Amsterdam!

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I’ve been over in Amsterdam for a couple of days for the Ishares Cup which is one of the events that our Group runs. It involves extremely fast and exciting extreme 40’s racing around one of the docks there which has been incredible fun to watch. It’s not every day that you see that kind of action in a city centre!

But spending time in Amsterdam, and for once having an hour or so to wander around made me see some interesting facts about the place. First of all I have never seen so many bikes in all my life - not even in Shanghai! Everywhere there were bikes, not flash racing bikes nor mountain bikes but normal bikes, travelling bikes. Bikes with child ‘baskets’ on the front, bikes with three child seats, bikes going to work
and to play. The whole city was bursting with cycle lanes, in fact I don’t think that there was a road without a cycle lane running each side of it. By the station there must have been a few hundred thousand bikes, all parked up, rows and rows of them. There were also trams; everywhere.

Another aspect of Amsterdam of which I was not aware was that it is full of waterways. There is water quite literally everywhere, and people appear to really use them! It gives a different feel to the city, a great feel!

In fact, I was really impressed with Amsterdam, and I wondered if back in the early 16- and 1700’s when many of the buildings were built that they had thought about cycle lanes or trams… It just felt like a nicely planned city, and the air, to me anyway certainly felt cleaner. Although there were main roads, the little side streets by the water were lined with more bikes, and fewer cars. A really great place…

5 comments have been made

Ellen, thought you’d like to know that my daughter Sophie(12) has chosen to write about you for her homework ‘A person who I admire’. We’ve both learnt a lot more about you as a result and we think YOU ROCK! Good luck with your current ventures.

  • Guido
  • 17th September, 2007

Hi Ellen,
If I had known you were attending the races here in Amsterdam I would have looked for you to shake hands. I live on the KNSM-Island and through the window of my living room I could see these fantastic catamarans sailing. I just received your books this weekend from Amazon and can’t stop reading. I learned about you only a few weeks ago when I watched a rerun of Top Gear with you breaking another record. Dutch television apparently didn’t pay much attention to your voyage on the B&Q in 2005, so I have a little catching up to do. I am amazed by what you achieved and the passion you show in everything you do.
The iShares Cup was really incredible, 8 futuristic boats in this tiny dock racing close to the walls of the dock. I certainly hope that we will see the iShares Cup again next year in Amsterdam. Perhaps the organization could promote the Cup a little more for instance on local television (AT5). I had the impression that the spectators were mainly insiders and people from the neighborhood (we received a flyer in our mailbox). I think the cup could draw a lot more attention than it did this year already.
I am glad that you like the city so much, the bicycle indeed is the logical means of transportation over here. Parking your car in the inner city is simply impossible and if you manage to park your car it is extremely expensive. I never go into the city by car, I also work in the city center and of course I ride my bike every day to and from the office. You can find some facts on cycling in Amsterdam through this link: http://www.iamsterdam.com/visiting_exploring/getting_there_around/bikes/bike_capital_of
In the 17th century the city was built with pedestrians and horses in mind. The public transportation facilities were almost always built under protest of people living near them because it would ruin the city in their eyes. At the moment a new underground line is built from the northern part to the southern part of the town. As usual much of the duration of the project is taken up by lawsuits against the project.
It’s nice you feel as if the city was built with all these things in mind. Amsterdam is a great city to live in in every way, of course I am biased because I was born here but the positive things you described are all true!
Good luck with all your activities, especially with your trust.
Guido

  • Paul
  • 26th September, 2007

Ellen, you are an inspiration to all. I stumbled across your website the other day, and now I am hooked. Please keep up the great work that you do and I hope you continue to inspire everyone who meets you or reads about you.

  • Kennard
  • 29th September, 2007

Ellen
A few months back I was in Southern Italy having lunch with my late fathers oldest Italian friend.We were reminiscing about happy days gone by on ‘Cabaret’ and ‘Arion Bleu’.Luigi said ‘of course you know that Ellen Macarthy used to sail with your father….which I didnt.!!
I was thrilled to think that his passion for sailing might just of rubbed off a bit.!!
All the best
Steve ( Kennard )

  • biscut
  • 4th December, 2007

Ellen
i am doing you in my homework and i am wondering where did you go to school and where did you go to uni i admire your achevmants and i would be scared to do the same
all the best
sam {biscut}

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This is the personal Blog of me, Ellen MacArthur. I will be posting regular updates and news on my life and passions…

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