A family that bikes together arrives together.

This photo was taken in Amsterdam and is called Family Cycle Train. It is awesome. Yes, you read that right: awesome.

I’m putting this bike on my Christmas list.

The ins and outs of red doors.

Number nine.  Number nine.  Beatles? Anyone?

These red doors in Amsterdam are quite lovely and have nothing to do with that other red district that you’re thinking about. Seriously, people.

This post is a Wordless Wednesday entry but I just couldn’t help myself.

Photo by Mike McHolm via Flickr

Groningen has more boats than T-Pain.

Groningen, a small city in the north of the Netherlands, is home to about 185,000 people, almost a third of which are college students.  It is also home to about a million bicycles – give or take.

When I visited Groningen I was a young man and the idea of a beautiful town filled with people of a similar age and bars that didn’t close until 7am seemed like a good one. It worked out pretty well.

The city is a relatively short train ride from Amsterdam which makes it a great day trip destination.  Among the sites I’d recommend are the University of Groningen, the Groninger Museum, and the Aa Church.  There are also a couple of red-light districts if that’s your thing.
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From Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip

“Bicycles are sacred in Amsterdam,” said Michiel Laterveer, director of sales and marketing at the Amsterdam Renaissance Hotel.  “Like cows are to India.”

On a recent trip to Europe, I was struck by the green transportation efficiencies that were created out of necessity.

“You don’t want a car in Amsterdam,” added Brigitta Kroon-Fiorita of the Netherlands Board of Tourism.  “Everyone rides a bicycle.”

In fact, I spotted several business men and women talking on their cell phones as they peddled to work.  The Amsterdam train station had a three level parking garage specifically designed for bicycles.  With its cobblestone streets and numerous canals, Amsterdam is a city to be enjoyed on foot.

Scooters were the preferred mode of transportation in the narrow streets of Madrid and Seville, Spain, as well as Lisbon, Portugal.  While there isn’t a helmet law, most riders sported helmets in the heavily congested city of Madrid.  The upscale city also offers an easily accessible underground and affordable subway system.  The Sunday that I visited Madrid, thousands of bicyclists swarmed the Paseo de la Castellana that had been closed to cars for the event.  I watched from my club room at the Intercontinental as the bicyclists demonstrated their solidarity in demanding bike lanes for riders.  Unfortunately, there is not much room to expand for bicycle lanes in downtown Madrid.

For the green traveler looking to cover a lot of Europe, Eurail offers many alternatives from train to boat.  I selected the 10 day, first class Global Pass, which is valid within a two month period.  For Lisbon, Portugal I took a day trip to the charming city of Sintra.  After several days in Lisbon, I boarded the overnight train, #385, to Seville, staying at NH Plaza de Armas.  The hotel was a 10 minute cab ride from the train station.  For a lovely day excursion, I recommend a train ride to the waterfront town of Cadiz.

Finally, a common mode of transportation spotted throughout my 10 day tour of Europe was the adorable Smart Car.  Squeezed between bicycles and barges in Amsterdam or cozied up next to horsedrawn carriages in Seville, the Smart Car is slowly making its debut in the United States.

While I drive the fuel-efficient and sporty BMW Mini Cooper, I would happily convert to a Smart Car if I didn’t have to contend with SUV’s, Humvee’s and tanker trucks sharing California’s highways.  Our gas guzzling USA would benefit greatly if we were to implement many of the green transportation alternatives offered in Europe.

Is green travel important to you?  Do you find that you travel differently abroad than when traveling in the United States?  For more information on this topic check out the Go Green Travel Green blog.

Seville bicycle photo, Cadiz scooters, Eurail train and horse and carriage photos by Nancy D. Brown

Related: Groningen for Bikes and College Kids; Getting Creative in the Netherlands