Entry tags:
Amsterdam picspam!
Hey, did you see I finally updated my WIP-artposts? You can catch a glimp of my fiddling here. There will be more on that tomorrow. Today I'm sharing 18 photos of my daytrip to Amsterdam. I went there last Saturday for a bit of speedshopping and to go see The Hungergames: Mockingjay, part 1 with my brother. In between I walked around town and in the evening we visited the wintermarket and saw bits of the Amsterdam Lightfestival.
It was very cold, but such a beautiful sunny day! Look at that blue sky:

I always have to take a photo of the trainstation, it's such a gorgeous building (1881)

Yeah, I made photos of that wheel on top before too, but I just love it so. <3
(‘Gevleugeld Wiel’ - emblem of Roman god Mercury; the wheel is 4 x 5.35 metres)

Singel (name of the canal and the streets next to it)

Koepelkerk (former Lutheran church) W

Close up of awesome facade, probably 18th century.
(Check out this archive of architecture in Amsterdam for more!)

View from Korsjesbrug (bridge)

Langestraat

Korsjespoortsteeg with view of Herengracht (canal - from the city center you can follow the canals all around, like a spiderweb; from the inside out, the first one is the Singel, then Herengracht (lords), Keizersgracht (emperor) and Prinsengracht (princes)

After I found the shop I was looking for, I walked back towards Damsquare; on the right is the neogothic silhouette of the Magna Plaza shoppingcenter. Originally build as the main postoffice (in use from 1899-1987), it's on the Unesco monuments list.
On the left a tower of the Nieuwe Kerk (church build in the early 15th century)
I took a tram to another part of town for more shopping before I met with brotherdearest for the film. Afterwards we had a delicious Turkish meal and then we walked around the Wintermarket on Rembrandt's Square for a bit.

Skull! I don't know, I think they sold rocks; the market was a mix of foodstands and weird stuff;)

Speaking of weird stuff; this was a talking moosehead on top of the chocolate stand. He introduced himself as Rudolph der Weihnachts Elk - Rudolph, the Christmas Moose. I swear I'm not making this up! I shot a video as evidence; he babbles in an amusing mix of German, Dutch and English. If you listen carefully you may understand him in between the bells of the tram:

There is Rembrandt himself, looking down on a 3D version of the Nightwatch! This group of statues is a permanent fixture on the square, definitely worth a visit: you can walk in between all the figures (even the dog from the painting is there!)
We now interupt this jolly walk for a PSA...

Welcome to Amsterdam.... All over town there were signs warning tourists not to buy from streetdealers; people have died from snorting white heroin that is being sold as cocaine (sometimes the dealers themselves are not aware of this). Remember that scene in Pulp Fiction? Yeah, not a pleasant experience.
There are also billboards explaining that you will NOT be arrested for doing drugs in Amsterdam (x) to make sure people will not hesitate to call for help if needed.
/PSA

Main shopping street the Kalverstraat looks much prettier than those drugsigns, right?

We couldn't resist taking another alp. Can I just point out that I am supposed to be the BIG sister. Haha.

Light sculpture near Muntplein, part of the Amsterdam Lightfestival, running from November 27 until January 18.

Damrak: departmentstore the Bijenkorf (Beehive) is covered in lights too!

Last but not least, we end where we started: in front of the station there is light structure with playing cards. In the background the Basiliek van de Heilige Nicolaas (Basilica of Saint Nicholas - 1884).
Which reminds me of another photoset I made of the Saint Nicholas (Sinterklaas) parade in The Hague three weeks ago. If you're interested in Dutch folklore, check it out in my pictureblog:)
Hope you liked this walk!
J.
It was very cold, but such a beautiful sunny day! Look at that blue sky:

I always have to take a photo of the trainstation, it's such a gorgeous building (1881)

Yeah, I made photos of that wheel on top before too, but I just love it so. <3
(‘Gevleugeld Wiel’ - emblem of Roman god Mercury; the wheel is 4 x 5.35 metres)

Singel (name of the canal and the streets next to it)

Koepelkerk (former Lutheran church) W

Close up of awesome facade, probably 18th century.
(Check out this archive of architecture in Amsterdam for more!)

View from Korsjesbrug (bridge)

Langestraat

Korsjespoortsteeg with view of Herengracht (canal - from the city center you can follow the canals all around, like a spiderweb; from the inside out, the first one is the Singel, then Herengracht (lords), Keizersgracht (emperor) and Prinsengracht (princes)

After I found the shop I was looking for, I walked back towards Damsquare; on the right is the neogothic silhouette of the Magna Plaza shoppingcenter. Originally build as the main postoffice (in use from 1899-1987), it's on the Unesco monuments list.
On the left a tower of the Nieuwe Kerk (church build in the early 15th century)
I took a tram to another part of town for more shopping before I met with brotherdearest for the film. Afterwards we had a delicious Turkish meal and then we walked around the Wintermarket on Rembrandt's Square for a bit.

Skull! I don't know, I think they sold rocks; the market was a mix of foodstands and weird stuff;)

Speaking of weird stuff; this was a talking moosehead on top of the chocolate stand. He introduced himself as Rudolph der Weihnachts Elk - Rudolph, the Christmas Moose. I swear I'm not making this up! I shot a video as evidence; he babbles in an amusing mix of German, Dutch and English. If you listen carefully you may understand him in between the bells of the tram:

There is Rembrandt himself, looking down on a 3D version of the Nightwatch! This group of statues is a permanent fixture on the square, definitely worth a visit: you can walk in between all the figures (even the dog from the painting is there!)
We now interupt this jolly walk for a PSA...

Welcome to Amsterdam.... All over town there were signs warning tourists not to buy from streetdealers; people have died from snorting white heroin that is being sold as cocaine (sometimes the dealers themselves are not aware of this). Remember that scene in Pulp Fiction? Yeah, not a pleasant experience.
There are also billboards explaining that you will NOT be arrested for doing drugs in Amsterdam (x) to make sure people will not hesitate to call for help if needed.
/PSA

Main shopping street the Kalverstraat looks much prettier than those drugsigns, right?

We couldn't resist taking another alp. Can I just point out that I am supposed to be the BIG sister. Haha.

Light sculpture near Muntplein, part of the Amsterdam Lightfestival, running from November 27 until January 18.

Damrak: departmentstore the Bijenkorf (Beehive) is covered in lights too!

Last but not least, we end where we started: in front of the station there is light structure with playing cards. In the background the Basiliek van de Heilige Nicolaas (Basilica of Saint Nicholas - 1884).
Which reminds me of another photoset I made of the Saint Nicholas (Sinterklaas) parade in The Hague three weeks ago. If you're interested in Dutch folklore, check it out in my pictureblog:)
Hope you liked this walk!
J.
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No worries, I no life sometimes gets in the way. Nice to see you out and about for a bit! *hugs*
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I don't think I've been to the Rembrandt Square, will have to visit again soon! Sad I won't get there in time to see all those beautiful lit decorations though, but the pics help ;).
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When Rembrandt was just on his own, the Square wasn't that spectacular, but with the additional statues it really is a must see.
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And lmao! I love the Christmas Moose. I love how antlers push the icicle lights around.
Very scary about the white heroin. Yikes! I don't partake of any kind of that recreation, but very scared for those that do. So many bad things can happen. :(
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It's impossible to go to Amsterdam and NOT make photos, IMPOSSIBLE I tell ya! (and it was such a beautiful day)
That Moose was so cool. \o/
I mostly just shake my head when I see warnings like that, but that's because I'm only addicted to chocolate; I won't even try alcohol because it messes with your head. I do believe in informing people rather than punishing them for their choices. (I was baffled by some of the comments on that tweet from the Washingtonpost about Amsterdam's drug policy)