Travel ← The Urban Country ← Page 2

2012: A Year Of Adventures 1

Dec

2012

James on a paddle boat in Hubei Province, China (April 2012) Photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country Like all good things, 2012 has now come to an end. 2012 was a year full of adventures and many “firsts” for me. I spent the first four months of the year living in China, on ...

Russia’s 200KM, 3-day Traffic Jam

Dec

2012

Photo from video provided by 3news.co.nz In Russia, a 200KM mega traffic jam has stranded drivers for several days. The backlog on this highway that runs between Moscow and St. Petersberg was intensified by heavy snow last week. From Time.com: “A 125-mile long queue of vehicles spanned the roadway, which connects Moscow and St. Petersburg. ...

China Building New Eco City 14

Nov

2012

Photo courtesy of Business Insider Imagine a city of 80,000 people where the nearest park is only a two minute walk from every home in the city. A city where public transit is only a few steps away, bicycling is convenient and comfortable, and where urban sprawl is against the law. Where cars are allowed, ...

Getting To The Airport By Bike 62

Oct

2012

Photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country I fly out of town for business approximately once every month. There are many different ways to get to the airport from my home downtown. I normally take public transit, but will occasionally take a taxi if I am running late or if I have an early ...

Recreational Bicycling in Texas 8

Jul

2012

Photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country Austin, TX – In North America, bicycles are primarily viewed as recreational toys. They are racing machines, exercise devices, mountain climbers, and weekend cruisers. It is uncommon in most North American cities to see a significant amount of people in their regular clothes using a bicycle for ...

PedalPub: Bringing the Bar to the Bike 16

Jun

2012

PedalPub Twin Cities – photo by Matt Johnson Why bring the bike to the bar when you can bring the bar to the bike? PedalPub is a human-powered mobile pub which was recently spotted in Minneapolis, Minnesota by our friend George who was visiting the Twin Cities for a conference. Known as “the bike with ...

Urban Car-Free Camping 17

May

2012

Photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country Growing up in Canada, camping in the outdoors has always been a significant part of my life. Camping can bring us closer to nature and allow us to appreciate the simple conveniences of modern life. Before now, I had always relied on a car to go camping. ...

Human Power Around The World 9

Apr

2012

A Venetian gondola being paddled through the waterways of Venice – Photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country All around the world, humans rely on machines that require non-renewable resources to power them. In this article, we look at parts of the world where human power reigns. In three weeks I will be returning ...

10 Observations About Bicycling in Amsterdam 40

Mar

2012

Bicycles in Amsterdam – photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country While visiting Amsterdam on my recent trip to Europe, I made some observations about cycling around the Dutch capital. Here are my top ten observations: 10. The locals have little patience for tourists walking on the cycle path Bicycles in Amsterdam – photo ...

When School’s Out in Amsterdam 36

Mar

2012

Amsterdam school pick-ups – Photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country While strolling around Amsterdam on Friday afternoon shortly after arriving in the Dutch capital, I happened upon a school just as the kids were being let out for the weekend. The scene was nothing short of fascinating for a Canadian who is accustomed ...