The current population of the Netherlands is around 17.4 million people, but the amount of bikes in the country exceed 22.5 million – that is, 1.3 bicycle / person.

And today, I finally got my first!

If you manage to survive 1,5 years without the most important possession in this place, you’re officially Bear Grylls.
How did I do it?
I simply borrowed it in times of need. In fact, one time I even cycled over a 100km under a day with a bicycle that is only suitable for grocery shopping – barely capable of covering that 800 meters between the house and the store down the street.

To be honest, it seemed foolish to buy something that I don’t “immediately” need; and since I was spoiled with good people around me who always gave their bike when I needed it, the idea of getting one just never occurred to me – until today.

You see, sometimes you just wake up on a regular weekday, and absolutely everything goes your way. There is no traffic in the morning, your colleagues bring you coffee, a stranger’s dog brightens up your day, or you find a 20€/$ bill on the street. Everything is pleasant and easy, and you didn’t even have to fight for it like every other day.
I’m not saying they’re common, but you know they exist.

The proof of that culminated this evening, when I went up on Marktplaats – basically the Dutch craigslist – and came across a seemingly flawless bike that was very, very cheap. Under cheap, I mean 2 or 3 times cheaper than what it would cost in a dealership. The seller had good reviews, most of those came from satisfied customers who bought refurbished bikes from him.

“HolyShitThisIsMyChanceIGottaBeQuick”
Since such opportunities are as rare as a flying pig, I immediately sent him a message about being interested in buying it.
An hour later he replied – I could check it out right away.
The first set of “This is too good to be true” thoughts started to appear, but I drowned them with excitement and belief. It seemed fair to have a little faith in the seller’s benevolence and decency.

You know, the bike business here can be very shady. Since it’s one of the most popular commodities in the country, there is even an urban myth that spreads between close friends in dark alleys; a secret whispered cautiously, to give you a last resort solution after a night of excessive drinking: If you walk up to a guy in a hoodie at any Central Station between midnight and 3 am in the morning, you can score a bike for €10 in 2 minutes.
If you’re wasted, tired and pissed – unable to find your own two wheelie – this saves your soul at the cost of damning another. Choose wisely.

When we began discussing the details, I noticed that I did the most cruel thing a Dutch person can do to someone who is practicing their language: I switched to English. He messed up the word order so sadly, that I unconsciously turned off my Dutch and continued in English.
Oh, how proud I was to “make a Dutch deal”, only to see my pride turn to dust as I realize that he is also an expat struggling to grasp the complexity of the language.

We agreed to meet at 6 in the evening, so I dressed up in a blink and jumped on the first bus towards his place. The destination was Beuningen, a seemingly rich neighborhood I’ve never been in.

The colors of the fall made it look like I’m in a park, rather than a city – the houses were so well built, it felt like they’re the part of nature’s abundant diversity:

As I walked up to the door at the address he gave me, a kind man came out of his workshop, unlocked the bike and told me to go for a round to see if it fits. I couldn’t imagine this happening in Hungary – You could just cycle away, and never come back to pay. But here, they trust you with blind faith. Even expats do, which makes you think how great the community is.

To my surprise, the condition of the bike was indeed almost mint. The gears, the breaks, the steering. There was a lamp both on the back and on the front, hell, even the chain and the cogs were freshly oiled.
All this for 69 euros.
Even 200 wouldn’t have been too much though.

I handed him the money with a warm thank you, and began my 30 minute journey home.
That’s when I saw the most beautiful sunset in the middle of a golden road:

Fall, you’re gorgeous.
My day of anti-Murphy’s law was full of peace and joy. I really couldn’t have asked for more.
To say goodbye, here is the river with a marvelous view:

Remember: The lucky days will come to you too, just don’t forget to look while they do.
Take care,
Erik

2020.10.22 – Day 640