I will be back

I will have a little winter break, but I will be writing again soon. Have a nice weekend, enjoy the Nature and take care! 

A weather report

I have to share this, because we don't see this so often in Amsterdam. It was snowing this morning and after that the weather got clear again in a few minutes time. Sometimes you can experience the whole range of different weather types in a one day here. Better to be prepared and enjoy that. 

With snow

And without snow

Short light treatment

Just in time outdoors and enjoying the short period of direct sunlight. Even if the wind was cold, the light of the spring winter and being able to stand for a while at the warm spot...made by SUN..was  wonderful. I was totally awake and ready to see if there was something new and promising to see at the park. 

Some small trees are getting their first leaves for this season. So fine and thin, like the finest silk paper. How can the nature recover so fast from the darkest time and maximise the situation now, when there finally is some yellow power in the air.

The trees beside the water are getting some extra reflections from the surface of the canals. Light from both directions: up and down. I was really admiring the abstract art by the water. The beauty of going for a walk, cycling or just being outdoors: the nature or the environment always surprises you somehow and it is never boring. The amount of the inspiration is huge. You can see different dimensions in one moment, if you just stop there and let your fantasy do the work. 

These reflections under the bridge were stunning. The atmosphere was special under this movement of light and at the same time seeing the nature on the left side. It felt like a space where you want to stay. The situation was not so peaceful, because the workers at the park were just cleaning the outside of this bridge with a high pressure spray of water. I just closed that noise out of my head and concentrated to capture the "fire" made by shadows on the ceiling. 

I was thinking about the summer. Maybe the spaces under some bridges could be sometimes used for a little floating summer terrace or a small outdoor cafe. With a good luck and right amount of sun, the drinks could be enjoyed under this theatre of reflections. Sounds good! 

Some more views from my walk. At the end it got more cloudy, but my energy storage was reloaded anyway. Enjoy your week!

LO VE LY

What a great sunny day!! The whole world looks so different today and the reflections by the water are very interesting. Have a nice weekend!

Inspired by FOAM

I took some time for myself one day this week and did the things that I really like. First I went sweating to a local pilates & dance studio and did the essentrix workout. After stretching, following the choreography and working out I felt like a new person, full of energy. This type of exercise wakes up my blood circulation and I feel energetic the whole day afterwards. Maybe I was too sweaty and my outfit was not so suitable for a museum visit, but I really wanted to go to the Foam-museum, which is the right place to see the works made by old and new, well known or not so well known photographers. After focusing sport in the morning I was ready to feed my visual hunger. 

This time I concentrated more on the photo collection and the story behind the great french photographer Jacques Henri Lartigue(1894-1986). His colourful photos (Life in Colour) made me happy. He is also very well known from his black and white photography. Lartique started to take more colour pictures in 1950's when the new technology made it finally possible. His beloved wife "Florette" is the main character in most of the pictures. The clothing, the scenes and the captured moments are documenting beautifully the almost surreal looking life of this couple and painting the picture of the elegant past.

I took few photo's with my mobile at the museum (sorry about the quality), but visit the website above for more information and inspiration. This is a lovely, small museum to visit in Amsterdam. Really a must! 

Actually I was so interested of the life story of this great photographer, that I went shortly back to the museumshop today and bought the book about Lartique. 

People are often capable to much more than we think and every person has something special...something that doesn't come necessarily very easily out to be seen for others. I like that the vulnerability and the sensitive part in people is sometimes more visible in that short moment, which is captured by a good photographer or by a painter. 

There was also very interesting photos taken by Franceca Woodman (1958-1981)to be seen at the museum. She was an american photographer, who committed suicide at the age of 22. She herself was a subject in most of her photos, even she also used some other models to express her feelings. The naked body, sometimes partly covered or partly hidden behind the objects or breaking through from a big piece of paper. You can see the pain behind these photos. The contrast between the happy photos from Lartique and these somehow raw, vulnerable, violent and still beautiful pictures was huge. Hard to look at, but she wanted to be seen with her pain. There seemed to be a lot of chaos in her mind, but I guess she tried to work on her issues by making these photos and videos.

I walked along the Amstel river on my way to a tram stop. I was admiring the grey and cold winter scenery. It is good to see the beauty in dark colours too. We need contrasts, but the balance is important to find. Greetings from the river!

The Magere bridge on the back.

Freedom to love

It was snowing today a little bit. It looked like wet, white umbrellas were falling on the green grass and disappearing on the same second they touched the ground. It is Valentine's day, but love and friendship are tested in everyday life. It is a challenge and I mean it in a good way. 

I saw these locks in Vondelpark last week. The symbol of commitment and ever lasting love. Staying together in good times and more difficult times. I think the lock is not supposed to be closing the doors or stopping the wave of change to bring some fresh air to the relationship. The act of commitment should be based on freedom and with the support of other person your wings are getting even stronger. You are allowed to grow as a person and you have to get to know yourself better if you want to keep on developing. The mirror effect is sometimes painful, it is painful to see your own weaknesses and admit you can't run away from your pain. A true friendship and love is the spotlight where you can glow and show the real you. But the brightness of the light depends on the situation and the needs you have as a person or as a couple. The fine tune comes during the years and then you start to know when the light is supposed to be more gentle and when the brightest light is needed, even if it can be too much sometimes. 

Two different minds, two different ways. What is behind the doors? Are we ready to find the key and let someone inside our world and also get to know ourselves better. The key is made of trust and respect. The individuality of our friends and the people we love. A unique combination of two personal histories, making the story together. It is not just a one big story, it is a story made of huge amount of small stories and shared moments. The logic is sometimes difficult to find, too many things between the lines.

Finding your way...

Being able to be alone and having own interests...being curious and finding solutions.

Growing every year and having a fresh start every now and then..

Opening locks, using the keys, enjoying the life of your own and sharing the story with others. A day of friendship and love, not just today but every day. 

Ready for some green?!

Reaching up, growing and slowly painting the shades of spring again. That how it looks when I walk outside and see the small signs everywhere. The fragile looking flower fields protected from the wind by the big trees at the park. Just a very few calm moments today, the wind is very strong now. Getting stronger before the night. The wind is cleaning the way for the new season. That is what I want to think of. A few beautiful individual plants of spring are decorating the scenery. The grass is getting greener, the smoothie of Nature is mixed for us to enjoy.

We saw those complex shapes of trees and saw how strong they look without the leaves. It has been another mild winter and it starts to look like that even the nature is fed up with this season without a name. 

I am a little bit worried of how things will change in the future. When the capacity of environment will be stretched so war to it's limits that we are in real trouble? I just read an article how all big destroys of human made systems and societies happened, because the people went too far of using the capacity of environment and how unfair the resources were dealt among other people. The greediness of people and how the richest elite did not even see the signs (or did not want to)of destroyal coming. The hunger, people searching better places to live and wanting to survive. It seems to go over and over again: the roman, the mayas and other old cultures. We have to have a better look of our own lifetime in this planet and act responsible. I admire the people who are doing recearch, who write or do something else to make us notice things. I hope the people with power will focus and work more for the things that are good for the whole network of continents, countries, people, animals and the nature. Me too, I have to keep on collecting some information and try to be aware of my bad habits!

It is strange that every spring feels like the first spring. How can that be? how can the same flowers, the first leaves on the trees or even the first insects making their sounds be so fascinating? It is like a need to be newborn again or being like a little child: Wondering the world and learning the signs of seasons. I think we have the ability to live peacefully with our environment if we want to use our skills and our wisdom. Going out and see what's there --- STEP ONE..and hopefully more wisdom will come.

Walk, flowers and coffee

Luckily flowers are available at almost every street corner in Amsterdam. I have been making some changes at home. Buying some flowers  inspires me to be more organised and make all the corners look nice.

I decided to walk to a little flower kiosk near Kinkerstraat, because one of my favourite places for a coffee, "Cafe Edel" is there too. I needed badly some coffee and something green to bring back home.

There is so much variation to collect and the decision is hard to make...what to take? It is also not expensive to buy fresh flowers in Netherlands. This is really a country of flowers, the world's leading supplier of flowers, plants and trees.

I like Cafe Edel, because it is just beside the canal and located in a beautiful old school house with high rooms and big windows. The interior is interesting with lot of creative details, like this light made of recycled glass. In a warm weather it is great to have a drink or a bite outside by the water and watch the boats. All the furniture is second hand inside the cafe. The atmosphere is a little bit bohemic, but everything is well organised and cool. 

Almost a year ago it was warm enough to drink a coffee outside. Looking forward to see some sunny days!

Let's see what colour the flower's will be, forgot to ask. It will be a nice surprise! I'm writing this in early morning. It is still dark, but I hear some birds singing. Slowly it starts to feel like the spring will be coming. Have a Good day or a good night...when ever or where ever you read this!