Amsterdam

Knowing where to start and finish when I'm writing about Amsterdam is terribly difficult. The city has everything, architecture, culture, canals, people, sex, porn, marijuana, churches, trams and trains, sights and sight seeing tours.

I choose to start with the woman in the waiting arena at Raadhusstraat at the Royal Palace, in the middle of the city.

Waiting for the tram

This image is not an image I think you will buy to hang up on youyr wall. But, it's a picture that says a lot about Amsterdam and living in this city. The tram that slings through the city on its narrow tracks stops here, and the big question is where is she going? Should she go to the theater, home after a busy day at work at the royal castle? or another place. As a reflex reflector in the glass in the bow, behind me do you see tourists walking, on the way to the train station, or another tram stop? I do not have the answers. Amsterdam is culture, communication, openness, tourism and experience.

The tram took us many places on this trip. Amsterdam is full of sights and experiences. One of these is the Rijksmuseum, where you see me sitting to rest for a few minutes in honor of my husband, who for the reason is a photographer of me, resting of the front of the National Museum - Rijksmuseum;

A woman resting in a bus shalter beside the Royal Palace in Amsterdam

EXIF: May 12, 2014. Time 11:43:00. Closes 1/125 sec. Aperture f / 4.0. Focal length 22mm, ISO 320,
Camera Canon EOS 7D, Objective EF-S15-85mm f / 3.5


Me, Øystein E. Nilsen resting in front of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Holland









And, it was a very pleasant experience to visit the Rijksmuseum, but the greatest thing was to experience the Van Gogh Museum again. Yes, you read correctly again. Here I have been before and here I come back. Van Gogh is an artist who has a detail in his works, which I am just becoming more and more impressed with. We buy ourselves a reproduction and have got it framed in our home. And even a reproduction is impressive to consider. It shows a detail that impresses, just as it explains why this artist has gained his position in art history. His works I choose not to post here, but the picture from his museum room was thought to be exciting.

















And when we first talking abotu the big artists, let me talk about take my meeting with Rembrandt as well. For his pictures, I give an inspiration and understanding of his art, and not least his use of light and dark to emphasize his motive.
We took a visit to Rembrandt House Museum like here where I take this photo, lies behind me. A picture that shows something of everyday life in Amsterdam, canals, bikes and benches.


In front of Rembrandt house in Amsterdam, showing dailylife in this city





Having a holiday in a big city like Amsterdam are great experiences. Perhaps especially for us who like to take some pictures and call us art photographers. Because there are many motivs that make youa little tired of your index finger as a user on the shutter button.
Getting home from Amsterdam without a picture of a bridge over the canals, is almost impossible to count on. The old bridges that are very typical of the city are well known and may just be included in one portfolio for an art photographer. And, this is a picture that could well end up on someone's wall.



The picture below I added here because it says something about architecture, and the renewal of the old who has not survived the wear and tear of time and lack of maintenance. Unfortunately, we see in Norway that many try to copy former architects, for example by building so-called southern classical houses, by copying, for example, architect Heinecke, who has created many beautiful houses in southern Norway and in the Grimstad neighborhoods. I own one, which now stands for a fall. I mean that instead of copying the old expression, one should find a new impression as a dissemination of the expression that lies in the surroundings and history. Something I come very well in the picture below.
Of all the bridges there are in Amsterdam, i choose this traditional to post here


An perfect exsample on how to use modern architecture, design and materials without dominate or take over the expressions from the classical enviroment
Here we see that the new building has a modern expression, straight lines. Metal, glass and concrete that renew the environment and create contrast to the classically built side and complement the street scene without dominating. As I think of architecture and urban renewal, this is a prime example of how to do it.


When we talk about the subject of architecture, I ask a lot of questions about how such houses we see beside come into being? Normally, I think that one uses vater and sets things up in the right horizontal and lines. But, when I study the picture, I conclude that Vater has hardly been used. It seems almost as if they have been careful about using bricks from the beginning, but increased their use as they see that they have enough left to expand the areas.

And, as you can see in the picture belove, the bike is a very useful and diligently used means of arrival in Amsterdam. Here are bicycles of all varieties, fabrications and designs. The copy you see below may well be considered as home made?


Self made bike of Amsterdam, as a useful family bike
When visiting cities around the world and having time to both play with a camera, there are many things that one can work with. I'm probably no typical travel photographer, but it is still a need to find the city's "soul" in a way. Both finding the typical citizen, finding alternative ways of living, or for that matter the optimal way to live. In a city, it is often called urban life. In Amsterdam, I found many ways to live this life style.

By taking a sight-seeing tour of the canals in Amsterdam, one gets an insight into a varied way of living, which is both different from my and many Norwegians living and living. But, the more interesting it is to see and experience. I was very fascinated by this afrolady on the front deck of this houseboat here.






Another side is the people here, who are they, how do they live. The quest for the typical Amsterdam is not necessarily the absolute answer. However, after visiting several major cities in Europe, staying in a big city compared to being able to go to a street cafe and sit down, have a cup of coffee and read the newspaper. So also in Amsterdam.
typical boathouse in one of the canals of Amsterdam


urban lifestyle of Amsterdam




Eye Film Institute & Science Center Nemo

Taking a canal trip is definitely worth a visit when visiting Amsterdam, one brings the latest and most beautiful buildings and impressions.


Canal sight seeing in Amsterdam, near to Science Center Nemo
Sight seeing by canaltour gives great impression of new developements and new tourist attractions in Amsterdam


Amsterdam is a city that has a lot to offer for all tastes. The city has been a free zone for sex, prostitution, porn and marijuana, for many years. In many ways, much of this is cleared up in, at least in the open landscape, so that one does not look so much about this, unless one seeks it and finds it. But, like the drowning photographer, I find a lot of each and every one here and there, and the city has taken care of some of the people coming to see and experience, so that one and another sex shops can be found, but now the most Selling of souvenirs with an erotic twist.
Souvenirs with a sex twist



A moment to think, to reflect over life and love at the gay monument in Amsterdam
Gay Monument

As you probably understand, we had a creative and funny trip to Amsterdam. Much has not been told, but it is now that everything is not suitable for public spaces. And, there is probably some story and picture that could have been included, but it was this evening. But, in the end, I will still pose a picture from the bridge we went over, to see the homomonument in Amsterdam. My acquaintance, it's only Amsterdam that has built such a monument, for us gays.