3Develop Beeldblog / Image Blog

Artist impression of the idea to bring back the historic canal to Goudsesingel in Rotterdam

26. September 2023

Bring the water back on Goudsesingel

The water of Goudsesingel formed the edge of the city of Rotterdam for centuries: it was the northern side of the City Triangle. Around 1900, the water was filled in. After that, a market was held there for many years. But after the war, the Goudsesingel transformed into a kind of downtown highway or, to use a Rotterdam euphemism, a city boulevard. Would it be possible to bring back the water to the Goudsesingel and turn it into a pleasant street again, as liberal party VVD recently proposed? I fact-checked it, and that sparked quite a few reactions. Green and… Read More

View from Sint Philipsland, Zeeland towards Philips Dam with wind turbines and grassy nature

Photography

5. September 2023

A Tour of Saint Philips’ Land

Sint Philipsland is a relatively unknown part of the Netherlands, much less frequently visited than other regions in the province of Zeeland. Twelve years ago, during a stage of the Oosterscheldepad, I could already observe that this is not entirely fair. Unfortunately, the area is difficult to reach by public transport. But fortunately, I was able to convince travel companion C., who has a camper van, to take a trip to the south. It led to a wonderful hike under dramatic cloudscapes, as the English say. Island or peninsula? Apart from Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, Sint Philipsland is the only part of Zeeland… Read More

Fictional living room with a Japandi interior, a view of Reykjavik and on the wall a large world map with matching colors

Cartography

26. August 2023

A World Map in Japandi Colors

Japandi is an interior design style that combines elements from the far north and the distant east. It’s a very popular style in interior magazines and websites. I tapped into that popularity with a world map that seamlessly integrates into the concept. Japandi “Why is everyone opting for a ‘Japandi’ bathroom?” read the headline of a column by Floor Rusman in newspaper NRC that I came across a while ago. The column mostly talked about the uniformity of modern interiors, especially in magazines and TV programs. But my attention was particularly drawn to the term Japandi. Was it a contraction… Read More

Een glas Westvleteren Trappist 8 op het terras van OC In De Vreede bij de Sint-Sixtusabdij

Various

20. July 2023

Westvleteren, hiking and tasting

The Trappist of Westvleteren holds an almost mythical reputation among beer enthusiasts. This is undoubtedly due, in a large part, to the taste of the beer. However, the relative rarity also plays a significant role. It makes the Westhoek region of Flanders an excellent destination for the fifth hike from the hopefully forthcoming book “The Best Beer Hikes of the Benelux.” Scarcity The monks of Saint Sixtus Abbey unintentionally provide a valuable lesson in economic principles. They want to prevent their beer from becoming a commercial product, which is why the bottles have traditionally only been available for personal pickup… Read More

Two of the many sculptures of craftsmen on Saint John's cathedral in Den Bosch, The Netherlands

Photography

12. July 2023

Climbing Saint John’s Cathedral in Den Bosch

Saint John’s Cathedral in Den Bosch, officially known as the Cathedral Basilica of Saint John the Evangelist, is one of the largest and most beautiful churches in the Netherlands. This summer, it is possible to climb Saint John’s Cathedral. Of course, travel companion A. and I didn’t want to miss this opportunity. Brabantine Gothic Saint John’s Cathedral is considered the pinnacle of Brabantine Gothic architecture. Construction of the church took place over a span of three centuries starting from 1220. In the five centuries that followed, the maintenance and restoration of the monument have been a continuous point of attention.… Read More

Grafisch voorstel voor een betere verdeling over het jaar van de nationale feestdagen in Nederland

Various

19. June 2023

The Great National Holiday Shift

The national holidays in the Netherlands tend to cluster somewhat together. And some of those holidays have little meaning for most of the population. But any proposal for change leads to emotional discussions. It seems like an unsolvable dilemma. Or is there a creative answer to the question? Yes, I think there is…. Holidays In the Netherlands, we have the following national holidays, in order of appearance: New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, King’s Day, Ascension Day, Pentecost Sunday and Pentecost Monday and two days of Christmas. Additionally, Liberation Day is a day off for some people. Cluster… Read More

Meerrijk, the center of the suburb Meerhoven in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, seen from the adjacent Meerland Park

Photography

11. June 2023

Meerrijk, Eindhoven, 17 years later

In 2006, while working at VHP, I was involved in the design competition for Meerrijk, the central area of the Meerhoven suburb in Eindhoven. In the following years, I provided regular support in the development of the public space, the parking garage, and one of the five building blocks. Now, nearly two decades later, Meerrijk is almost completed. It’s time to take a look at how it has become. Artist impressions Did my artist impressions back then contribute to winning the competition? It would stroke my vanity, but that seems unlikely; they might have played a minor role at best.… Read More

Het dal van de Rur in Monschau, Duitsland met aan een zijde een rij traditionele vakwerkhuizen

Photography

30. May 2023

Return to Monschau: The Haus on Holzmarkt

Monschau is without a doubt one of the most beautiful towns within a radius of 200 kilometers from Rotterdam. I wrongly ignored it for decades. But recently I was there again, as a man on a mission. Day trips In the seventies, as a teenager, I visited Monschau, Germany a few times, on day trips from our holiday addresses in South Limburg or the slightly more easterly Heimbach. After that I ignored the town on the Rur for decades, busy as I was visiting India, Indonesia and Iceland, among others. But at the end of May I was in town… Read More

Walking path along the Noorder Canal in Rotterdam with the highway and the old Hofplein viaduct

Photography / Various

10. April 2023

The Rotterdam Ringroad Hiking Trail

Where other cities have a ringroad, Rotterdam has the Ruit, which literally means the Diamond. The A20, A16, A15 and A4 together form a diamond-shaped road network that has led car traffic around the city since the 1960s. But would it also be a nice route to walk? No, not over the hard shoulder of course, but over hiking trails in the immediate vicinity of the highways? Dream Believe it or not, the idea for the Rotterdam Ringroad Hike came to me in a dream. I dreamed that there was a long-distance hiking trail that followed the Ruit. It seemed… Read More

Reddish brown highlands with patches of snow and a hut for hikers near Hraftinusker in Iceland

Photography / Various

23. March 2023

Laugavegur, Iceland’s best hiking trail

In July 2023 it will be fifteen years ago that travel companion A. and I hiked the Laugavegur trail, according to many the most beautiful long-distance hiking route in Iceland. That’s a good reason to write a blogpost about that epic journey. Illustrated with photos taken with the simple IXUS850 camera that I had back then. It actually made quite nice pictures, but in the alien landscape between Landmannalaugar and Þórsmörk that is not too difficult. July 28, 2008: Landmannalaugar – Hraftinusker (10.3 kilometers) In the days before our hiking adventure there is a heat wave in Reykjavik. In Iceland… Read More