Of rabbit holes and bicycles.

 I couldn't sleep last night. I fell down a rabbit hole.

The rabbit hole was on YouTube land, and I wasn't looking where I was going, and whoom! There I went, into complex network of tunnels, leading to Dutch bicycles, infrastructure, design, and urban planning.  It wasn't actually that complex, I just happened to find a channel of a guy from Ontario now living in Holland who posts videos about traffic planning and related matters.

It was fascinating! So much so that it was 4am before my eyes drifted closed. I might have watched every video he's posted, but I'm hooked now, and keep going through his library of posts to see what crumbs I may have overlooked.

Years ago I read 'The death and life of great American cities' by Jane Jacobs, which is about exactly what it sounds like it's about: what made American cities great, and what has caused their demise. It's an important work that I wish more people read and cared about. Jane didn't write about the life of cities in isolation, as though they are autonomous entities, but how the life of people is intimately connected to that of their city. If the city thrives, quality of life for people increases. And Jane defined thriving, or greatness, not by economic riches, but by the presence of life, movement, activity, connections, diversity of purpose and presence.  Fascinating stuff.

Back to the rabbit hole. This biking Youtuber talks about the same sorts of things. Jacobian things?  Janeian things? Thriving city/ quality of life things. He currently lives in Amsterdam and talks about all the wonderful things the Dutch have got right about city planning. Entire videos on traffic signals! Transit connections! Bicycle garages! In-ground garbage bins! Level crosswalks! So interesting.

It really made me want to live in Amsterdam, where it seems happiness can be found on the back of a bike. Plus, they have tulips, which are my favourite flower. And I also love cheese, so there's that. Not so fond of smoked herring or eels, which might be a problem, but if I pedal fast they won't be able to force me to eat them.