Settling in & moving on

Transportation

We spent time this week getting some good used Dutch bikes.  These aren't road bikes, mountain bikes, or hybrids, but something different altogether.  They are heavy and cannot be dragged upstairs the way one might with other bikes.  One rides this bike sitting straight up, not hunched over.  Many have no gears, but this one has 7!  I thought it was silly in such a flat country until I realized how steep all those little bridges over the canals can be.  The brakes are internal, and thus still work when it's wet out (read always).  The chain is also covered, so no worries about bike grease all over your clothes.  Similarly, every bike has good front and rear fenders to keep the rain and mud off your clothes.  Then there are the bike bags, waterproof of course, which will fit quite a few groceries or whatever.  However, I inexplicably still see people carrying bags on all appendages even when the bike bags are empty.  The other thing one notices immediately is that this bike allows one to make crazy sharp turns, handy when avoiding many other bikes, cars, sidewalks, pedestrians, etc.  

Yesterday, Erzo and I tried out the commute to our offices in the Hague.  The 13 km commute has one long stretch along a quiet canal, followed by several miles biking essentially straight from the outskirts of the Hague, through the city almost to the Dutch coast.  The bike lanes are great, but with all the stopping and starting, and some classic wind, the ride took 60 minutes one-way.  With a tail wind, on the return, it took 54 minutes.  Perhaps when we get in better shape, we can shave off a few more minutes?

Erzo at the door to Delft apartment - back of building

Ellen on canal side of Delft apartment

It's been a quiet week in Delft.  Frans & Rose are away at sailing camp.  The University is also on a break so there are hardly any students in town.  Although Delft isn't very touristy, even the tourists have been quiet (we're wondering if this is a sign of the bad European economy or simply a sleepy summer week).  By day, we settled in and worked.  At night, we took advantage of the quiet to have dinner out several times, quickly topping the number of times we have been out to eat alone in Hanover since we moved there nearly 2 years ago... We also took in a movie at the local artsy film house. I'm thinking you can skip the latest Almodovar film, but I love going to the movies.

And tomorrow we are off to pick up Frans and Rose and head for the real summer vacation, hiking in Switzerland and visiting with Ans and Han and Lieke's family in France.