March 4, 2018, snow! And bird tracks everywhere!
The bird has flown
Category: Typical Rotterdam
Its a wrap!
Because of Corona and continuous duty at work I couldn’t and can’t easily take a daily photo, hence the occasional “golden old man” …
March 28, 2007, Its the year of the architecture in Rotterdam. Chosen buildings are wrapped in purple to let them jump out in the surroundings and as a festive wrapping! Location, the Overblaak, the Kubus appartments!
Location throwback
Waiting for a traffic light on March 8, 2007 I saw this beautiful light, much changed at this location, Wilhelminaplein towards the Erasmus Bridge …
Blue evening
Just a nice evening sky, taken through the windshield of the tram … not the best picture ever but still quite successful! Hofplein with the Weena, center of Rotterdam!
No queue
Due to social distance measures, no no long queue at the stops.
Silent hospital
A early evening, a silent hospital. Erasmus MC hospital. Strange days…
ZOHO, urban landscape
I promised to show the urban landscape in that neighborhood and here it is. This part of the neighborhood doubles as a rainreservoir, it collect rainwater.
The tech behind the ZOHO logo:
The ZOHO Rain Letters placed in the garden contribute to the solution for flooding. The ZOHO Rain Letters, designed and developed by Studio Bas Sala, are rainwater buffer and area icon in one. The rainwater is directed to the ZOHO Regenletters (rain letters) and therefore does not enter the sewer. A built-in ‘smart’ solar-powered system monitors the weather forecast via the internet. When a heavy shower approaches, the system releases the water and creates buffer space for the coming rain shower. During long periods of drought, the water is retained properly to provide the surrounding greenery with water. Smart!!
Source: Hofbogen.nl
ZOHO, Urban development; slow urbanism
Near where I live you can find this building and area;
“ZOHO is a living and working area on the edge of the center, a 5-minute walk from Central Station. For and by makers in design, art, culture, media, tech, food, architecture and urban planning. All pioneers who want to use their craftsmanship to strengthen themselves, ZOHO and the city in an innovative way. Sandwiched between Heer Bokelweg, Hofbogen, Teilingerstraat and Noordsingel, also known as the Zomerhofkwartier, this former industrial area was struggling with vacant space. In 2013, it was decided that the area will be developed for 10 years through a gradual form of urban development; slow urbanism.”
I do like it, in a next post I will show the urban landscape in that neighborhood!
Everything in Rotterdam
My (photographers) eye immediately fell on this shop window, it says “Van alles in Rotterdam” is translated “Everything in Rotterdam”. And I dare to say (with pride), that’s right! 🙂
Black and white throwback, sunny tracks
Taken in March 2018. View from the drivers seat of the tram, line number 7, at Willemsplein.
The second concert hall in the Netherlands in terms of visitors and concerts
De Doelen is a concert and conference building in Rotterdam. The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra (RPhO) is the main tenant of De Doelen. Furthermore, pop, jazz and classical music are played and the building facilitates the International Film Festival Rotterdam with checkout and information areas and cinemas.
But De Doelen is now also closed for the time being.
Rotterdamse Schouwburg, no performances for the time being
A bit busy now at work in connection with the Corona virus, so be behind with the blog. In the coming days, so images but with little text or explanation, sorry!
This is the Rotterdamse Schouwburg or also the Theater Rotterdam. Closed for now and all performances canceled due to the virus …
Digital and analogue
There used to be a nice old camera en photoprintshop located at the Meent, a street full of shops, with a small stack of used camera’s. Canon, Minolta and Nikon camera’s that were not so long ago top of the bill but due to the digital age almost are forgotten. Still suburb quality and very cheap! I took this picture back in March 2007. This shop moved a few doors into the street and is now a only a photoprintshop, digital and analogue!!
Work café, work in progress?
On my way to work via the Luchtsingel I walked past this place, the door was open and on the board what you can just see is: “Work Café”. You first have to go through the opening of the gate and as you can see people are still busy with work at the building. The “Work Café” is another Work in progress, so to speak!
Light at the end of the tunnel
If you have to go to the other side of Rotterdam Centraal, the train station, you can go either trough the station, using your public transport subscription card or for free and without the gates pass the station trough the tunnel beside the station. I took this picture in 2018, so from the archives, but I like it!
Knock out!
When in Rotterdam you must visit the Zwaanshals. A street with all kinds of small shops and business and a special vibe! I took this picture of a mural, a real knock out picture!
Elevazione
You can find this art object on Westersingel. The Italian artist Giuseppe Penone was inspired by a fallen tree whose roots grew on the ground. Around the art object are five living trees that live in symbiosis with the object. The bronze roots stick with their ends in the five surrounding living trees. Because the living trees continue to grow, the bronze will leave a trace in their bark. Penone uses the passage of time in the work of art: after years the elapsed time will be visible in the tree trunks.
Newest city transport?
I came across this scene at the foot of the Erasmus Bridge! The latest trend in city transport or just a cozy bachelor party?
These houses are three of the oldest in the city and a bit mine…
These three houses date from around 1700. And they are close to where I live! They are three of the no more than fifteen old merchant houses that the city still knows. All three have a storehouse on the ground floor. One of the three (nr. 407) still has the beautiful ceiling and wall paintings by the Elias brothers and others; a beautifully sculpted chimney made of Brazilian rosewood and a rococo style stairwell in very good condition! They have been national monuments since 1971 and in 1995 came into possession of Stadsherstel Historisch Rotterdam. So also a bit of me as a resident of the city …
P.S. You can find these houses at the Rechter Rottekade.
For the good cause
Is this also Rotterdam? Sure! This container is very important because if you still have clothing, shoes or other textiles that you no longer wear, but it is still good to wear further, put this stuff in this collection container. Everything is then sorted and then passed on to the people who need clothing or shoes! Isn’t that beautiful !?
Harbour lights, cafe lights!
Rotterdam at night just remains beautiful, take a look at the reflection of all the lights in the water of the Oude Haven…
March 1st, 2020, theme day “Municipal Building”
Oh oh! I was so busy the last weeks I forgotten that it was the first of the month already! Municipal Building is the theme and I had to search my archive because I didn’t make a fresh picture… (this one I did a few months back) I took this one in 2010 with my newest digital camera, just trying, and not the best picture ever made but through this camera I have been able to capture many memories forever! The cityhall is on the left, located at the Coolsingel.
Worldly homes
Sometimes you have to got to the barber, so did I. And with the sun on a beautifull morning I caught this image of a mix of old warehouses and newly built flats. In the old days the warehouse contained spices and products from all over the world. Now the people from all over the world! I took this picture at the Kop van Zuid…
Art on the ceiling, Cornucopia
I had already shown the outside but this is the ceiling of the Market Hall, Grote Markt. An artwork of 11,000 m² (two football fields) by Arno Coenen and Iris Roskam, entitled Cornucopia (Hoorn des Overvloeds).
A train passing the Middle Ages
Last night I was looking for a interesting subject for a photo and I found it! This is a part of the 14th century old city wall and now a part of the railway station Blaak. I waited until the train passed to show the proportions of old and modern!
Just a block away, Gare du Nord
Not far from where I live is an old train wagon, a buffet wagon, which has now reached the end of its journey in the so-called ZOHO quarter*. Nowadays its a vega restaurant called Gare du Nord! The restaurant cooks sustainable organic food as much as possible and cooks 100% vegetable. I haven’t tried it yet, but I particularly like the train carriage! You can find the restaurant in the Anthoniestraat. I took the photo a while ago on black and white film and I like the result. Now I have to go, you guessed it, I have to catch the train!
*ZoHo is a new part of town where creative people with different life activities take care of the development of this area.
Orange entry
This evening I went into town especially for you to take a picture! And my eye fell on this old city gate! Or rather, an arty reproduction of the city gate that once stood here until May 1940, the Delftsche Poort … In short: the Delftsche Poort in Rotterdam was a city gate, it was already the third gate at that place! After the bombing in May 1940, the gate was so damaged that it completely disappeared. Fifty years after the bombing, this reconstruction was built on the Pompenburg, designed by artist Cor Kraat. Orange so that you can see it well!
Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud appreciated him
There’s a big storm now over the Netherlands so I stayed indoors and instead of a photo of rain and clouds a cultural fact! After the lamppost that gave a twist to the street, I came across this portrait of a famous Dutch writer, Multatuli, a pseudonym for Eduard Douwes Dekker. Above the portrait a known quote: Van de maan af gezien zijn we allen even groot… (translated: Seen from the moon, we are all the same size). He lived from 1820-1887. He was read internationally, with fame in Indonesia and the Soviet Union. But especially in Germany: much of his work was translated into German around 1900-1910, and this was a source of inspiration for the feminist movement there. Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud appreciated him, and even attempted to read it in Dutch! Again, you can find this portrait on the wall in the Van Oldenbarneveltstraat
Source: Wikipedia.
Saturday twist
When walking through the Van Oldenbarneveltstraat in the city center then you will see this lamppost! Yes, this is a story with a real twist! It started with this picture and end here…
Metro info
This is the info stand on the Blaak metro station. Painted in the colors and look of the 1970s metro to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first metro in Rotterdam! Not the best photo ever I know…
Spring fashion already on display!
Early morning and again walking to work! While I walk past the shop window I think, that is worth another photo! It is the second time that I photograph this window, but the spring feeling has something! Agree?
Day off…
I’m a bit exhausted today, and all I want is… to take a break. So a peacefull photo of the Norwegian Sailor’s Church, located on the Westzeedijk next to the entrance of the Park. Sorry… you still get a photo, but no facts and figures caption today…
Going to the Zoo, Blijdorp
This tuesday I went on a quick trip to India, Africa, Antartica, Asia and many more places! Just a short walk from my home… the Blijdorp Zoo! And one of the most beautiful animals we saw was this tiger! I was glad that there was a thick glass wall between us! When you’re in Rotterdam then the Blijdorp zoo is more than worth a visit! You can find the zoo at the Blijdorplaan in Rotterdam, more info on their website >>
Stop in your tracks
This monday evening while waiting on the taxi to go home I noticed these signs at the entrance/exit of the tram depot here in Kralingen. Some are very clear “STOP” “STOP” but one is not so simple to understand. The sign “Rangeren, sporen 11 t/m 18” is not a sign you see very often! This sign tells the tram driver to stop there whenever he must drive backwards to park the tram on one of the tracks 11 up to and including 18. When he stops there at the line, the people in charge of the tracks, changed the track to the direction the tram has to go for parking… Thats it, just something you only know when you work there!
Opzoomeren, a real Rotterdam initiative
I photographed these signs at the start of our street, just two of many. Its about “Opzoomeren”. What is it? According to the Opzoomeren website: “Opzoomeren (Zooming up) is ensuring good contact with your neighbors and together creating a pleasant street to live in. Street activities are a good way to get that done. In addition to decorating or redecorating the street together, a street party, barbecue or game day can also be a way for children to zoom in on the street.” The neighbourhood received these signs as a kind of medal for the activities they did with the help of the Opzoomeren foundation. The foundation started their activities in 1994 and are still going strong!
Go to jail
If you ever played Monopoly there’s a chance you’ve got the card “Go to jail”! And this is one of those places you would be send, but in this case, a real jail! I took this picture at the former court house and prisonbuilding located at the Noordsingel. The court house was build in 1898-1899 and designed by W.C. Metzelaar. Executed in neo-renaissance style. In 1996 the court moved to a new building and nowadays al kind of businesses use the building. Just behind the court house is the former prison. Build in 1872 and used till recently. It was so outdated, some of the cells still had buckets for the toilet! The prison is now being converted into an apartment complex.
Fact: On July 16, 1941, the crew managed to maneuver a crashing British bomber in such a way that it did not end up on the houses, but in the Noordsingel. The Courthouse was badly damaged in the process. A group of residents of the canal have founded a memorial here in 1946.
Hacked
This is a shop window of a former Forever21 shop but now showing the results of a workshop at the Willem de Kooning Academy about using H&M sale items and rest-products to create new designs. They transformed existing garments using different techniques in a unique pieces. I don’t know much about design and fashion but I like the idea and project.
No train station but still traveling to Italy
Thursday evening to the former Rotterdam Bergweg train station to eat Italian! We celebrated the fact that my oldest daughter has finished her biology studies! She has achieved her MSc title! And this restaurant has a nice vibe because of the building, you can still see and feel the old station but with a cosy Italian layer over it. Don’t let the sign Rotterdam Centraal foul you, it is the old Bergweg Station 🙂
One of the first to be built
During a photowalk I liked the the doors and logo/sign from the former Nederlandsche Handelsmaatschappij building. Now a listed building its was designed by architects C. Elffers and A.A. van den Nieuwenhuyzen in the traditionalist architectural style. Together with the adjacent Blaak 28 (1950) and Blaak 40 (1950) bank buildings, the bank building is one of the first buildings to be built after the war. The entrance is marked with a grand portal by artist Nel Klaasen, in which the emblem of the NHM is incorporated (click for detail).
Built on the same spot where the original building from 1917 stood. The vaults had survived the war, but were replaced by new ones. The NHM was founded in 1824 on the initiative of King Willem I to breathe new life into Dutch trade after the French period.
A graphic wall
Every time I pass this mural at metro station Stadhuis I want to take a picture of it, and that’s why you see the picture here! On the side of the Town Hall Square, a “graphic wall” has been placed between the staircase parties, designed by artist Bouke Ylstra. In concrete panels polished by the artist with his own hand, smoothly painted lines are filled with a deep black paint. They form two configurations that resemble shapes. The artwork was commissioned in December 1965.
Stadhuis metro station also had a number of shelters, to use during the Cold War, when danger threatened. Many of the shelters have been demolished, only the corridor from the Town Hall to the metro station is still there. This corridor made it easier for the city council to go to the shelters, without having to walk the streets.