Minner om Hidden Villa = Memories from Hidden Villa

Jeg kunne ikke uttrykke min glede nok når jeg hørte fra venninen min, Siri, at det er en gård nær Oslo hvor vi kunne bli medlem. Det som jeg har savnet mest (foruten familen og venner) fra California har vært ferske, saftige grønnsaker, direkte fra en andelsgård.





I was overjoyed to hear from my friend, Siri, that there was in fact a farm near Oslo where we could become members. One of the things that I have missed the most from California (besides family and friends) has been fresh, juice vegetables, direct from a community farm.

Hidden Villa Gård i Los Altos California ble min første innførelse til andelsgårder i 2003 som heter Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) gårder i USA. Etter en anbefaling fra en venn arbeidet jeg frivillig med ham der hver onsdag i sesongen.

In 2003 Hidden Villa Farm in Los Altos California was my first real introduction to community farms which are called Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms in the US. After the recommentation of a friend, I volunteered there with him every Wednesday for a season.

I begynnelsen var jeg litt forbauset over at han likte å jobbe der. Det tok over en time for å sykle til gården og det var ganske tøft arbeid å luke lange rader med gulrotter og kål. Etter tre timer var vi helt utslitte, solbrent og dekket med skitt. Alt som man kunne høste den første uke var noen misdannede reddiker og noen få salat blader.

In the beginning I was a little taken aback by his enuthiasm for the volunteer labor. It took over one hour to bike to the farm each week and it was fairly tough work to weed long rows of carrots and cabbage. After our three hour shifts we were often exhausted, sunburned and covered in dirt. All that we had to show for it after the first week were some misshapen radishes and a few scrawny greens.

Men, etter noen uker forstod jeg hans motivasjon. Det var et fredelig og rolig felleskap på jordet. Borte fra byen kunne vi høre på vinden i trærene og sangene fra ville fugler. Selv om arbeidet var gjentagende, var det helt stressfritt. Mens jeg begynte å bli kjent med de andre på gården lærte jeg nyttige tips om mat og liv- hvorfor økologiske grønnsaker er bedre en vanlig mat, hvordan aspargusplanter ser ut, og hvordan man kan lage oliver. Oppvokst i byen, hadde jeg bare uklare ideer om hvordan grønnsaker vokser.

But after a few weeks I began to understand his motivation. There was a sense of community there in the quiet and peaceful countryside. Away from the bustle of the city we could listen to the wind blowing in the bay trees and the call of the wild song birds. Even though the work was quite repetitive, it was completely stress-free. As I began to meet the other folks on the farm I learned useful tips about food and life in general - why organic food matters, what an asparagus plant looks like, and how to make olives or find the best ones at the farmers market. Having grown up in the suburbs, I had only a vague idea of were food really comes from, and how it is grown.

I løpet av noen måneder økte avlingen foran øyene min fra små blader til fulle andelskurver med agurker, tomater, poteter, purre, gresskar og planter som jeg aldri hadde brukt før. Opplevelsen tvang meg til å forandre mine tanker om matlaging helt. Naturligvis begynte jeg å spise mye mer grønnsaker og ta sesongen i betraktning. Og nå kan jeg ikke gå tilbake til mine gamle levevaner mer. I stedet for en liten og ubetydelig ettertanke, er grønnsaker det som jeg gleder meg til på middagstallerken. Og nå tenker jeg alltid om hvor de kommer fra.

Over the course of a few months the weekly harvest for the members grew before my eyes from a few small leaves to full baskets with cucumbers, tomatos, potatos, leeks, pumpkins and plants that I had never though to eat before. The experience forced me to completely change the way I think about food. As a natural consquence of course I began to eat more seasonal vegetables. Now, I can't imagine going back to my old habits. Instead of thinking of vegetables as insignificant side dishes, they now take center stage as a highlight of any meal. And now, I always think about where it is that they came from.

Gjester = guests

Endelig gjestene fra USA kommer. Vi har ventet et år for familien min å besøke oss her i Oslo. Selvfølgelig vi har flyttet til USA for jule og vi ofte skype og sender email. Men vi gleder oss til å vise hvordan Norge virkelig er. Det er helt umulig å forklare akkurate hvordan det er å bo her i et fremmed land, som også følger så liknende noen områder i California. De forskjellene er både finurlig og åpenbar som man må oppleve direkte for å forstå fullstendig. Dessverre er en uke ikke nok tid for å se alt som Oslo og Norge tilby, hvor penne de sesongene er, og hvor forunderlig de landskapene er. Jeg ønsker at jeg kunne vise gjestene alle de utrolig steder som vi har sagt over de siste tolve måneder blant annet Molde og Lofoten. For å kjenne Norge inn og ute må man sykle eller gå for mange timer og dager. Nå at vi har nettop flyttet tilbake fra en sykkel tur drømmer jeg om å gå ute igjen snart for å oppdage enda mer.

Finally guests from the US are coming. We have been anticipating these family visits for a year. Of course we have been keeping up through skype, emails, the blog and our Christmas trip to California. But, we have been missing everyone so much and itching to show how Norway really is. It's entirely impossible to explain exactly what it is like to live in a foreign country that also feels in some ways like places we know back home. The differences are both subtle and blatant, but you have to experience it in person to gain some insight. Unfortunately one or two weeks simple isn't enough to see everything Oslo and Norway have to offer, how beautiful the seasons are, and how amazing the landscape is. I wish we could take the guests to all of the unbelievable place we have seen over the last twelve months especially Lofoten and Molde. To really know Norway in and out you really have to smell the air and feel the terrain by bike or on foot over days and months. Now that we have made it through one bike tour, I'm dreaming of the next adventure where can discover even more.

I alle fall kan jeg anbefale mange aktiviteter omkring her som er enkelt, vakre og billige. Jeg ber at det blir fint været om helgen når vi flytte til en hytte med søstera mi. Man kan aldri regne på været har enda om sommeren. Mens vi var i Lofoten var det over 30 grader med sol! En plutselig varmbølge. Men nå er det kjølig og overskyet. Regn er forventet i morgen, men avisen lover at vi skal ha varm vær tilbake snart nok.

In any case, I can recommend many activities in this general area that are easy, beautiful and cheap. I went into this in an earlier blog as well. I pray that we will have good weather this weekend because my sister is coming into town and we are staying at a cabin. You can never count on the weather here, but it can surprise you, despite forcasts. While we were in Lofoten it was over 90 degrees with sun in Oslo! A sudden heat wave. But now it's rather chilly with overcast skies. Rain is predicted for the morning, but the papers promise that good weather is on the way.

For søstera mi har jeg laget en store list om alle de aktivitetene som man kan prøve fra her. (Tilgir meg at de er på engelsk.)

For my sister I wrote out a list of all the activities one can try. (Forgive me that it's all in English this time.)

THINGS TO SEE
Attractions within walking distance:

1. Viking ship museum (a small collection of big viking boats)
2. Kon-tiki museum (big rafts that a guy used to sail around the Pacific, proving that ancient civilizations could have traveled to the South America by sea rather than a land crossing)
3. Fram museum (a big boat that made it from the Atlantic to the Pacific through a northern passage over Canada)
4. Folk museum (historical buildings collected from every region in Norway, try traditional pancakes, activities for kids)
5. HL-senteret and museum (in commemoration of the Holocaust, now dedicated to the plight of oppressed populations around the world)
6. Beaches
7. Sjøfarts museum (Norwegian maritim history)
   
8. The king's farm (pastures, trails, baby cows!!)
9. Kayak rental (haven't tried it yet, but sounds like fun)
10. Frogner park (sculpture park, rose garden, Oslo city museum, playground, tennis courts, pool)
    

Attractions in town (25 minutes by bus):

1. Tour the palace
2. Tour the city hall
3. Tour the fortress, museums
4. Tour the main government building
5. History museum (free)
6. National gallery (free)
7. Design museum (free)
8. Architecture museum(free)
   
9. Various other art museums
10. Nobel Peace Center
11. Tour the opera house
12. Check out the funky side of town, Grunerløkka. Second hand shops, ethnic food markets

Day trips:

1. Bus ride up to the highest point in the area, views of the entire Oslo fjord, and the new national ski jump which is being rebuilt. It's a really important symbol for Norwegians.
2. Ferry out to Hovedøya Island, explore the ruins of a monestary from the middle ages, beaches, parks. The same ferry also goes to a bunch of other interesting islands. So, you can make a day of it.
   
3. Bus ride to the Technology museum for kids, nearby a resevoir, trails, waterfalls
4. Bus ride to Bogstad lake, farm for kids, hikes, golf course
5. Ferry to other fortresses on islands, farther down the fjord, stop by coastal cities
6. Countless hikes with trail heads at the end of bus or train lines, hikes to cabins that serve hot waffels and chocolate, views of the area, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, berry picking and mushroom picking (depending on the season).
   
7. Oslo fjord tour by boat
   

Fjord tour:
This is a super popular fjord tour that our friends are doing in early August. You can do it as a one day trip or spread it out over a few days. It goes almost every day, so you can probably book a tour even last minute if you call.
http://www.norwaynutshell.com/visartikkel.asp?art=96

Lofoten

Oi da! Hva en uke med Interscandi Hash helgen og en sykletur rundt Lofoten. Vi forberede oss for regn og snø, men, det var deilig at vi gledet oss med varm sol og en glimt av midnatt sol på en fest på stranden! Tusen takk til de som oragniserte en fantastisk begivenhet og veluttenkt løper. En klimaks var en båttur på den eldste "Schooner" båt i verden. Den hoved løp hadde vakre utsikter som jeg likte. Matt valgte den ganske tøff "Ball Breaker" løå som var lengre enn en halv maraton, men han kom tilbake med en smil. Festen på siste natten var en suksess med en blanding av Michael Jackson sanger, selvfølgelig. Over alt det var spenning å treffe folk fra hele verden, blant annet en inspirende par som syklet hele veien fra Stockholm. (Se blog: http://www.bikedreams.co.uk/).

Wow! What a week, Interscandi Hash in Harstad followed by a bike tour through Lofoten. We were prepared for torrential rain or even snow, but to our delight we were treated with warm sunlight including a glimse of the midnight sun, just in time for a beach party! My compliments to the Hash organizers for a fantastic event and well though-out runs. One highlight of the weekend was a boat cruise on the world's oldest schooner, and a stunning main run with beautiful vistas. Matt went for the all-out Ball Breaker run which was more than a half marathon and came back smiling. The dance party on the last night was a hit, with a mix of Micheal Jackson songs, of course. Overall, it was a big thrill to meet folks from around the world including an inspiring couple who cycled all the way from Stockholm. (See blog: http://www.bikedreams.co.uk/).

Etter Interskandi de kom med oss og tre andre par for en sykkeltur ned over Lofoten, en vakre kjede av øyer som ligger ut fra fastlandet, nord for den nordlige polarsirkel. Fra alle de stedene som vi har besøkt i Norge, Lofoten er den peneste. Og med været, vi kunne ikke være lykkeligere. Med solfylt himmel det er an sykkelturisters paradis. Mange av de øyene har stille veier rundt en side hvor du kan rulle i fred, bort fra lydelse fra trafikk.

After the Interskandi they joined us with another 3 couples for a cycling adventure down Lofoten, a beautiful chain of islands that stick out from the mainland, above the artic circle. Of all the places we have visited in Norway, Lofoten takes the cake. And with the weather, we couldn't have been luckier. With sunny skies it's a bike tourist's paradise. Many of the islands have quiet country roads around one side where you can roll along and just enjoy the mountains away from truck traffic. Horray!!

kvikk ord = quick note

Så mye skjer om sommeren at det er vanskellig å oppdatere bloggen rask nok. Men, jeg vil skrive mer senere, i juli når vi kommer tilbake fra en skykkeltur i Nord-Norge. Jeg har bar noen måneder før Berget test til høst, og jeg har hørt at det er nyttig å skrive så mye det er mulig for å øve før. Læreren min hadde en student fra Iran som gjøre overordentlig bra på proven på grunn av en blogg. Han jobbet ikke men skrev sider og sider hver dag. Selvfølgelig, jeg er ikke så mye fri tid som han hadde med jobben min og gjester som kommer snart. Men, jeg synes jeg bør begynne å skrive mye mer, selv om de er kort, rask og grov meldninger. Så besøk bloggen igjen snart, det kommer mer.

So much happens in the summer that is difficult to keep my blog updated fast enough. But, I will begin writing more soon, in July, when we return from a bicycle tour in North Norway. The big Norwegian test is coming up in the fall (equivalent of the TOEFL in English). And I heard that is it extemely useful to write as much as possible before hand. My tutor had a student recently from Iran who passed test with flying colors because of his blog. He didn't have a job at the time and wrote pages and pages each day. Of course I don't really have that much free time, what with working and hosting guests. But, I will start writing more, even if they are short, quick and unrefined entries. So, visit the blog again soon, more is on the way!!

En helg på Savalen = Weekend in Savalen

(more photos)

Denne siste helgen reiste vi 3 timer nor for Oslo med vår vennina Siri til å besøke foreldrene hennes. De bor hele året i ei kjemp hyggelig hytte på Savalen, en liten bygd ved siden av et stor vann.

This last weekend we traveled three hours north of Oslo with our friend Siri to visit her parents. They live year-round in a charming and cozy cabin in Savalen, a little town on a large lake.

Etter jobb på fredag tok vi et tog fra Oslo til Hamar hvor vi skiftet til et mindre tog for den siste del av veien fra Hamar til Tynset. Hele reisen tok 3,5 timer og kostet 199 kroner (30 dollars). Tynset er en liten by med omtrent 3,000 innbyggere som ligger ved siden av Glomma, den lengste evlen i Nord-Europa. Byen er 1,5 timer vest for Sverie, og flere timer øst for kysten.

After work on Friday we took a train from Oslo to Hamar and then switched to a smaller train for the second leg of the journety from Hamar to Tynset. The entire ride took about 3.5 hours and cost about 30 bucks. Tynse tis a small town of 3,000 on the banks of the Glomma, the longest river in Northern Europe. The town lies 1.5 hours west of Sweden and a few hours East from the Norwegian coastline.

Slutten av mai er en fin tid fro å besøke dette området. De engene og åkerne står fylt av løvetann blomster som lager et gult teppe over dalen. I sør står et høyt runt fjell som har fremdeles noe snø. Mens Siris far kjørte oss ut fra byen kunne vi se hundrevis sauer med nye lamer som ble født i de siste to ukene.

The end of May is a wonderful time to visit the region. The feilds and meadows are full of dandylions that create a gold carpet over the valley floor. Just to the south stands is a round mountain, still dotted with snow. While Siri's father drove us out of the town we could see hundreds of sheep with new lambs, less than two weeks old.

Vi dro 30 minutter vest for Tynset, opp inn de haugene til Savalen hvor vi traff Siris mor og hunden deres, Tira, en engelsk setter. Siris mor er en kjempe flink kokk, og lager deilige syltetøy, brød, kaker, og riskremer. Hun er også en mesterstrikker. Siris far like å lage øl og viste Matt alle de nødvendige utstyrene. Matt har lyst til å lage sin egen øl en dag.

We drove 30 minutes west from Tynset, up to Savalen where we met Siris mother and her english setter, Tira. Tiri's mother is a phenomenal cook and treated us with homemade bread, jam, cake, rice pudding and various other dishes over the weekend. She's is also a talented knitter. Siris father loves to make beer and gave Matt a full lesson on all the necessary equipment he would need to buy to get started. Matt keeps saying that he will try the hobby one day.

Hytta til Siris foreldrene ser ut koselig. Den står på en haug med en fin utsikt over vannen og mange fjell. I nærheten står et hotel, et kursted, og idrettsenter hvor mennesker kommer om vinteren for å konkurrerer i ski og skyte. Der, inn fra sjøen, er været fint og stabilt. De har lange kalde vintre, så de kan ski for over seks måneder hvert år. Været om sommeren er varmere og finere enn Oslo med få insekter. De kan glede seg til mange solrike dager, perfekt for forturer og sykkelturer i fjell. Omkring hytta ligger en terrasse hvor de liker å spise mange maltider i det varmt sollys.

Siris folks have a cozy cabin that stands on a hill with dramatic view over the lake and mountains. In the area is a hotel, a conference center and sports center where folks come in the winter time to compete in skiing and shooting. Here, in from the coast, the weather is nice and stabil. They have long, cold winter allowing for six months of skiing. The summers are dryer and warmer than Oslo, with fewer insects. The long summer days are perfect for hikes and bike tours in the high mountains. Around the cabin is a terrase where the family can enjoy summer meals in the warm sun.

På lørdag, kjørte vi alle sammen langst Glomma og stoppet på en gammel vedbru. Det var en fin, varm dag og sola skinnet over skogen og vannet. Jeg hadde snakket med Siri tidligere om ville planter og vi fant ryllik på parkningsplassen som vi kunne ha med middag. Faren hennes fortalte oss at løvetann ble benyttet for å lage hvite vin i gamle dager.

On Saturday morning we drove together along the Glomma and stopped an old wooden bridge from the 1600's. It was a fine, warm day and the sun glistened off of the rushing water. Siri and I had spoken earlier about edible wild plants and we found an herb called Ryllik that we could use with dinner. Her father explained that dandilion flowers were used to make white wine in the olden days.

Røros er en skikkelig hyggelig by fra 1600-tallet med gamle veier og bygninger. Det er berømt for lokalekunster som lager glassvarer, smyker og kvilter. Siris mor, som liker å pynte opp hytta si, kjøpte en eske særlig for flatbrød, en tradisjonelle norsk mat. Vi så en stor, hvit kirka som ble renovert. I gamle dager måtte alle de arbeidene på Røros gå på kirka ellers ble de utestengte.

Røros is a charming town from the 1600's with well-preserved streets and buildings. The area is known for local artists that specialize in glasswork, jewlery and quilts. Siri's mom bought a wooden box for flatbrød, a traditional norwegian food. We walked up by an old white church, temporarily closed for reconstruction. Back when the mines were in operation, church attendance was obligitory, or you woudl be shunned by the community.

For over tre hundre års var økonomien på Røros basert på kobber. Vi gikk rundt den malmsenter hvor kobbermalm ble smeltet ned. Og vi klattet opp en haug av kobberslag. Arbeidet i de kobbergruver var veldig hardt. De arbeiderne jobbet seks dag hver uke og på gjennomsnit levealder var under 40.

For over three hundred years the okonomy of Røros was based on the copper mines. We walked around the processing building where the raw ore was melted down. Up on a hill of copper slag we had a clear view of the area. The story here was much like the other mine we visited in Kongsberg. The miners had unbearably hard lives, working 6 days a week and with a low life expectancy.

På vei tilbake til bilen, stoppet vi på en restaurant for å spise softies, is som er nesten alle kreme. De har mye mindre vann og is en Amerikansk is og så de smelter saktere. Vi tok en forskjellig vei til hytta for å se setterer og reindyr. En setter er et sted, høye i fjellet hvor bønder tok dyrene om sommeren for å beite. Vi hadde ikke turkart for denne retningen, så Siris far stoppet flere ganger for å spørre mennesker. Landskapene var utrolig flott. Senere i dagen prøvde vi en ved kayak av Siris far. Da spilte vi kube, en populær spille fra Danmark.

On the way back to the car we took a break at a restaurant to enjoy sofies, a type of ice cream that is mostly cream and hardly any ice. It melts slower than American ice cream. We took a different way home to look for reindeer and setters. Setters are settlements, high up in the mountains where farmers would take the farm animals to graze over the summer. We didn't have a map for this area, and Siri's dad stopped to ask for directions a number of times. The landskape was unbelievable beautiful. Later in the day, Siri's dad let us try his wooden canoe, and then we played Kube a great lawn game from Denmark.

Søndag gikk vi for en lang tur opp et høye fjell som tok over 5 timer. Siris hund løp helle tiden , bort og frem. Da Siris far går på jakt kan Tira løp sju timer hver dag for 3 dager. Mandag var Pinsen, en ferie fra jobb på grunn av kirka. Matt gikk ut for en tur i kayaken igjen og vi tenkte at han ble mistet. Vi lettet etter ham, men han var på motpart av vannen. Han trenner for en triathlon som er i august.

On Sunday we went for a long, 5 hour hike to the top of a mountain with a stunning 360 view. Siri's dog, Tira ran the entire time back and forth, over hills, down valleys, through the woods over a quarter of a mile away and then back to us. When Siri's father goes out hunting birds in the fall, Tira runs constantly for seven hours a day, three days in a row. Monday was Pinsen, another religious holiday that everyone gets off from work. Matt when for a Kayak tour completely disappeared. We went looking for him in Siri's father's boat and couldn't find trace. To our astonishment, he was made it clear to the far end of the lake. He is training for a triathlon in August.

Mai = May

(more pictures)

Jeg må si et minste noe ting om mai. Det gikk så rask, jeg hadde ikke mye tid for å skrive. Vi flyttet til en ny leilighet på Bygdøy som er veldig hyggelig. Jeg kunne ikke være mer fornøyd med stedet. Rett etter vi flyttet inn, vi så den 17 mai tog for denne første gang. Jeg ble medlem av en gård som heter Øverland Gård hvor vi skal høste våre grønnsaker hele sommer. Og, jeg begynte å prøve orienteering, som er kjempe gøy. Jeg møte noe hyggelig folk der, og en venn som jeg gikk på en camping tur på en øye med. Og før min fødselsdag, Matt organiserte en overraskendefest for meg. Jeg hadde ingen idee! Dessutan, på slutt av måneden vi reiste til Savalen men en venn for å besøke foreldrene hennes.

I have to say at least a few things about May. It flew by so quickly I had no time to write. We moved to a new apartment with a one year lease on a beautiful peninsula called Bygdøy which is absolutely charming. I couldn't be more content with the place. Right after we moved in we had an opportunity to see the national day parade for the first time. We became members of a CSA farm called Øverland Gård, where we will be harvesting our own vegetables all summer long. That's not all. I started up orienteering which is extremely fun. I met some nice folks there and went on a camping trip to an island in the fjord with some new friends. And then, for my birthday, Matt caught me completely off gaurd with a surprise party. I had no idea. In addition, at the end of the month, we took a trip to Savalen with a freind to visit their folks.

Mai er den finnest måneden i Norge, synes jeg. Alle over var blømster, fersk grønn planter, nye fulger og dyr. Endelig vi kunne glede oss til flere varme dager! Jeg ønsker at jeg kunne ta flere bilder om alt, men jeg var så travelt!

May is the most beautiful month in Norway, no doubt. All over the place one could see flowers, fresh green plants, new birds, and animals. Finaly we could enjoy a few warm days!! I wish I could have taken so many more pictures, of the newly hatched geese, and the hillsides exploding with color, but we were so busy! Oslo really comes to life this time of year with a flurry of activity.

Sykkel i Sentrum!! = Bike in the middle of the city!!

(See all the photos)

I dag var min først gang på Sykkel i Sentrum, en måndelig sykkel aksjon med folk som skykler fra Grunerlokka til Stortinget å øke bevisstheten om beholdet for sykkel veier i sentrum. Jeg hørte om det fra Siri (dama i bildet).

Today was my first time trying the Bike in the City Center, a monthly bike ride from Grunerlokka to Stortinget to raise awareness about the need for bike lanes in the city center. I heard about it from Siri (the woman in the picture.

Det minnet meg om San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, som jeg deltok i, men den gruppen er mye mye mindre. I dag hadde vi omtrent 15 og 20 mennesker, alle menn, selv om Siri og Jeg. Hvor er de kule sykkeldamene like som vi hadde i San Francisco? Og hvorfor får gruppen ikke mer støtte har i Oslo?

It reminded me of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, where I participated in. But, this group is much smaller. Today we had somewhere between 15 and 20 folks, all men except for Siri and I. Where are all the cool bike babes like the ones we had in San Francisco? And why doesn't the group have more support here in Oslo?

Mange mange folk sykkler her, og antall øker hvert år. Siste året hadde norsk idretsbutikker rekord salgs av sykler, og den bysykker program låne ut noen hundred nesten gratis blå sykler hvert dag mellom april og november. Sentrum er så liten at det er mye lettere å gå eller sykle enn kjøre. Og det er så flat at det er perfekt for å sykle. Men, jeg ser få sykkelveier. De som er merket på Oslos syklekart har ikke store og trygg del for de som sykkler. Hvorfor? Hvorfor velger politiker parkeringsplasser over skykker når det er så hardt for biler i sentrum. Jeg må lærer mer om det.

A lot of folks bike here in the city and the number goes up every year. Last year was record year for bike sales in Norway, and the City Bike program lånes out hundreds of almost free blue bikes every day between April and November. The city center is so small that is much easier to walk or bike than to drive. And it's flat. But, I see very few, designated bike lanes. The streets that are marked as bike routes on the City's bike map often don't have a large safe side portion for bikes. Why? Why do politicians choose parking places over bike lanes when it is so hard for cars to even get through the City Center. I have to look into this.