Valencia, Ciudad de Bicis!

Every first Friday of the month, lovers of cycling are invited to take part in a "manifestacion" (protest) that begins in the Plaza de la Virgen. In the cooler hours of early evening, the riders cycle through the old, historic part of Valencia, promoting bicycle riding as opposed to driving cars and burning fossil fuels.

We had our first chance to participate in this inspiring ride in March, on the very day we bought out 3 bikes. Mark, Linus and I rode through the streets in the taxi lane, mostly, amidst the happy sounds of bicycle bells - ka-ling! ka-ling! and chants to encourage spectators to join us. Although the protest is unofficial and cars don't have to allow us through, our group had no trouble finding plenty of room to ride safely. What a great way to tour the narrow streets of our beautiful city!

The organization behind the ride is called "Massa Critica" / Critical Mass. Check out their websites at the link on this page for a manifestacion near you (you'll find links to other cities on the Spanish page).