Sights from Behind a Bicycle

On the Sustainable Transportation Dialogue, we are learning about how the Dutch are designing their infrastructure to promote sustainable forms of transportation, particularly bicycling. Since we are learning about cycling, it only makes sense for us to learn about from behind a pair of handlebars. A big part of this Dialouge has been touring different Dutch cities. Rather than doing this by foot, nearly all of our tours have been by bike. Many would agree that cycling is convenient, healthy, and better for the environment than by cars. However, we have developed a new appreciation for biking, because it has also allowed us to see a variety of cities from a new perspective.

Before coming on this Dialogue, I knew little about the Netherlands. I associated it with Amsterdam, canals, windmills, and biking. I prepared for the trip by trying to learn a little bit of Dutch, reading about the country’s history, and familiarizing myself with Dutch food. However, in my pre-departure research, I did not spend much time learning about the different cities in Holland. With little research under my belt, I did not know what to expect when I arrived. Visiting these cities with little expectations, I was surprised by how beautiful, innovative, and exciting each city was. From behind my bike, I saw many parts of Holland that I look forward to returning to in the upcoming weeks.

Every morning, we take an eight mile bike ride through Holland’s countryside to get to the Technical University of Delft, where most our classes are held. The morning commute wakes us up as we drive along cobbled streets and past cows grazing in the pastures. The simple countryside is a change from the fast-paced lifestyle in Boston that we’ve grown accustomed to. Looking over the beautiful countryside gives us a refreshing start to our day and has been one of my favorite parts of this trip. After a day of class, several of my classmates and I enjoy going to the city center. This historic area is filled with little shops, canals and food. Our favorite treat has been gelato. After we’ve had our fill of gelato, we’d bike home. In Holland during the summer, the sun doesn’t set until 9:30. This gives us another chance to enjoy the Dutch countryside before it gets too dark out.

Since many of our classes are in Delft, we have had a lot of time to explore the area surrounding the city. Delft has a large farming community. Instead of land farming, the city uses greenhouses to grow crops and flowers all year. Although this is a transportation Dialogue, our professor took us to visit a greenhouse farm where flowers are grown. We were able to see the entire manufacturing processes, from how the flowers are planted to when they are packaged and ready to be sold. We were amazed to find out that most of the flowers from this farm are shipped in the evening to the United States and sold there the next morning. These flowers can then be an be advertised in the United States as flowers from Holland that hand been picked that day.

Although we’ve only been in Holland for a few weeks, we’ve had several opportunities to tour different cities. Our professor has planned several outings to show us the unique infrastructures and cultures in different Dutch cities. One of the first cities we toured was Rotterdam. Rotterdam differs from many of the historical cities that we have visited. The city was heavily bombed during World War II, leaving many historic areas destroyed. However, the Dutch managed to rebuild and as a result, they have designed some beautiful, modern architecture. As a Civil Engineering student, I was amazed by some of the bridges we saw in Rotterdam. One such bridge is De Haf. The bridge raises to a clearance height over 152 ft, greater than most bridges in the United States. We were also fortunate to get a view of the Eramusburg Bridge from 30 stories high. The bridge reminded us of the Zakim bridge in Boston. Rotterdam also has many museums to check out. I had the chance to visit Museum Boijmans Van Beuignin, Rotterdam’s art museum. The museum featured works from a variety of artists, such as Van Gogh, Monet, Rothko, and Magritte. My favorite exhibit at the museum was the infinity room. All four walls and ceiling of the room were covered in mirrors, creating an amazing visual effect. If you find yourself in Rotterdam and are the least bit interested in art, the Museum Boijmans Van Beuignin is a must visit!

Our class also had a chance to briefly visit Utrecht. Like many Dutch cities, Utrecht stood out to us for its endless canals and narrow, cobbled streets. Once we got off our bikes, we had the chance to explore the shops and restaurants that lined the streets. Utrecht also reminded us the most of Amsterdam, because the city is very crowded and it can be difficult to navigate the crowded streets from behind a bike. Our class also rode on bikes together, creating an extra challenge. Picture twenty eight students and their professor biking together in a crowd. Our group attracted several looks and some laughs from locals as we tried to navigate the narrow roads. A few lost students and bicycle crashes later (don’t worry, no one got too far from the group or hurt), we somehow managed to see the city and learn about its bike infrastructure. After a long day of touring the city from behind a bike, we got some time to see the city in the evening. A few friends and I ventured to St. Martin’s cathedral. The cathedral offered a beautiful view of the city. After seeing the view of the city and having dinner, we finished our day just as we do in Delft: having a scoop (or two) of gelato. With a few Euros, you can treat yourself to two large scoops of fresh-made gelato. I had strawberry and hazelnut, a perfect combo to end our night in Utrecht.