Understanding what the Dutch are all about!

First impressions of Leiden

With an enlarged smile and a beaming face, I stared out the bus window at this adorable Dutch town - Leiden. Coming from the big, busy, bustling city of Sydney, I could not wait to experience the next 6 months of my life in a smaller, slower paced, quieter Dutch town. I had a smile from ear to ear, as we passed windmills, canals, boats, houseboats, ponds, parks and even some farm animals.

Bikes, glorious bikes!

I cannot explain just how wonderful it is to live in a bike city. The traffic and congestion in Sydney is enough to put anyone in a bad mood. However, here, everyone is smiling as they cycle on their way to work, university, the shops, friends, home etc. No matter your age and stage of life, everyone is pedalling on a bike. I have seen: toddlers as young as 4 years old riding next to their parent, babies sitting on either the front or back of their parent's bike, a group of preschool kids sitting in a cart attached to the front of their teacher's bike, university students riding with friends sitting on the back of their bike, elderly people cycling in modified bicycles, and the list goes on.

I have seen every possible type of bike, all different shapes, sizes and colours. Everyone loves his or her bike; it almost becomes an extension of you. I love how you feel equal to everyone else when riding your bike. No matter your wealth and status, everyone is riding a bike, no one is 'better' than anyone else is. I feel the bike culture here makes such a difference to the way people engage and relate to one another. This is starkly different to the way people look and judge one another’s cars in Sydney.

A little rain never hurt anyone

I would be lying if I said that I did not miss Australia's warm sunshine. Nevertheless, I have really learnt to appreciate the sun rays and not take it for granted. Living in such a wet and rainy country is not ideal for the land of bikes, but the Dutch just get on with it. Rain or shine, everyone is out and about getting on with their day.

Leiden's beauty

I love it all, the architecture, canals, bridges, parks, cobbled streets, dancing street lamps. Leiden is truly a magnificent little town, with so much beauty and magic. A photo says a thousand words, so have a look at some of my pictures.

Annual 'Çorso Zundert' Flower Parade

Attending this event has definitely been a highlight of mine since arriving to the Netherlands. My jaw was on the floor, and my eyes bulging out of my eye sockets, as I watched these enormous floats (made entirely out of flowers) pass me by. Every year the people of Zundert (the birthplace of Vincent Van Gogh) volunteer endless hours, days and months, to designing, building and decorating these gigantic structures. It is a phenomenal sight to see and an experience I will never forget!