Rotterdam Daily Photo

Confinement, Monument to all fallen 1940-1945

I photographed this square before and from a different angle. These days its empty but now I could take a picture of this monument; It commemorates all Rotterdam men and women who gave their lives in World War II in the struggle for liberation of the Netherlands. The monument of Mari Andriessen was unveiled on May 4, 1957 by Princess Wilhelmina on the Stadhuisplein. The bronze artwork consists of four persons: a woman looking back, a child and a man looking at each other and a man with a spade looking forward. The figures symbolize the connection between past and future: the suffering from the past and confidence in the future.

May 4, it will be 75 years since the Netherlands was liberated. This year it is celebrated (too) quietly and commemorated due to circumstances. But we should never forget it …

Source details monument: Wikipedia

Confinement, all roads lead to Rotterdam

You can find this signpost on the Coolsingel. And as you can see, all roads lead to Rotterdam …

Confinement, springtime and Easter

A springtime picture, taken in the Kralingse Bos. Take care and enjoy as much as you can the Easter days (Paasdagen). Stay safe!

Confinement, the Groothandelsgebouw

Its was after the war, Rotterdam was bombed, many buildings gone and Rotterdam had to build themselves up from the ashes. This building, the Groothandelsgebouw (building for wholesale) was realised between 1947 – 1953. The building was officially opened on 3 June 1953 by Queen Juliana. At the opening, this was the largest building in Europe and the largest multi-company building in the Netherlands. In 2020, the Groot Handelsgebouw is home to more than 400 companies and 2 innovative office concepts (Retail and Cambridge Innovation Center).

Confinement, sunny safe harbour

Same day taken as the lighthouse, the Leuvehaven, the Maritime Museum quays. Just a nice picture…

Confinement, mirror walk

Walking to my work, I noticed this nice mirror picture. Of course I shot the picture, completely with you in mind… Location: Delftsestraat.

Confinement, the starting point to steer safely into Rotterdam

This lighthouse used to steer ships safely into the port of Rotterdam, but today it is the striking starting point for a visit to the Maritime Museum Harbor, right in the heart of the port city. The name of the lighthouse is: “Het Lage Licht” (The Low Light). Build as one of the first lighthouses of Hoek van Holland, the “low” light, was placed during the construction of the Nieuwe Waterweg (1866-1886). The Low Light goes out in 1967 and moves to the head of the Leuvehaven in Rotterdam about ten years later. In 1990 the lighthouse is moved to where it now stands, near the Maritime Museum.

Confinement: this used to be a slaughterhouse

A few days back I photographed this nice house. You would not think of this as part of a slaughterhouse! But until early 1981, this house was part of the Rotterdam Public Slaughterhouse on the Crooswijkse Boezemstraat. This slaughterhouse was opened on May 1, 1883. Nowadays there are blocks of houses on the site and the former offices have been converted into houses and a restaurant!

Small photowalk, a public school 2nd class

I took advantage of the nice weather to take a short walk around the neighborhood. And of course I kept to the rules, keep 1.5 meter distance! It was quiet on the street and I was able to photograph the public school 2nd class at my leisure. Located at the 3e Pijnackerstraat. The oldest neighbourhood library in the Netherlands was also located in the same building. I can’t find much info and I’am trying to add this in the future. Apparently the building will be converted in the near future into retail space with homes above it. The facade is then preserved.

Confinement, don’t judge a library by his cover

Maybe you remember this post about this library. I took this picture back in 2007, from another angle, can you understand the Centre Pompidou vibe?

Confinement, one from the past

I was unable to take a photo today. Therefore, one from the archive made in April 2010. Why a photo of a wall? This wall on Stieltjesstraat is part of Loods (shed) 24, located during WWII on Entrepotstraat. Loods 24 was used as a gathering place for the deportation of Jews during the Second World War by the German occupying forces and was located on a closed area of the Municipal Port Institutions in South Rotterdam.
Between July 30, 1942 and April 22, 1943, 6,536 people were deported via Loods 24. The vast majority of the Jews, who were transported through Loods 24, were murdered in Sobibór and Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Confinement, the lost tapes

I missed playing tapes in my car while driving through Rotterdam or the country. So I bought a new old stock radio cassette original to my car dating from 1997 and replace the radio CD player. What can I say, maybe I’m stuck in the past, maybe its the memories. But I’m planning to drive a lot when everything returns to normal. These are a few cassette tapes I still got at home, how big is your collection?

Confinement, shore leave withdrawn

While waiting for a traffic light we spotted this ship – or a shipbuilding – home of a fish shop. You don’t see this everyday while driving! Location: Spaanse polder.

Confinement, dark days

This photo was taken by the shop assistant of the flowershop who created this flower arrangement. Made for Theo, my father in law. Unfortunately, he no longer had the strength to overcome the latest crisis. Hero.

Confinement glimpse

Walking the dog in the early morning near home. Silent streets, loud birds, nice light, beautiful water that reflects the morning.

The flipside of three of the oldest houses in the city

I photographed the front of the houses a few weeks ago, now its time for the flipside…

Confinement flowers

This picture is taken at our home. Because of certain measures we got to stay home as much as possible. The flowers add some color to sometimes grey days.

Important post

This time I had to go to the post office to have two large bags of important mail sent away before 4.30 pm, I was on time but the postman happened to have left fifteen minutes earlier! Quickly to another post office and everything turned out fine! After walking back at ease and being able to photograph this beautiful picture, the Noordsingel at the height of the Zomerhof bridge …

Spot Batman

Somewhere in this image flies a lonely bat, can you spot him? Taken from the window of my house. Every evening around sunset a few small bats fly by looking for diner! Bats love Rotterdam! Its one of the largest bat reserves in the Netherlands! Why so much in the city and not in the forest? There are 22 species of bats and 10 of them live in Rotterdam. A big, stony city like Rotterdam makes it easy for bats to stay. There are also many in the parks in the city. Good for insect control! From March they fly off and on again!

Springtime!

While shopping I saw spring right in front of me! Click! Are you also a bit happy with this image?

The bird has flown

March 4, 2018, snow! And bird tracks everywhere!

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!

Family dinner

I had dinner with family, homemade and very special! This was the finale, the dessert, beautiful and a great taste! Sorry that you could not taste it but I hope the picture will bring you joy too!

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?

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