European Adventure 2024, Day 11: Rotterdam
Excerpts from Dory’s Journal
Photo captions by Stephanie
On the platform, waiting to depart. (photo: Dory)
Day 11, 10:11 AM, July 6th, 2024
Amsterdam Centraal
Hello! I am currently on a train, waiting for it to start moving. We are going to Rotterdam today! We had a bit of a realization of “Which route will we take?!” at the ticket thangalang, but we chose the quicker route over the less direct route. But other than that, the ride here has been smooth! Anyways, I just heard the whistle blow, so we will be leaving soon! Goodbye!
Seeing you soon,
Dorrel
This vintage Volvo was fitted out so the guy who owned it could sling some pretty amazing espresso out the back. (photo: Stephanie)
A view from Het Niewe Instituut. (photo: Dory)
The gosling in question. (photo: Dory)
Day 11, 11:34 AM, July 6th, 2024
Het Niewe Instituut (The New Institute)
Hello! I got verily verily scared after a gosling and it’s parents went very close to me when I was trying to write. Thankfully, I stood still, and didn’t get attacked. Anyways, the train trip was good, and now we are going to go to the Chabot museum (which is a modern home turned into a modern art exhibit).
Yours Truly,
Dorrel
Hendrik Chabot was a Dutch expressionist painter and sculptor, and this home was turned into a gallery for his art. (photo: Dory)
This was one of my favorites. (photo: Stephanie)
It was a very windy day for a family selfie outside the Chabot Museum. (photo: Stephanie)
Dory omitted this from his narrative, but the nearest Albert Heijn to the museum was located inside the very spacious lobby of a hospital. We were very amused to see many of the hospital employees getting around on scooters. (photo: Stephanie)
On approach to the Van Nelle Factory. Dory was a bit too far off to actually see the factory, but this photo shows how, where possible, Dutch roads have a strip of grass between the road for cars (grey pavement) and the path for bicycles (red pavement) and the path for people (grey pavers). (photo: Stephanie)
Day 11, 4:43 PM, July 6th, 2024
Netherlands rail system
Hello! I am currently on a train, wondering just exactly why my sister is so (illegible) off/sad. Maybe it’s because she knocked the phone out of a person’s hand when they were on a call? I don’t see any reason for why you should be sad for knocking a phone out of someone’s hand. Just forget it, and move on. (She did eventually move on.) Anyways, we toured the Van Nelle Factory, and it was amazing! You really cannot get the feeling of seeing something that you had seen in photos, in film, in media, and then going there and seeing it with your own eyes. Anyways, the tour was really informative, and the guide was an excellent guide. Well, this train ride will be our last one on this trip (aside from the funicular, but that is later and I won’t get into any more detail) so I will enjoy it!
Yours,
Dorrel
Much closer. Now you can see some of the factory. It is designated as a UNESCO world heritage site due to its innovative architecture. You can read more about it here. (photo: Dory)
The bridges that moved goods that had been processed in the factory over to the warehouses/shipping area. (photo: Stephanie)
No longer in use as a factory, the Van Nelle has been converted to office space for design firms. These windows and the beams were innovative at the time, because they allowed air and light to reach the workers. (photo: Stephanie)
This piece of equipment was used in roasting the coffee. (photo: Stephanie)
Our guide told us that the windows were actually originally designed to be greenhouse windows. Dory got to open and close one. (photo: Stephanie)
One last look from our bus stop before we head back to the train station. (photo: Dory)