AMSTERDAM

The Netherlanders have a great understanding how to live near the water; three quarters of the land is under sea level. You can imagine that is stressing: every drop of rain - and it rains a lot in the Netherlands, believe me - raises the level of the water. In many centuries they have learned to control the water level quite well, but they are still worried when raining too long.

After having posted something about Amsterdam, the crowning of the King Willem-Alexander that as #Banyuls pointed out, he was a bad boy; not really; as a student he liked to drink a glass of beer too much: He was nicknamed "prince beer", but he has married a nice lady from Argentina - Maxima - and they seem to do quite well in popularity.

Nice sun shine and flowers all over the place in " I AMsterdam" 

It is a little too early for the baby to start with beer. some warm milk for her will be okay for now.

Before jumping to Rotterdam I had to post these flowering trees in the Amsterdam's Museumplein.

ROTTERDAM

I will take you now to the waterways of Rotterdam.

The fourth and fifth of May were respectively : Memory day, and freedom day.

Rotterdam was flattened by the Germans bombers in the very first week in the War of 1940-1945. That is the reason in Rotterdam there are so many modern buildings.

Rotterdam is one of the biggest ports in the world, and the water canal is very busy with all kinds of boats.

Of course if a city is built on water, it needs a lot of bridges to cross over.

The Pope in Rome (Pontefix Maximum) - which means  - Bridge builder - just said it. "We need to build more bridges and not walls" in Rome. Romans were very good bridge builders, but the Roman bridges are kind of "passé", while in Rotterdam are very much modern. The Pope should go to Rotterdam to see how to build bridges and faith in the modern world.

The Pope also made an Eulogy for the poor. Well! The world governance are doing a good job about that, making more and more people poor. They do this just to send all to heaven; how nice of them.

Anyway, in Rotterdam, my daughter and I took a water bus from Rotterdam - Dortrecht.  Dortecht is a town south of Rotterdam. We had nothing to look for  in this sleeping, suburban town, but we just went for the trip.  A water bus is just like a street bus, but travel on water. Lots of people take their bikes with them.

The bikes have a very nice view: front row. 

This is the first bridge "The Erasmus bridge"

Some boats are just small enough to go under, but not by much : LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, LOWER YOUR HEAD AND TAKE OFF YOUR HAT WHILE CROSSING UNDER THE BRIDGE"

More bridges along the road

Sometimes bridges have to open to let tall ships with a mast go through. In this case the ship is a Frisian Chalk, a ship made to go on flat water, not on the sea. In the old times these were work and transport ships, now they are for leisure.

The ware way is very busy with all kinds of container ships transporting all kinds of stuff. It is a very different way of life on the water.

Of course if all your life is on the water, these people must have some plans, just in case it starts to rain for more than forty days. You know. The arc.

They would not be Dutch if they didn't think about that. They are building the arc and they are already putting animals in it. First the big ones and the tall ones, then the rest.

They haven't decided yet who will be Noah. The crows and the doves are already in training.

Perhaps I will try to get in as stowaway.

It was a busy trip and had to drive back to my little place in Wenduine.

Wenduine

In the morning I had to go out and say "Hi" to all my little friends in the dunes; the rabbits, the birds and the trees.

KNOKKE-HEIST

In the morning I had to go for car maintenance to Knokke-Heist, the richest town in Belgium - I don't understand why. This town is about 15 miles from here and if the bridge is closed this is a quick journey, if the bridge is stuck open, like yesterday this means an extra 20 miles of driving.

Anyway, while waiting for the car to be given new oil, I took a walk in the longest shopping street I remember.

I thought the Giraffe must have escaped from the arc and followed me all the way to Knokke.

Some cows should be on the fields eating grass and not shopping around in the streets. Weird place, Knokke.

One good thing about living in small countries is that you can easily go across cross borders in a short time....without taking airplanes of course.

Spring is here and that is a good thing.

Bye for now.

This morning the trash truck was late and the seagulls were already drilling holes in the sacks and the crows were waiting to share the spoils. When I went out the door I was almost attacked by a crow - the seagulls had already taken off. I told the crow that was no food in the sack but she did not believe me

"All men are liars" she said. "Watch out for the cats" I said. At the word cat, she flew away.

There will be some changes in the street. Nothing stays the same for ever as I've already said many times: - We have to accept the changes.

This nice house will be transformed  and put on sale. I like the special look of it; It is unique in his kind. 

I love the other house next to it. It is a house full of colors . It is called "Casa del sole" - House of the sun - even IF the sun doesn't show everyday. I hope this house will stay.

We have also a kind of castle in the street. It has been the house for firemen in the past. (firefighters) It is special too. 

It is a small, one-way street but with character. There is a snack bar to eat French fries and pizza; opposite this, there is a fine restaurant. Not bad at all. There is also a beauty salon on the other corner of the street and a fish shop where you can by fresh fish...

The birds don't care too much and are not worried about he changes. The two below, must be a married couple.

This bird is wondering what the number on top of the pole means. I don't know myself I told him. "All men are liars" he said.

"You should learn to read." I told him.

He laughed. "A nine upside down is a six"