Lazy touristry in Rotterdam

November 14, 2009





I guess we're back in travel mode! Realizing that my time is coming to an end, I am more motivated to explore today than to review literature on commercial trusts in civil law systems (shame).

The girls and I planned to go to Rotterdam on Saturday. When I awoke at 10am, it was raining and dreary out (typical Holland weather). Begrudgingly, I mounted my bike and pedaled into the center by 11am, and met a smiling Suzanne under the big blue ticker sign in Centraal Station. Maggie came along shortly. We got cash, bought breakfast and train tickets, and got on an Intercity train to Rotterdam Centraal. The train was scheduled to leave at 11:33, but we sat on the tracks, listening to many announcements in Dutch that mentioned the word "probleme." Since no other passengers seemed particularly disturbed or distressed by the announcements, we stayed put until the train took off about 20 minutes later.

Rotterdam is the city in Holland with the most modern urban plan. It was rebuilt after being almost entirely demolished in WWII bombings (the White House is one building which was spared). A stark contrast to the low profile of most Dutch towns and windy cobbled streets, skyscrapers mirroring the bright Holland sky tower above gridded streets.

At Rotterdam Centraal, we employed the same plan Fabian and I used in Den Haag - wander towards "Centrum" (city center) until you find a VVV or other tourist information center. It worked. We picked up a map and wandered through the skyscrapers in the now-brilliant sun's welcomed embrace. Suzanne found our walk reminiscent of Philadelphia in the fall; strong winds and bright sun in chilly chilly weather reminded me of Chicago in winter.

We went to the modern art museum, Museum Boijmans van Beuningen. We didn't stay long at all, though - the weather beckoned us outdoors. We stopped for lunch at Bazar, which is half restaurant and hotel; it looked like the Turkish counterpart of Hotel Siam - lots of ethnic character, great colors - just inviting! Although Rotterdam has so much to offer, we sat content and quiet in the restaurant, enjoying falafel (for the girls) and eggplant salad (for me). We stayed a very long time, and finally did some more walking around the city, including a fun outdoor markt at Blaak, until we thought it was time for a beer.

After a beer, there was consensus that it was time to go home. We appreciated Rotterdam for what it imparted that day, and would recommend the city because it shows such a contrast against all other NL cities we have visited.

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