Biking with high heels in the Netherlands



Biking with heels
(not mine heels though in the picture).

On Tuesday I really felt I'm starting to get integrated into the Dutch culture.

On Tuesday I did bike wiht my high heels!

Weather was of course helping, and giving me the inspiration to bike in first place: it was one of those sunny and warm day.... Sooo delicious.

My outfit for that day was including heels, and I didn't want to change it. But I also wanted to take my bike!

In the end I told to myself "if they can do it, why cannot I?"

I mean, if Dutch women can ride their bikes with heels, why should I not be able to do the same?

It cannot be that "only" because they are used to bike every day, in whatever weather condition, since the age of 2 (or maybe even earlier...), while last time I did ride a bike before coming to the Netherlands was probably almost 10 years ago.... This cannot be the only reason why I could not ride a bike with heels.

So in the end I decided to give it a try.

And, surprise surprise... It was not that bad! Yes, it is true, every now and then I risked to loose the grip on the pedal, but in the end I managed to keep it, and everything was fine. And I discovered that when stopping for a traffic light, it is even easier to keep the balance with heels!

So, all in all, balance of biking with heels, is positive!

Next step will be sending a text from my phone while biking. Possibly under the rain.

That will be the moment in which I will say "Now I'm really getting Dutch".

And you? Which was your more "Dutch" way to ride a bike?

Read more...

Rotterdam Marítime museum - visiting with kids

Maritime museum

If you're in Rotterdam with kids, and in a rainy day you don't know what to do with them.... Maritime Museum is a good option.

 

You can easily trigger them telling they will find a nice playground area there.
They can go fishing from a "pirate boat", they can sailon a sailboat, work in a harbour, extinguish a fire on a boat, repair a ship engine, and finally, when they will be too tired, they can get some rest on a hammock.




Before you get to the playground at the second floor (or deck...) you cannot miss the immense  plastic of Rotterdam city and it's huge port.

And if kids are patient enough, you can even understand a bit about its history.

 

 

Maritime museum

Maritime Museum is open Tuesday - Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and on Sundays and public holidays from 11am to 5pm

And now until September 2014, every Sunday you can get on one of the historic ships of the Harbour and create a unique trip through the harbor of Rotterdam. Check their website for more details.

We have not done this trip yet.
Maybe a good idea for something to do with kids in Rotterdam in a bit more sunny sunday.

Tot ziens

Read more...

Flower parade in Holland.

Still about flowers...

Living in the Netherlands it is difficult not to fall in love with flowers!

Last Saturday there was a beatiful "Flower Parade". It started in Noordwijk and ended in Haarlem, passing the Keukenhof garden.

Going there we saw many floats built and decoraded with millions of flowers: an amazing show.
Wonderful colors, beautiful smell.

And if that was not enough, we also have been lucky enough to get a sunny day!

If you will be here around next year, definitely worth while to consider a visit to the parade!

Here some pictures.

 

 

 

Read more...