My love/hate relationship with the Bicycle

Amsterdam is all about the bicycles. Everyone rides one, they get right of way to pedestrians, they are respected by all. Carlson has so graciously rented me a bike for me to use over the weekend, truly, if you want to get around A'dam for cheap, the bike is the way to do it. It allows you to see the city without the strain of walking.

However, the bike and I do not see eye to eye. Overall, I'm a huge fan of the car and Calgary roads and the like, red means stop, green means go, and the C-Train has a designated street. Here, there is a bike lane, obscure signage and pedestrians, cars, bikes, buses and everything in between seem to share the road together (even worse in the tourist areas)

So far, my greatest goal so far is to NOT GET KILLED! (or seriously injured). Trams are the scariest, as they zip along all modern and quiet with only a periodic ring as warning. However, over the period of about 24-26 hours I have almost been hit by (or I have hit):

• (a) a Volkswagon Golf
  
• (b) a Motorbike/Scooter thing
  
• (c) People walking
  
• (d) numerous fixed objects such as poles and sidewalks

...and after lunch (Dim Sum!!!...lol) I got hit by a cyclist. It may or may not have been my fault seeing as I stopped in the middle of the bike lane, but what evs ... the girl who screamed as it happened didn't exactly help the situation. ... So the lesson is ... 1) the person who you are following (Carlson) needs to slow down so the beginner city biker can not concentrate on getting lost and navigating the people 2) Bikes are scary, but efficient

...and I haven't even mentioned the point at 3am when my bike's inner tube broke, so we had to walk 45 minutes home, or when the shoelace got caught in the pedal... or how much my butt really, really hurts right now.

Needless to say, I think I shall be taking the Tram more often and/or walking. The bike is fun, but for the sake of returning home in one piece I will follow CYs advice (Carlson's friend)

Day 1/2 Update: AlbertHeijn grovery store to buy food - Carlson cooks (mmm!); 1 hour siesta (much needed); Drinks at Barca for a Gabrielle's going away party; House warming party at Eric's (ABN Amro Alum) ... best Rum & Cokes I've ever had ...; flat tire; walk home; sleep; sleep; Dim Sum; Shopping; near death; coffee on a canal-side cafe; me blogging right now (This goes out to you Layial/Mess!)