"Didn't we have a loverly time the day we went to...Marken&Monnickendam&Broek-in-Waterland"

Venture out of Amsterdam...and the beauty continues!

We loved our 'picture-postcard' day and are planning another such jaunt for tomorrow...

...not sure if 'windmills & tulips' will be on the menu but more than happy to settle for 'windmills & blackberries' if not - can't wait!!!

Amsterdam magic continues

Eastern Islands & Eastern Docklands





View from Magere Brug ("Skinny Bridge")


Cycle-pod of school-kids


The 18th century De Gooyer Windmill


Amsterdam cycling is perfect and dotted with many possible 'take-home' messages for Australia. Why then can't Sydney copy just a little bit of the marvellous Dutch cycling-know-how immediately?

Undeniably bicycle helmet laws eroded the confidence of Australian cyclists in their cycling abilities and cycling culture.

Unquestionably Australia will continue to pay the public healthcare cost until the laws are repealed.

REPEAL MANDATORY BICYCLE HELMET LAWS TODAY (or tomorrow at the very latest!!)

"Singing in the rain!"

Our Baby no. 2 has arrived from Cairo - yay!...

...and Amsterdam continues to be amazing - even in the rain!

(we're totally gobsmacked by the 'umbrella' cycling)...



...probably pointless to mention that no-one can ever have too much Van Gogh / beer / any type of Dutch cyclist! - all brilliant...








...even Dutch police are captivating!

"I've got a feeling I'm falling in love"

Love! Love! Love! - Amsterdam...

...in fact so much that if we don't repeal Australian bicycle helmet laws 'pretty darn quickly,' I'm emigrating here the minute my 'hols' are over.

REPEAL BICYCLE HELMET LAWS TODAY!

'Hoe gaat het, Amsterdam?'

"Hooroo," car-culture, and "hallo," bike-culture!!!

"I'm leaving on a jet-plane, don't know when I'll be back again..."

...well actually, I'll be back at the end of October, but until then I'll be cycling my little heart out in Europe, first stop AMSTERDAM!!!

PARADISE!!!

"Yes! We have no bananas!"

...well actually it's more like:

'yes! we have no teen-agers'
'we have no teen-agers today!'

- it's our baby's birthday, she's 20, and continues to be totally unfettered by helmets (surprise! surprise!).

Consequently, she's one of the few Australian young women who hasn't been deterred from cycling, & confidently cycles everywhere anywhere anytime.

Happy birthday, baby! x

"They paved paradise..."

1. Bicycle helmet law proponents are just one big 'clusterfuck' of oil lobbyists doing what will get them 'paid &/or laid'. Alarmingly they have had a debilitating impact on the culture of cycling.

2. By continuing to proclaim cycling as dangerous, bicycle helmet law proponents shape the desires of a marginalised cycling culture so that the 'testosterone-dominated' sport dictates the parameters of participation. Women and children are deemed unnecessary to consider whilst the nation is systematically impoverished in terms of health and the environment.

3. Undoubtedly bicycle helmet law proponents tap into the 'mindless materialism' of western capitalism in a predictably myopic and superficial way.

4. Moreover, bicycle helmet law proponents appear to be 'sub-conscious-anti-feminine-counter-revolutionaries' juxtaposed against growing gender equality.

5. Inter alia, bicycle helmet law proponents are actually terrified of taking the road and sharing it with motorists.

(Oh dear! & diddums!)

6. But back to me...why should the cowardice of bicycle helmet proponents prevent me from taking the road in the responsible grown-up 'utility-cycling-manner' that I've been taking it for the past 46 years?

REPEAL BICYCLE HELMET LAWS TODAY!