Amsterdam in Pictures

[Marielle]

Re: Amsterdam

Thanks for the feedback!

Sue Sumba, every time I see your avatar, I remember meeting that woman in Havana....permanent cigar stuck in her mouth...

Yesterday was a fabulously sunny day - 20*!! - and everyone was out on the cafe terraces in town, and in Vondelpark, went there for a ride around. Took some pics, still need downloading. Vondel - Fondle park - is quite large (long) and has lots of different things to enjoy (apart from the nature), 4 cafe/restaurants, a film museum, and 1 of the cafe's (Vertigo) with cinema in a beautiful building with huge terrace, one of the cafe's has a kid's playground, 1 of them you can rent skates for a roll around the park, there's a stage area that hosts free music, theatre, dance, kiddies stuff during the summer (june, july, august) from wednesday till sunday.....football/frisbee area, kiddies paddling pool....
If you cycle thru the park to the end, and then half a mile turning left down the road you get to Amsterdamse Bos - the woods. Oh, and to the side they have horse stables for riding. But not in the park. (You can also go out of town for riding on the beach).

[Marielle]

Re: Amsterdam

Coming up this weekend there is the Latin Village - doubt I will be going - but some nice photos....I know the guy with the hat and the beard, such a charming man, always waving at me as we pass on the bikes. I know him from a cafe I used to work at, he was dancing salsa already there and then, way before it became "the thing to do" here.....

Get out your bikini and high heels

http://www.a-venue.nl/photos/

[Marielle]

Re: Amsterdam

oh, and here is a video of the capoeiristas doing their thing. From the telly. Wow! 10 years already....
The great thing is they also go into schools and teach the kids....
They also do it at one of the universities.
Capoeira was developed by the slaves in Brazil, they were forbidden to fight, so they got round it by making it look like a dance/acrobatics etc. In fact, it was illegal for very many years in Brazil, right up until the 30's, Mestre Bimba!

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There's also an Easter Capoeira meeting, they have it every year, but organised by other people than them (they do a summer one).
Always good parties then during the night, brasil themed, music, food, capairinha, capoeira off in another room etc.

In fact! Festo do Brasil 20 years is coming up at Milky Way! Easter weekend. OMG, so much great reggae coming too!!
Gentleman, Gregory Isaacs &amp; Beres Hammond, Jah Cure, Morgan Heritage...

[Marielle]

Re: Amsterdam

Great photos, and info on this website

http://www.underwateramsterdam.com/

[Marielle]

Re: Amsterdam

This is funny, a hot summer's afternoon in Amsterdam.

The Jamaica one is great too!

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[Marielle]

Re: Amsterdam

These are really funny too.

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[Marielle]

Re: Amsterdam

[Marielle]

!

Yikes [censored]!??

[Marielle]

Re: !

Oh, phew....!

[Marielle]

Re: !

love it, everyone enjoying the night....

[Marielle]

Re: !

Museumplein (Museum Square), with Rijksmuseum (Rembrandt) which is being renovated (still open), the whole of this town is being renovated, including the building of the North-South line of the metro. Houses are even collapsing, well, not quite, but cracks appearing in them
It's a very controversial subject here, taking forever, way over budget, etc.
Like the Americans say, If it ain't broke, don't fix it, here they have the notion of Always room for improvement. Guess it comes from having to build the dykes, etc.
Oh yea, that area with the tarpaulin over it is a paddling pool in summer and a skating rink in winter.

[Marielle]

Re: !

The primary schools here get out at midday on Wednesdays, that's why the kids are there.

[Marielle]

Re: !

This is looking the other way. The classical concert building with the new wing of the Van Gogh museum, that round building, designed by a Japanese guy, must go, there is a Gauguin exhibition on at the moment.....
That's the great thing about this city, both high and low culture combined.

[Marielle]

Re: !

Vondelpark with Vertigo in the background, cinema showing old films and a fabulous terrace (restaurant/bar). The guy on the red bike is a tourist (always take care with tourists on bikes!!)



car-free park!



Summer, everyone goes out to the park, music and everything there I once saw Aswad there!

[Marielle]

Re: !

Oosterpark, wednesday afternoon. If I close my eyes, those djembes make me think I'm in Africa



Some great places here....this is a bar/restaurant where you can smoke yer spliff too
this is out the back, which they are not allowed to make into a terrace, cos of the neighbours (noise).



shop on the canal, diagonally opposite Anne Frank house