January 2011
1 post
1 tag
Dead Christmas trees
After Christmas, people simply get rid of their Christmas trees in the street. All these dead trees do not give a nice Scandinavian touch to the Dutch capital.
Après Noël, les gens se débarassent de leur sapin de noël dans les rues. Tous ces sapins morts ne donnent pas une jolie touche scandinave à la capitale néerlandaise…
August 2010
6 posts
3 tags
Jonquils
This is spring in Amsterdam, there are not only tulips and crocus around town. Many other flowers! Here are some jonquils planted in an incongruous place, on the side of a railway.
C’est le printemps à Amsterdam, il n’y a pas que des tulipes et des crocus en ville. Il y a beaucoup d’autres fleurs. Voici des jonquilles qui ont été planté dans cet endroit incongru, sur le bord...
3 tags
Coronation street
As I said before, during the 2010 Football world cup (some say soccer), the orange crase took every street. This small area in a south of Amstelveen is no exception. The even decorated the street light with a crown just to remind that Netherlands is a kingdom.
Comme vous l’avez déjà vu, pendant la coupe du monde de football 2010 (WK), la folie orange a pris chaque rue. Cette petite place...
4 tags
A tree commits suicide
Breaking News: On July 16, a tree committed suicide, trowing himself in the Singel canal un front of the tourists and curious. There is nothing the police could do to prevent it. Life is hard for trees, the day before, a big storm shook some of them to death and cut many branches. The tree didn’t leave any message before he killed himself but the storm might explain this desperate act....
3 tags
Schiphol and the clouds
Here is a landscape showing Schiphol airport, the main airport of the Netherlands. This airport is unique by the big amount of light blue planes from the Royal Dutch airline KLM. The colour of the planes contrasts with the usual colour of the sky.
Voici un paysage montrant l’aéroport de Schiphol. Cet aéroport est reconnaissable au grand nombre d’avions bleu ciel de la compagnie...
3 tags
Elburg vesting
Elburg is a small town that use to be on the shore of the Zuiderzee. Because if that, it was a defensive place with fortifications. The Zuiderzee has been closed and polderised and the enemy can’t come from here any more. The high walls remain here around the old town for the attraction of tourists. Elburg était une bourgade sur la côte de la Zuiderzee. À cause de sa position c’était...
3 tags
Hula Hoop in Vondelpark
The Vondelpark is Amsterdamers’ favorite park. As soon as there is a bit of sun, they go there to chill and relax. Sometimes they exercise a bit. Here they play and dance with hoops. Le Vondelpark est le parc préféré des Amstelodamois. Dès qu’il y a un peu de soleil, ils s’y installe pour se prélasser. Des fois ils font un peu d’exercice comme ici en faisant du hula-hoop...
July 2010
3 posts
6 tags
The pontveer at the end of Kaag
The island of Kaag, on the south of Haarlemmermeer, is reachable with a ferryboat service on the north. There is also a ferry service at the south of the island but this service is not permanent. It is now too late and I must go back. L’île de Kaag au sud d’Haarlemmermeer est atteignable grâce à un bac au nord. Il y a aussi un bac au sud de l’île mais le service n’est pas...
4 tags
Mijmar football
This gigantic football is a statue. Proportionaly, the Netherlands is the country with the biggest number of professional football players. This justifies a big spheric sculpture.
Cet énorme ballon de foot est une statue. Les Pays-Bas sont le pays où il y a proportionelement le plus grand nombre de joueurs de foot pro. Cela vaut bien une grosse sculpture ronde.
4 tags
My street is orange
With the football world cup going on in South Africa and on all TV set of the country, this is a real orange craze everywhere. The goal is not good taste, it is to decorate cars, houses and street. Here is a street in Haarlem proud to say “mijn straat is oranje” (My street is orange.)
Avec la coupe du monde de football qui a lieu en Afrique du Sud et sur tous les postes de tévé du...
June 2010
4 posts
3 tags
Frisian cows
These cows are Holstein and here they call it Frisian cows because this cattle come from Friesland. Here I am in Friesland and as you can expect, they are Frisian cows in the fields.
Ces vaches sont des Holstein qu’on appelle aussi vaches frisonne parce que cette race bovine est originaire de Frise. Me voilà donc en Frise et comme on peut s’y attendre, il y a des vaches frisonnes...
4 tags
Godessa
Me and my azor friend in front a small independent shop as they are many in the Jordaan.
Moi et mon ami azor devant une boutique indépendante comme il y en a beaucoup dans le Jordaan.
2 tags
Northern Path
This track is reserved for bicycles only cars and others must use a differnt path. Therefore this is a nice spot to see bicycle coming by.
Cette piste est réservée aux bicyclettes. Les voitures et autres doivent prendre un autre chemin. Par concéquent c’est un endroit idéal pour voir passer les vélos.
2 tags
Aalsmeer tiles
This is the wall from a public service in the city center of Aalsmeer. This wall made of old and new roof slates makes a perfect patern for a photo.
C’est le mur d’un service de mairie dans le centre ville d’Aalsmeer. ce mur est recouvert d’ardoises neuves et vieilles ce qui en fait une jolie mosaïque pour poser devan.
May 2010
7 posts
4 tags
Mondrian house
It is sometimes fascinating to see how people dare colours in Dutch architecture. This is little house in Buitenveld has frames and walls pated with primary colours. The squares reminds us of Piet Mondrian’s work.
C’est parfois fascinant de voir comment les gens osent les couleurs dans l’architecture néerlandaise. Cette petite maison dans le quartier Buitenveld a les murs et...
3 tags
Zaanhof
Zaanhof is the best example of application of a Garden city as they were build in the begining of the 20th century. The small entrance is almost hidden and opens on a courtyard with many trees. All houses are facing the green in the middle. It looks like life is pleasent here.
Zaanhof est le meilleur exemple de ce qu’on appelle une cité-jardin telle qu’on en construisait au début du...
3 tags
Getsewoud
Getsewoud is the newest district in the already new city of Nieuw-Vennep. This district with its 5800 homes and its long park looks like a concert hall. This might be the topic of the district as many streets has name of classic composers.
Getsewoud est le tout nouveau quartier dans la ville déjà nouvelle de Nieuw-Vennep. Ce quartier, avec ses 5800 habitations et son long parc ressemble à une...
3 tags
Worms in RAI
You’ve seen this path already, here is another view on the colourful worms along the way.
Vous avez déjà vu cette piste. Voici une nouvelle vue de ces vers colorés le long du chemin.
3 tags
World tower
On the side of this tower block in Amsterdam Zuidoost, there is a map of the world on a list of many cities. As this district is very cosmopolitan, it looks like they wanted to list all the cities of origin of the people living in the tower block.
À l’extrémité de cette barre à Amsterdam Zuidoost, il a une mapemonde avec de nombreuses villes listées dessus. Comme le quartier est très...
4 tags
Bene arrivate
The Giro d’Italia is in town for 3 days. Three days in a row where the race starts from Amsterdam. So this morning I joined the pink craze and went for the race. Here I am at the finish line.
Le tour d’Italie est en ville pour trois jours, c’est la Giromania. Trois jours de suite où la course part d’Amsterdam. Donc ce matin j’ai pris part à la folie en rose qui a...
2 tags
Gaaspermolen
The Gaaspermolen is a windmill located in Diemen aside the Amsterdam-Rhine canal. It is still used by the water community to regulate the water level of the Diemen polder.
Le moulin Gaasper est un moulin à vent situé à Diemen, le long du canal Amsterdam-Rhin. Il est encore utilisée aujourd’hui par la communauté de l’eau, pour réguler le niveau d’eau du polder de Diemen.
April 2010
19 posts
3 tags
My Miffy Bell
This is my fourth red bell, this one is illustrated with Miffy, the rabbit of Dick Bruna. Here we call him Nijntje.
Voici ma quatrième sonnette rouge. Cette dernière est illustré avec Miffy, le petit lapin blanc de Dick Bruna. Ici on l’appelle Nijntje.
1 tag
Kermis
Do you remember last year’s Ferris wheel. The fun fair was on Dam just after easter. The fun fair is back. Here they call it kermis.
Vous souvenez-vous de la grande roue de l’année dernière. La fête forraine est de retour sur Dam, juste avant la fête de la reine. Ici on appelle ça kermis.
3 tags
Flashy tram stop
This tram stop has just been repainted. All tram stops on the road are supposed to be visible with yellow and black squares. Usualy the squaring is made with tilles and is not visible. This one on Ferdinand Bol, has just been painted. Flashy.
Cet arrêt de tram vien d’être repend. Tous les arrêts de tram sur la route sont senssés être visibles avec des carraux jaune et noir. La plupart du...
3 tags
Tulips
May is arriving, this is the moment where tulips are blooming. This field has long rows of yellow and red tulips. Ideal for the traditional Dutch photo.
Mai arrive et c’est le moment pour les tulipes de fleurir. Ce champ de offre de longues rangées de tulipes jaune et rouge. Idéal pour la traditionnelle photo des Pays-Bas.
3 tags
City of Tokyo
This Boeing 747 from KLM is waiting on a Schiphol Airport taxiway. It is beeing cleaned. It as all the time because planes can’t fly from Schiphol nowadays.
Ce Boeing 747 de la KLM est stationné sur le tarmac de l’aéroport de Schiphol. Il est en train d’être nettoyé. Il a tout le temps aprce que de nos jours les avions ne vollent pas à Schiphol.
4 tags
Passing by the Queen towers
I already showed you the queen towers. I showed them from where they are best known, next to big express roads. But we are in Amsterdam, bikes have also their roads. It is possible to go all around these towers along a dedicated cycle path.
Je vous ai déjà montré les tours des reines. Je vous les montrais telle qu’on les voit le plus souvent, au bort de grands axes routiers. Mais nous...
3 tags
De Ratelaar
De ratelaar is a mysterious name given to this statue that appeared here, in the western district in 2008. This statue is a tribute to workers collecting waste in the city. In 2007, the city of Amsterdam started a big campain to celebrate the 130 years of their waste collection service. They offered poster to every inhabitant saying thanks to waste collectors, and people displayed it at their...
4 tags
Bridge in Weesp
This bridge in Weesp is quite impressive, the big weight on top of it helps it to lift up when a boat needs to go through th canal underneath. In that case, cars are asked to cut the contact and stop their engine.
Ce pont à Weesp est assez surprenant, le gros contrepoid en haut l’aide à basculer pour laisser passer les bateaux qui veullent passer sur le canal en dessous. Dans ce cas, on...
4 tags
Statue of a building Businessman
This is one of the bridge pile that has been sculpted in the 30’s maybe by Hildo Krop. Instead of allegories, this one represents a businessman surrounded by lorries and figures. Maybe a reflect of what was happening in the neighbourhood that was being built at the time. The sculptor added a very moderne item in the hands of the businessman, a telephone. Calling from the building site, an...
4 tags
Hotel Ibis Amsterdam City West
The Hotel Ibis Amsterdam City West in Sloterdijk is funny. As a typical Dutch square architecture but it looks like a game of Tetris. Built in 2004, it is exactly 20 years younger than the electronic game. Maybe this is a tribute.
L’hotel Ibis Amsterdam City West à Sloterdijk est rigolo. Il a une forme cubique typique de l’architecture Néerlandaise d’aujourd’hui et...
5 tags
Calling a boat
On Dutch polders, you can call a boat as you call a taxi in the city. When you want to cross the Holysloter die from Waterland, you must ring the bell. From 9 to 17, it will call a barge that will take you to Holyslot.
Sur les polders hollandais, on peut appeller un bateau comme on appelle un taxi en vville. Quand vous voulez traverser la Holysloter die depuis Waterland, wous devez sonner la...
4 tags
VAN MOOF
VAN MOOF is a new Dutch brand of bike from Amsterdam. It makes single bike, simple efficient and confortable with a cool design. Its designer Sjoerd Smit even added some little inovation: two solar panel on the aluminium frame give power to led lamps in the front and the back. I am jealous, I need to change the batteries of my back light.
VAN MOOF est une nouvelle marque de vélos hollandais...
4 tags
Along the Gein
Along the river Gein, there are not only windmills and big farms, there are also dutch rural houses like this one.
Le lon du Gein, il n’y a pas que des grosses fermes, il y a aussi des maisons hollandaises rurales comme celle ci.
5 tags
Michaël from Sint Barbara
Michaël is one of the three archangels, he is the one with the sword because his is the avenger. This rusty statue is one of a set of three (the three archangels) standing near the Sint Barbara institution at the north of Westerpark since november 2009.
Michaël est l’un des trois archanges, celui avec l’épé parce que c’est un ange vengeur. La statue rouillée fait partie...
3 tags
Over Jacob van Lennep canal
When you want to go from Oud West to the Overtoom district, you shouldn’t use the car, there are only two bridges to cross Jacob van Lennep canal. The third one, just behind me is only for bikes and pedestrians. Not very easy for bikes though, very steep.
Quand on veut aller de Oud West vers le quartier d’Overtoom, on ne devrait pas choisir la voiture, il n’y a que deux ponts...
3 tags
Crocus announcing spring
Signs announcing spring are always a joy when winter has been long and frosty. The first crocus on public places are one of these joys.
Les signes annonciateurs du printemps sont toujours une joie quand l’hiver a été rude. Les premiers crocus sur les parterres publics sont une de ces joies.
5 tags
Twiskemolen
The Twiskemolen is, as its name suggests, a windmill in the Twiske, a park with lakes woods and polders near the town of Landsmeer.
Le Twiskemolen est, comme son nom l’indique le moulin à vent du Twiske, un parc avec des lacs des bois et des polders près du boug de Landsmeer.
4 tags
Eenheid de sterkste keten
This statue, Eenheid de sterkste keten meening that unity strengthen the brk is a comemoration of Jordaanoproer, a riot in 1934 that started in the Jordaan against the reduction of unemployment allocation and spreaded all around the town leaving 5 dead and 56 injured. This statue fron Sophie Hupkens has been erected on Noordermarkt in 1992.
Cette statue Eenheid de sterkste keten qui signifie...
3 tags
NMB bank
The headoffice of the NMB bank that soon became ING has been inaugurated in 1987. It became worldwide famous for Its organic architecture from Alberts and van Huut.
Le siège social de la banque NMB qui devint rapidement ING a été inaugurée en 1987. Il eu rapidement une renommé mondiale grace à son architecture organique signé Alberts and van Huut.
March 2010
31 posts
6 tags
De Kunstenhuis
The Kunstenhuis (art and house) is a house that artists can use for exhibitions, theatre, performances or any artistic show. It helps to give to Westerpark its cultural background.
La Kunstenhuis (art et maison) est une maison que les artistes peuvent utiliser pour des expos, du théatre, des performances ou toute sorte de spectacle artistique. Cette maison aide à donner au Westerpark son...
3 tags
Car Crash
This bodies of dead cars whitened by the sun are yet again an artwork shown at Artzuid 2009. This scupture is Car Crash from Tom Claassen, a Dutch artist living in Denmark.
Ces cadavres de voitures blanchis par le soleil sont encore une fois une œuvre d’art présentée par Artzuid 2009. Cette sculpture, c’est Car Crash, de Tom Claassen, un artiste néerlandais qui vit au Danemark.
3 tags
Oud katholieke kerk
The Old Catholic Church is a group of christian that splited form the Vatican in 1870 because they didn’t accept the infallibility of the pope pronounced during the first Vatican Council. It is also know as Union of Utrecht and is mainly developped in Germany and the Netherlands.
L’église Vieille Catholique est une groupe chrétien qui s’est séparé du Vatican en 1870 parce...
2 tags
僑德仕街 (Geldersekade)
Since there is a pagoda on Zeedijk, the district turned into a small chinatown. The city council helped the chinese to feel at home by translating the name of the streets. Here we see Geldersekade has been translated 僑德仕街 which sounds [kiu tak si kai] in cantonese and [qiáo dé shì jiē] in mandarin. In fact it means nothing so I am not sure the chinese picked it up.
Depuis qu’il y a cette...
3 tags
Sheep on polder
Sheep is a common animal in Dutch countryside. Here we are still in Amsterdam in its northern and bucolic part, near the village of Randsdorp. Here sheep can peacefuly feed on the polders.
Le mouton est un animal répendu dans la campagne néerlandaise. Ici, nous sommes encore à Amsterdam, dans sa partie la plus bucolique et septentrionale, près du village de Randsdorp. Ici les moutons paissent...
5 tags
Passing by the Otter
I’ve told you that this windmill is unique. It is strange enough to get a windmill in this area, that even locals are staring at it while cycling by. Watch out for the canal…
Je vous ai déjà dit que ce moulin était unique. Il est déjà singulier de trouver un moulin dans ce quartier qui même les locaux le regardent quand ils passent à vélo.
4 tags
View on Zuiderkerk
On the Staalstraat, coming from Munt towards Waterlooplein, you can stop on a bridge over the Groenburwal canal. This is a perfect spot to admire Zuiderkerk, the southern church and a perfect place to get a touristic photo of iconic Amsterdam.
Sur Staalstraat, en venant de Munt en direction de Waterlooplein, vous pouvez vous arrêter sur un pont au dessus du canal Groenburwal. C’est un...
4 tags
The boat race
Sometimes on saturday mornings, you can see a boat race on Nieuwe Meer, the artificial lake between Amsterdam and Amsterdamse bos. Here is just one, all boats are the same, may the best win.
Parfois le samedi matin, il y a des régates sur le Nieuwe Meer, ce lac artificiel entre Amsterdam et le bois d’Amsterdam. En voilà une justement, tous les bateaux sont pareils, que le meilleur gagne.
4 tags
Diamond factory for tourists
This place near Allard Pierson Museum is very touristy. The Ohmkar Giftshop trys to attract tourists with a small windmill in front of the shop and aa big signs that says DIAMOND FACTORY. I don’t know if the make diamond here but the sell jewels.
Cet endroit, près du musée Allard Pierso est très fréquentée par les touristes. le magasin de souvenirs Ohmkar, essaye d’attirer les...
3 tags
Circus Herman Renz
The big red circus is in town! Herman Renz circus tours around the country for almost a century. It is the largest circus in the Netherlands and maybe this is why it displays a big sign saying Nederlands National Circus.
Le grand cirque rouge est en ville! Le cirque Herman Renz tourne dans tous le pays depuis presque un siècle. C’est le plus grand cirque des Pays-Bas et c’est...