A BOY AND HIS BIKE!

Since I've been back in Amsterdam, I have been unable (too lazy) to get a bike. My old one, is dead somewhere near GabeB's place and I can't find the key. Marc had another bike which he lost the key to outside my house since August. Good condition though. I finally got around (was awake and in the country, and remembered that I could) to going to the bike shop across the street to get the lock taken off. They do this between 10 and 12 on Saturday. I mean seriously, when you go out on a Friday night, the last thing you think about is getting a bike lock sawed on a Saturday morning. I finally got to it, and Marc even threw in a new seat for it. What a great friend! He has a video and some great pics on his blog here. I can't tell you how nice it is to have a bike again in Amsterdam. After cleaning it, throwing on some stickers (need to customize your bike in Amsterdam always), and putting the seat on, we went for a ride in the VondelPark. I was so happy, like a kid who just got a new bike for Christams. That's really how it feels. Even in these rough times, it is with a little help from my friends like Marc that help me through. MARC YOU ARE MY HERO!!!!

Vondel Park Music and Bikes

The Vondel Park is where we go to listen to music, rides bikes, and be Amsterdammers. It is part of the culture here. Many times the spring comes, easter time, time for friends and family. The video is from when I went one day with my friends and surrogate family Marc, GabeB, Stephan, Kim and Suze to the park. There is nothing like it. In the video we see the typical Dutch lifestyle with a variety of bikes zooming around, some stopping to listen to the music. It is so common to hear live music in the park. Like GabeB in an upcoming video. And the song is perfect. A version of Englishman In New York.