The Green Cathedral

Last weekend we went biking to a landscape art project in Almere called "The Green Cathedral".

The artist "Marius Boezem" has created a cathedral formed by a group of Italian poplars. In 1987 he planted 178 poplars according to the plan of the Notre Dame of  Reims. Between the trees are the ribs of concrete paths that reflect the cross vaults. The shells circles around the trees refer to the sea around that a half century ago was. There is  more symbolism to read here

This is an bird's eye view what it looks like when the leaves are on the trees.

I must say I was rather disappointed by seeing the "Cathedral". I think it was the wrong season to have a better view than a couple of leafless trees. We have to come back in summer. But it was fun to bike 20 km in chilly, but sunny weather.

Spinoza

A statue of the famous Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677) at the entrance of the Zwanenburgwal Stopera in Amsterdam, the former "Jewish neighbourhood" where he was born and grew up.

The side of the stage has the quote "The purpose of the state is freedom". Besides the statue is a granite mathematical form, the icosahedron, a sphere with twenty equal triangles. This symbolizes Spinoza's rationalism.
On his coat are sparrows, ringneck and roses, according to the artist Nicolas Dings, the symbol of Amsterdam as a city of migrants. The freed foreign parakeets, thanks to an astonishing assimilation, increasingly be seen in Amsterdam trees, while the native sparrow having problems.
See for more Spinoza here

The Jordaan

This is a group statues of musicians on the Johnny Jordaanplein in Amsterdam. The Jordaan was a  neighbourhood with a lively music scene in the 20th century of popular songs of the working-class mostly sung in pubs. The musicians had typical nicknames like "Auntie Leen", "Johnny Jordaan", "Cripple Nelis" and "Chubby Jan". They are all dead now and the music has gone with them. You can hear some of the music here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMHpBHhePIM

Remembrance

This is my mother at 28 March 2003 at her 89th birthday what  would be her last. Two days later she died suddenly when her heart just stopped. I was so glad that I took my camera with me to make this photo in which  she looks so good.

My sister brought her grandchild with her, my mother's great grandchild, it was a mild sunny day and we could sit outside.

The last years of her life she had Alzheimer, but physically she was allright and we made many walks from the eldery home where she lived in the inner city of Amsterdam. 

Ketelbridge / Sunday Bridges

The Ketelbridge from the Flevopolder to the North-Eastpolder. The bridge opens in the middle of a highway to let tall ships go through. The beauty in the second photo had to pass, so the traffic had to wait a while. See for other Sunday Bridges here (I didn't manage to upload my photo to the SB site)

Weekend Reflections #79

The skyline of Almere City with the Weerwater. See for more reflections here

Springdays in the garden

We had some very sunny days this week and the gardens were full of enjoying cats and dogs. The first photo is Tommie taking a sunbath on the trampoline in the neighbours garden. Pimmie  was very happy with a chair
in the sun and Yentl from the opposite garden came along to eat the growing grass, which I have removed now! Yes I did hard work.

Bicycles, bicycles...

As I mentioned in my post of a few days ago, there are a lot of bicycles in Amsterdam. But I must admit it is becoming a bit of a problem, this is at the university and I think almost every student has a bike. It seems the whole inner city is covered with bicycles nowadays. Below is the Vijzelstreet. 

Company

You never have to sit alone here.

The violinist

First the violinist stood in the sea. By swell up to his chin, he made music. He moved to the Opera building in Amsterdam where he remaines until his chin in the floor tiles. By placing the violinist came the opening up of the marble floor initially the necessary resistance.

The image is a face with high cheekbones pronounced, with a familiar face : it is a portrait of Prince Claus von Amsberg, the late husband of our queen Beatrix.

The artist is anonymous but it is now known that it is a physician from Amsterdam and in his spare time an artist.

Veenhuizen

I had read a book called "The pauper's paradise" which intriged me very much. In 1818 a military officer and politician "Johannes van den Bosch" had a solution for the urban poor. They were sent to "beggars colonies" in Veenhuizen in the east of the Netherlands. The poor were "re-educated" with military discipline and hard agriculture work. Probably the man had good intentions but the paupers had to do what they were strictly prescribed and it was more or less a prison where they never got away anymore. Now it is a museum.

The first photo is a room where the poor had to eat and sleep,  the hammocks had to be hoist up after sleeping. The second is the building from the outside.

 I must say it was a rather depressing experience to visit the museum, it was all about prisons and isolationcells. We did a bustour in an old "prisonners bus" with barred windows to a real prison in the neighbourhood which was also not so fun. But the book of  "Suzanna Jansen" I can recomment.

Sunday Bridges

The River Amstel corner Keizersgracht in Amsterdam. The big building with the flag left is Theater Carre, one of the famoust theatres in Amsterdam. See for more Sunday bridges here

Weekend Reflections #78

The Music Theatre in Amsterdam. See for other Reflections here

Skywatch Friday

A blue sky in Amsterdam. See for other Skywatcher's here
(I have solved my yesterday's problems to use an other browser now.)

Problems

I have a problem with my blog. I changed from Windows XP to Windows 7 and now I can't give comments to other blogs and not even on my own. I don't know what the reason is I am still checking out, but to a few of you I can leave a comment but not to " CaT or Lois". So if you don't hear from me you know why. I can still read them and publish a post but that's all.

I would love to sweep away the blogproblems with these brooms!

Amstel Church

The Amstel Church is a wooden church building in Amsterdam located on the Amstelveld. It dates from 1670 and would be a temporary "wooden barn preach" later followed by a stone church, but that has never happened.

Currently, the church owned by "Urban restoration" Amsterdam, which also rents its office space and socio-cultural activities and for receptions and wedding.

Bird's- eye view

Leidsestreet in Amsterdam from the Metz & Co building.

The two towers left are of the "Rijksmuseum", still in renovation alas!

Bright idea

Last week I was in Amsterdam and I wondered why many  bicycles are lying on the streets. Well I found out that this is a new policy of the city-counsel. Many bikes are locked on bridges or gates, sometimes for ages, and they want a better control on it. There are almost as many bicycles as inhabitants in the city and it is becoming a big problem. To built a proper shelter there is no money. 

 A "clever" person behind a desk had a bright idea, let the people put the bike on a stand in a special place marked with a with line on the street!  It was a rather stormy day and this is the result, brilliant isn't it?

I see you!

When I pass these birch trees, I always feel watched.

Weekens Reflections # 77

Castle Nijenhuis in Heino/Wijhe. It was a crystal clear day so a perfect reflection.

See for other reflections here

Royal attic cleanup at Sotheby's Amsterdam

The garden chairs of Queen Juliana and Prince Berhard.

Our Royal family, has after the dead of the old Queen Juliana cleaned up the attics of several palaces and now 1725 pieces will be auctioned by Sotheby's. This week are the viewing days and I was so curious, I HAD to go. In a museum you are never allowed to touch anything, but on these days you can sit in the chairs, open cupboards and look at the china, glassware, candlesticks, paintings and drawings.

Most of it was very, very old, look at the chair left, but is was so fun to be there. I am not going to the auction next week, but it is expected that many people will do. If you are interested in the catalogue

 look here. The proceeds from the auction will go to charity.

Blue sky

Blue sky above the Blue Bridge in Amsterdam.

Castle Het Nijenhuis (II)

Some of the art in the garden of the castle.

Queen Wilhelmina, the grandmother of our queen Beaxtrix. She was a rather clumsy woman and not so fasionable. She used to wear big long shapeless coats, but at the same time it gave her a certain power. That is exactly was this statue represents. It is made by Charlotte Van Pallandt.

A typical dutch landscape, a farmhouse, a small ditch and a view until the horizon.

Castle Het Nijenhuis

As it is a museum there is a lot of art inside and outside. Above the entrance you can see two figures dancing.

The Library.

A portrait of the former Queen Juliana in 1909 the mother of our Queen Beatrix, painted by Therese Schwartze, who I mentioned in my post of Museum Van Loon

The table is made of blue glass by the Flemish artist Jan Fabre and is called "the Table for the Knights of Dispair" See for explanation here

Outside the Castle was a beautiful parc, I will show you tomorrow.