I took my first trip to Barcelona, Spain a few years ago, and one of the first things I noticed that stood out from my Southern California surroundings was the urban transportation. I was amazed by the foreign city dweller dependence on public transportation - busses, subways, and trains. I was intrigued by the smaller unique automobiles. I own a pickup truck and it was rare to spot something that resembled a typical truck. There was also something different among these foreign streets. This was the abundance of urban commuters that jetted around on their motor scooters.
They covered the streets like ants driven mad. Here in So Cal, you have your three groups of motorcyclists: guys who ride 'crotch-rockets,' guys who ride Harley's, and guys who ride fake Harley's, a group to which my dad belongs to. In Barcelona, as well as other major European cities, the scooter riders that I observed were of all ages, and a majority of them were women. These riders were fearless, dodging in and out of traffic. I was lucky enough to meet a local woman at a pub that night who promised to take me on a city tour the next day... on her scooter.
We met at the main city plaza. I breathed a quick sigh of relief that she looked almost as attractive as she did from ten hours prior! I felt like Rusty Griswold from European Vacation when he met up with that German fraulein. I climbed onto the back of her Vespa and held onto her as we sped off. I could tell that she was an experienced rider as she did not hesitate to split lanes while maneuvering through city traffic. I looked up in amazement as we zoomed past gothic buildings and cathedrals, as well as the architectural wonders of Gaudi. She flew up a hill which led to a park that overlooked the city so that I could capture that incredible view on film. Within minutes, we sliced right through the city to explore the remains of the Olympic facilities from 1992.
After a quick lunch at one of the popular beaches, my personal scooter chauffer returned us to where we met. After thanking her and saying goodbye, she sped off and was quickly swallowed-up by those trying to rush home for their afternoon siestas. At that point, one of the many double-decker tour busses appeared from around the corner with someone shouting facts and information through intercom speakers at the English-speaking tourists. At the same time, some of the Barcelona youth on the sidewalk below were whistling at the passengers in a non-complimentary way. If it weren't for my new friend and her amazing scooter, I would have been on that bus, getting scoffed at.
Alex Sutton has worked in the motor scooter industry for nearly 11 years. For more information please visit motor scooters.
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