Romance...Dutch Style
This evening on my way home from church, on the bicycle path atop the dike that follows the Rhine, two bicyclers headed toward me. They were riding side by side, the woman on the left and the man on the right. And they were holding hands.
It is not an uncommon sight to see, but today it made me think about the other memorable moments of romance I’ve witnessed or experienced here. Needless to say, the bicycle is a common thread. Being a mode of transportation here, rather than merely for recreation, the bicycle, of course, is used in conjunction with romance…for dates, for carrying special goods, for snuggling, for hellos and for good-byes.
The first date Dan and I went on in Holland was by bike. We bicycled to the movie theater and bicycled back. I laughed at our situation then, and I still find “dating” by bicycle to be funny. Granted, a date that is meant to be on the bike is one thing. However, using the bike to get to and from the date is another! I’m waiting to discover valet parking for bicycles…
I love hopping on the back of Dan’s bike for him to give me a ride. It makes me feel young and quite carefree. (I’m not sure he feels the same, especially as I gain my zwangerschap weight.) When I see other couples riding this way, some in the back will be clinging tightly to the one who is pedaling. Others are being more playful. But there is no doubt they are close.
But on other, more sentimental notes, I witnessed a particularly touching scene at the bus station a few weeks ago. Obviously about to part for a length of time, a young couple spent some time saying their goodbyes. Then the girlfriend pedaled away, leaving her boyfriend to watch wistfully. It took some time for her to fade into the distance. Her black trench coat was flapping behind her, it was foggy, and the boyfriend was teary.
For our anniversary a few weeks ago, Dan bought me a bunch of roses. We rode home from dinner that night with the flowers strapped to the back of his bike. The image of bright red roses on the back of my husband’s bike was…romantic.
It is not an uncommon sight to see, but today it made me think about the other memorable moments of romance I’ve witnessed or experienced here. Needless to say, the bicycle is a common thread. Being a mode of transportation here, rather than merely for recreation, the bicycle, of course, is used in conjunction with romance…for dates, for carrying special goods, for snuggling, for hellos and for good-byes.
The first date Dan and I went on in Holland was by bike. We bicycled to the movie theater and bicycled back. I laughed at our situation then, and I still find “dating” by bicycle to be funny. Granted, a date that is meant to be on the bike is one thing. However, using the bike to get to and from the date is another! I’m waiting to discover valet parking for bicycles…
I love hopping on the back of Dan’s bike for him to give me a ride. It makes me feel young and quite carefree. (I’m not sure he feels the same, especially as I gain my zwangerschap weight.) When I see other couples riding this way, some in the back will be clinging tightly to the one who is pedaling. Others are being more playful. But there is no doubt they are close.
But on other, more sentimental notes, I witnessed a particularly touching scene at the bus station a few weeks ago. Obviously about to part for a length of time, a young couple spent some time saying their goodbyes. Then the girlfriend pedaled away, leaving her boyfriend to watch wistfully. It took some time for her to fade into the distance. Her black trench coat was flapping behind her, it was foggy, and the boyfriend was teary.
For our anniversary a few weeks ago, Dan bought me a bunch of roses. We rode home from dinner that night with the flowers strapped to the back of his bike. The image of bright red roses on the back of my husband’s bike was…romantic.
posted by Beth at 8:45 PM
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