The Cycling Paradise

With its flat countryside, stunning nature parks, green meadows, canalside paths, seaside vistas and cyclist-friendly villages and cities, it is no wonder that the Netherlands has more bicycles than inhabitants. Peter de Lange - a bicycle enthusiast who knows the bicycle routes through the country like the back of his hand - has created a book that not only explains how cycling became an intrinsic part of Dutch culture, but also makes it impossible for those who did not grow up on spokes and saddles to resist the urge to join the locals - from primary school children to prime ministers - on the more than 37,000 kilometers of bicycle paths that criss-cross the country.