city of not-your-regular bikes

When you're in Amsterdam, you'll be surprised at the number of bicycles you'll see on the roads and parked everywhere! And it actually seems a lot more than what i see in Shanghai!
Quote: "City of Bikes...the 750,000 people who live in Amsterdam own over 600,000 bicycles".
This sure sounds like A LOT to me. The ones with a cart in front are used for babies, kids, dogs or anything! The kids just look so cute in them...and so happy too!


In fact, bicycles were all the rage here in Shanghai too, and many "cool people" have bought at least a bike - for "some reason" other than for transportation. (Thanks to Chanel & Gucci who made it fashionable with their US$12,000 price-tag) Suddenly, it's cool (fashionable even!!!) when you tell people that you ride a bike to work! Well, not everyone looks like Gisele Bundchen on a bike. Besides, here in China, even if u were to pad-lock it, I'm sure your entire bike will be moved somewhere...so what's the point of riding it out and going home in a cab! I thought that maybe the best way is to lock it to a lamp-post or something...but wouldnt they still be able to snip off the chain/lock. So i guess most fashionistas just leave them at home for fear that it will be stolen. (At least our friends who bought nice bikes are still meeting us in cabs! LOL! And the brave one with the most expensive bike got his stolen on Day 1!) Many shops here - big or small - have also found a way to display a cool-looking bicycle. Guess it's just the 'IT' fashion accessory.

Anyway, when we were in Amsterdam, we noticed that almost every bicycle has this really nice bag attached to its back. They come in so many material, designs and colours! Daddy was sooo attracted to THE "IT" BAG that he wanted to buy it (he couldnt decide between black/red)...and then buy an "IT" bicycle TO USE the bag. Finally, we gave up looking for it coz he decided that he wasnt going to cycle to work anyway. And the bike would cost much more than the bag, right? So it's finally making some sense here! ;)

Anyways, we finally saw this red bag in Brugge (a small and charming town in Belgium) and it costs 49.95 Euros (approx S$105). So i guess if he had bought it, people will have a reason to steal his bike...AND his nice bag! Haha! ;p


This interesting bike and the "tuk-tuk" (same as the ones you find in Thailand) are more for tourists. Sure looks like a lot of hard work to ride it.

He also saw this cute super mini Honda and wondered if we're able to buy it back to Shanghai! In China, people dont really need to wear helmets, so Daddy can ride a bike! Haha!