Photo Day - Rotterdam

Because sometimes the photos and videos fill up my computer faster than I can think what to do with them. Photos from a trip to Rotterdam last August, when the weather was typically Dutch - rainy for a few hours, then glorious sunshine after that. 

The metro is the easiest way to get to and from downtown Rotterdam - no parking fees, no crowded streets. A quick swipe of an OV chip card, and you're on your way.

One solution to car parking shortages downtown: buy a tiny car and park it sideways.

Trams (above-ground public transport) have the right of way and ring their bells in warning. 

 The city architecture is a mix of new, old, and very old, but there's always somewhere to lean a bike while you run errands or check out the shops. 

                        The Koopgoot (literally 'Shopping Gutter') is an open sort of tunnel that cuts through downtown and is full of shops of all kinds and sizes. Smells from Bath and Body Works mix with the smells of the sausage vendor on the upper streets, and sometimes you can hear the bells playing from St. Lawrence's Church. 

         A pop-up Louis Vuitton store/gallery in the Bijenkorf building. Because the brands there weren't already expensive enough.

Price of a Dsquared child's jacket at Bijenkorf = 290 euros. A similar jacket at Hema would probably cost 30-40 euros.

Besides clothes and general household items, the Hema department store often has its own cafe. It's a great place for a coffee break while wandering the city. 

Technically biking on the sidewalks is forbidden - that's what bike paths are for. But if you're just parking or unparking your bike, no one seems to mind. 

A scarved woman bikes down the red bike path; Rotterdam is incredibly multicultural and during just a short walk downtown you can hear 5-10 different languages spoken.

If you're into bustling metropolises where it's never boring, Rotterdam is worth a metro trip. Or bike ride.