One Road- Ariann Mieka

Amsterdam, like many cities in Holland, is known for its bike riding culture. As I mentioned in an earlier post , people from all walks of life ride happily along the designated bike lanes that crisscross the city. From the time we arrived Verse was super keen to rent bikes and explore. Unfortunately, Amsterdam had gotten colder when we finally had time to bike ride but we couldn’t let the opportunity pass.  Bundling up, we went to the well-known Mac Bike rental company at Central station and started our adventure on our bright red (we are obviously tourists) bikes! Verse is a seasoned bike rider, while I… let’s say… am still marinating. While Verse whizzed ahead loving every moment, I shakily and timidly trailed behind trying to get accustomed to riding in the busy city. (As we rode out the Mac Bikes door, a tram nearly flattened me!) I had to look out for buses, trams, cars, pedestrians and other bike riders while trying to get the hang of my wobbly bike. After...

Large green open spaces are as important to a city as vacations are to working folk. You just need them to keep your sanity! Being able to leave the noise, pace and grime of the concrete jungle and easily enter a peaceful oasis is an invaluable resource to any city dweller. Amsterdam has over 30 beautiful parks to unwind in. One lovely park was very near to our flat but we heard so much about Vondelpark we made it a priority to visit. The 70-acre Vondelpark has the distinction of being not only the largest one in Amsterdam but also the most popular park in the Netherlands.  Even on cold days, like the ones on which we visited, Vondelpark is alive! Many people were out exercising, dog walking, bike riding and taking leisurely strolls. The parks facilities include restaurants and cafés, several areas for kids to play (including a wooden climbing area….yes we climbed through it lol), lakes to sit near to and relax and a beautifully landscaped garden filled with colourful tulip...