Dutchland is the tops when it comes to being the most cycle-friendly country. They are used to commute, to do the shopping, for sport or just for pure recreation. Nearly every road has a cycle path called a fietspad which links most villages and towns. Dutchlands is a great place to cycle because of its (mostly) flat terrain and a proliferation of cycle paths. Dutchlanders are so geared up for cycle travel that at traffic lights the cyclists have their own set of lights and in some places the cycle routes have their own roundabouts. TaTa says there is a tunnel under the Maas river which has separate cycle tunnels complete with elevators to get the bikes down to the tunnel level.
Generally on minor roads the cycle paths have priority and these are marked with give way triangles on the road surface. On major roads the priority is for the vehicle traffic and you will need to give way at the triangles marked on the cycle path surface.
Things to watch out for:
Always always always always padlock your bicycle when you leave it as for some reason Dutchland has the highest rate of bicycle thefts in the world. Put a lock on both the front and back wheels as you may come back to a bicycle without a front wheel! Never leave anything valuable in your panniers. You can get a reference number from the police so you can claim on your insurance but don’t expect any sympathy.
On certain cycle paths mopeds are permitted, watch out for these as they can give you a bit of a fright as they pass you at speed!
Cycle helmets are not compulsory in Dutchland. TaTa did notice that some racing cyclists weaer helmets. She said the Dutch government want to make helmets compulsory and she says 'good luck Dutch government because the Dutch people do not like being told what to do!’
If you are feeling hungry after a good cycle TaTa recommends you have an uitsmijter (pronounced out smyter) - usually grilled ham or cheese on bread with eggs on top, delicious!
The ANWB (Dutch Automobile Association) place emergency kits at many restaurants, cafes, campsites and bicycle shops around the county. These are yellow boxes that contain puncture repair kits, a small first aid kit and tools to do small repairs to you bike. The key for these boxes are obtainable from the manger. There is no charge for their use.
Don’t assume that everyone in The Netherlands speaks another language. If you are in the Randstad area (The Hague, Rotterdam, Amsterdam) you are safe to presume this. However if you are out in small villages or rural areas you may not be so lucky. Also don’t speak German to Dutch people—they don’t like it—also don’t tell them their language is similar to German—they don’t like that either.
In this photo you can see a lovely print outside and you may think how strange - does it never rain in The Netherlands? Again the Dutch are very clever and for a few euros you can have your favourite photo make into a plastic photo for outside use. The group of people are a family in Warmond. They live next to a house which has a big big secret which only TaTa and KeKe know. The man keeps rabbits to eat - so he is my special Dutchlander friend.
Then there is a Dutchlander butcher van who has a sense of humour and has made a pun. The photo of the bridge is taken in Rotterdam just to show that it does rain occasionally in Dutchland.
Now I have to get off this blog as I am expecting a visitor and KeKe has come home with a strange machine which I have to investigate.
