Cycle Chic™'s favourite Barcelonan, Txell from Barcelona Cycle Chic, is in Copenhagen - as we speak. Like many northern European capitals the bulk of the tourist visits happen between April and October. Txell has been here before and she was keen to see Copenhagen "off-season". It's almost a shame to take the girl out of Barcelona (temperature yesterday 20C) and transplant her to Copenhagen in December (temperature yesterday -5C with snow). But Txell is braving the weather like a true Cycle Chicista. In wicked heels, of course.
The Vikings sailed throughout Europe back in the day, including exploring the rivers in Catalonia, so perhaps a couple of her genes originate with Viking visitors to Catalonia.
Furry hats with earflaps are all the rage this winter in Copenhagen and Txell is keeping up with the Copentrendiness with hers. Plus it's super warm. Which is handy.
She got a bike from the good people at Baisikeli, which you should, too, if you ever come to town.
5 comments:
Furry hats with ear flaps be all sorts of warm, snuggly goodness. Plus, when you turn your head to check for traffic you don't end up just looking at the inside of your hood.
You can also put a helmet brand sticker on the front to confuse the hell out of the punters.
I will be biking with Txell in January in BCN! Woohoo!
Love the pics
Some historic facts about the vikings, Spain and the bikes:
In 844, a danish viking fleet with 90 drakkar and around 1000 men, arrived to Sevilla sailing up Guadalquivir River.
In that time, Sevilla was one of the biggest and richest cities of all Europe. It was the second biggest city in the Cordoba's Caliphate, the rich and powerful moorish kingdom os Southern Spain.
Danish Vikings destroyed the walls of Sevilla, and then settled in the city for 2 months, until a big Army send by the Cordoba's Calipha, Abderraman II, defeated viking expedition in Tablada, a place near Sevilla.
500 Viking were killed and 60 drakkar destroyed by the moorish army. 100 Viking could buy their freedom and return to Denmark. But other 400 viking converted to Islam, settled in Moron de la Frontera (a town near Sevilla) and served in the calipha's army against the Christian soldiers of northern Spain.
And now, the bikes: in 2006 Sevilla had almost no bike lanes, and around 6000 cyclist riding around the city every day. In 2010,Sevilla has 120 km of bike lanes, a marvelous public bike system (Sevici) and 60000 cyclist (Sevilla's Population: 700000). That's almost 10% of sevillanos! In just three years!.
So yes, the viking ADN is still alive and healthy in Flamenco's capital :-)
Awesome!
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