Urbex at the On-After...

The lighting was so pretty that evening. 

The other really cool thing about the Tramkade District was the combination of new and old set in the abandoned factory buildings built in 1909 as well as some great urban art. We definitely have to take Veronica there one of these days.

 

Urban Art at the On-After...

The Tramkade had some pretty cool urban art on either end.

We had first spotted these painted feed silos on trail...

…and I was happy to get a closer view when we went to the Tramkade.

 

Beyond the Alien Homes...

Turned out that Bleeding From Below wasn’t keen on having us just run to the alien neighborhood and back, so instead bumped up the kilometers by taking us on part of his favorite cycling route. It was a lot longer than I’d expected, but it included lovely countryside outside of the city.

Hard to tell from this angle, but we were surprised to see a Belted Galloway in the pond; it didn’t appear to be stressed, just happy to be in the water.

After circling up in a parking lot, some of us went out for drinks...

...at Tramkade, a hip district of restaurants and bars located in an old animal and compound feed factory which closed in 2014.

Alien Homes in Den Bosch...

When I found out that Bleeding from Below was haring in Den Bosch at the end of September, I contacted him and suggested that he consider taking the trail to the Bolwoningen (Ball Homes), a Dutch community that I had read about on Atlas Obscura but had yet to see. Turns out that he had also never seen them despite living in Den Bosch for almost 20 years. 

Since it was over 5K from the start, only the runners could see these 50 funky homes built in 1984. The artist was apparently inspired by clay huts in Africa and igloos. Built of reinforced concrete and fiberglass, space is tight in these one-bedroom three-story homes with 592 square feet of living space.

Unlike the Cube Houses in Rotterdam, the Ball Homes were definitely off the beaten path. 

Lucky for us, Opee was willing to run back to the nearest store as these funny benches that looked like brushes made the perfect place for a beer break. Ironically Slippery’s son had a physics question that week about the size of these orbs.

 

Spotted in Den Bosch...

I love these window boxes that overhang the Binnendieze, the city’s inner canal. 

 Spotted art alongside a house...

…above a store...

…and in the canal.

Also spotted this charming gable house that looks straight out of an ad for Vespa. 

 

Bosch Art Center: The Art...

Our timing was perfect to get front row seats to see the hourly show of the medieval astronomical clock. While it was a reproduction made from remnants of the original, it was still completely fascinating to see the incredible show that occurred on the hour. 

The doors opened to Bosch’s colorful display depicting the Last Judgment...

…with sinners dragged to hell...

…and believers soaring to heaven. 

In addition to the time, the clock showed the date, religious holidays and the phases of the moon and sun in the Zodiac. Pretty impressive for 1513, when the clock was originally installed on the cathedral. 

Despite all 60 paintings being reproductions, they were mesmerizing. The largest was The Garden of Earthly Delights triptych with the Garden of Eden on the left and Hell on the right. In the center, real and imaginary creatures co-exist with lots of amorous humans. It is incredible that it was painted around 1505 as it was so much more elaborate than other religious paintings of its era with heavy use of symbolism; it has been on display at The Prado in Madrid since 1939. 

On an adjacent wall hung modern interpretations of scenes from his paintings.

I was especially impressed with these lovely dresses depicting scenes from Bosch’s paintings.

 

Bosch Art Center: The Building...

Mike had been before, so left me and Carlin to explore the Bosch Art Center on our own to learn more about Den Bosch’s most famous artist: Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516). The inspiration for this sculpture in front of the museum was a fountain in Bosch’s most famous painting: The Garden of Earthly Delights.

Housed in the New St. James Church built in 1907, which ceased to be a church in 2002, the center opened in 2007. Throughout are a selection of contemporary works of art inspired by Bosch...

…and original works of religious art...

…including the Star of Bethlehem with the constellations visible in Europe painted in the dome.