Okay, One Last Post for the Winter

Gotta get the kitty litter!

Plus, I picked up groceries and a pizza, putting them on the front rack. Frankie rides so stable when loaded down. The bike doesn't even feel like it could fall down, __but I'm sure it could.

Imagining Winter at Iciclebicycle

Becomes Reality

After blog hiatus, it's time to move over to iciclebicycle. Winter is a whole different world, but that does stop me from riding my bikes. It just means you have to be a little bit smarter, a little bit braver and put some long underwear on so you don't freeze your ass off.

Long Shadow Time

Bike path Hazard.

Long shadows mean hurry up and gather some food for these guys.

Shadows, leaves and bike.

Shadow time is a time for me to have fun shooting dramatic pictures.

Superman for a Day

Whizing past Lake Calhoun on Midtown Greenway.

Ever have those days where riding your bike is too easy? Where you're in higher gears than normal and doing it with ease? Or the ability to kick it up a notch and make that light?

Well, that was my Monday. For whatever reason(Light riding on Sunday or a good nights rest?) I had all the energy needed and the drive I wanted, which made riding effortless. It made for a pleasant ride to work, especially on the hilly part of my ride. Not downshifting until halfway up a hill is unusual, but welcome. I normally avoid trying to put the hammer down on my ride out, because I'll sweat too much and freeze on the windier second half of my trip. Luckly, there wasn't much wind that morning and I could go as fast as my Dutch would let me.

As if things couldn't get much better, a strong wind picked up from the Northwest in the afternoon and blew me all the way to Uptown on my ride to dinner. Gotta love the wind at your back. I start to think maybe it could be this way all the time, but thought I'd better just chalk it up to a good day. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Much empathy for this poor soul riding against the gale.

This morning it was back to reality. The hills were steeper and my legs were burning. But it was still a nice ride, just slower.

Did They Have Bikes in Charles Dickens Day?

Tweed, Frankie and suitcase?

For me, Halloween is a lot of fun, if I get motivated to figure out something fun to wear ahead of time. The hardest part for me is starting with nothing and getting to something cool. I often put off the costume hunt until the last moment and have to scramble for something, anything decent. This year, having the Dutch bike helped things out a lot. I knew I'd be riding Frankie wherever I went, so going Tweed was the obvious choice. It ended up being a very good choice, considering the rain and snow of Friday night. I was almost over dressed. Too bad I couldn't convince anybody else to ride with me this year. They don't know what they were missing.

I am finding that Frankie, my bike of 3 months, has been shaping the clothes that I wear out around town. It just doesn't feel right putting sporty, cycle wear on when riding Frankie. It's much funner to putting something interesting on. As the temperature drops wool will be perfect.

Oh, what's the case on the front rack for? Mostly decoration. I just think it looks cool on Frankie. I did get a lot of questions about it, but I just made that part of the fun, by not answering. The case may end up being practical, because it's a projector case and is insulated. I may end up using it for carrying things that need protection from the cold, such as my laptop, or even hot food.

Once Weened Twice Smitten

Stop thief!

Fixie Eric goes Dutch.

I really love letting people give it a ride because it's so different than any other ride. Eric couldn't get over how the front rack doesn't move with the tire. You get used to it.

Goulishness!

No pictures of my get up, yet. Perhaps it's not such an original costume for the likes of me, but I think you'll approve. I have another chance tonight. Nice thing about Saturday Halloween is Friday means to nights of fun.

Dramatic Change to Downtown Bike Lane Worries Me

I new that there were going to be changes to some of the main downtown streets. Hennepin and 1st Avenue where to return to 2 way traffic. I didn't know what would happen to the bike lane on Hennepin, but was hopeful it would remain. I wasn't ready for what happened, though. My first ride down the new street had me gasping. What happened to the bike lane? Then I started to get mad. How is this progress? What's improved about this? My temper grew after talking to a friend who had been to a few Hennepin County meetings. She said that drivers had complained about being afraid of the bikes being in the middle of the road. "They're afraid of little puny bikes?!" I said. "I was hoping their fear would cause them to drive more cautiously". At one of the meetings she had asked the members if any of them rode bikes. Nobody raised a hand. After talking to her, I was furious. My thought was basically they were giving cyclists the shaft and returning the streets to 1980's conditions.

Where'd the bike lane go?

The Dream.

Hennepin before change. Bike lane in between buses and cars.

When I got home I did a little research and found that it wasn't exactly as I had imagined it. But it still isn't complete, which has all the cars using it like it's their lane. I found a video that explains how it's supposed to work and website describing the changes to Hennepin and 1st Ave.

And I didn't even get to 1st Ave, yet. That's real interesting.

The new 1st Avenue.

The Rules.

Strange New Bike Comes to My Town

Today, I was biking on out of downtown when I saw a bike a ways in front of me that looked interesting. He seemed to be taking his time, climbing the slight, but still formidable Nicollet Avenue hill. As I approached him, I was mostly thinking about peddling up this hill. A guy passes me, and says "nice bike!". I say "Thanks!". When he passes the mystery bike, he does a double take. That's when I realized that this really was a special bike. When I came up next to him, I said "Bakfiets!"

Frankie meets Mr. Bakfiets.

"Yes", he says. Then he does a double take when he looks down at what I'm riding. Ahh! it all makes sense! We continue riding up Nicollet, chatting and blocking traffic sometimes. I find out that Paul has been riding his Bakfiet for about a month ago and has been loving it(No surprise). His plan was to just use it for hauling groceries and other things, but has ended up riding it all the time, because...because it's so much fun, of course. He bought it at the same shop as I did Frankie, Dutch Bike Chicago. He was more enterprising and found a micro-hauler on Craigslist that hauled it up to the twin towns for $120. He saved himself even more money by buying last years model.

At the top of the hill we parted, but not before I got his email address(Good to keep in touch). I rode away happy knowing there's one more cool bike in town, and hopeful that the Bakfiets won't be a strange sighting in Mpls. for much longer.

Cycle Spree Gone Bad Takes Pleasant Turn

Peter Rabbit or down a rabbit hole? Don't care.

Just happy to be off Lyndale Ave.

Saturday was my day to go shopping for winter clothing. Things to keep me warm on my bike when the snow comes. My destination for the day, was that retailer where you could climb rocks if you wanted to(hint). It's about 8 miles south of my place and I've made the trip before. I always have a little apprehension about the journey, I'd be going out into the suburbs and there aren't any path/trails down to this store. But driving just didn't seem right.


The ride down Lyndale Ave. wasn't too bad. While I did have cars passing me all the time, they seem to give me plenty of room. Just when I saw the spire of the store up ahead, I noticed an obstacle to my destination. The bridge over the highway was closed to all traffic. The detour sign suggested crossing a half mile down the road at Nicollet. I declined. I'd take my chances with a few construction workers. Plus the bridge looked pretty much done anyways.


I'm not a frequent shopper. I need to get in the mood, which usual happens when the weather changes, and last years clothing have lost their appeal. I went at it with gusto. Getting gloves, socks, caps, undershirts, pants and shoes(reviews in future). Whew! Time to get out of here. Get that bike loaded up and let's roll.


Riding back up Lyndale was okay for awhile but it was a little darker and the motor traffic was starting to bug me. Then a 4 bus whooshed by, about a foot away from me. Just as I was trying to think of a better route home, I had a sign.



It was a sign... that said Minnehaha Parkway. I didn't think twice but hopped on the bike trail headed East toward the river. I don't know why I hadn't thought of it earlier. I was going to be on trails the whole way home.

Almost a bridge too far.

Minnehaha Parkway follows Minnehaha Creek to Minnehaha Falls. Then I'd be at the Mississippi River and would ride the river bike path up to downtown. But it was so gorgeous out, that Frankie and I had to make a few stops to take in the beauty before it passes.

That's the Mississippi River down below.

Below U of M West Bank

Almost Home

An interesting message the two signs, together convey?

Important Dutch Bike Moment, Not Caught on Film

In hindsight, maybe I could have found someone to take a picture, but time was tight. The moment had to be seized.

Yesterday, I was having a chai at my favorite cafe, planning to meet someone for dinner at six. When my friend Emily dropped in. We got to talking about her new job and other stuff. Then I remembered that we had talked about her taking my bike for a ride, sometime. Since Frankie was waiting out front, this was her chance. She's a tall lady, which is what you need to be to ride this Dutch. She loved it. So smooth and stable. The upright position was new to her.

Recently Added:

Emily was on the bike for less than 10 seconds before this couple stopped her, because they were curious about what kind of bike it was. First ride and already peppered with questions. Get used to it! I was thinking of making a handout, explaining the bike and it's accessories. But figured it's funner to do the spiel myself.
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I noticed that was going to be running late, so we said our good bye's. She mentioned that she'd be walking over to the Wedge Coop, about 10 blocks away. I offered to give her a on ride on the back of Frankie, and to my surprise, she agreed. Nobody's ever said yes before. I had read that it doesn't taking long for rider and drivers to get used to it. So, I knew it could be done. She hopped on, side saddle and I pushed off. It was definintely a different ride. We wobbled for a bit and I had to really grip the handle bars, to keep it from swinging too far one way. After a few blocks, I started to get the hang of it. Frankie, really handled it well. I got the sense that with practice, it would become much easier, as long as the passenger knew what they were doing, too. If she had started shifting around a lot, it could have got tricky.

I was really fun. People watched as we passed. We were taking side streets and I noticed the cars behind us didn't mind that we were taking the lane. They just sat back. When we got to the Wedge, we cruised past the windows by the check out. Then I doubled back again, just to show off! Since I was already running late for dinner, I didn't take the time to arrange a picture. You'll just have to believe me.

Snow Brings Rude Awakening

Waking this morning with snow on the ground and a temperature of 26F was a real shock to the system. A couple of weeks ago it was in the 70's. Last year, we made it into late November without snow. But that's Minnesota. No promises. Abrupt.

Frankie doesn't mind the chill. He's a trooper.

That's how it goes. I needed a little reminder. I guess I'd better start getting ready for winter. Luckily, I had started pulling some of wooly wear out of the closet this week. That made today's cycling much more bearable. I do need to find the heavier gloves, because my thin, liner gloves were the bare minimum today. I started a list of things to get before winter really starts. Get last years winter bike tuned up. Gets some studded tires for Frankie. Get all of last years winter clothing out and decide what I'll want to replace. Plus, I think some more wool is a must. Stuff's expensive, but it's so effective that it's worth it. Cotton bad! I had cotton socks on today and my feet were frozen, when I got home. Last year, I got by wearing tennis shoes all Winter with Smart wool socks.

I'm glad that over the last week, I have been making the mental transition, too. From Sun loving, little clothes wearing, Summer, to dark chills, lots of clothes on, Winter. I've done it many times before, but until it happens, you're still holding on to the idea of Summer. What is also a little disheartening about this Arctic blast is, it got so cold, so fast, that the leaves are falling off the trees, green. It is a little strange that so many of the leaves are still green, but we did have one of the warmest Septembers ever. But one of the joys of Fall is seeing the orange, red and yellow leaves on the trees. It's brief. Better not be to busy, or you'll miss it. But it's considered one of the trade off's for the coming freeze. Well see if Winter keeps that arrangement.

Get back up on the trees, where you belong.

One of the reality's of this change, is I'll have to start moving over to my other blog iciclebicycle. Got to clean it up. Better hustle. Been thinking about some good Winter preparation blogs, but now Winter beat me to it.

Alternative Transportation

May Day 2007

Seen Around Town

Lake Calhoun

Bridge to Nicollet Island

The Greenway

Seeing Dutch

It's probably just that phenomena, where you start seeing all the bikes that look like yours, but in the last week, I've being seeing Dutch bikes everywhere. And not just plain old ones like my Frankie. Exciting ones in fun colors and configurations. Here are the ones where I was quick enough with the camera.

Where'd the kid go?

Just a guess, but there is a bike shop up the street from here. Maybe he's test driving it? Like to see the kid on it.

Sorry, but they remind of tweedle dee and tweedle dum.

I saw these guys, while I was going for a walk around Lake of the Isles. They zipped by so fast that I didn't get my camera out quick enough to shoot them close up. But I did manage to get this shot, from across the lake. The Double Dutch was a happy sight.

Frankie makes nice with the lady in Red.

This bright bike stopped me in my tracks. It's the same brand as mine and comes from the Dutch Bike Co, too. I wonder if I saw this exact bike, when I was buying Frankie down in Chi-Town? With kiddy trailer on the back, and the Xtra-Cycle bicycle next to it, this couple can do some serious hauling.

I'm glad to see the bike terrain changing, here in Mpls. It's been great to see these versatile bikes, sprouting up around town. Maybe there will be a day when these wonderful bikes are a common site. Especially if people are getting more than one. Why buy one, when two will be twice the fun? Here's to that!

One Month Dutch Bike Review

Who says it can't make sharp turns?

It's been a little over a month since I bought my Dutch Azor Transport bike. It seems like much longer than a month, but I have put a lot of time on Frankie, as he likes to be called. It's been a real pleasure getting to know him. For the first two and half weeks, he was my only means of transportation. The car was forgotten. My other bikes must be a little jealous because Frankie is the only bike I've ridden all month. That was intentional, because I wanted to really get the full Dutch City-Bike experience.

How's it going after all those miles? I can't really complain about much. The ride is very comfortable. My wrists really appreciate the upright position, because the handle bars are now mostly for balance and steering, not holding my shoulders up. The smoother ride is easy on the body. Since it is a heavier bike, my legs have had to toughen up some, but if I'm feeling too much strain, I just shift down. No rush on this bike. I was a little worried about how much extra time Frankie would add to my 13 mile commute, but besides one windy day, it hasn't taken much longer.

The days are getting shorter. Pretty soon, my morning commute will be in the dark, with the evening one, soon to follow. While the bike is painted black, I feel that, for a variety of reasons, this bike is plenty visible at night. The hub generated front and rear lights are big enough that they almost look like scooter lights. The upright position also adds to your visibility, because there is more to see.

Getting noticed really hasn't been a problem with Frankie. It's an unusual and elegant bike, so I get lot's of looks and comments. Last week, I was walking out to my bike on the street, and I saw this bright red city bike coming up the street. I say "nice bike!" as he passes me. Then he does a double take when he passes my bike. He said something like "what??". I was happy to see his surprise. We ended up chatting about city bikes for a few minutes. His bike was the Swedish bike Kronan. It had the front carrier like mine. I was thinking that maybe I should have bought one of those instead, to support my ancestral homeland, but then I remembered that I've got some Dutch, so it's been taken care of. My one regret is I didn't get a picture of him on his bike, but I was running late. Next time! He shouldn't be too hard to spot a bright red city bike.

One thing about Frankie that has allowed me to ignore the car, is it the fact that it can haul some serious goods. I have a pannier that fits on the back rack. They can fit bag of groceries on each side, plus some extras. Once they're full, I can put the rest on the front carrier, strapping it down with an old inner tube. When I've had it fully loaded, it feels more stable than before and isn't that much harder to peddle. I think I'm going keep working on improving my ability carry more delicate things. Maybe a milk crate that could attach to the front or rear rack? We'll see.

San Diego's a Different Bike World

Surf shop bikes near Cardiff by the Sea.

Got to spend last week in San Diego on a "business then pleasure" trip. They said it was hot(102F one day) but coming from the land of humid summers, it felt more comfortable than an 85F day, back home. Unfortunately, none of my free time was spent on a bicycle. Surfing won out over biking. The waves were just too perfect. But I did plenty of bike watching. There appear to be mostly two types of bikes in San Diego, with two different functions. They are either like the bikes above, used for cruising the beach or sporty bikes that give a good workout, while covering a lot of distance. Not many bikes with racks for carrying things, which would be good for commuting. Though, it was cool to see beach cruisers go by with a surf board attached to the side.

Tom Vanderbilt Parks It On Slate

Build it and they will come. That's what Tom Vanderbilt, author of Traffic, says about bike parking, in today's Slate.com. He does have a point. A car driver pretty much assumes that wherever they go, parking will exist. Is it happenstance, American optimism, divine intervention, or just dum luck, that pretty much anywhere you go in America, there will be parking? Well, the answer is just a little below devine. It is government policy. Build anything in America and you have provide parking space for cars. A lot of it, too. So much so, that if you put all that parking in one place, Connecticut would be one big parking lot. No wonder people drive. Cars are pretty much guaranteed free parking, wherever they want to go.

It's not really free, though. It's land that could have other uses, such as trees or grass. Or somebody's house, which would be closer to your's if there wasn't all this free parking in between. Heck people have to drive farther, because of all the space taken up by these parking spaces. Take a look around. Subtract the parking, and there's a whole lot of free space. And we are not even talking about roads. Lot's of costs.

How about some government intervention into a mode of transportation that is actually good for society? It is beginning to happen. Cities are beginning to require commerical builders to include bike parking in their projects. Indoor parking is also becoming available. I'm lucky, that I can bring my bike inside at work, but most cyclists, don't have that option. Give people decent options and they are more likely to ride. As this bike wave rises, better parking will allow it room to grow.

If you haven't read Tom's book, Traffic, check out his blog, How We Drive, to see what you're missing.

Birds of a Feather

Now that I have my Dutch style bike, I'm starting to see similar bikes everywhere. Well, not everywhere. They're aren't that many of the around, yet. But when I rode up to my favorite cafe, I immediately noticed the now familiar enclosed chain case on this bike. It was a Pashley Princess. Hmmm? Who did I know, that owned a Pashley. The owner was no where to be seen, so I grabbed a table within eye shot of this Princess.


As it turned out, the owner wasn't another local blogger, but this lovely lady, instead. She has only been riding it for a few months. A friend gave it to her, when her bike was stolen. That's a very nice friend! She really loves riding it, and puts her pooch in the basket. I really liked the milk crate, even before I saw her matching blouse. I didn't get the chance to tell how Chic she looked on her Pashley, but she did.

Driver is Accused of Threatening Cyclist with Ax

This is one of those scary things that can happen, if you dare comment on the driving of people, operating motor vehicles. I'm glad the cyclist is safe and the driver may be headed to jail. I wonder if all the other pickup driving peoples image will be tarnished as much as the cycling community would be, if the it was the other way around(if the ax was in the other hand)? Where would I put an ax on my bike, anyways? If it was a cyclist, there would be TV expose's on how these crazy cyclist are endangering us all. Cyclists would asked for an explanation. "why all this cycle-hooliganism?".

It's not really surprising and a good reminder to be cautious with around the driving public.

Hot Spot

Canal between Lake of the Isles and Lake Calhoun.

Summer weather finally came back, and I don't think my body was not ready for it. We've had a cool, sometimes cold summer. A good summer for me, is where I don't hardly ever consider wearing long pants, during the daytime(work not included of course). Or shoes. I like it to get hot and stay hot. I got rid of my air conditioner a few years ago, because it made it less pleasant, when I was outside. I want my body to adapt to the heat and that cold air doesn't help. It usually takes about 3 days for my body to become comfortable, when the temp shoots up. Once I'm used to it, I just have to keep hydrated and savor the warmth.

Sure, it involves a lot of sweat, and sometimes it feels like you're going to explode. But for me, I see it is necessary to survive the famously harsh Minnesota winters. I need to get the summer out of my system. Then doing iciclebicycle doesn't seem so bad. One thing I like about the heat, is it makes you a little less ambitious. Why do you think people used to sit on the porches, all day in the south? It's kind of Buddhist. Once you've stopped striving and struggling, you just give up and sit back to enjoy the day.

So, finally a nice hot spell came to town this weekend. Good, I can put the jeans away, again. It was tough for a few days, but now I'm soaking it up. I hope it lasts for awhile.

My favorite! Lake Calhoun.

Rain Day

Friday was the first rainy day that we've had in awhile, and it's seems all the bike commuters decided to take it off, because I didn't see more than a bike or two on the ride in to work. It felt like my winter rides with the trail all to myself. That's okay, it allowed me to take these shots without worrying about getting in someone's way. I guess if you're going to take a day off on bike commute, it might as well do it on the wet day. But I hope they come back. It's good to have company.

But for me, with my new all weather, all terrain vehicle, a rainy day is no excuse to miss a chance to enjoy summer. It really doesn't last long, here.

My Bike Overbuilt??? Naw, Just Room to Grow

Since buying my Dutch Azor Transport bike, last weekend, down in Chicago, I haven't had much time to get in blog about it's performance. Looking back on my week, my lack of time might be related to the amount of time I spent answering questions about my new bike. It seems that every time I park it somewhere, somebody's going to comment or ask a question about it. Add all that time up and I could have done a few blogs. Not that I'm complaining. It is fun to have a bike that stands out.

One questioner was waiting next to my bike, when I left the grocery store. He said that it was an interesting bike. I gave him the spiel. Dutch, lights, internal hub, internal chain, built in lock, motorcycle kickstand, it is heavy. He looks at the double top bar and says it looks overbuilt. I said it depends on what you want to do with your bike. But it did get me thinking. After riding it 30 miles a day for a week, it doesn't feel overbuilt to me. The hills are a challenge, but they aren't impossible. I'm learning how to do them. This bike also handles some of the worst potholes on my commute with ease.

What this bike is doing, is forcing me to change how I ride. You just can't be in as much of a rush on this type of bike. First, it's to heavy to sprint and second, the upright position doesn't allow me to get in the speed demon mindframe. Dirty Harry said "A man has got to know his limitations" and his bikes, too! I think that's just what I needed. A bike that slows me down, allowing me to enjoy the ride.

Headed home

Going Dutch in Chicago

Having made the decision to buy a Dutch bike, a few weeks ago, I was now heading down to Chicago to see if I could find the right bike for me. After a long 7 hour drive, my cousin Pat and I, spent Friday night at the Arlington House International Hostel, in Lincoln Park. Being only a few blocks away from the Dutch Bike Co. was a happy accident. It was a decent hostel in a very cool neighborhood. Fortunately for Pat, they had bikes to rent, because the plan was to meet Dottie, of Let's Go Ride a Bike Blog, buy a bike and go for a ride along lake Michigan, on sunny Saturday afternoon.

Dutch Bike Co.

When I arrived at the shop an emisary from the Dutch Consulate of Chicago was there to greet me. Well, I suppose his main purpose was to get his wife's bike fitted with a basket, but it did lend some dignity to the procedings. Long story short. After trying various bikes, having Dottie arrive, and some other delay's, I bought an Azor Transport bike(Impressions in a future blog) from the owner Stephen. And then the fun part. A bike ride!

Dottie and me

From the shop we headed over to Lake Michigan and hopped on the bike trail along the shore. It's a gorgeous place for a bike ride. Big water on one side. Tall architecture on the other. Dottie is very lucky to have this for her commute. What made the ride even sweeter was being on my ultra smooth, new ride. The nice thing about heavy bikes is you can cruise at very low speeds, taking in the scenery, without being tippy.

One thing that always happens to me is, I like to make comparisions. How is Chicago the same or different from my hometown of Minneapolis as far as bikes go? While it's hardly scientific, because I was only in a certain part of town on the weekend, my guess is there are more bikes on the streets of Chicago. Bikes were everywhere. And they seemed to be a little more practical. Less drop downs and more racks.

While there may be more bikes. There are certainly more cars. On the main streets, cars are everywhere, all the time. Sometimes I thought that was a good thing for bikes, because with so much traffic, the cars are moving at a slower speed. But crowded cars can lead to some high risk maneuvers, which is not good for bikes. In the end, I kept wishing that more people would get out of their cars and hop on bikes. What a beautiful and quiet city it would be. So many more souls to save!

Chicago's the Place

For awhile now, I've been thinking about getting a new bike. We'll I guess that's not unusual. I'm always lusting after some bike I see. But lately it's been more serious because I had a little windfall, which makes getting a nice bike more realistic. So I've been searching blogs and bike shop sites for the bike of my dreams. The three finalists were: Rivendell, Retrovelo and Workcycles. I'd love to have all three, but that's not an option at this point, so I had decide which of this bikes would be most complimentary to the bikes I already have. What would be the most useful? Clarity finally came when Harvey's shifter broke and I had to ride my Gary Fisher for a week, until I got around to fixing the Schwinn. When I got back on Harvey I realized that I really preferred that upright ride. I was tired of looking at the ground and having a sore butt.

So, this weekend I'm headed down to the Chicago Dutch Bike Co. to give some very serious consideration to getting a Dutch bike. The Rivendell and Retrovelo are more of lean forward types of bikes. I love my Harvey, but I've been putting too many miles on him. Having a heavy duty city bike will give him a break.

I'm looking forward to visiting Chicago again, because I have in almost 10 years, and I may even run into a local blogging celebrity.

More to follow...

Foreshadowing

It may seem like a long way off, but this bike picture by Choco Late is such a great shot that I feel that I must share it with you, even if it's out of season. She hasn't given me permission to share yet, so you'll have to go to her Flickr site. A few years back, I came across her pics on Flickr and fell in love with them, especially the shots from Hong Kong and China. If you have seen any Wong Kar Wei movies, you'll see the resemblance. If you haven't seen a Wong Kar Wei movie, please do, soon! They are so beautiful.