Categories for Rotterdam

On my way to Rotterdam, this afternoon, sitting in the train.

Only when i got home i saw the windows itself, the reflections, the dirt.

Great!

I sat in the train homewards this afternoon. I was thinking about my plan for today’s post. I do have a post about the news this week around the events in Brussels. I remember thinking i needed a bit more time. And then the thought cropped up to make a few photos inside the Rotterdam Central Station. It would give me a few more days to write about the news.

I actually do like a couple of the photos. I did make them a bit more saturated. And a bit less contrasted. The dark a bit lighter, the light a bit darker. Nice ones.

On this lovely spring day i went out for a walk. I went through the city center towards the Museumpark and crossed the Westzeedijk to the Park. Many many birds! I even see some parakeets flying. A heron was walking stately, occasionally eating something. I sat on the ground for a bit, watched it walking a big circle around me. That is when i saw the parakeets flying too.

When i walked further on through a path through some blue flowers blooming between the trees i went out and sat below a huge tree near the water. It was lovely.

I went out the way closest to the Nieuwe Maas and walked along the quay. I took the tram back home.

Museum Boijmans van Beuningen is the museum i have visited the most. Even before i went to art school in Rotterdam i visited exhibitions. Over the years it has transformed, of course. But in essence, it is still the same museum.

The outside space.

The place where you can hang up your coat. That i forgot to take the key with me didn’t really matter in the end. When i left at 5pm, and tried to get my coat to come down, someone who worked there came up to me and unlocked the cord. He had seen the coat hanging unguarded.

Ugo Rondinone
Rainbows, clowns, shoes, light bulbs, candles. I enjoyed the work of Ugo Rondinone. Especially the clows. All the eyes closed. All quite pensive. All with little black hats, colourful suits, socks. Sitting, lying by themselves. With suits made with cloth of sprites, stars, shiny blue, squares. All strangely quiet.

The collection
After Rondinone’s exhibition i drank a coffee in the paviljon. I talked with Arianne for a while, someone i met in the museum. About all different sorts of things. After she left i read the Rondinone’s booklet. I went downstairs from there and looked at a design exhibit. I went the up and the left way after the paviljon and walked past cabinets, candle holders, doorknobs, chairs and vases from the 16th century till now. At the end i went the way up and saw Martin Assig’s drawings. Some 19th century the Hague paintings after that. When i wanted to start on a bit of modern collection, i was told it was 5pm already and the museum was closing.

I’ll be back. Not sure how soon, since i would like to see a new main exhibit when i go again. Since Rondinone is until 29 May, it might be a while.

Lovely weather today. A blue sky, springlike temperatures. I went out for a walk. Through the city along the Witte de Withstreet, past the Boijmans Museum and the Kunsthal. A walk around the park. People were sitting in the trees, on the benches enjoying the sunshine. A lovely lovely day.

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A walk in the Kralingse Bos today. It did start to rain a bit halfway, i was happy to have a hood on my coat.

I went through some parts i never visited before.

First i walked through the children’s farm. I had seen it before, but went around it then. This time i looked at the rabbits, the chickens, the ravens outside looking for the food of the chickens, the goats, the sheep, the ponies, a cow, the birds. There was a huge grey bunny, sitting there washing himself. Huge!

I went to the Heemtuin after that. This is sort of a botanical garden, with a focus on communities. The Heemtuin was close to the water, with long curvature paths all through it.

I walked past the lake towards the golf terrain at the east side of the forest. It started to rain pretty hard then. I did remember the shepherd telling me there were orchids flowering near the golf terrain. But that is in summer. Even though i could see new plants coming up and buds on the branches, because of the unusual warm wether the past weeks, orchids need a bit more warmth i suppose.

I walked out of the park, went up the Laan of Nooitgedacht. Discovered the tram, as of today, would not go this far because of work on the roads. So i walked up to the tube at the Voorschoterlaan and went home. Two and a half hours it took me.

Some people said hello, some said good day, some said nothing, didn’t even look my way.

When i entered the tube station a woman sitting across on the other platform was watching me and smiling while i looked into a mirrored wall and slightly adjusted my hair. I smiled back.

I remember sitting on a bench and watching the city skyline. The sounds of far off cars was all around. I don’t think you can find a silent spot anywhere near the big cities in the Netherlands.

I also picked up a worm crawling on the asphalt path. I set it down in the grass. No idea if i helped him with that. It just seemed to me to be a better spot for the worm. Ground to dive into.

Enjoy the photos i made!

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Today i made the same walk as the one i did for this website the very first time: A walk in Rotterdam: Noordereiland. This week I will make a new video clip about Rotterdam and it’s two main bridges the Erasmusbrug and the Willemsbrug over the Nieuwe Maas. Today i walked over the Willemsbrug and the Noordereiland. Tomorrow i will walk along the Boompjeskade, the Erasmusbrug and the Wilhelminapier to Hotel New York.

I haven’t decided what music i will use for this video clip. My thoughts are going to Brian Eno and David Byrne, the one album i have My life in the bush of ghosts or a song from Daft Punk. In my mind i do have this rectangular view of the clips i’m making. Following the old view on the demolished train bridge, using sky views on the bridge, slow horizontal views on the shores of Rotterdam. This does give me ideas for the music, but i need to listen more.

The walk took me longer than i anticipated. I had planned to sing a song today. Hopefully i will sing one tomorrow.

Writing a bit more after having something to eat, lying on the couch, watching Heel Holland Bakt. I also listened to some songs from the Cinematic Orchestra. It does feel a bit too quiet to me. And then my eye fell on this song from Chris & Cosey. Re-education through labour. I always had a soft spot for this one. So i’m trying this. Tomorrow i will listen to other songs. David Holmes is an option too. But hmm.. this Chris & Cosey one might work.

Bye bye!