My visit to Holland has been incredible so far in more than one way.  Obviously it has been great to see Hannah and Stefan again, and to see what her life has evolved into here across the pond.  This trip in some ways has been more than that though.  I have a better appreciation of the lifestyle differences between the US and the Netherlands.  I really enjoy the main mode of transportation here in this small country- the bicycle.  I wasn’t a transportation engineer the last time I visited the Netherlands, and lacked the appreciation for the incredible roadway design that has evolved here.  The bicycle in many ways really is king, and cars are second-class citizens.  This concept is absolutely amazing, and a far better way to live.  This complete shift probably isn’t possible in the US due to, among other things, hills, lack of inter-city public transportation, suburbia and the vast distances between places, but it is an admirable goal to strive for.  I realize now that I would love to live in Europe.  Perhaps not the Netherlands, but somewhere nearby.  I really haven’t had much experience with Western Europe, but I really think I could enjoy living here.

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20 Jun This entry was published on June 20, 2012 at 10:44 am and is filed under Holland. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.