Bicycles in Amsterdam

Greetings everyone! We have just returned from Amsterdam.

Bicycles are rampant there as the city moves in a seamless ballet of pedestrians, cars and bikes. There is the occasional horn honk or brake screeching, after which the city’s inhabitants glance at each other muttering the word “tourist” under their breath.

 On the Avenue, you might see a couple of bikes chained to a rack, but in Amsterdam there are crowds of bicycles huddled together. They have designated bike lanes, separated from the traffic, making it safer. There are also thousands of kilometers of bike trails running next to the highway in the Netherlands. Bicycle heaven!

One is a lonely number- for a bicycle!

Amsterdam inspired me to get out my bike and write this poem.

Night rain

water sprays behind my tires

plopping fluid drops

merging together

smelling clean and cool

Serene

lone cyclist with a newly-made sun

lighting my path

this Alberta Avenue morning