bikeloveny
Utrecht
I tram it over to N's, we grab bikes to the Centraal Station and take the train out to Utrecht (we'll be riding back).
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Confession: I took the train to Utrecht one year prior, just to experience the new biggest-in-the-world bike parking facility - space for 1500 bikes! It had only been open 2 weeks when I video'd this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvhjOS6IqCY
How many people would even use a facility this large, I wondered? It doesn't seem possible - or even necessary.
Two weeks later with the kids back in school, it looked like this:
Now I'm once again in Amsterdam, headed to Utrecht. Inspired by Dutch tunnel riders I saw in Antwerp (and determined to impress N that I can do this), I take Brownie down the escalator to the platform. I'm trepidacious, but now I know it can be done.
Upon arrival, N takes me to the library to look around. One of the wonderful aspects of The Netherlands is that there is still a book culture and as a librarian, N has long been a part of it. This library has retained the aura of grand structures meant for public use. It is a virtual cathedral to public space.
There is also a tribute to the Post Office that used this building, prior to the library
The library itself is sleek and modern:
But seems sadly empty. And being there, I wonder how long until this becomes a tribute to itself. I dread that this could happen.
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We have lunch by the Vecht river...
And begin our ride back to Amsterdam.