On 9-02-2011 we boarded the 9:08 train to Utrecht our plan was to visit Rotterdam and Delft
The City of Rotterdam
It was a bright day at the start
So was the situation when we were near Rotterdam
We entered Rotterdam through the suburb Alexanderpolder
Where our Energy Supplier has his office
But at the Alexanderpolder station it was a little bit misty
Inside the train not at all
Outside we saw the Fyra train the high Velocity connection Amsterdam Rotterdam going to Rotterdam
A quarter of an hour later we walked in the Shopping Trench or "koop goot"
There were only a few shoppers
We almost had the whole area to our selves
And world known fashion stores were waiting for us
But we did not enter them
We wanted to see the Erasmus Bridge
So this was the right direction
And that was the opposite one
We did not follow these staircases
But exited at the other side
This was inside the V&D store
Where you can go up 4 stairs
Of course via the innerside
And not from the outside like our son Bob of 4 did in 1972!
Still misty outside
We are nearing the highest storey
Not so high as in Melbourne
Old building spared during the war
But this is a new building on an old place
Along the Meuse Boulevard
But where was the Erasmus Bridge?
Despite the hard wind
The mist was still around us
Who said this was beautifull?
And somewhere there was a bridge?
You are lucky if you can read the signs
Where is the beautifull Tower of this suspension bridge?
Nowhere to be seen
Even from a short distance
Are these cables coming out of the sky?
Or is there still a tower somewhere?
Yes there is its base
And there its top
Its a slender construction
Of Dutch Engineering ingenuity
A last glance at the top
And the damper construction to reduce vibrations of the cables
We are near the Harbour Museum of Rotterdam
This is the place
Was it before or after 1989?
Did she had flat feet?
Whose feet are these?
Gloria on high heels?
Hi Cliff I forgot to shake hands with you
It's almost like "Copa de Badalona" of 1967
Free entrance but no visitors
What kind of yard is this?
What kind of machines are to be seen?
From which boat is this motor?
Sturdy but less horsepower?
Less height by an angled cilinder block
Now passing a nailshop on the Coolsingel
Two turning vertical rectangles on the binnenwegplein George Rickey 1971
An old gate on the Lijnbaan
The souvenirshop with standard Dutch products
But some are needed globally
Back at the Central Station of Rotterdam
A Fyra train on the other side ready to depart
We have been in Rotterdam for two hours at this moment
Now two hours and a quarter hour
Our walk in Delft about 4 hours
We met again with the old Delft railway station
Where the ceiling is still the same as we left it 40 years ago
But formerly you could buy tickets at these counters
This view is to the south
And this to the north
But what is this?
Where are the former ancient buildings?
What are they planning to build now?
Is this the way they change all cities?
And is the station the only building to survive?
Do not dare to distroy it!
And don't throw all the bicycles in the canal
Just moore some Dutch sailing boats in the water
Is this the main road to the station later?
And this the students alley to the city?
This Barbara Steeg is a cleaner alley than in Amsterdam!
Is this the famous Oude Delft view East ?
And this the view to the West?
Yes, and this the Oude Delft to the East from the bridge
This is the Breestraat
And this the Koornmarkt
With the former Hospital on the right
This is a synagoge
With beautiful buildings on the other side of the gracht or canal
This is the old Townhall
With the Nieuwe Kerk in the background where all the kings and queens are tombed
The typical Old Dutch Shops on the Nieuwe Markt
We could not find a former café so we ended in the Coffee Company, a students café with Wifi
Where I took this picture from and put some messages on the billboard of 50plusser on my notebook
Another view of the Nieuwe Kerk behind houses
We are still in a crisis, many shops are closing
But animals are thriving
They just have to wait
Till someone comes to feed them
But I don't have some food with me
I can only talk a little bit
and wait
till this goose
is moving
for a better pose
for the photograph
This is the Gasthuislaan, also a street near a former hospital
With many bridges
This is the Oostpoort, the gate at the Eastern part of Delft formerly, view from the city
View from outside the city
In 1968 one evening we bought a yellow 2CV underneath that yellow light lantern, it was a grey 2CV in daylight!
After Military Conscript in 1960 this was the street where I came to live and José came in my life
I used to go through the red door
Up to the third floor where my roomwindow was
The landlady lived beneath me
On that corner I bought a loaf for 37 cent (0,37 Guilder!)
I have lived on the Professor Henketstraat too
It was on the left of the most left house on this photograph on nbr 55
Yes somewhere in this street
That still bears the same name
Why are they doing this?
Do they need bio gas?
No 2CV's nowadays
But how many heaps of bicycles?
There I lived on the 4th floor 48 years ago
And this was formerly a clean wall
With clean doors
And a clean kitchen inside
This is the view to the East
And to the South West from the ground
Where the tree is now decorated
With spare bicyclewheels
And the pond littered with clubseats
Even dangling from the trees
But they will fell the tree
So they will have a cleaner view
And not having to see the chairs
Hanging from the tree
A last view
at the building
where I lived for a few years
They have done their job
The new library, North side
South side
English spoken?
New Library Top side
Former Holland's tallest building with 22 storeys
Entrance to the Aula
Not for vans or lorries
Physics building
Delft 125 years feast, 150 years feast in this building
Mechanical Engineering building
Yes, feasts in evening dress
The Porcelleyne Fles a very well known ceramics factory
Yes, like José and Bob 42 years ago
Yes there was a bridge across the canal in the distance
And the sun is beginning to shine
Children are playing
But the tunnel is closed, so twice a detour
None the less we are nearing our final destination: The Steelconstruction Flat
Where we have lived and our son was born
The second building was built a year later
There were lots of tall buildings in that area
This was the unfamous jump building
And that where a colleague lived
In this building at nbr 243 we had lived
On the sixth floor one from the end
It's a one person apartment building now
With no entrance to the inner doors
So the postman has not to walk all floors
The sixth floor is the eleventh from above out of 17!
Were there trees 42 years ago?
A very clean building so far
Here lived the janitor on the groundfloor
They altered it to the good
Is it clear now how the situation is?
No, they can better use Google sattellite Photographs
Now we are inside Poptahof
Where there are sales for everyone
Is this my size?
Or my color?
Hey, are we in Switzerland now?
And is it fair weather there also?
Or is it Snowy Mountains in Australia?
Well I like to have taken a picture of me in the snow
But not too long it's cold here
Too cold for me!
So you have to do it with a billbord!
Is this the latest fashion?
The sun is shining now
Shall I take a picture of you?
In a pose?
Better in action
But then I will be out of focus
And against the sunlight!
But they will know I'm not standing still but always be in motion
Like you do
of course
But I want to photograph everything I see
Like this Bus station
Where you can cross the rails with a flyover
And have a good view at the station
and the environment
But we should descent quickly
because our train is coming
And here we can think it all over to go to that statue of Rhodin because he's been back in Laren
What do you think?
And what are you looking at?
How many km's did we travel and how many did we walk today?
Yes ,we have the right tickets!
Our tour in Rotterdam about 2 hours
Our walk in Delft about 4 hours