A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
048: Warning for slippery pavement
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© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
holanda
All posts tagged holanda
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
043: Groningen Centraal Station
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© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
041: ‘Satisfied smoker’
When I took this picture, I thought that I had a clear idea what would be sold there in this store. The name ‘De Tevreden Rookster’ can be translated as: ‘The Satisfied Femal Smoker’. The first products that came into my mind were tobacco, cigarettes and cigars. But here they offer a totally different kind of merchandise! Until 1983, there was a hippie store, with the exotic name Kadjaloe, which sold Afghan coats, woolen socks and some little pipes. In the same year, owner Theo started his headshop and cultivated some cannabis plants for the production of yearlings. With the Dutch anti-drug laws becoming more sever during the years, the owner was forced to adapt his merchandise. At present, his assortment is more focused on vaporizers. Nothing of my personal interest, but the name was worth a picture.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
040: Cargo bikes
Everyone knows that there are many bikes in the Netherlands. Many more bikes than people: Over 22 million bikes to little over 17 million Dutch. On average, they cycle about 1000 km per year, equal to almost 3 km per day. One out of four people uses the bike for going to their work. Therefore, many bike stops are needed for proper parking of the bicycles. Unfortunately, not all cyclists respect that, and prefer to park the bike as near as possible to their destinations: walls, pavements, shop windows. There are not only two-wheeled bikes, but there is also a small number of cargo bikes, in which you can transport children to the school, or groceries to the clients, or small furniture when you are moving. You can rent those cargo bikes. The photograph shows a location where the cargo bikes can be rented.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
039: Bakfiets, a cargo bike.
With little over 200 thousand inhabitants, Groningen is the major city in the northern region of the Netherlands. The presence of a university attracts thousands of students to Groningen. The easiest way of transport in the city is by bike. Bike are found anywhere in the city, and are parked literally anywhere. Therefore, many residents have attached an announcement behind the window with a request not to park the bike against the window. You can imagine that students might lose the eye on their bikes, because of too many bikes of similar brands, shapes and colors. In order to recognize the two-wheeled vehicle with more ease, many students decorate their bikes in different colors and color combinations. But the three-wheeled cargo bike in the photograph won’t need any additional identification mark. The cargo space, most probably to carry children, is quite unique, easy to recognize.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
038: Dutch bark
Groningen is a city with a lot of history. Its origin is unsure – some even tried to refer to expelled people from Troy, led by the legendary figure Guno, that settled there. More likely, the first settlers must have arrived in the region about 1700 years ago. As happened with many historic cities in the Netherlands, Groningen gained a canal system (‘grachtengordel’) as a means of defense against invaders. The canal system in Groningen is called the ‘Diepenring’. The boat in the photograph is a Dutch bark, most probably a ‘tjalk’: a flatbottom vessel that is used for transport over the Dutch waterways. There are still many Dutch barks in circulation: some of them have been transformed into “woonboten’, barks used for permanent residence.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
037: Der Aa Kerk
When I visited Groningen on a day in March, it drizzled all day long, but it was not necessary to use my umbrella. I was wearing a couple of shirts and sweaters, a thick wintercoat, and gloves. Many bystanders were watching me as if I were an alien. But they didn’t realize that I was used to the tropical climate in Brazil. Despite the drizzle and the cold, I really enjoyed walking around in the interesting center that exhibits many monumental buildings. Of of the striking monuments was the 76 m dark ocre yellow tower of the Der Aa Kerk (A Church). The photograph was taken from the Vissersbrug (Fisherman’s Bridge) with Der Hoge Aa on the left side, and Der Lage Aa on the right side. Originally, the chapel was dedicated to Mary and Saint Nicholas, patron saint of the fishermen. In 1247 the chapel gained the status of a church. Nowadays, the church is no longer used for services, but occasionally for events.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
035: Motorcycle ambulance
In 1997, motorcycle ambulances were introduced in The Hague and the surrounding suburbs. Motorcycle ambulances were first used in WWI by American, British and French troops. Since the 1980s, more countries started to introduce motorcycle ambulances as a rapid alternative for the regular ambulances at locations less accessible for regular ambulances. In The Hague, it was the construction of a tram tunnel that motivated the implimentation of motorcycle ambulances. Generally, the paramedic drives alone, but is fully equipped for rapid responses in emergency situations. However, they cannot transport patients: they have to be transported by four-wheeled ambulances.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
034: Gable stone
Gevelstenen (gable stones or stone tables) are quite common in various Dutch cities, principally in cities with a historic center, such as Amsterdam, Maastricht, and The Hague. Gable stones appeared in the 16th century, as a kind of identification of a certain house, or just adorning a house. Many of these gable stones represent a profession, status, or a talisman. Others can express a joke, or a religious support, and the latter are often accompanied with quotes from the Holy Bible. The gable stone in the photograph was found in the center of The Hague. A quite anonymous gable stone; however, it seems that this stone dates back from some centuries ago.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
033: Binnenhof Square
For centuries, the Dutch political power is concentrated around the Binnenhof, in the historic center of The Hague. Little is know of its origin, but the Gothic-style castle, built in the 13th century, was a residence for the counts of Holland, until 1584, when it became the political center of the Dutch Republic. It is the oldest House of Parliament still in use. The Prime Minister’s office (Torentje), the Cabinet, the Senate as well as the House of Representatives are housed within the Binnenhof complex. From 2020, the Binnenhof will be renovated completely, an operation that will last at least five years. Meanwhile, the politicians and their staff have to be housed elsewhere. Also the tourists will be barred from the complex. The tourist group in the photograph listened to the broad history of the Binnenhof, provided by a local tour guide.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
032: Mauritshuis
The Mauritshuis, located near the political center of the Dutch government in The Hague, hosts an important collection of works by Dutch and Flemish painters of the Dutch Golden Age. They include Rembrandt, Hals, Holbein, Steen, Potter, and Vermeer. The latter became world famous with his work “The Girl with the Pearl Earring”. The Mauritshuis was constructed between 1636 and 1641, after designs by Jacob van Campen and Pieter Post. It was owned by Johann Moritz (Maurits in Dutch) until his death in 1679. In 1704, a great fire destroyed much of the building, but it had been restored completely except the original cupola. The Mauritshuis became a museum in 1822, and now attracts over 300 thousand visitors annually.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
031: Police patrolling
It was on a cold but sunny day in March, when I visited The Hague. I walked around in the small center with a large number of historic building, like the Binnenhof, and the Canal District. Later that day, I continued my travel by tram to the famous beaches of Scheveningen. That day, it was rather quiet in the streets, it was a normal working day. I was able to take many pictures with my compact digital camera, there not many people that could suddenly appear in front of the camera lens. However, I was cautious enough not to draw too much attention. You’ll never know if there is a thief or a pickpocket that has chosen you as their next victim. Every time, when I had finished a short session of taking pictures, I put my camera back in my backpack. Like my routine in my city Belo Horizonte, and other Brazilian cities when I was visiting them. At the moment of this picture, I was quite assured that no one would rob me, because of the two police officers walking in front of me.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
030: Winter fires
On a very cold day in March, I walked in the cozy center of The Hague. As I was accustomed to the tropical temperatures of Belo Horizonte durign summer, I suffered much from the wintry temperatures in The Netherlands. Even as a native Dutch, I had big difficulties to adapt myself again to temperatures that were common for me when I was living there. Therefore, I had to wear several layers of shirts and blouses, covered by a thick winter coat. Most bystanders must have considered me as a foreigner, despite by light skin, brown hair, and blue eyes. For me, it was weird to notice people sitting down on madeshift windproof terraces, heated by many candles and little gas-fueled fires.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
029: Maurits Monument
Like Amsterdam, The Hague also has a Canal District: de Grachtengordel. During the Twelve Years’ Truce (1609-1621) of the Eighty Years’ War (1568-1648) or the Dutch Independence War, Prince Maurice de Nassau ordered the construction of the Canal District as a defense system. However, they’ve never been used actively in the defense of the city. The Koninginnegracht (Queen’s Canal) as seen in the photograph, is one of these canals. At the Heerenbrug (Patrician’s Bridge), this monument commemorates the completion of the Canal District in 1619. The monument, inaugurated in 1932, was sculpted by Joop van Lunteren. The personages in the relief are a soldier, prince Maurice, prince Frederic Henry, probably Christian Huygens or Simon Stevin, and some builders.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
028: Train at Central Station
When I was in the Netherlands in 2010, I regularly made use of public transport: trains, buses, and trams. I made long train trips from Breda to Amsterdam, Nijmegen, Rotterdam, The Hague, and even Groningen. When I was a student, I had the privilege to travel for free. No wonder that I had spent many hours on the train, on the bus, or on the tram. To visit the Dutch cities that I hadn’t visited before, to meet friends living in other cities, to go to the beach. Now I had planned some day trips to Amsterdam and The Hague. In The Hague, I was on the platform, wairing ofrm e train to Breda. I was about to enter this so-called intercity train.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
027: View on a canal
Amsterdam is world famous for its canals. More than 100 km of canals are found in the center; no less than 1500 bridges connect the land and the almost 100 islands. In 2010, part of this canal area, the so-called Canal Belt, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The canal system is one of the early examples of urban planning. One of the main canals, the Singel, had a defensive purpose, whereas three other principal canals – Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht – had residential purposes. The canals were used for water control and for transport. Even now, the canals are used for commercial boat trips, and for transportation of many products, including flowers and beer.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
026: Wandering guitar player
Most Dutch living at some distance from the Dutch capital know it already: whatever you can imagine, you’ll meet that in Amsterdam. Anything that is odd, crazy, weird, it’s there. Sometimes, Amsterdam appears to be a city without limits, where you can meet people pushing their limits, people who have no limits. Everything sees to be possible. And if not, people just do. They just do what they want to do. Even then they are lacking talent, skills for that. Like this man, wandering, with his acoustic guitar. People in the street stopped their activities, when he walked past them. He was singing, but he clearly didn’t have the talent for that. Absolutely not. But he was just doing what he loved to do: playing guitar and singing in the streets. And gaining little money too!
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
025: Colorful tulips
One of the most popular tourist locations is the Bloemenmarkt (Flower Market), which is located at the Singel between Koningsplein and Muntplein. Founded in 1862, The flower market was gradually transformed from a trees and plants market into a flower market where you can buy a wide variety of freshly cut flowers, flower bulbs, and souvenirs. The flower market is the world’s only floating market. The plants and flowers had to be transported by boats, and therefore the stalls are still established on large boats in the Singel. Even in winter, you can find fresh tulips in various colors, as seen in the picture.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
024: Micro cars
For a long time, the best known slogan for Amsterdam was: “Amsterdam heeft het” (Amsterdam has it). Since 2004, the new slogan is “I AMsterdam”, which has inspired a lot of new slogans and man-size letterworks all over the world. Also in Rio de Janeiro, where you can take pictures of “Rio_Te Amo” (Rio, I love you). Going back to “Amsterdam has it”: this was indeed the opinion of many Dutch about their capital. Anything you would imagine, or would be beyond your imagination, you would find it in Amsterdam, for sure! People living far from Amsterdam even kept some fear for the big city. They didn’t risk a visit to the beautiful historic center, or have a walk along the canals. It was dangerous, and you would many strange people. When I studied in Amsterdam, I started to love the city. And for me it is not too strange to see these two micro cars on a big square.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
023: Cheese for sale
It might be a cliche, but the Dutch love cheese. They eat a lot of their favorite Gouda, Edam, Leiden, Maasdam cheese, for example. And many people all around the world love eating Dutch cheese. In Brazil, Dutch cheese is very expensive. You might pay about 50 euros for a kilo of old cheese. You can imagine that Brazilians in Amsterdam will be amazed to see big wheels of cheese on a simple stand in a street in downtown Amsterdam. Such big wheels of more than ten kilos must be worth a fortune, and they are left there unprotected, in open air! Until recently, it was quite hard to find Dutch cheese in Brazilian supermarkets. But now, they even may offer big discounts on small chunks of delicious of Maasdam or Gouda cheese! You can also find cheese of the Gouda type that is produced in Argentina or even in Brazil.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
Adriano Antoine 