Bicycles are at every corners of Amsterdam. They park or simply lie on the streets. Big chain locks accompany though. Apparently, bicycles tend to be stolen because they are quite expensive. Some second-hand knackered-looking ones cost more or less 200 euros in the shop near where I am staying.
People cycle fast here. It is exciting to see them disappearing behind buses and trams or appearing at the other end of bridges in a blink. So fast and so quietly that you sometimes don’t notice the cyclist until a bell tell that you mindlessly walk on the bicycle lane, like I did one or many times.
The bicycles definitely give out a charming vibe about Amsterdam. They are old fashioned compared with motorbikes and cars but somehow very trendy here. A slower pace of fast living. A simple way of moving forward. They definitely make life simpler as it should be.
nightcactus 