On 07/26/2012 02:07 PM, nablusoss1008 wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb <no_reply@...> wrote: >> I'm still clearly in the "honeymoon period" w.r.t. my >> new town. I just love it. >> >> Sometimes it's the Little Things. Like how the primary >> mode of transportation is the bicycle. You are actually >> penalized to some extent for living in the Centrum of >> Leiden and having a car. To park it, you have to get a >> permit, which costs 40 Euros a quarter for the first >> car, and 80 Euros per quarter for the second car. It >> is a policy clearly aimed at reducing the amount of >> auto traffic and presence within Leiden, and it is >> clearly working. >> >> Living here, a car is superfluous. I still have my old >> but eternal Peugeot 306, but it will probably remain >> sitting in its parking space for the full duration of >> my first parking permit. I will probably never need it. >> Everything I need is within walking or biking distance, >> and both walking and biking are more fun than driving. >> It's sort of a no-brainer. If this happens, and I wind >> up not needing my car for a full quarter of the year, >> I will most likely sell the car. >> >> My story is kinda normal around here. Now compare it to >> the story of moving to a new community in most places >> in the United States. In how many of them could you >> live a quality life without a car? >> >> One of the reasons that I enjoy staying in touch with >> the Fairfield community is that I sense that -- should >> the shit hit the fan and autos not really be as avail- >> able or affordable as they are today -- you could prob- >> ably get by, and comfortably, without a car in Fairfield. >> >> I like that in a town. I could say that about several >> of the places I've lived, including tiny little Sauve, >> France, or much larger Sitges, Spain, or even larger >> still Santa Fe, New Mexico. It's really *neat* to live >> in a town that you can live in successfully and >> comfortably without a car. >> >> All of that said, the "takeaway" I have from my walk >> tonight is still the silence. >> >> On foot, on a bicycle, or probably even in a car, this >> is one of the most *silent* burbs I've ever lived in. >> Whatever is going on on the surface of life -- dogs >> barking, the rare car horn honking, party boats on >> the river blaring tasteless music at high volumes -- >> *whatever*, the silence is still there. >> >> It's like there is nothing in the environment that >> can *overshadow* the silence. >> >> I have no explanation for how this could be, only >> that it seems to be. > > Nothing in Holland is far from Vlodrop, including Leiden :-)
Ever been to the states, Nabby? Some of our states are bigger than some of the European countries (including the larger ones).
