I Spy in Amsterdam

How many different kinds of transprotation do you spy from these Amsterdam photos?

When my husband and I arrived in Amsterdam, we took a taxi to our AirB&B in a part of the city called Jordaan, between the center of town to the east and when my daughter lives in Bos en Lommer to the west. We never considered renting a car as it is a walkable city and has public transportation. I’ve learned lots about being a pedestrican in this city this week.

1. Stay alert! As I head outside each day, I ensure I am walking in the part of the sidewalk meant for pedestrians. This city also has a bike lane, a car lane and on some streets, a bus lane and a tram lane. When crossing a street, I look left and right a few times to ensure I can cross without encountering a biker, a car or van, or the tram. (So different from strolling in my neighborhood at home!)
2. When waiting for the bus (like the #21 I take to visit my granddaughter), as it approaches the bus stop, be sure to give a wave to show you want it to stop and pick you up. I learned this the hard way the first time taking the bus! My smile at seeing the long blue double bus approaching quickly frowned as it just zipped passed without stopping. Luckily, the buses run every 7 minutes. (So different from the bus stop in my neighborhood. If the driver sees a person waiting, they stop.)
3. People of all ages and all sizes ride using wheels and the water. Before this trip, I heard there was a bike culture in this country. WOW! There really is. Bikes of all sizes with a variety of clever basket-types abound. Unlike Venice, cars move on the streets and canal bridges, too. Most of the cars are electric. Many are super-small. So many people on the move! (The same as in my neighborhood but the medium-size gas-guzzling car rules back home.)

This week, I am happy to be a pedestrian in a new city. I’ll stay alert. I’ll wave down my bus. I don’t think I’ll give biking a try. Instead, I’ll continue to spy all the different, unique, wheeled vehicles passing me by.