Having lived in Amsterdam and Rotterdam for over a decade, this list of 82 pictures brought many memories back. Unlike in the USA, where everyone drives their SUV to the shops less than 1 km away, in Holland, they do it differently. The preferred method of transportation is the bicycle or "fiets". Of course, for longer trips there is excellent public transportation and yes, people do own cars as well, albeit smaller ones.

Soon after I learned to walk, the bike was the next logical method of going places...everywhere: to school, the grocery store, library, football games, etc and this in the almost constant rain or freezing, windy, bitter winters of Holland.

"[in Holland] there are many cyclepaths and other segregated cycle facilities. The network stretches to all provinces, and the bordering nations Belgium and Germany. The country values its cycleways as much as any other method of transportation - like a network of roads, these cycleways can take you from any city to a destination of your choice - even on long distances such as from Maastricht to Amsterdam. These cycleways come in many forms, with their own set of rules and systems - including traffic signals (or traffic lights), tunnels and lanes. " (via wikipedia).

Read more:  http://www.ski-epic.com/...