Sint Olofssteeg

Picture taken in the Sint Olofssteeg, a sidestreet of the Zeedijk, in the oldest part of Amsterdam.

As you can see, this is a bike-path, although many people walk through the alley as well (often not knowing that they're actually on a bike-path, something Amsterdammers can get really pissed off about, especially since it's usually the tourists who make this fatal mistake). Clearly visible on the photo are the typical façades of the typical old-Dutch houses as they were built in the 17th century, with a beam and a hook at the top so that heavy packages could be hoisted up to the attick with a rope (this system is actually still being used). Do also pay attention to the sky, since even the sky in this picture is as Dutch as it can get.

Here comes the summer

Photo taken on one of the rare hot summer days we get in this country.

Because many people lack a garden behind their houses, many seek refuge in the parks when the weather is finally good. Barbecues, bottles of wine and instant-salads from supermarket Albert Heijn are all over the place, and everybody is having a good time. This picture was taken in the Westerpark, on the same day that Lenny Kravitz was giving an open-air concert there (hence the many people gathered on the dyke in the background; they hoped to see something of the recital, though I highly doubt if they could). In the foreground are two children who spent the entire afternoon riding through an artificial and shallow canal with their crossbikes.