Hotel New York. Not the city but the memories are there! A former head office of the Holland Amerika Line and in 1993 transformed to a four star hotel! Some say that the hotel is worth a travel to, forget the journey!
If I can’t make it there…
Author: Richard
Born in Rotterdam, Kralingen. Living there now for more then 59 years. Working in public transport so I enjoy the city everyday...
Beurs Metro Station
I use the Rotterdam metro quite often. It is easy to reach all hotspots in Rotterdam and moreover the metro runs all the way to The Hague and recently to Hoek van Holland harbor, almost to the beach! All from the center of Rotterdam! This is metro station Beurs (detail) in the middle of the city with one of the subway cars used for the Randstad Rail connections.
Travelling to The Hague? Take the E-line, direction Den Haag
Travelling to Hoek van Holland harbor? Take the B-line, direction Hoek van Holland
North, East, South and West is one direction
This morning I walked through this shopping mall and exactly in the middle of it you can find this shopping mall compass rose! It shows you all the directions, north, east, south and west but actually it is one direction, the shopping mall! This compass rose was unveiled during the opening of the mall in 1996 and has the following inscription:
het hart van de stad is meer dan een verzameling gebouwen
gebouwen, winkels, straten en pleinen, het hart is
die ene plek waar je kunt voelen dan een stad leeft
Translation:
the heart of the city is more than a collection of buildings
buildings, shops, streets and squares, the heart is
that one place where you can feel that a city is alive
Art bypass
The last few days were a bit busy and today was no exception! So today a image with not to much text. I liked the graffiti in this small passage. Many people drive through this passage as a bypass to a parking area. I like it, not much more. If you are in Rotterdam you can find it at the Delftsehof!
Where did I park my tram?
I took this picture at the tram depot RET Beverwaard, a neighborhood in the south of Rotterdam. Here the trams are parked, maintained and start and end the services of, among others, the tram lines on the southern side of Rotterdam. There are seventeen tracks, several workshops and a laundry.
P.S. Tramlines south to north of Rotterdam, lines 20, 23, 25. Tramline only the south part of Rotterdam, line 2. RET stands for Rotterdamse Elektrische Tram.
To the stars and beyond!
Today I’m not at home just like yesterday and had to prepare this post and yesterday in advance. I had this picture in my archive and today it seems to fit the sunday. On the road and on my way to the next week, a early start monday morning, just going and going, hence the title of this post: To the stars and beyond!”.
P.S. Picture taken on the tram, line 25, at the stop Wilgenplaslaan, Schiebroek, a suburb of Rotterdam.
A library like a Centre Pompidou!
Its a saturday, you have the weekend off, so time to read! You can visit the main library here in Rotterdam to get your books! I’ve taken a picture here before, remember? The library is build in 1983, designed by Jaap Bakema and Hans Boot. The architecture is reminiscent of the Center Pompidou in Paris, with steel pipes that run down the glass façade from the roof. On the façade on the Binnenrotte is a text from Erasmus, including his signature, in neon tube letters: “The whole world is my homeland”. And now its time to read, a book or tomorrow my next post!
Which side are you on?
Today I want you to show you the difference between smoking and non smoking! The difference? About 5 or 6 cm! This yellow line has been drawn around the entrance and passage of an office building near my home to protect passers-by against smokers, the thickness of the yellow line seems to help against tobacco smoke and who knows more! Which side are you on? Its friday so have a great weekend!
Festive light twins
I photographed these twins during a cold evening! Which lights are more festive? The commercial funded tree or the lights of the (commercial) office building? Do they have the christmas spirit? I think the lights and tree at home are the winner…
Hairdresser’s winter wonderland
Did I walk in the snowy mountains? Or is it a double take photo? Its simple, walking to work early this morning I passed the window of a barber/hairdresser’s and above in the picture you can see the interior of the barber and the lower half the scenery he made for his festive holidays theme! If you just like me want to dream and go to the mountains in thought, you can find this barber at the Goudsesingel!
Gravity is overrated
There is a large wall at the starting point of the Hofbogen, near Hofplein Station. OPPERCLAES, a platform for young contemporary artists, selects an artist a few times a year to show work on this wall. “Gravity is overrated”. A work of art with a message. The designers Hans, Vincent and Guido are members of the artists’ collective High on Type.
Derek Otte on the wall
City poet Derek Otte, poet from Rotterdam, wrote a poem especially for this artwork at this location. The ten lines are scattered throughout the work (translated from Dutch to English).
things keep weighing
weigh things all the time
sit still = a curse
standing still often a blessing
it happens around us
minuses and pluses
everything in between
we give the weight
who lifts his / her darkness
it carries a stronger light
Source: de Hofbogen
Blue monday
Its raining here and there is a strong wind. The elements for a blue monday! This is the view from the window of my attic, grey and brown. And according to the weather forecast it will stay that way in the coming days! In a few hours I have to leave for work and I miss the warmth of the house already!
Festive flower power
Sorry but today its a lazy sunday and therefore a simple picture without too much text… Its a little flowershop at the Oude Binnenweg, a little festive atmosphere and also in my opinion a nice picture! Enjoy the sunday, tomorrow is a new week!
If you understand what I mean
It seems to be an artweek on my blog this week because here’s another statue for you to enjoy! Its a hommage to the artist Marten Toonder who created the famous cartoon characters Oliver B. Bommel and Tom Poes (famous here in the Netherlands). Located at the Blaak and unveiled in 2002 on the 90th birthday of the artist. Designed in a somewhat baroque style it shows a few characters from the cartoons (here a detail) and its illuminated on four sides with reliefs full of symbols of philosophy, politics, economics and science. The obelisk is crowned by brushes, the symbol of the artist, a globe, symbol of the universe of Bommel and Tom Poes, personification of Reason. Why the title of this post? The favorite saying of the cartoon character Oliver Bommel at the end of each argument: “If you understand what I mean…”.
In 2017 a short poem was added:
Black stones, as a remnant of a decadent past,
against marble white present,
where the silent tears weep from the liberated spirit
Ballerina balance
Another photo opportunity! Shopping for presents I walked by this small bronze statue “Evenwichtje” or “Balance” located at the Korte Hoogstraat. Made by artist Evert den Hartog in 1987. Remind me of the Little Dancer sculpture made by the famous artist Degas! And this is also the link with the coming weekend, what is more beautiful than a few days off? Enjoy yours!
About the artwork
Evert den Hartog is known for his lightly styled bronze human figures. He is inspired for his sculptures by animals, but also by his daughter, who does ballet. Den Hartog made a number of ballerinas, which have found a place in Rotterdam. This girl is related to the dancing ballerinas, because she also manages to keep her balance. The statue was refurbished in 1990 and placed again at Korte Hoogstraat on the initiative of the retailers’ association. Together with the “Reading Girl” and the “Playing Beertjes”, this work is part of a series of very popular bronze statues in the shopping area of Rotterdam.
Morning gold
Ai! Internet left me and the blogpost got stuck! This is my post for thursday, a busy day at work and home and now I’m exhausted and got a headache! For now this picture of a golden morning in Rotterdam, the Binnenrotte where the weekly market has its place. Tomorrow a fresh picture to start the weekend!
A curtain lady in Rotterdam
Walking to work my “photographers eye” caught this curtain lady! In the shop window of a curtain shop. And certainly dressed for the holidays she liked to pose but for privacy reasons her face is obscured! Do you want to meet this Rotterdam lady? She resides at the Oostzeedijk Beneden!
A knight to remember
A few days back I had a photowalk and I noticed this statue made in 1990 by Dutch artist Willem Verbon. It is a (action)statue of Willem IV van Holland ( 1308 – 1345). Also known as Willem de Stoute (Le comte hardi). Must have been a brave knight, in his younger years, he fought in Spain and also traveled to the Holy Land. I took this photo of the statue against the backdrop of the Schielandshuis at the Korte Hoogstraat, more on that building in later post. I can already tell one thing, Napoleon once slept here!
A lightened (monday)morning!
Sometimes a early (monday)morning can be so beautiful in terms of light! Walking to the metro (or subway or underground) my route was through this street, the Korte Hoogstraat and the sun offered me this photo opportunity! I took advantage of it and now you can also see and feel a Rotterdam morning!
December 1st theme day “Rainbow”
It’s december 1st! Themeday again of the City Daily Photo community! First on my mind for this theme was the pedestrian crossing in our (shopping) center of the city at Churchillplein. In 2015 they painted a rainbow crossing beside the ordinary crossing to draw attention to sexual diversity in Rotterdam. The unveiling of the pedestrian crossing coincided with the Rotterdam Pride in September of that year. Unfortunately, there are now many works on the square and the shine is a bit off! But who doesn’t want to go “Over the rainbow” now!
Rotterdam is one of the 41 Rainbow municipalities and the fourth city in the Netherlands that received such a pedestrian crossing after Utrecht, Maastricht and Tilburg. The rainbow crosswalk is a worldwide initiative. There is one in Sidney and Brighton, among others.
Skyscraper sunrise
Its saturday and it was a workday for me! On my way home I liked this sunset over our city center and the building that started it all… Have a nice saturday evening, I’ll see you over the rainbow tomorrow, themeday again!
A yellow canary or just beer?
Its friday and most of us are looking forward to a few days off! So I thought it was appropriate to have a photo of this cafe, The Yellow Canary (in Dutch – de Gele Kanarie). With its own brewery beer or as mentioned in Rotterdam, a yellow canary! You can find this cafe at the Goudsesingel. Have a nice weekend!
Fresh and healthy
Ok, you’re in a hurry and not in the mood for cooking and preparing etc. Then there is a rescue! Here in the city are many supermarkets, some big, some small and some are especially for the convenience of the people in a hurry or with a appetite. Selling one-persons meals, all in or with easy packaging and their promise its fresh and healthy! I took this photo near one of this smaller supermarkets, at the Schouwburgplein, its their side wall with a lonely image of tomatoes, do you feel like buying something fresh? 🙂
P.S. Again a “real” filmphoto!
And now a message of general interest
This is not someone who wishes everybody love for Rotterdam but a shopsign on the central station of Rotterdam! This shop sells all kind of stuff connected to or with Rotterdam, hats, calendars etc. you name it! No advertising just a tip for visitors! And the most valuable of Rotterdam is unfortunately not for sale, myself! 🙂
A safe harbour for the holidays
This is just a beautifull view! I passed the Oude Haven (old harbour) near the cube houses and just had to click for you! This is old Rotterdam and new Rotterdam in one view. Top left, the red bridge is the Willemsbrug, opened in 1981. This new bridge replaced a older bridge from 1878. And the bright building at the right is our White House (yes really, in Dutch called “het Witte Huis”) build in art nouveau style en opened in 1898 and was then the highest office building in Europe! The harbour in front is the “Oude Haven” and dates back to about 1350! Nowadays the harbour is used for historic ships. During the holidays the historic ships are paved with lights…
Holy window shopping
Walking by the Bijenkorf, a luxury department store located at the Coolsingel, I noticed the shop windows with the theme of the upcoming festivities. The picture above shows just a part of it, many items were animated and there was music in the background. Luckily enough the store was already closed and I was not tempted to buy anything!
A unique landscape for small wheels
In the section between two roads there’s a unique landscape for skaters. New opened in 2015, located at the Westblaak and 1.200 m2 big, designed by Finnish skate park and landscape architect Janne Saario, who used to be a professional skater himself. Concrete structures, special polished asphalt and many trees, fresh grass etc. make this skate park interesting for street skaters but also for non-skaters. This part is also a nice place to walk or just sit down!
P.S. This picture and the yesterday’s one are made with a filmcamera, a old Minolta Dynax 5.
Drop me a line
Every country has their own kind of mailbox (brievenbus) and this is ours. A redish/orange colored one. There are two drop-in openings, one for local mail and one for the rest of the country or abroad. There are about 25.000 left in the Netherlands and about 339 are located in Rotterdam. And you can find the photographed one at the Meent, beside the former postoffice. I still use the postal mailservice regularly to send but receive almost nothing besides bills per postal services 🙂
45 Degrees of living
And finally a touristy picture, maybe you already recognized them, the Cube houses (in Dutch; Kubus woningen). Designed by architect Piet Blom and based on the concept of “living as an urban roof”. Build between 1982 – 1984. Blom tilted the cube of a conventional house 45 degrees, and rested it upon a hexagon-shaped pylon. Located on Overblaak Street, right above the Blaak metro station. There are 38 small cubes and two so called ‘super-cubes’, all attached to each other. There is a “show cube” open for visitors so you can experience the feel of living in a cube. Worth a visit! Its friday and a have a few days off ahead, I wish you a great weekend too!
Spirits in the forest
This evening I went to the movies, to this cinema, Pathe Schouwburgplein. One of the many cinemas here in Rotterdam. You’ve got the big cinemas like Pathe and the smaller ones for socalled art movies. But also in between, older but cosy. For anyone’s taste there’s one! Why the title of this post? Its the title of the movie I’ve seen, a concertfilm of the band Depeche Mode, for what it is worth, I recommend this movie! Action!
Visit the history of the city now!
Every city should have a museum about the city, here in Rotterdam we have a museum about the city, the Museum Rotterdam! Its right in the center of the city with everything about the history of the city and they have temporary exhibitions such as “ALL ROTTERDAMMERS, Migrant workers through the lens of photographer Robert de Hartogh” etc. You can find the museum at the Meent, and their website here (in english).
A cheese shop and their cow
This cow seems to be surprised by my camera and her picture taken! She belongs to the cheese shop in the background. Located just down the street at the Oude Binnenweg for over 25 years they moved to this location that had a rebirth after a thorough renovation. If you ever visit Rotterdam, the Oude Binnenweg is more than worth a visit!
P.S. Its a film photograph again, technical notes: camera: Praktica CX-1. Film: Kodak Portra 400, developed and scanned by the local lab.
A happy mole makes a happy monday!
Everybody can use some happiness on the mondays and what is making your day brightest dan ever? Yes, you guessed it, a happy mole! This one (his home is at the Sint Jacobstraat) is harmless to your garden but ruins the monday blues!
Update: Made by artist Mausz Tune
Saturday market, groceries for the sunday
Every weekend on saturday there’s the Rotterdam Center Market at the Binnenrotte. The place used to be part of the river Rotte, but drained in 1871 for the construction of the railway viaduct on the Rotterdam-Dordrecht line. The viaduct was demolished after the construction of the Willemsspoor tunnel in 1993. Since then, the Binnenrotte has been a large open space, the Binnenrotteplein, that is used on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and during part of the year also on Sundays, by the Rotterdam Center Market, a general commodity market with more than 450 stalls. But now all groceries have been eaten again and we are heading towards Monday and again, until then!
P.S. Its a film photograph again, technical notes: camera: Praktica CX-1. Film: Kodak Portra 400, developed and scanned by the local lab.
A fall sky fell into place
While waiting for the tram I looked around and saw the light, the buildings, traffic and everything fell into place. I quickly took my film camera and took this picture! Yes, film camera! Developed and scanned today and for the world to see! Location: the intersection Blaak – Andre van der Louwbrug, direction of the river Nieuwe Maas…
Open all hours?
Why the black and white? I like the repeating pattern of it. These doors are to be found at the Bergselaan in the neighbourhood Liskwartier, part of Rotterdam Noord, and typical for Rotterdam. I don’t know if they are open all hours but they look inviting 🙂 Buildings in this area are from around 1906. Its a nice neighbourhood to walk with beautiful houses, streets, avenues and canals. Peace and quiet is to find here, so let the weekend begin, enjoy!
Mi have een droom
Inspired on a poem of the Rotterdam poet Ramsey Nasr (link Dutch only). You can’t walk past it without looking and reading the stanza! It is made-up street language. The Rotterdams language as spoken in 2059, a mishmash between the Rotterdam slang, street language and poetry. You can find this mural at Delftseplein.
Every cloud has a golden lining
Today a simple picture taken at the P.C. Hooftplein in the direction of Marconiplein with the three towers or Lee Towers. The sun burst through the rain clouds and every cloud has a golden lining…
Reasonable young trees on a old square
This afternoon I took this picture on Noordplein located in het Oude Noorden. This square dates back to about 1860 with the streets surrounding it dating from 1860 – 1895 till about 1930s. Till about 1968 there was a vegetables market supplied via the nearby river Rotte. The trees in the picture are not that old, in the 90s a tree disease made sure that the old trees had to be cut down and these new trees were planted. Nowadays there is a small market (saturdays), concerts, a fair etc. And you can see at the far left the old buildings from the Heineken brewery sadly closed in 1968. Keep breathing, the brewery just moved to a new location at Zoeterwoude, so everything is ok 🙂
Reflections of a shopping night
Remember friday night, shopping night? This is the same spot but the picture is taken from the other side, facing the location where I stood then. I like this photo for the festive lights reflections in the stairs and sidewalks, it was a rainy monday evening but I was there!