Yesterday the S.S. Rotterdam arrived in Rotterdam. The ship used to be the flagship of the ‘Holland America Line’ but will now be used as a hotel / restaurant. Since it passed my window I used the moment to take some pictures and stitch them up with hugin.

SS Rotterdam

Worm the Rotterdam stage for culture and music is on sale on marktplaats.

Disregarding a very positive response by the Rotterdam Council for Art and Culture (RRKC) to WORM’s plans concerning 2009-2012, it will not be possible to keep the organisation afloat with the amount of money assigned to it by this same council. It seems like we have perished amongst the waves of good intent, crushed by cultures mammoth-tank vessels in a pond which is too small. The fact that we would perish for budgetary reasons only – if RRKC’s advice is utilised in its present form – seems ridicules and has caused for much grief at Achterhaven 148.

Mike van Gaasbeek, the financial director and a good friend of mine, indicates that every bid from at least €400.000 will be taken seriously.

Link

Today I went to visit the Euromast in Rotterdam and made a couple of foto’s from the skyline. I used hugin to stitch them together. And here is the result:

Every year on the 30th of April the Dutch queen celebrates her birthday. The day is celebrated with bands, beer and kids selling stuff on the street.

I lived in Rotterdam from 1990 until 2000 and during those years “koninginnedag” has always been a pleasant party. I would normally watch a band, buy a beer and walk to the next stage to have a look at another band, buy another beer… Oh and there is (almost) always the added benefit of great weather.

That does not seem to be possible anymore. Due to some soccer related troubles, Rotterdam had in the past, you are now no longer allowed to drink a beer in the street. You are only allowed to drink beer in front of a bar surrounded by a metal cage. You are not allowed to leave this prison before finishing your beer (I admit, that is a nice way to spent prison time).

It seems that the beer cage only goes for Rotterdam. I think it is a shame that Rotterdam accepted these rules. Koninginnedag is a day for party.