14NOV2024 - De Pijp

I cycled with Samuel (redacted) into town today, on his way to work. I needed to get a SIM card for my phone for internet power. We initially planned to stop at a cafe near his work but the rented bicycle (Donkey Republic, could 4.2 star recommend) he was on did not have any return points nearby, so instead we stopped by a place near Oosterpark, where he could return his bicycle and catch a tram to his office.

Samuel pointed me in the direction of a coffee place called CoffeeBru and shot off. After breakfast I went to a nearby mobile shop and inquired about the phone plans. After a brief exchange in which I decided perhaps the shopkeeper was being dishonest I went off down the road to a supermarket chain outlet called Albert Heijn to try my luck there. They only had an unlimited data plan for one month and directed me back to the phone shop I just left. Ultimately, it was sussed; it was technologically, communicatively confusing and in Dutch which I didn't understand and so on.

I went around cycling on my own - it felt disconcerting to cycle on the right side, on a cycle lane narrowly girded with road on one side and pavement on another, with all sorts of bicycles, podcycles, minicars, scooters, roller-bladers, delivery persons, cart cycles, cycling alongside, all the while only knowing three things: cycle on the left, triangle symbols on the fietspad (cyclelane) indicate who is to give way, and cyclists are the top dog of the road users. Besides these I relied on following what everyone else did, and discerning whether they were breaking the rules or not (many people ignored rules half the time).

I eventually found myself in De Pijp (pronounced "De Pipe" and, meaning, "The Pipe"), which had a very beautiful wide street, with old trees reaching high on both sides towards the center, and fairylights strung across the way. The shops, bars and cafes all had very enticing displays on their old-looking storefronts.

I found a place to park my bicycle near the Albert Cuyp (pronounced "Kype", like "hype") market street, which was a street of foodstalls and fleamarket. The island between two alleyways was a sea of bicycles; I don't know how would the bicycles in the middle ever be extracted.

I went along the Albert Cuyp market in search for fresh stroopwafels, which Samuel and Miriam recommended. Unfortunately it was closed, but in my search for lunch I was surprised to find a sandwich store with this on the menu - the Treasure of the Poh family. I had to try it!

The man behind the counter was from The Gambia, and sung happily while making sandwiches. "Oh, I know one Chinese guy he come write chinese names to the menu". It was strange that the sandwiches had only Dutch and Chinese names. It tasted good, but I had hoped for reason to note the ingredients down to try it myself and it was not particularly impressive.

Miriam had made it to a cafe near De Pijp, called Coffee and Coconuts (it is the bees knees, do visit), to scope out the place before they had a catch up with friends there the coming Saturday, so I met up with her there. After that she made her way back to IJburg on a tram while I cycled back in the thick of rush hour traffic.

I don't know how I survived that ride, for the Google maps app was glitching all over the place and it never really had my location nor the direction of north really nailed down; my phone batteries had also plummeted using the Google maps app. Soon my phone died and I had to leave my phone charging off the laptop in my backpack while vaguely cycling in the direction of IJburg, trying to recognise landmarks from earlier on my first day of exploration. I felt like I was playing a football match in rush hour traffic, the way I was scanning all directions constantly. I still managed to run a red light but thankfully it was already out of the most hectic parts of town.

I'm writing this down because secretly I'm pleased that I made it back alive on my first ride into Amsterdam. I also wanted to document how to ride like a flying Dutchman but I forgot to so maybe another time, but suffice to say if you ride with one hand hanging down your side, and texting every now and again you'd fit right in.

A striking impression I've got from the Dutch are how people are pretty casual or low-key about near misses and offences on the road. Oops, we've both narrowly escaped your crashing into me because you were texting while cycling but oh well I need to get kaas for tomorrow's lunch now. Oh, you've just run a red light but I'll give you a little toot and drive slowly on. Hello, you've walked across the parted cyclist sea, by your one outstretched hand, so I'll throw up a hand and grunt. I was very impressed by the very gracious and patient attitude from a infamously straightforward folk.

A very charming day