A good Amsterdammer, you know, does everything whilst pedaling away atop their fiets: carrying the grocery shopping, talking on their mobile, TEXTING on their mobile, moving furniture to a new house...
Meanwhile, I find myself doing more and more ridiculous things on the back of MY bike. First, you know, I found myself riding one handed through the city every Friday evening carrying a big bag of bread. When I was sufficiently acclimated to that, the bakery gave me TWO bags of bread. I don't have three hands, but somehow I managed.
Then came Saturday. Let me tell you about Saturday!
We had a rare day of sunshine. So it was agreed that some of us would ride up to Amsterdam Noord. 'Noord' is basically the part of Amsterdam that is north of the River Ij (pronounced 'eye'), which runs E-W through the center of the city. It's newer and a bit less developed. I had never been.
You take a ferry to get across the river. In typical Dutch fashion, it's packed with bikes.
Dad?!?
Yours truly.
Across the Ij.
Anya being chill.
From left to right: Anne, Carlo, Larissa.
Russians are cool.
Anyway, across the river it was a short but scenic ride to our destination: a second-hand furniture store. Larissa is finally getting a place of her own at #95. She's all grown up! But she needs furniture.
Furniture!
This piano was only 200 euro. But I didn't think it would fit on my bike.
I finally find a decent hamburger in Amsterdam.
So Larissa picked out a nice mattress and a big brass floor lamp. "So," I said, "how are we getting this stuff home?"
I was sorry I asked.
Carlo has the mattress, Anya the lampshade, and I've got the lamp. Larissa... lends moral support?
Keep your comments to yourself - it doubles as a weapon.
Turns out you can absolutely carry a lamp on your bike if you put your mind to it. Undeterred by a few bemused looks from passerby and/or Carlo's needling ("You should ride in front so we can follow the light.") we hauled our haul safely back to its new home at #95.
Another milestone down on my passage from American to Dutch. I shudder to think what I'll have to carry on my bike next...
Pics snapped with Anne's camera, since I am not so conscientious as to remember mine. If I'm in the picture you can assume she took it.
4 comments:
The picture [dad?]of the backside of a racing type bike enthusiast (of which I am) couldn't be me. His backside is way, way too small. Trust me. Dad
I'm pretty impressed by Carlo's huge bike basket. It's like the pickup truck of the bike world. I would imagine he gets invited to a lot of shopping trips and moving days.
Nice to read how you transported the new furnitures of Larissa's new home.:-) You all did a good job!
Arie
Very interesting! Seems like you are learing to be quite creative! I would have liked to have seen you ride with the two bags of bread too! lol
Beth
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