Katie in Netherlands

I did not fall through rabbit's warren; I fell into Miffy Bunny's orange colony.

I did not have much expectation, since there were previously twice passing-by visits. The first time was in Feb 2000; the second, in Feb 2002, which happened to encounter a royal wedding celebration. Amsterdam was in organge, very much orange.

This time, I have some 'first' impression remarks on Amsterdamers:

Tall. They are tall, very tall, oddly tall. I am 5"2'. Obviously, I am in Gulliver's Travels to Brobdingnag, a mini dwarf in a giant's land. People here have bigger feet (since I am closer to the ground...), wider shoulders, longer arms, higher waists, grandeur hands, bigger heads, wilder hair... Everything is in a greater size: toilet, for example. I can sink into any chair here, and will never get off from it. I need to climb up to the seat and swing my feet in the air. I tiptoe to the sink and never am able to reach higher part of shelves. I have some disadvantage naturally, but, for the first time, realize my serious shortage of being short.

Slim. Next time when people disbelieve my saying that cycling would keep them in slender shape, they should pay a visit to Netherlands, or at least to Amsterdam. They will only find svelte people, between American obesity and American bulimia: perfectly healthy slim. Amsterdamers look quite contented on bike. No matter it is sunny, windy, rainy, snowy, weary, bike riders duteously maintain themselves well on wheels. And there are kinds of bikes: tamden bike, three-wheeled bike, truck bike, bike for one adult and two babies, bike over height, bike taxi, bike with an over-sized carriage, bike for riding many kids to school, and, of course, my favorite, unicycles. Visiters can never get bored just by looking at these wheels.

I am so overwhelmed by this city with canals and bikes.

28.01.09 Wed