You might be surprised to learn about one particular flip side of Firenze. Different to what many people would think, the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, this open-air museum where realness, visual arts and aesthetic beauty mesmerize our senses has, sadly, little shady zones where personal belongings – specifically related to means of transport – are an easy target.
It's quite a long time since the day when my future aspirations would be shaped to become my life's biggest dream. Looking back 10 years ago, I can still picture myself on that airplane; my wanderlust was in search of an exciting new journey to lead to the unknown. That was March 2011 when I visited Amsterdam for the first time. It was love at first sight. Madly.
Even if you don't live in the Netherlands, it won't take long until you notice, when you visit the country, that the main vehicle used by its citizens is something much more than just a means of transport to go from A to B: it's a lifestyle, something so personal that ends up becoming a companion for life. It's part of what being Dutch means.
After having visited Holland for a while, it has become unthinkable, for me, to go anywhere without a bike. In Rotterdam a bike was essential to tour important corners of the city – that weren’t close to each other – and a must-see experience that was crossing the important Erasmusbrug bridge by bike. It is a beautiful bridge that connects both sides of the city.
