Relaxing

I found that even few habitants of Rotterdam are aware of this special place. It is indeed pretty well hidden. An arboretum is a garden park of a collection of trees and bushes. Even on this little piece of land you can find different styles.

There is a part where it almost looks like the beginning of a forest. There is a pond were some trees are standing nearby, some with their branches in the water. There is a little river with bridges. A small labyrinth. A birdhouse. A glasshouse with cacti. And not so long ago they purchased new grounds, so new sights, plants and trees are to be spotted.

Each season has it’s own charm, so it’s always worth visiting to enjoy the peace and quiet of a well maintained piece of nature. You can check their website for guided walks with themes. When I went on a walk there, it was about the different tree barks. We got so much information, we thought our heads would overflow.

Delfshaven, a very famous and authentic harbor in the Netherlands, had its annual ‘open house days’. And so me and my son ended up at the Pilgrimfather’s Church. This church was originally catholic, but now houses a Christian community, ancestors of the American pilgrims. Their arrival is still celebrated on Thanksgiving Day.

Because of this Catholic origin, the church is more decorated then most Christian churches. Well, they told me so, since I have not been in many churches. Especially their leaded lights are very pretty, showing scenes from the big book and some about the Pilgrimfather’s History. Especially two high leaded lights in the back which show the six days of creation are beautiful.

I haven’t been raised religiously and never went to any divine service. Still… I am a believer. I always wanted to go to a service on Christmas Eve and when I asked about it, I was invited to come on a Sunday too. My son and I were both interested, so now I do come on Sunday sometimes. The atmosphere is very warm and open. Besides the relaxed atmosphere which remind me of meditation, I very much enjoy the singing.

Because of it’s roots as being the ancestors of the American pilgrims, it’s kind of international. Although the services are in Dutch, they often organize an open house. They also have a big organ, which is played a lot during service and also special performances during the week.

Check the calendar for activities and open church.

Once upon a time there was this river flowing into the Maas, called the Rotte. They made a dam where a little settlement was founded, Rotterdam. And so it all began. Now the Rotte stops before really entering the center of Rotterdam and the Maas is best know in Rotterdam. So where is this Rotte? Well, it’s still there. It still runs through Rotterdam North. It has some floating art and house boats which are nice to watch.

But things get really interesting once you get at the Linker and Rechter Rottekade. It’s a relaxing biking and walking route and it leads you to the Rottermeren, a real paradise of water recreation. It’s quite a long route to go walking all the way, since the Rotte runs all the way to Moerkerke, But the surroundings are very nice.

My grandparents had a boat when I was young and in the summertime I spent a couple of weeks aboard going through the Netherlands. I have been in and on the Rottemeren since I was very young. I went there some months ago with a friend and our kids for a bike tour. My son was very proud to have biked more then 40km that day. We could have made it longer, but we enjoyed taking the ferryboat to the other side and bike back from there. It was very crowded with bikers and pedestrians. There were also some bike racers, but I do not recommend that in summertime, it is simply too crowded.

I like the zoo a lot and I go there regularly. They rebuilt and enlarged many animal homes over the last few years. You do not get to see the animals you like too often, but at least the animals enjoy their stay. And since they have to live there, that is the most important thing. The African Savannah-Area has by now been completed.

I do not know how populair this news was abroad, but Blijdorp is the zoo with Bokito, the escaped gorilla. Personally I do not visit the apes much. I like to look for feathers. I do not encounter many, but I have collected some birds’ feathers over the years, although I lost a few too (has something to do with cats and them stealing it from my shelves…). And I like to take pictures. I love them in a natural environment, so it is quit a challenge to make pictures without the fences. Sometimes I go there to draw.

One time I was there I forgot my camera. A monkey caught a mouse and was trying to kill it. My friend was so upset, she ran off with her camera. I still consider it a lost chance. But my search for specialties goes on and on.

On the drawing is a cormorant. There is a lake with cormorants and pelicans near the old entrance. I thought my drawing of the pelican was better, but I gave it away to a little boy.

I have been going to the Norsk Sjomannskirkec church for many years. I often passed the church in the middle of the park near the Euromast during walks or bikerides. I have always known the park as parkheuvel (park hill), but it seems like many people have different names for it.

There is a Divine Service on Sunday morning, but I never took part, since it is in Norwegian and I do not speak that language. But I just sat there for a couple of minutes in silence before I continued. I went there once with some one who left a nasty taste in my mouth. So maybe that’s the reason it has been a long time since I have been there. Every time I pass, I say to myself I should go again. Till that time, I really would like to share this spot with you.

Rotterdam is very proud being multicultural, with many types of buildings and churches. It kind of gives me the feeling I’m living in a big museum of buildings. I’m saddened by the fact a lot of beautiful old buildings are torn down or neglected, but fortunately this church has been an official monument since 1999.

The Norsk Sjomannskirke was a copy of a Norwegian village church made in 1914. In 1937 it was moved to make place for the new Maastunnel. It used to be located 170 metres to the west, where the entrance to the car tunnel now begins.