New bike. I was meant to have it. I was referred, from couchsurfing to Douglas, a Canadian who's been here many years now and fixes bikes for students. He wanted to get rid of these two bikes for 40 euro each (which is a bargain!). It was the only one that worked. It's turqouise and black, and female (with a lowered crossbar for elimination of wedgies) like those commonly used in Europe. It's also a Peugeot.
On a bike, everything just glides by, and the stimulation of enjoying a Dutch town is intensified by the faster speed. A lady riding a bike throws her half-eaten baguette into a canal, the winter sunshine filters through the trees lining the canals, an Asian girl with brightly-coloured woollen wear (like the protester in Juno) rides by.
Today I also had my Registration Appointment and discovered the Dutch characteristics of "no hierarchy, equality, organised, under control, no-nonsense, DIY and limited responsibility". The office would not photocopy anything for students, and if one did not bring, inter alia, one's fully-photocopied passport or a Passport photo taken by an official Dutch photographer, one had to attend an appointment another day.
And also, absurdly, a student must register for his/her exam separately from registering for the course! As if they were not co-dependent.
Notice the strategically positioned diamond that artistically frames this shot at the top left.
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