Cyclists: Another Source of Happiness

People always asked me in Holland if there was any cyclists in Turkey during the everyday life. "No, never ever" I said. "Only children in summer time, for fun, in front of their houses".

Well, this was valid for Istanbul, and I thought it was the same all over Turkey.

Luckily, It wasn't. But, this, I have realized only when I came to this small city few weeks ago.

I always appreciated the role of bikes in dutch people. I always envied them. That was why I was very happy- as in the case of seeing a magpie- when I saw cyclists in this small western city of Turkey.

It is not like you see only few. You can see a cyclist passing through in every 10 minutes or so (which may sound very rare compared to Holland :) ). They are not children; they are all adults who even sometimes carry some bags with their bikes: exactly dutch (and danish) style! Moreover, It is not unusual to see bikes parked here and there.

Spotting bikes and cyclists in the city centre makes me smiling since:

• it reminds me of Netherlands; my (Johan's) bike there, my cyclings etc....
• it makes me proud to see that people here are aware of the advantages of using bikes. I guess it only need some municipality-based official encouragement to make it more common here.

I did iit!! I diiid it!! I did it !!

It was my dream to be able to cycle from one city to another. In Denmark, there were people cycling from Copenhagen to Lyngby everyday. Here, Maikel was cycling between Zaandam and Amsterdam when he was living there.

I think it all started when I heard from Alfonso that he had cycled to Haarlem. Haarlem is almost the closest city to Amsterdam. "I should also do it" I had said to myself at that time. However, considering that the longest path I cycled was about 6-7 km, I did not know if I would manage it.

Then, first I cycled to Maikel's place with Alfonso: about 8-9 km one way. Later on, two weeks ago, I cycled between the parks in Amsterdam; from Flevopark to Vondelpark to Rembrandpark for bird watching. I cycled back home, then cycled to Oranjekerk behind the Sarphatistraat, then cycled through Oosterpark on the way back. I guess I made more than 10 km in that day.

Then, being more self-confident, I made my questions to Maikel more frequent: "When are we cycling to Haarlem?" "When are we cycyling to Haarlem?" ...

Andy, we did it yesterday.

How to get there
We met at UvA, and cycled to the central station. Then, cycling to west Amsterdam; we passed through Haarlemmerstraat, Haarlemmerdijk, Haarlemmerplein, and then Haarlemmerweg. Haarlemmerweg is a very long street, and you find Westerpark at your right. By the way, Haarlemmerstraat and Haarlemmerdijk are very nice and cosy shopping streets, with a bit difficutly in cycling.

We gave a 10-min break on the half way. Funnily enough, there is a small city located between Amsterdam and Haarlem. It is called Halfweg since it is on the half way.

We were veeerrry happy to see Haarlem sign. It was just after we passed Schiphol and saw three storks on the sky. I always thought that "storks bringing babies through chimney" was a turkish story. But even Maikel knew it! I checked from Wikipedia later on; and it seems that the story has been originated from Netherlands and Germany!

Anyway, I took the following picture in front of Haarlem sign.

It took about 1 hours 45 min. to get to the central square in Haarlem from UvA. We sat in a place in front of the big church, and watched people.
I drank coke, and maikel preferred biting-weed tea. (Nettle in english, Brandnetel in dutch.)
Then we walked through the streets and made window shopping. Maikel told me him hearing that Haarlem was the best shopping city of Netherlands. Indeed, Although the city was not that big, the shopping streets were very long.

Then it started to rain, and we decided to cycle back. Although I had a raincoat, I decided to not to wear it to more resemble an average dutch cyclist. Well, I would be more close to a dutch cyclist if I holded an umbrella in my hand while cycling, but I was not that brave.

Jewish Cemetery
There is a jewish cemetery very close to Haarlem. Especially the years on the grave stones were interesting. The deceased Sara Mok, for example, died in 9 August (25 Menaghem) 5686.

"Daddy" pushes me
On the way back, I started to cycle really slow after a while. Then, "daddy" Maikel started to push me for 1-2 minutes with his right hand, while still cycling with left hand. It helped incredibly!!

I always saw parents pushing their kids while cycling; but never imagined that it would help that much!. It helped so much that I have regained my normal speed after pushings.

Moorhen
We saw moorhens on the way on a small stream. Maikel said that it was the first time that he saw moorhens. Very surprising. But not more surprising than the fact that he had never been in Haarlem before.

This is the moorhen photo I took while I was bird-watching two weeks ago in Rembrandpark.
The honoring speech
We stopped under a tree near Weesperplein so that Maikel would start his honoring speech. He said "Now you are officially entitled to be a dutch cyclist. Now you are really dutch. Not every foreigner can cycle from one city to the other. You must be given a diploma." It was nice to hear in the rainy weather. He said that we probably made more than 40 km in both ways.

Johan's bored bike
So, Johan's bike will not feel bored anymore. I will tell Johan that I really take care of his bike, and I even took it to an excursion to Haarlem.

Chasing a Typical Dutch Cyclist

In this morning, a lady cyclist appeared in front of me at Linneaustraat on my way to Amstel Station.
- She had shoes with heels,
- She was cycling with left hand,
- She was holding/supporting a bag at the back of the bike with the other hand..
So, a typical dutch cyclist..

I was already in hurry to catch the train, and I was cycling with my maximum speed. "I will pass by this lady" I decided.

But it was not possible at all. To my all efforts, I could not close the gap in between. She was very fast despite one-hand control, heeled shoes, and holding the bag behind.

Very close to the train station, she crossed the street when the traffic light was red, and disappeared on the way..

On the way to transform to a Dutch Cyclist

Yesterday, after shopping in the Albert Heijn near the mill De Grooijer, I heard my mobile ringing just after I have turned to Cruquiskade on my bike. I have checked my back, there was no cyclist coming.
Then, I did it..

For the first time, while cycling, I answered the mobile! One of my hands was on one handle, and I was holding the mobile with my other hand, and cycling through Cruquiskade next to the kanal houses.

It was Alfonso, and we talked for a minute or so.

This means that I am transforming to become a Dutch cyclist.. I felt really excited afterwards. I could not believe that I did that..

But there are a couple of things that I have to achieve for full transformation:
1- I have to find a dog, and pull it with me while cycling.
2- I have to find a baby, put him/her into the front or back of my bike, and talk with my mobile at the same time.
3- I have to cycle with none of my hands being on the handles. If my hands are not totally free but instead I hold a box which is at the back of my bike, this would be a plus.
4- I have to cross in red traffic lights in the rush hours.
5- I have to go in the opposite direction in the bike paths (I do this only on the way back from Javastraat, but this has to be done in the central places).
6- I have to smoke while cycling.

Then I can be a real dutch cyclist...

cycling and cycling..

Yesterday I went to Flevopark for the first time for cycling. I did not know that it was that close. It was just at the very end of Javastraat (or Zeeburgerdijk). And it was way bigger than Oosterpark.

Today I left my 30 C-hot house to come to UvA. I was planning to go to Oosterpark first, and cycle there a while, and then come to UvA. On the way I have changed the plan. I was on Mauritskade, and I just wanted to cycle straight ahead, in a Forrest-Gump manner in a way.. I passed through several traffic-lights, and then continued on cycling straight ahead again. After a while, I decided that it was enough, and I have taken a photograph in that location (called van Oldenbarneveldt plein).

Now I have checked the whole route i made from my place to the place on the phote on google map: and I realized that I was about to make a complete turn around Amsterdam.

On the way back, I made a tour in Vondelpark. Compared to my first experience on Queen's Day, it was not that crowded for sure. But still, it was full of people cycling, walking, jogging, lying on the sun ...

And, it was very amazing to see a man on a two-storey bike there!. I still cannot figure out how he managed to sit on the 'second floor' to start the ride..

my bike pump

I had bought a small, functional and easy-to-carry-around bike pump from one shop in Javastraat a couple of months ago - I guest just for 3 euros or so.. But I could never make it work..

One night my iranian neighbours told me that one of them had flat tire, and they wanted to borrow my bike for an hour. I offered them my pump in the hope that they could manage to make it work.. And no..

I tried it few more times, but no way.. Then today I decided to take it to office. 'Maybe Maikel would want to have it' I thought; 'otherwise it is not any use to me'.

Then, again he has taught me something :)
He just told me the trick, and a couple of minutes ago we tried it on Olja's bike. It worked perfect!. With just a couple of pumpings, the tires were full of air..