Showing posts with label bikes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bikes. Show all posts
2/28/11
Bikes and park equals happy people
A nice bunch of people came to the Carlton Gardens on Saturday. Even some balloon ladies and a pretty flower or two.
2/14/11
Bikes
I love my bike, and I love riding through this city. Being a passionate advocate for the bicycle in general, and a regular rider down Canning street I am also in favour of allowing bikes through the Carlton gardens. The bike path ends abruptly and confusingly, funneling commuting bikes down the footpath at the side of the park, where most pedestrians don't expect or realize it is a shared path. It's frustrating.
I know this is one of those issues that divides the people, but Bikes make our city better, and not just for those riding them. Ronan has organised a protest, and others have talked about it here.
In a slightly related note, look at these wonderful Bicycle Portraits. And some more bike love and joy here, Roda Roda Soundsystem.
I know this is one of those issues that divides the people, but Bikes make our city better, and not just for those riding them. Ronan has organised a protest, and others have talked about it here.
In a slightly related note, look at these wonderful Bicycle Portraits. And some more bike love and joy here, Roda Roda Soundsystem.
8/25/10
Hail
It's been so busy round here, I feel like I mighta been swept out to sea, splashing about in the ebbing tides.
I am enjoying the first hints of Spring, though I did almost get washed down the storm water drains of Lygon Street yesterday. I had the loveliest ride to work, interrupted only by a stop to pick some roadside blossoms. Last night though, I was drenched through before I'd even ridden the two blocks towards the tram stop which was my second transport option. Hmmm, may as well keep riding – wet already – except if there are gale force winds, thunder and hail to come. I discovered there is absolutely no shelter up the top end of Canning street if it's hailing stinging ice in your face. Not that I wanted to stop and dwell on my shoes full of icey water and wring out my gloves. I just wanted to get home. I was actually laughing in the hail, it was beyond ridiculous to be riding in it. But there you go, I got home, slowly.
I am enjoying the first hints of Spring, though I did almost get washed down the storm water drains of Lygon Street yesterday. I had the loveliest ride to work, interrupted only by a stop to pick some roadside blossoms. Last night though, I was drenched through before I'd even ridden the two blocks towards the tram stop which was my second transport option. Hmmm, may as well keep riding – wet already – except if there are gale force winds, thunder and hail to come. I discovered there is absolutely no shelter up the top end of Canning street if it's hailing stinging ice in your face. Not that I wanted to stop and dwell on my shoes full of icey water and wring out my gloves. I just wanted to get home. I was actually laughing in the hail, it was beyond ridiculous to be riding in it. But there you go, I got home, slowly.
2/20/09
weeeellll....
... my legs are dead. I just rode home in such a hurry. Not really, but it was a race against a tram and my much faster boyfriend on a bike. It's always easy to ride faster home, even if it is uphill all the way from the city. And a very long way.
We saw the twerps and KES BAND and the Tenniscoats at the toff... Such a civilized venue. Kes made me HAPPY, it has been a long time, since I last saw them live and I missed that killer guitar and wizard voice. Ha.
It sounds better than my description. Truly it does.
We saw the twerps and KES BAND and the Tenniscoats at the toff... Such a civilized venue. Kes made me HAPPY, it has been a long time, since I last saw them live and I missed that killer guitar and wizard voice. Ha.
It sounds better than my description. Truly it does.
8/13/08
beach
We are well and truly established at the beach, with three bikes and suitcases exploding across the floor of our apartment. We have ridden to Monster, our neighboring town with giant kite surfing bats circling along the coastline. Yes MONSTER. They leap out of the water and lift to great heights. Around Hoek van Holland harbour with giant ships and Windmills generating power. Not to mention Nazi bunkers with underground tunnels, offshore military bases and beach UFO sightings.
Monday we rode to the Hague for a day and down to the sea at Sheveningen. Amazing to see these beaches. I never really imagined Dutch beaches, but there you go. white sand, long stretches, strong winds, brown and blond giants lounging in the sun. Beach bars and surf schools and fried herring and double fried chips with mayonnaise. We had thought it'd all be sectioned off into sun-baking areas, but it's not nearly as busy as that, thankfully. We have a view onto the woods that butt up on the sand dunes, so it's real quiet like, with bird watching in the evenings as they swoop home to roost in the trees. Huge gulls and sea eagles... We have woods to walk in, and sand dunes, and blackberries to pick for pancakes, though we have also had brushes with poison Ivy which seem to grow hand in hand with the berries, the stingy bastards.
We plan to ride to Delft later this week if its not raining like it is today and back to the Hague. Had a day trip to Maasluis, eating pecan broodjes on a boat in a canal, riding makes you very hungry. I love the bike paths, little highways through farms and small towns and glass houses. Plenty of small horses and goats and sheep eating the grass along the canals everywhere. Windmills galore, and flowers blooming in hothouses.
We had the day in Amsterdam yesterday hanging about the canals in the Jordaan, a picnic on a canal in Brouwersgracht, including some cheese tasting, some wine drinking, and boat watching. We had a visit to the Museum in Rotterdam last week. Saw some amazing paintings, Van Eyck brothers and Ruebens and Hieronmyous Bosch, amongst others. I'm saving some museum legs up for Paris. Its wearing me out just thinking about it. I might need to have a nap.
Monday we rode to the Hague for a day and down to the sea at Sheveningen. Amazing to see these beaches. I never really imagined Dutch beaches, but there you go. white sand, long stretches, strong winds, brown and blond giants lounging in the sun. Beach bars and surf schools and fried herring and double fried chips with mayonnaise. We had thought it'd all be sectioned off into sun-baking areas, but it's not nearly as busy as that, thankfully. We have a view onto the woods that butt up on the sand dunes, so it's real quiet like, with bird watching in the evenings as they swoop home to roost in the trees. Huge gulls and sea eagles... We have woods to walk in, and sand dunes, and blackberries to pick for pancakes, though we have also had brushes with poison Ivy which seem to grow hand in hand with the berries, the stingy bastards.
We plan to ride to Delft later this week if its not raining like it is today and back to the Hague. Had a day trip to Maasluis, eating pecan broodjes on a boat in a canal, riding makes you very hungry. I love the bike paths, little highways through farms and small towns and glass houses. Plenty of small horses and goats and sheep eating the grass along the canals everywhere. Windmills galore, and flowers blooming in hothouses.
We had the day in Amsterdam yesterday hanging about the canals in the Jordaan, a picnic on a canal in Brouwersgracht, including some cheese tasting, some wine drinking, and boat watching. We had a visit to the Museum in Rotterdam last week. Saw some amazing paintings, Van Eyck brothers and Ruebens and Hieronmyous Bosch, amongst others. I'm saving some museum legs up for Paris. Its wearing me out just thinking about it. I might need to have a nap.
8/1/08
electric dreams
It's seven AM and I have been awake for at least 4 hours. We've been having these amazing thunderstorms in the night. The air is all fresh and cool and bright with lightning. Hard to get back to sleep though.
It's been a fun week, way too busy to blog. Baking self-saucing chocolate pudding (mmm dutch cocoa) smoking spliffs, drinking beer and dinking brookie all over our pretty little town.
We leave for the beach today. Bye pretty little toy town. It has been fun.
It's been a fun week, way too busy to blog. Baking self-saucing chocolate pudding (mmm dutch cocoa) smoking spliffs, drinking beer and dinking brookie all over our pretty little town.
We leave for the beach today. Bye pretty little toy town. It has been fun.
7/21/08
7/15/08
a new record
We rode to Rotterdam today. Which is approximately 25km each way. I think this must be some kind of record for me. As distance has never really been my thing.
There is a huge network of bike trails, we passed through tree lined avenues, saw more horses more sheep and mmm, cherry farms. We rode across giant bridges and around the town. It's such a striking city, so many things going on, just in terms of looking around. Old/new, good/bad, architecture, people, it's all in there together in a big old chaotic but laid back mash-up. I like it.
There is a huge network of bike trails, we passed through tree lined avenues, saw more horses more sheep and mmm, cherry farms. We rode across giant bridges and around the town. It's such a striking city, so many things going on, just in terms of looking around. Old/new, good/bad, architecture, people, it's all in there together in a big old chaotic but laid back mash-up. I like it.
7/6/08
summer rain
I got drenched the other day just walking to the end of the street. You know that kind of instant summer downpour, we have had a few. Today we got caught in a bit of rain out in the polders. We rode along the dykes through farmland to the edge of this island. We saw fat sheep and pretty horses and lots of water. Adam has picked up the local one hand riding with an umbrella style...
Anyway, the air is so rich and sweet smelling, wet summer smells of growing grass and flowering trees and fresh fresh rain.
Anyway, the air is so rich and sweet smelling, wet summer smells of growing grass and flowering trees and fresh fresh rain.
7/3/08
It's all over now...
We had a really good weekend, after a few sleepless nights, I still managed to survive friday, setting up on the boat, and the exhibition. Even an unannounced visit to our slum of a studio by local television. It made my day when Oscar took us up through the canals under city hall and docked in the canal.
All my handstitched flags were hoisted up the mast to become a tangled blur of colour in the wind, it was very festive. I could've just tied up rags and got the same effect. Anyway, people looked. Some asked questions, some took photos, some didn't even blink an eye. People came to the opening, good considering we didn't know anybody to invite. It was in the alley next to the canal, and we sat and looked and drank.
When we pulled up anchor we also pulled up a bike which had spent quite abit of time in the canal growing fatter and gnarlier with rust and slime. mmm delicious. We watched as the puppet performance* on the other side of the canal fell apart as the main prop blew off the bank into the canal. We were a captive audience, waiting for them to notice, then pointing into the canal, then watching as one stripped down to undies and dived in to save it. It was a big golden bird. Street theatre. They had fire sticks and shouted a lot.
*It was the International Puppet Festival this weekend, with puppeteers from all over larking about and dressed as giant butterflys and dolphins and clowns. MMMM... Street theatre... There are beautiful puppets in the windows of shops all over town though...
The night ended drinking jenever (local whiskey) and riding home really tired. I had to set it up each morning, it was nice to be on the boat. Its nice to have a few days off.
All my handstitched flags were hoisted up the mast to become a tangled blur of colour in the wind, it was very festive. I could've just tied up rags and got the same effect. Anyway, people looked. Some asked questions, some took photos, some didn't even blink an eye. People came to the opening, good considering we didn't know anybody to invite. It was in the alley next to the canal, and we sat and looked and drank.
When we pulled up anchor we also pulled up a bike which had spent quite abit of time in the canal growing fatter and gnarlier with rust and slime. mmm delicious. We watched as the puppet performance* on the other side of the canal fell apart as the main prop blew off the bank into the canal. We were a captive audience, waiting for them to notice, then pointing into the canal, then watching as one stripped down to undies and dived in to save it. It was a big golden bird. Street theatre. They had fire sticks and shouted a lot.
*It was the International Puppet Festival this weekend, with puppeteers from all over larking about and dressed as giant butterflys and dolphins and clowns. MMMM... Street theatre... There are beautiful puppets in the windows of shops all over town though...
The night ended drinking jenever (local whiskey) and riding home really tired. I had to set it up each morning, it was nice to be on the boat. Its nice to have a few days off.
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