Reflecting on Rotterdam...

On my walk back to the train station, I walked through the Oude Haven (Old Port), first passing the Witte Huis (White House).

Built in 1898 in the Art Nouveau style, this 10-storey building was Europe’s first high-rise. It was one of the few buildings in central Rotterdam to survive the Rotterdam Blitz, Germany’s effort to level the city in 1940.

It was a beautiful day with no wind, so I was able to capture some nice reflection photos of the restaurant umbrellas...

...and the Cube Houses. The 38 houses were built in the late 1970s at a 45° angle.

I also captured some reflections of the Cube Houses in the windows of the funky building next door.

And here’s another peek at the Witte Huis from under the Cube Houses.

Lastly, I popped into Markthal where I saw a painter finishing up this lovely koi.

Floating Grain Elevator....

Most fascinating of all was the grain elevator ship (Stadsgraanzuiger 19), the only remaining floating grain elevator in Europe. 

Launched in 1927, it operated until 1984. It was then restored and became a sailing monument. 

According to its foundation’s website (and Google Translate): a grain elevator was a floating installation to transfer grains from a seagoing vessel to lighter containers or barges. This transfer always took place on the water in a harbor or on a river.

 The living quarters were cozy.

It was very cool that visitors were allowed to climb up to the top...

 ....to see the view over the harbor.

World Port Days...

By the time I was done at the museum, I figured it was too late to attend World Port Days, with its primary activities across the river.

So I started walking to Markthal and was pleasantly surprised when I ran into a bunch of ships offering tours in front of the Maritime Museum.

Especially interesting was the steam dredging ship called the Friesland. Built in 1935, it is the oldest sailing and working steam dredging mill in the Netherlands. For over four decades, it was used primarily for deepening channels in various rivers.

It is now owned by a foundation and has been housed at the National Dredging Museum since 1989 with volunteers sailing it annually into Rotterdam for World Port Days.

 Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see this music boat in action...

 ...but did get to board and hear about the sustainable yacht Ya, which completed a two-year round-the-world sailing trip without using any fossil fuels in September 2018.

Even after all these years, it still amazes me when I spot Dutch folks wearing wooden clogs in public.

More Cool Art...

The rest of the exhibition offered an incredible variety of artwork, including this one featuring globes that lit up at random that was viewed from a platform above.

This one was especially crazy: a full-size merry-go-round made of metal and plastic seats. I was just thrilled that I managed to jump on and then later off without hurting myself as it never fully stopped.

I thought The Bride was particularly creative. Can you guess what this 20-foot (6-meter) chandelier was made of? The answer is below.

It’s hard to believe that irons could ever be whimsical, but Full Steam Ahead proved they could be. Using the three colors of the Portuguese flag, the irons were arranged to depict the Buddhist symbol for purity and beauty which resembled flowers.

Quite incredible, Lilicoptere featured a real Bell 47 helicopter, Swarovski crystals and ostrich feathers. While it was decorated with Marie Antoinette in mind, it could just as easily had been for a drag queen.

 

Red Translucent Heart was a very tall rotating sculpture made out of single-use plastic cutlery, painted iron and metal chain. As with most of her pieces of art, nothing was what it seemed.

Call Center was particularly fascinating. Made out of 168 analog telephones formed in the shape of a giant handgun, there was a cacophony of sound as the phones continually rang alluding to the chaos of a large call center.

The chandelier above was made of stainless steel, steel cables, cotton thread and 14,000 OB tampons, combining the elegance of a grand chandelier with an intimate aspect of femininity. 

I’m Your Mirror...

I was completely mesmerized by I’m Your Mirror, a retrospective exhibition presenting more the 30 iconic sculptures and installations by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos.

As a lover of reflections, I was especially intrigued by this piece: I’ll Be Your Mirror, made in 2018 of bronze and mirrors. The title is a tribute to Nico, the vocalist who sang I’ll Be Your Mirror with The Velvet Underground.

The mirrors reflect their surroundings, transforming the mask into mirror and mirror into mask. 

If you look carefully, you might spot me.

I also loved the reflections in Marilyn, two giant stilettos made of stainless steel pans and lids.

While the shiny material and monumental size exude luxury, they also remind us of a woman’s role as a housewife.

The lids also had great reflections, with my favorite being the buildings across the street. 

Back to Rotterdam...

While Jimmy was on a business trip to the US in early September, where he managed to meet up with several of our hash friends in San Diego and DC, I spent an afternoon on my own in Rotterdam. This little guy, made by a Hungarian artist born in 1925, is named Fikkie. Like me, he was born in 1963; unlike me, he has been in the shopping district since 1992.

More fascinating was seeing the progress being made on the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, an incredible art storage facility under construction. Apparently The Depot will feature an incredible 151,000 artworks that can be browsed alone or with a guide.

The rooftop will be free to access and will feature a café and viewing deck. Can’t wait to have our first beer break up there.

Considering how much I love reflections, I can’t wait to see how the building looks once all the mirrored glass panels are installed. 

Just across the way are a series of fountains that attact little ones.

And in front of the Kunsthal was a sculpture in the shape of a giant diamond ring.

Looking Up in Hoorn...

As part of my recent effort to remember to look up while walking around a historic town, here’s some photos of what I saw in Hoorn. This street featured a crazy number of windows....

...this building was protected by Neptune...

...while this one had a crown and what was likely a local symbol of something important.

Clearly this plaque wasn’t very old as MMXIV means 2014 while the XXX represents Amsterdam.

This cheesy plaque likely represents Alkmaar, famous for its cheese market.

This building featured a unicorn...

...and this one a “colorful dog” and a set of doors that you clearly would never want to step out of.