just b&w

Here it was a grey and raining day, even if it should be almost summer.
What a better opportunity to process some pictures in b&w showing the good mood.
When the sun shall shine again than all the beautiful colors shall be here again, for now let's be a bit grey and sad but always ready for the happiness.
I love b&w photography but I cannot see any joy in it and maybe that's the real reason of my love for it.

cities details

I consider cities very attactive destinations, every building is for me a piece of art even if not designed by famous architects. Construction itself is an art.
But details are the nicest part of architectur; while the big and famuous buildings are obvious and celebrated, the little pieces of art spread around cities are the most intersting ones.
Rotterdam is an achitecture museum under the sky, if you like the art of building this city is your place expecially if you love details.
Rotterdam is definetly my place.

street art?

Couple of decades ago, graffiting was considered just a vandalic act, a crime.
During the years, graffiti slowly stated to be seen as something more than vandalism and nowadays it is a cultural phenomenon, a form of art and expression.
I agree on the new approch but I don't think it is applicable always and everywhere.
While some graffiti are real pieces of art, capable to add beauty to our boring metropolis, others are still pure vandalic acts.
In particular, all graffiti sprayed on exisitng art ( such ashistorical buildings, sculptures, modern and classic architectures,...) must be considered vandalism, a crime.
A real artist always respect the work of others even when disliking it.
On top of that, there are too many sprayers without talent, who use sprays for fun and definetly they cannot considered artists but maybe also not criminals.

breakfast in Antwerp

Antwerp is a wonderful city, very elegant, there you can really enjoy shopping much more than in The Netherlands.
But where Antwerp is really beating Rotterdam is in dining. You find restaurants, bars, bistro, everywhere and all of them have something different to offer. It is an orgy of eating and drinking with pleasure.
One of the best thing is that you can have a wonderful breakfast almost everywhere just on the way to work, excellent!!!
Try to do the same in Rotterdam and than let me know.
Everytime I visit Antwerp I feel a bit closer to Italy, there I can find the same pleasure for food and beauty which I miss here in The Netherlands.
My suggestion? Just go to Antwerp for a nice breakfast and enjoy the city

Rotterdam and bridges

Rotterdam, as almost every Dutch city, has an uncountable number of bridges. Erasmusbrug and Willemsbrug are the main ones. They beautiful piece of engineering and architecture, they are vital for the traffic. But Ersamusbrug in particular has a downside, it opens!
While it is marvelous to watch the bridge opening, when you are stopped in the car, waiting for a sailing boat to pass, all is much less wonderful. Unfortunately I have to cross Erasmusbrug everyday and almost everyday it opens when I'm right on it.
Still I love Rotterdam and its bridges.

Wilhelminapier

When the sun is shining in Rotterdam than Wilhelminapier is my favorite place to walk, have a drink, relax and take some pictures. In the summer evening I love to have an "al fresco" dinner about fish and sea food in fron of New York Hotel. All the area is now under development and it just looks better and better every year.

everywhere

There is alwys something to photograph, even old and rusty equipment a target for my camera. The problem is the time which is never enought.
...still keep trying to manage everything I love of my life... maybe I love too much.

Queen Victoria

Last Sunday, the cruise ship Queen Victoria from the glorious Cunard paid a visit to Rotterdam. The weather was fantastic, so a nice walk at Wilhelminapier was a great opportunity to enjoy the end of winter and to take some pictures. Of course the ship was a subject too big to be missed.
Since I’m working with ship, a cruise is not on the top of my desired vacations but I must admit it is an experience to be done one day.



Looking at all the balconies, especially the stern ones, made me more open to the possibility of cruise vacation. So my wife now is waiting for the day we will board on a cruise.
But we will choose a different location, Caraibic Sea shall be much better!!