apriha.com » The Netherlands

My Fiets: the Batavus Entrada Spirit

Andrew Riha — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 07:04:22 +0000

The Dutch love their fietsen, or bicycles. It’s been said that there are more bikes than people in the Netherlands (around 16 million), and with nearly 85% of the population owning bikes, it’s certainly a biking culture… No wonder that I became infatuated with Dutch bikes during my study abroad in Delft.

When I moved to California, I decided that it was time to get a decent bike that I could use to commute to work during the week and for rides along the beach on the weekends. After my experience in Holland, I knew that a Dutch bike would fit the bill perfectly… You sit high on a them, which allows you to see over traffic. The splash and chain guards keep you clean in your work clothes, and the front and rear lights help keep you safe when riding in the dark. I ultimately went with the 7-speed Delft Blue Batavus Entrada Spirit – it has all of the above “Dutch features,” in addition to internal gears and rollerbrakes, a dynamo that powers the front light, a built-in rear wheel lock, a rack to carry groceries (and sometimes friends who need a lift), and of course a bell. Also, for Christmas I got a nifty little Cateye Micro Wireless bike computer and have since logged 238.4 miles.

Yes, I’m quite fond of my fiets, and since it’s my main means of transportation now, I figured it was worth a post on the ol’ blog. Now I just need a Breakfast Machine like Pee Wee, and I’ll be all set…

Winter in Delft

Andrew Riha — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 02:05:08 +0000

The student life has kept me busy throughout December finishing up work for my classes. As such, I haven’t had much time to update my blog, and with three days left until Christmas, I’m going to have to postpone the finale of Eurotrip II until I return from Eurotrip III. I leave tomorrow for Germany to spend Christmas with Carsten and his family in Leipzig. After that I head to Munich to visit Verena and witness Andi and Huyen’s wedding. And after that, I fly to Spain for New Years to visit Ramón in Madrid and Bakio.

Today presented Delft residents with the perfect winter photo op. It was really beautiful, so before I leave again, I wanted to share some photos and a video. Have a very prettig kerstfeest en een gelukkig nieuwjaar (Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year)!!

Rotterdam Q-Santa-Run

Andrew Riha — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 22:38:17 +0000

Yesterday was the Q-Santa-Run in Rotterdam, where 2,000 people dressed up as santa and ran a 5K. Naomi, Alex, and I ran the race decked out in the provided santa suits; the hardest part surprisingly involved staying warm and managing to run with the oversized santa pants.

Sinterklaas

Andrew Riha — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 16:28:56 +0000

There are Zwarte Pieten (Black Petes) everywhere, and that can only mean one thing: Happy Sinterklaas Eve! Today’s the traditional day for giving presents in the Netherlands, and we plan to celebrate it by cooking up a feast of potatoes, sausage, bread, cheese, and stroopwafels.

Home Sweet Delft

Andrew Riha — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 00:11:49 +0000

After Bruges, all that separated us from Delft were three more train connections, including another “impossible” connection in Ghent. Calling upon our skills learned on the way to Gimmelwald, we caught all three.

Eurotrip I officially ended once we made it back to the apartment on October 6. John and I spent nearly the entire time from Bruges to Delft reminiscing about our 11-day journey, and we both agree that it couldn’t have been much better.

Oktoberfest – The People

Andrew Riha — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 01:59:53 +0000

My series on Oktoberfest wouldn’t be complete without highlighting some of the people we met.

Renate was the best beer waitress anyone could ask for. Friendly, fast, and German. She signed Hofbräu coasters for us to commemorate our first day at Oktoberfest.

Christof, a German guy we met in the Hofbräu-Festzelt, taught us the lyrics to Ein Prosit.

Verena and I met in the Augustiner-Festhalle, and after a bet to see who could win the Hau den Lukas (the game where you use a mallet to hit the weight and ring the bell), we exchanged e-mails. We traded e-mails with lots of people, but Verena was the only person to e-mail back, and I’m very thankful she did! You’ll hear more about her after Eurotrip II – she visited the Netherlands, and we toured Delft, Den Haag, Brussels, and Amsterdam. By the way, she won the Hau den Lukas; I contribute that to her being Bavarian.

Finally, Oktoberfest wouldn’t have been what it was without the countless others we met – they helped make it an incredible, unforgettable experience.

Fall in Delft

Andrew Riha — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 13:50:10 +0000

I returned from Eurotrip II on Saturday, and on the walk back to the apartment, I noticed that fall had officially arrived. The trees have all changed colors, the streets are covered in leaves, the temperatures average around the upper 40s to mid 50s, and as of today, the second quarter has begun.

I have four classes this quarter: Systems Engineering, Measurement Techniques, Electrical and Information Systems, and last but certainly not least, Ethics. These courses are the main reason I came to Delft (besides the opportunity to travel), so I’m really looking forward to the next few months.

Regarding my website, I plan to finish blogging about Eurotrip I and continuing with Eurotrip II. Since there are a lot of stories to tell and pictures to share, the website is going to turn into a sort of “river blog,” with new posts coming every few days or so.

The story continues in Switzerland…

Amsterdam

Andrew Riha — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 18:23:56 +0000

On Sunday, I joined a number of students on an impromptu trip to Amsterdam, being sure to take advantage of the pefect weather. We spent the day on a walking tour of the city, enjoying the sights of the canals and parks.

De Ruif

Andrew Riha — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 22:27:15 +0000

Every Wednesday night the international students gather at a De Ruif for a night of relaxing and socializing. On the way to De Ruif we pass through the city center, and there always seems to be something going on – this particular Wednesday brought us a carnival.

Delftse Hout

Andrew Riha — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 22:25:36 +0000

The weather here changes very rapidly – most of the time it’s mostly cloudy, and getting rained on while biking to class isn’t that uncommon. When the weather’s good you learn to take advantage of it, so Sunday afternoon was spent on the banks of the lake in Delft’s largest park: Delftse Hout.