Day 63. 9km (86644kms 8yrs)
After a day of recovery, clothes drying, admin, and a trip to the bar, I emerged from Jorge’s central Andorra La Vella apartment into the ‘city’. I glanced at the parish church, and enjoyed the sensation of cruising around at street level only to find myself on the rooftop plaza looking down on a lower street level several stories beneath me. Even just popping out for milk had been disorientating when I forgot from which lift level I left the street (it was 7, to reemerge at -1; also street level).
There’s lots of modern art dotted around the city, but it was noticing something on the map described as Bici Lab that transformed my day. Arriving by bike you get free entry into this superb museum, arrive with all your luggage by touring bike you might even get a free tour! So I was shown around one of the world’s greatest collection of bikes; old ones, weird ones, paradigm shifting ones, it’s a fantastic museum. After a spin on a couple of stationary bikes and some VR mountain biking I reluctantly tore myself away. I wanted a quick look at Andorra La Vella’s main shopping street (it’s mostly perfume) I was considering buying some duty free wine or electronics but ran out of time. Instead I began the ride up to La Massana where the second of my Warm Showers hosts were awaiting me.
Even through the tunnels the green bike lanes lend feeling of safety and welcoming to cyclists. I dont know why Andorra had this reputation (even amingst frech cyclists!) as boring. This quirky little country is seriously underrated! Also migrants to the country John & Mika had so much interesting trivia to share about this fascinating coprincipality, I’m gutted to be leaving already, tomorrow, to Spain.
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6 Comments
In the museum the bicycle with the hammock seat was produced in Britain just NE of Bristol. The design, however, is from the Danish inventor Michael Pedersen. Once, when we were vacationing in Luxembourg, Gudrun and I met a couple who were bicycle touring on Pedersen bicycles. They're really cool.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoyqJNerz8E
A fascinating tour of the museum – what a bonus!
The majority of the architecture and urban elements are modern and postmodern, as can be seen from the city's appearance. The bicycle museum was quite impressive. The combination of this architecture with the beautiful nature has made your clip very spectacular.
what a brilliant bicycle museum and as for Andorra La Vella, it has changed completely since i last visited 30 years ago.
Andorra is a beautiful place! So modern and nestled in the mountains. Thanks for taking us along through the bicycle museum, very interesting. 😊🚴🏼♀️
Surrounded by mountains, hills. Every turn in the road is a new challenge.