Since returning from Italy I've been settling back into Amsterdam, thinking a lot about what I saw and heard in Pistoia. My morning runs in the Vondelpark bring me close to many children and parents as they go to school on their bikes. I'm been struck by how much traveling by bike puts everyone in contact-- with their surroundings, and with each other. Couples or friends ride together to work or school. Parents take their kids to school, sometimes in what appear to be neighborhood groups. Mothers ride along with one, two, or even three kids in the "bakfiets," talking with each other. The children listen to their parents talking, or they just look around, or talk with each other. They observe all these people from the city, walking or riding their bikes. Quite different than being encased inside autos. Traveling this way is just another way to be connected with others and with the immediate surroundings. Cycling as a form of social cohesion?
It amazes me the enthusiasm of Amsterdamers for these warm spring days. Today I think everyone left work early and went to Vondelpark! I cruised around on my bike just taking it all in. The picture is of a cafe' in the middle of the park. Packed with bikes and people sitting out having a coffee or drink at 4:00 PM.
I returned this week from a very rich experience, visiting the early childhood centers of Pistoia, Italy. These centers are not quite as well-known as those in Reggio Emilia, but from all reports they are every bit as good. I think the most impressive single discovery I had in Pistoia was the leadership I saw throughout the system. In the several centers we visited, there were very articulate and obviously experienced and competent pedagogues. They had been engaged, often for more than 20 years, in the development of a philosophy of early education, care, and family support. The philosophy they espoused was quite consistent in each place my group visited—respect for children and families, welcoming children and families with open arms, developing and maintaining close family-like relationships with each child, including their parents, discovery, creativity, and connection with the community. The second thing that impressed me was the level of investment in the centers—ample space, nice grounds surrounding the buildings, and a high degree of care and attention to the aesthetics of the environment. “Making beautiful spaces for children that offer ‘provocations’ for children to discover, think, communicate, and relate closely to others.” See the photos in this link to get a sense of these impressive early childhood programs.
I am back in the city after spending 9 days in Italy, touring early childhood programs in Pistoia and having a nice long weekend in Florence and Siena with Patty.
What a difference a week makes in the feeling of spring! I had my run in the Vondelpark this morning and noticed all kinds of new flowers and people enjoying the nice weather.
Click on this link to see some photos of people in the park.
Saturday morning. After a nice long jog in the Vondelpark, I grabbed my camera to take a few morning shots near my apartment. Saturday is a busy shopping day for many people. Sunday seems typically to be reserved for rest and entertainment, and most shops are closed. Today I just went out and took a few photos within 1/2 block of my front door. Here you will see a father and a mother with their children running errands on Kinkerstraat, the busy shopping street one block from my house. The mother is riding the typical "bakfiets" (pronounced "baak-feets") that is common among families that have little kids--a wooden box with a seat for two small children, sometimes with a cover for rainy weather. The father has a rather fancy folding version of the bakfiets. See more photos of "my neighborhood" on my Picasa page. (Or view the slide show...)
Since returning from Italy I've been settling back into Amsterdam, thinking a lot about what I saw and heard in Pistoia. My morning runs in the Vondelpark bring me close to many children and parents as they go to school on their bikes. I'm been struck by how much traveling by bike puts everyone in contact-- with their surroundings, and with each other. Couples or friends ride together to work or school. Parents take their kids to school, sometimes in what appear to be neighborhood groups. Mothers ride along with one, two, or even three kids in the "bakfiets," talking with each other. The children listen to their parents talking, or they just look around, or talk with each other. They observe all these people from the city, walking or riding their bikes. Quite different than being encased inside autos. Traveling this way is just another way to be connected with others and with the immediate surroundings. Cycling as a form of social cohesion? 
