Archives for “Art & culture” tag

Yarnbombing. Guerilla knitting. 

These words might ring some bells as it’s been out and about everywhere. It’s a phenomenon happening all over the globe and it makes the world/cities colorful and softer (is my humble opinion ).  

It does bring a smile on your face when you walk somewhere and discover that things like streetlights, stairs etc. are wrapped up in snugly colorful knits. 

The people knitting/crocheting all these bits and pieces are either individuals or groups. Anyone who likes to help out can join. In a way, it does bring people together too as it’s a pretty social scene.

I’ll admit it, I’m also one of those people. I’m always attracted to ‘street/urban art’ and I think this can ‘qualify’ as such. It’s a mixture of trying to pimp up/add an extra to the streets and be a ‘disobedient’ citizen in a way as this form of tagging is somewhat illegal.

My knitting and crocheting are still at a beginner’s level but I like that these ‘old fashioned’ crafts are still being used and being re-invented in fashion and design and out on the street in your own neighborhood or desolate places.

I’m adding my knitted bits here in my town and might add to other cities. Should you stumble upon knitted pieces on the street and feel inspired, start knitting too and add your pieces to your own city. That’s how easy it is.

Here are some websites to get inspiration online, such as our local Maluca, Knitted landscape, Stitch London and Stickkontakt

You’ve probably noticed it by now – Rotterdam has a skyline. This makes it rather unique among the Dutch cities. The uniqueness, however, comes with a price. As new high-rise buildings are continuously being added to the urban landscape, at the ground level, cafe’s with sidewalk places in the sun are becoming scarcer.

Luckily for you (and me) – there’s the occasional cheater among sidewalk cafe’s as well. I’m talking about DikT – the cafe situated adjacent to the Central Library. On ground level it’s just another coffee place/lunch room, albeit with monthly Jazz sessions and weekly science talks. But take the stairs up and it’s a full-fledged sidewalk cafe, only without the sidewalk. And with the best view in town, plus an uninhibited sunshine (at least, as long as the Dutch sun shines).

My favourite time here is, of course, on Saturdays, when the market is buzzing on the street below. But I’m not very picky – in Holland, any day the sun shines is a good day. Especially with such a view.

If you have any love for books, I recommend the biggest bookstore in the Netherlands and maybe even the Benelux. In this ten levels high monumental building, they offer you a collection of more than 100K of books.

Three subtenants complete this tremendous media-oasis. First of all there is Fame, covering three levels with films, classical music and a special popular music section with a strong focus to jazz and world music. On level 6/7 you will find Van Der Heijde with a wide collection of sheet music. And this experience will be enriched over a cup of coffee and lunch at Bagels & Beans.

Among the inhabitants of Rotterdam ‘The Donner’ is said to ‘have it all’. If you’re looking for a particular book, this media-warehouse is the place to be. Of course this is highly exaggerated. With millions of books worldwide there is no way they can supply them all. But if possible they sure will go out of their way to obtain this for you. This store is full of people loving music, books and films. Both employers and customers.

With plenty of opportunity to sit down and read, with or without coffee, this is a very relaxing way to spent your day browsing and reading. Well… at least I do… I’ll go the top floor and walk my way down. In the end it’s hours later…

They also have different lectures, exhibitions and projects going on throughout the year. But you’d better check their activity-page.

picture: Concert inside Selexyz Donner (2010)

Sometimes you discover something new at places you have been a thousand times before. I have biked here on the Schiedamse Dijk for years and years. And I walked there across the Walk of Fame, a collection of floor tiles enriched with names, hand- and foot prints of celebrities. I went to the Maritime Museum and the ship The Buffel (check the Maritiem Museum & Buffel article). But it was only later I discovered the pedestrian bridge which crossed the Leuvehaven, during an architectural city tour by bike.

It was dark the first time I crossed that bridge, but it was amazing nonetheless. Normally you would be at the quayside looking at the boats and water life. Crossing this bridge places you right in the middle of the action. There is also a stop for the Water Taxi, which takes you, for a fee, over the waters of Rotterdam.

This little secret was right in the middle of the center without me knowing and when I found out at last, I was awestruck. This is a part of the ports and harbors you would not want to miss when visiting Rotterdam. It takes you just a little while crossing this bridge, but the sight is spectacular.

In 1937 they began to build the Maastunnel, which included the moving of the Norsk Sjomannskirke which is in the park nearby nowadays. The building continued during WWII.

There is a story that while they were officially opening the tunnel at one side, two schoolboys had entered the tunnel at the other side. I would have loved to see their faces, when they saw the two boys, before the cutting of the ribbon. This opening was in 1942, and back then it was the first car tunnel in the Netherlands.

Besides a car tunnel there is also a bike tunel and a pedestrian tunnel. You can go down the escalator with your bike or request the elevator. The tunnel for pedestrians is another stairway down, since you are not allowed to walk in the bike tunnel.

I have been biking here about once a day up and down for five years. When I lived on the south bank my work and my son’s school was on the north bank, we always took the Maastunnel on our way. Especially in the summertime you are met by a pleasant fresh air, since it is quit cool under sea level.

Going up the escalator with your bike takes some getting used to, but since my son has been doing it since he was five years, I suppose you can manage. As long as you take care to put your back wheel firmly on one stair, you can hold your bike with only the touch of a finger.