Notice the 4 floor-buildings on the left of the street at 26:31. In fact, those are two 2-floor-appartments on top of each other. See the walkway on the 3rd layer. Both of the appartments have inside staircases. Living and kitchen downstairs and bedrooms upstairs. On the right at that same street it is different: 2 floors on groundlevel and a single layer, another appartment on top. So only 3 floors. Both types of building are not seen a lot in the Netherlands. Fun fact to forget: I was born in the house on the right with the scaffolding at 36:46 (Weversingel) I am a "Keientrekker".
Great video, Chris is such relaxed friendly guy, he would be an excellent ambassador for Amersfoort, or maybe he could become the bicycle mayor of Amersfoort !!?
I agree 💯 Funny you should mention the Bicycle Mayor program. My video podcast episode that I'll be releasing this Friday is an interview with Patty Wiens, the Bicycle Mayor of Winnipeg. Thanks so much for watching and commenting. Cheers! John
I live in Amersfoort and I would have loved to welcome Active Towns too, but unfortunately on that particular day I wouldn't have been able to. I often cycle in the places where you were. A few comments. First, the 4 lane road near the centre (Stadsring) is still a remnant of the car centric thinking of the 60-ies and 70-ies. We are trying to bring it back to 2 lanes and turn the sides back into water, just like it was originally. I avoid it as much as I can. Second, would I call Amersfoort part of Randstad? Probably not. I is too far to the east. Third, I like your observations about South Limburg. I come from there. I grew up in the dialect, but I had to spread my wings on a day. I didn't get all that far, but I like it here more than over there, although I still like come back once in a while.
Yes we took extra care while filiming in the park, but I wanted to show John & friends the beautiful area, only rolled through at a slow jogging pace, the very busy city centre however we don't ride through as there isn't space for filming bicycles.
I took it (the blue pedestrian sign) to mean it was a pedestrian priority zone... are you saying that it is definitely against the law to ride to these destinations? That almost seems anti-Dutch lol 😂
@@ActiveTownsunlike in the US, someone on a bike is not a pedestrian in the Netherlands. So if you see a blue sign indicating it is a pedestrian zone / path you are not allowed to cycle there and can be fined.
There's a good chance those bells were being played by a human. There is a carillonneur school in Amersfoort and they regularly play on the carrillon of the Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren.
The cannel is called "the Eem". I't go's from Amersfoort to Baarn to Eembrugge to Eemdijk. Eemdijk, ware I bin born whit the Eem cannel in the backyard. To the old Zuiderzee. And Spakenburg.
I am no expert on this but the etymological background of Amersfoort probably has nothing to do with fort, as suggested in this wonderful video, but rather with voorde, wading place through a body of water. It’s also in English place names ending on -ford. It is quite surprising that Chris picked up adifferent vibe in the south of Limburg compared to amersfoort, which is located on the outskirts of the Randstad, quite near to Utrecht. I would imagine that most people think Zuid-Limburg is quieter than Amersfoort, but Chris experiences it differently for his family. He really should be hired by the Amersfoortmunicipality for their tourist or marketingdepartment 😂😊
It really depends on where in Zuid-Limburg you are, the provincial capital Maastricht, the former coal mining area with the towns Brunsum, Landgraaf, Heerlen and Kerkrade, plus another former coal mining with the towns Sittard, Geleen, Beek, Elslo and Stein that now encicle the large industrial complex "Chemelot", are all quite densly urbanised, while elsewhere you'll find rural areas with many scattred small villages.
Amersfoort has a special status allowing more residential areas to be developed than in other towns, especially to the north of the center like Kattenbroek, Nieuwland and Vathorst. Those areas have very interesting architecture and bike infrastructure which I hoped to see…
There is definitely many different development types around Amersfoort, and great highlights in the area we didn't even mention, the city centre itself especially, it's such a beautiful and bustling vibe but without the chaos of vehicles.
Amersfoort is NOT geographically speaking the centre of the Netherlands, Amersfoort cartographically speaking the centre of the Netherlands - big difference!
Notice the 4 floor-buildings on the left of the street at 26:31. In fact, those are two 2-floor-appartments on top of each other. See the walkway on the 3rd layer. Both of the appartments have inside staircases. Living and kitchen downstairs and bedrooms upstairs. On the right at that same street it is different: 2 floors on groundlevel and a single layer, another appartment on top. So only 3 floors. Both types of building are not seen a lot in the Netherlands. Fun fact to forget: I was born in the house on the right with the scaffolding at 36:46 (Weversingel) I am a "Keientrekker".
Oh, cool! Thanks so much for sharing. Cheers! John
I love this guy's enthusiasm for my city.
haha thanks, we love it here : )
Me too! With great reason. It's a beautiful city
It's his city too! 😊
That was a fun tour!
I have lived in Amersfoort for 26 years, and still you showed me some spots I didn't know.
Yay! That's fun. Thanks so much for tuning in and commenting. It's much appreciated, and I hope you are enjoying the Channel. Cheers! John
Great video, Chris is such relaxed friendly guy, he would be an excellent ambassador for Amersfoort, or maybe he could become the bicycle mayor of Amersfoort !!?
I agree 💯
Funny you should mention the Bicycle Mayor program. My video podcast episode that I'll be releasing this Friday is an interview with Patty Wiens, the Bicycle Mayor of Winnipeg.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting.
Cheers! John
Such a nice positive feedback thank you, perhaps one day! I am a big follower of the bicycle mayor action ❤
I absolutely love this city.
It definitely seemed quite lovable to me. Thanks so much for tuning in. I hope you are enjoying the Channel. Cheers! John
I love it when newcomers are so positive about beautiful Amersfoort
Welcome !!!
😀
Oh hey cool, my home town! Never expected to see it on your channel. I love it here.
I loved my short visit. So much to love, for sure. Thanks for watching. Cheers! John
Ah, you missed the pissing polar bear, which I believe has now been moved to Groningen, but the house under water is pretty cool too.
Yeah, that was a pleasant surprise. Thanks for tuning in and commenting. It’s much appreciated 😎
Great video as always. Amersfoort seems like a very relaxing place.
Thanks so much, Jack! 🙏
Great video, John. Enjoyed that! I visit Amersfoort regularly, but I have never seen it through these eyes.
Yay! So delighted to hear that you enjoyed it and found it interesting. Thanks so much for tuning in. Cheers! John
There is olso a scouting group there for the kids. Between the old hospital and Leusden.
🙌
I live in Amersfoort and I would have loved to welcome Active Towns too, but unfortunately on that particular day I wouldn't have been able to. I often cycle in the places where you were.
A few comments. First, the 4 lane road near the centre (Stadsring) is still a remnant of the car centric thinking of the 60-ies and 70-ies. We are trying to bring it back to 2 lanes and turn the sides back into water, just like it was originally. I avoid it as much as I can.
Second, would I call Amersfoort part of Randstad? Probably not. I is too far to the east.
Third, I like your observations about South Limburg. I come from there. I grew up in the dialect, but I had to spread my wings on a day. I didn't get all that far, but I like it here more than over there, although I still like come back once in a while.
Thanks so much for tuning in and contributing to the conversation. Much appreciated. Cheers! John
Great tour, fantastic Australian guide with a great beard!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Good tour and information about Amersfoort.
Thanks so much for watching. Cheers! John
What a surprise, I live in Amersfoort!
Cool! Hope you can join us this evening for the Premiere. Cheers! John
The arrow sculpture on the station square is a clock. It always points towards the sun, even when it is below the horizon and no matter the season.
That's cool!
None of those "shared paths" were shared paths; those were all pedestrian areas... 😉
He seems to think that if it doesn't say you can't ride a bike, then you _can_ ride a bike. But that's not how it works in the Netherlands.
Yes we took extra care while filiming in the park, but I wanted to show John & friends the beautiful area, only rolled through at a slow jogging pace, the very busy city centre however we don't ride through as there isn't space for filming bicycles.
I took it (the blue pedestrian sign) to mean it was a pedestrian priority zone... are you saying that it is definitely against the law to ride to these destinations? That almost seems anti-Dutch lol 😂
@ActiveTowns yes, no biking on the blue pedestrian signed paths
@@ActiveTownsunlike in the US, someone on a bike is not a pedestrian in the Netherlands. So if you see a blue sign indicating it is a pedestrian zone / path you are not allowed to cycle there and can be fined.
Others are right about the pedestrian paths, but it's a little curious they felt the need to post a 1,0t weight limit on a pedestrian path (12:18) 🤣
Well, we humans are getting heavier these days, lol 😂
I saw the water peeing polar beer doing his thinng outside the Groninger Museum, in front of the station !
Cool! 🙌
Thanks so much for tuning in today. 🙏
A special moment in history 😁
There's a good chance those bells were being played by a human. There is a carillonneur school in Amersfoort and they regularly play on the carrillon of the Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren.
That's cool too!
The cannel is called "the Eem". I't go's from Amersfoort to Baarn to Eembrugge to Eemdijk. Eemdijk, ware I bin born whit the Eem cannel in the backyard. To the old Zuiderzee. And Spakenburg.
Ah cool! Thanks🙏
I am no expert on this but the etymological background of Amersfoort probably has nothing to do with fort, as suggested in this wonderful video, but rather with voorde, wading place through a body of water. It’s also in English place names ending on -ford.
It is quite surprising that Chris picked up adifferent vibe in the south of Limburg compared to amersfoort, which is located on the outskirts of the Randstad, quite near to Utrecht. I would imagine that most people think Zuid-Limburg is quieter than Amersfoort, but Chris experiences it differently for his family. He really should be hired by the Amersfoortmunicipality for their tourist or marketingdepartment 😂😊
Ah, thanks for the voorde insight!
Totally agree... Chris is an enthusiastic cheerleader for the city, for sure.
Cheers!
John
It really depends on where in Zuid-Limburg you are, the provincial capital Maastricht, the former coal mining area with the towns Brunsum, Landgraaf, Heerlen and Kerkrade, plus another former coal mining with the towns Sittard, Geleen, Beek, Elslo and Stein that now encicle the large industrial complex "Chemelot", are all quite densly urbanised, while elsewhere you'll find rural areas with many scattred small villages.
This is true, the names refers to a voorde of the Amer (now called Eem).
Amersfoort has a special status allowing more residential areas to be developed than in other towns, especially to the north of the center like Kattenbroek, Nieuwland and Vathorst. Those areas have very interesting architecture and bike infrastructure which I hoped to see…
There is definitely many different development types around Amersfoort, and great highlights in the area we didn't even mention, the city centre itself especially, it's such a beautiful and bustling vibe but without the chaos of vehicles.
Thanks for watching and commenting!
Amersfoort is NOT geographically speaking the centre of the Netherlands, Amersfoort cartographically speaking the centre of the Netherlands - big difference!
Thanks for watching and for the clarification. Cheers! John
Interesting, learn something new everyday, thankyou
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like
😎