Hotel Amrâth

Part of the Amrâth Hotel, which is located on the Prins Hendrikkade, on a short walk from the Central Station.

The building represents an architectural tendency from the early 20th century called the 'Amsterdamse School'. Characteristic for the Amsterdamse School is the use of bricks as the principal construction material, and the decoration of façades with (again) bricks or natural stone.

Before this building was bought by a hotel keeper (in 2004), it was resident to several shipping companies, and later the local public transport company held office in it too.

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.

Mother and child?

I can't really tell what this is. But it shows that it pays off to look above sometimes!

I assume this is part of an art project going on in the Red Light District (although I took the picture somewhat outside the district). To reduce the crime rate in the area, many brothels with insufficient documentary had to hand in their licence to the local government, leaving many of the windows empty behind which women would usually seduce men into their peeskamertjes (/ cribs). Instead of refilling them with what the District is famous for, young artists got to use the peeskamertjes as an art exhibition area.