An Unplanned Diversion

Saturday morning was our trip to Kinderdink.  We began with meeting Caro and Rob on the train to Rotterdam.  At Rotterdam Blaak we stopped to look at the cube houses.  These were designed by Piet Blom and built in 1977 with the intention of being high density housing, "living as an urban roof" creating free space underneath.  39 houses were built in Rotterdam and one has been opened as a "museum" which you can see. (see more photos on the internet).  We decided that for us, this would not be considered "gezellig" (Dutch expression meaning something like cozy, homey, comfortable).  Your art would have to be something that could sit on a shelf as there are virtually no walls for hanging.  We came "out of the sky" to find some lunch

in a quiet pub.  We wandered along the old harbor,

on our way to the dock to catch the boat for Kinderdink.  [As an aside, you must remember that almost all of Rotterdam was leveled during the second world war and it is a very new and modern city]

As we walked we first heard and then saw the "Summer Carnival" parade just getting started.  Oh my.  The biggest speakers that I have seen (goes with the VERY loud music - the sort that beats in your chest) and colorful, incredible costumes. And so, a sampling, as we were at the staging area rather than on the parade route proper

 I am told that Rotterdam has a large Dutch Carribean population and thus this event.  [The grey skies did mean a lot of goosebumps.]