BlueCity...

Years ago we heard rumors of an urbex site in Rotterdam: an abandoned waterpark. We heard that it was impossible to enter, so we never even tried to find it. 

Years later we learned that BlueCity, an innovation hub for start-ups in the circular economy, had taken over the basement of the former tropical paradise. 

I was excited when I saw on a Rotterdam tourism Instagram account that BlueCity was having an open house. 

Here was our chance to visit an urbex site while learning about innovative new companies.

Unfortunately, what we assumed would be set up like a trade show with the chance to talk with the budding entrepreneurs about their businesses, was more like a museum display with a sign about each company but no information about actually buying any of the new products or tasting the beer brewed in the basement.  

Veronica pretended to swim in the former lazy river. 

While we were disappointed by the displays, we were far from disappointed about the opportunity to visit this cool site which originally opened in 1989 and closed in 2010.