Imaging The Netherlands 009: Don`t Doubt, in BREDA (NB)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

009: Don`t doubt

When I was in Breda in 2010, I wandered around the cozy center for hours, despite the cold, wintry temperatures. I wore no less than two shirts, two sweaters, and a thick winter coat. With my pocket camera in my hand, my eyes scanned the streets for interesting compositions or obvious objects. Suddenly, my eyes caught this illuminated sign: ‘Twijfel niet’. Which means: Don’t doubt’. Seriously, I had serious doubts about the intention of this obvious sign. Why was it attached to the wall? What story lies behind it? It made me more curious, but I haven’t found the answers, until now.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging The Netherlands 008: Four-Wheeled Ugly Duck in BREDA (NB)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

008: Yellow four-wheeled duck

These two steam horses on four wheels were very popular in the Netherlands during the sixties, seventies and eighties. They were called ‘(ugly) ducks’, while the Belgian neighbors prefer to call them ‘goats’. Some friends of mine had such a duck, and sometimes I joined one of them for a ride. It was then quite a challenge and an adventure to drive these two horsepowers on the highway and on the hills. One time, I even went with such a ‘tin snail’ to Germany, for a visit to an amusement park. This duckling was parked in the center of Breda. According to the numerous adhesives on the extended trunk, it had experienced many adventures throughout Europe.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging The Netherlands 007: Coffeeshop in BREDA (NB)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

007: Coffeeshop

For foreigners, it must be confusing. In the Netherlands, you go to a café for some beer and snacks, while the – orginally French – word itself suggests that it must be a location for some fresh coffee. Let’s try the English word then: ‘coffeeshop’. And again, you won’t find the favorite hot drink  as the main product on this location. In coffeeshops, you can buy and use – in small amounts – certain softdrugs. Those drugs aren’t found in drugstores. Since their existence, coffeeshops are sources of many discussions and controversies. This coffeeshop was in the center of Breda, at a safe distance from primary and highschools, just as the law dictates.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging The Netherlands 006: Former Hospital in BREDA (NB)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

006: Former Hospital

For me, it all began at  this location. I was born in this hospital, on New year’s Day. It was then a cold, wintry day, snow covered the streets, the roofs, the trees, the city. At the time of my visit, more than four dacades later, it was also on a cold, wintry day, but there was no snow. The sky was pale blue, the sunlight was weak. The hospital was completed in 1923. The central pavillion is built in the neo-baroque style. In the early nineties of the past century, the hospital was transferred to another location; the building was transformed into an educational institution. This building was not far from my highschool, which also no longer exists on its original location.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging The Netherlands 005: Bumper Car in BREDA (NB)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

005: Bumper car

I have walked in this street countless times, when I got out of the bus on my way to the high school. Eventually I went to school by bike. This street is rather quiet, with many residential homes and a number of shops, including a bike shop, where I was a frequent customer to have my bike repaired. However, time flies, and when I returned to this street about 25 years later, in 2010, I noticed many changes. One of the new shops was this car electronics shop. A bright yellow bumper car stood in front of it, on the sidewalk. Undoubtedly, this bumper car is an eyecatcher, but what has it do deal with car alarm? This bumper car won’t move, and won’t be easily stolen. Another question raised when I observed the line: ‘No eggs for breakfast.’ Is the owner of this shop complaining that he cannot afford a complete breakfast?

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging The Netherlands 004: Golf Class in BREDA (NB)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

004: Golf Class

It was on a cold, sunny day in February. Not far from the Chassé Park, I met this small group on the green. Not exactly a perfect golf course green, but probably good enough to practice with golf clubs and a ball. From a safe distance, I observed this golf class. They apparently were having their very first classes, because their swing wasn’t swinging at all! Fortunately, they weren’t practising with golf balls. When I was a PhD student, our department had one golf class during a social event, on a golf course. I quickly realized that it was really hard to get the swing and hit the ball right in the middle. Since then, I show respect to them who manage to hit the bal over a distance of a few hundred meters.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging The Netherlands 003: Newly Built Chassé Park, BREDA

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

003: Chassé Park

Late nineteenth century, a large barracks complex was built on this 13-hectare area. About two decades ago, the so-called Chassékazerne was demolished. A new neighborhood was designed by architect Rem Koolhaas. The picture shows part of the Chassé Park apartment complex. When I was a teenager, I had cycled along this terrain, on the way to my highschool. Late 2004, when I left the Netherlands, this building wasn’t constructed yet. When I visited Breda in 2010, I came by this building. Despite the large green areas around it, it appears a bit boring and a bit too modern to me.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging The Netherlands 002: Badly Maintained Apartment Complex, BREDA

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

002: Apartment complex

This apartment complex is located near the main avenue in downtown Breda. It was built about thirty years ago, as a another example of contemporary architecture. I always imagined that few people must have enjoyed the small windows and the ugly concrete walls. You tend to associate this building to one of those behind the Iron Curtain. Grey, sad, boring, in a poor state. In 2010, I was surprised to notice that this complex was in a badly maintained condition. Was this a consequence of the 2008 crisis, and would this image be more common in the future? Fortunately, this apartment complex was completely renovated at the time of my second visit to Breda in 2016.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging The Netherlands 001: On the Bus to BREDA

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

001: On the bus

As a teenager, I cycled to my highschool, which was located at about 12 km from my home. Summer, winter, sun, rain, storm, snow, I had to withstand all weather conditions. Undoubtedly, the summer season was by far my most favorite. Nothing more enjoyable than to cycle in the sun, wearing only a T-shirt and jeans. In contrast, the icy cold days – with temperatures close to -20 degrees centigrade -were those moments that you would like to forget soon, but they are imprinted in your memory forever. When I was a student, in possession of a special student card for public transport, I gradually left my bike at home more often and took the bus. In Brazil, in Belo Horizonte to be more precise, I was dependent on public transport. Most of the time, these buses were very crowded, with people chatting, shouting, and laughing. When I returned in the Netherlands in 2010, I was surprised to notice that the bus was almost empty, and that almost all passengers were in absolute silence. 

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017