. Be very suspect of those, they only want to sell you stuff you don’t really need.

Instead, focus on the important: breathe that air, let your mind escape, absorb your city, town, neighborhood, streets, bricks, sounds, smells. Connect with your habitat. Nod, affirm, gesture, be gentle. Let it tingle, sing, hum, rock, or just be. Be you. At ease, at your own pace. Agile & smooth, flexible, purposeful. No sweat, no religion, no politics, just you & those you choose, those who you encounter. Those who will help you and you will meet again.

It will make you feel so much better. 100% guaranteed.

Don’t take it from me. Ask any of these people. ;)

Even when it’s not really your day…

Usually, I can’t be bothered by theme parks and fairs (although I found the one at Oktoberfest impressive and fun), but ever since Lauren moved to Amsterdam I’ve participated in other activities that I’d usually take for granted.

Not long ago one (in Dutch: ‘kermis‘, which evolved from this) set up shop on Dam Square and Lauren couldn’t wait to go for a spin. Who was I to deny that. Plus, I’d never taken pics from that high up before, certainly not smack in the middle of the city center.

The five minutes on the Ferris Wheel were short, but sufficient for a couple of snapshots and subsequently this quick post.

The kermis casts a particular light on people passing by.

That behind us, back on solid ground, we moved on, continuing on our stroll around the block, to unwind & have an occasional beer. All feeling like giants in a small, yet grand city again. Big or small, wheels do make the world go round. (And plenty to see on foot, too :))

Not bad for a casual Thursday evening.

I enjoy the little details and extraordinary ordinary elements of life. Such as watching Lauren leave the house to go out on the town. By bike, of course.

Bag in basket, undo the chain lock, take out the bag & put the lock in the basket.

Put the bag right back in the basket.

Conveniently just walk the 50 meters to the bridge.

And off she goes.

She will also tell you it’s much easier to cycle than to walk in those heels. ;)

I started using the iPhone app ‘Instagram’ recently, as I like adding flavor to the usually poor quality of photos I (literally) shoot on the fly. It’s an iPhone 3GS after all, not enough pixels :). Anyhoo, it’s time to share them on the blog.

‘Subway’

‘Cold’ & ‘Red’

‘Four Cops – two types of horses’

‘A Woman’s Best Friend’ & ‘Cowboy’

‘Headwind’

‘Go / Mobile’

‘Coffee To Go’

‘Gimme Shelter’ & ‘Fatigue’

‘cIJcling’

‘Fun’ & ‘Warm Feet’

‘Scarfs & Hats Are Back’

‘Wait’ & ‘On The Side’

‘Stroll’

‘Corn On The Cob’ & ‘Cheese & Meats’

‘Done Shopping, Calling Home’

Any requests, guys & dolls?

Saturday afternoon, first weekend of October. One last dose, last spat of summer. Amsterdammers on the move in Zen City. Or enjoying that intermission.

Some combine both. And then some.

Spot your friends & the spot to park.

Step it up…

Enjoy while it lasts.

It seems like only yesterday that I enjoyed the sensation of this summer’s arrival. But alas, it’s gone, over, finito, basta. So far, that Indian Summer only reared its head once. Alas, dedicating this post to another month’s closure. Let’s see how October goes.

Nearly nothing beats going around town running errands & meeting up with people at a relaxed pace, with all the time on your hand to stop, observe and click away. Click, click, click, click. And repeat.

Overtaking can be torturous.

Couples stick together.

Families on the move.

A little help.

Maarten took some action shots of me taking bike action shots, for a feature (interview) in the Cyclists Union magazine ‘Vogelvrije Vrije Fietser‘ with little ol’ me, which will appear in the Oct/Nov issue.

Take your time.

Residential cycling & parking.

Beach cruiser a la Hollandaise.

Some think it’s quite warm…

While others basically think winter has arrived.

SIM.

Grimace.

Gotta have a hobby.

Chit/chat.

It’s green.

The abundance of the sun.

‘This tram is powered by green electricity’.

The Palace.

Cross talk.

Alert: man with hat & wind beneath your hair.

Rembrandt Corner.

Green Miles.

Mr Cool & Mrs Doubt.

I think he’s happy with his new bike.

Occupied.

Mr. Hipster.

She’s my personal favorite Flower Lady & even locals appreciate her bike when she parks it.

Ride along with dad.

Eye contact & a ‘hi’ soon after.

Second opinion & chit/chat.

Nice light.

The Headshop & Reach Out.

A Dutch circus act & sunny sms.

Nice fella, that was meant for me.

Amsterdammers DO hand signals & autumn chic colors.

And back in the Red Light District, this fella’s bike nicely matches the backdrop.

Which is silly to say, as they all do in Amsterdam.

The Red Light District is usually chuck full of people. Afternoons, evenings and nights. Only the mornings are really ‘owned’ by the residents…while visitors execute their much-needed REM-sleep.

Understandably, with rain tourists on two feet flee into the nearest establishments and have a beer or two. That’s when I step out to have a stroll around the hood. On this particular night I walked through a light drizzle, intermissions of a few heavier drops, but no wind and a nice temperature. Anyhoo, a perfect moment to set the camera to ‘no flash’ and on a low shutter speed.

It’s a photo mood exercise, not a critique on people on bikes not having working lights. They are adults and I’m not with the police…or finger-wagging crowd. Just so you know. ‘Turn On The Red Light‘, just an obvious play on words.

Two-wheeled pairs. Pairs, two-wheeled. Or two just pairing for a brief moment. All within the blink of an eye.

And being the better half, holding your girlfriend’s bike while she looks for something useful in the garbage.

“Bicycle Poem” by Noelle Kocot

There were cathedrals falling out of your eyes
And your arms were the handlebars
I held in an abbreviated dream of crushed petals
Strewn across the limpid avenues.

I said, “I have poems for you”
But my words were lost in the wind.
I said, “I love you”
And you drifted into sleep.

And so I said nothing and rode you in and out of the rooms
Where we had stretched the boundaries of the soul
Like an endless sheet
And I felt you waking up between my legs.

© 1999, Noelle Kocot

“Bicycle Poem” has been published in Lit, The Village Voice, Isn’t It Romantic? –the Verse Press anthology of Love Poems by younger American poets, and it appears in Noelle Kocot’s first book, 4, winner of the 1999 Levis Prize, published by Four Way Books.

I kind of chuckle every time I slap Mikael’s label ‘Cycle Chic‘ on something. So ironic: the simple act of cycling, simply in your everyday clothes, on a ‘normal’ bike…’chic’. ‘Cycle Chic’.

I know, I know, so I live in a country, on a continent that has mostly stuck with the ‘normalcy’ of cycling. Nothing really new has come about the last 125 years, so why change a winning (read: the most accessible/comfortable/affordable/easy) concept?

Of course the irony doesn’t stop there: I blog about it ;). Me, the Dutchie! And some say we don’t HAVE a bike ‘culture’. I say: what’s in a name?

Sometimes I get to talk about my photos & videos. I often tell people (who never heard of my work, or the thread) that it’s about ‘humanity in motion’, about “taking something simple & ordinary and show how beautiful it really is”. Or I just go the easy route & utter: “Oh, it’s street photography.”

And on Saturdays like yesterday, you just count yourself lucky, having all the right ingredients for a thrilling, mesmerizing, intoxicating mix of images of… dare I say it: people on bicycles.

I got all excited about the autumn sun draping the city…and Lauren was my victim. Just to be clear and inspirational: Lauren didn’t dress up à la Cycle Chic, she just did for the day & then hopped on her bike….just like all the others :).

But I’m spoiled. I shouldn’t care about labels as necessary evils, when I ever so often have a smile & a wave like this coming my way…

Certainly for a bike blogger. You gotta mix it up as much as possible and have fun while doing it. Or is it the other way round? ;)

When you’re moving house by bakfiets… (video post follows soon)

When SAIL comes to town…

When you’re up earlier than the birds on a rainy day, but you’re not alone…

When you have an off day, and need an escape/some soothing…

When you can’t get enough of Dam Square…

When there’s a big theme party across the bay and every Amsterdammer seems to be going there…

Blog hiatus, forced or not, life meanwhile goes on and you wouldn’t want to miss a beat.

Last week Amsterdam celebrated its 15th Gay Pride, the theme being…’Celebrate’. Not at all redundant, when you consider the recent acts of violence on gays in the city. Yes, even in Amsterdam. The week’s events were more numerous and diverse than ever and they draped the city in pink, easily eclipsing the Giro d’Italia :). Parties, workshops, contests, art, you name it, it was there. It’s what this city desperately needs, in a time of Disneyfication and bourgeoisie, imho.

We woke up to a very wet and thus dreary Saturday, the day of the…THE Canal Parade. You’d think that would spoil the fun. Not so much. Sure, 380.000 onlookers instead of the usual half a million, that’s easy to understand, but as a party…ahum, Celebration, the scenes could easily have transpired in Rio-like conditions.

The other parade, the parade of people on bikes in Amsterdam, meanwhile, moved on, steadily. As it does on a daily basis.

If only there was no need for a Gay Pride, just like there’s no need for Critical Mass in Amsterdam, where everyone on two wheels (and more) is regarded equal, that we would just be the people we want to be. Rain or shine.

“Here, to the left!” “No, to the right, mom!” Guess which way they went :).

The following pictures of people on bikes are a wee bit different, as these were shot on a Fietsmaandag*.

More wind than speed, really

“Hmmm, m’kay…”