Inspired by FOAM

I took some time for myself one day this week and did the things that I really like. First I went sweating to a local pilates & dance studio and did the essentrix workout. After stretching, following the choreography and working out I felt like a new person, full of energy. This type of exercise wakes up my blood circulation and I feel energetic the whole day afterwards. Maybe I was too sweaty and my outfit was not so suitable for a museum visit, but I really wanted to go to the Foam-museum, which is the right place to see the works made by old and new, well known or not so well known photographers. After focusing sport in the morning I was ready to feed my visual hunger. 

This time I concentrated more on the photo collection and the story behind the great french photographer Jacques Henri Lartigue(1894-1986). His colourful photos (Life in Colour) made me happy. He is also very well known from his black and white photography. Lartique started to take more colour pictures in 1950's when the new technology made it finally possible. His beloved wife "Florette" is the main character in most of the pictures. The clothing, the scenes and the captured moments are documenting beautifully the almost surreal looking life of this couple and painting the picture of the elegant past.

I took few photo's with my mobile at the museum (sorry about the quality), but visit the website above for more information and inspiration. This is a lovely, small museum to visit in Amsterdam. Really a must! 

Actually I was so interested of the life story of this great photographer, that I went shortly back to the museumshop today and bought the book about Lartique. 

People are often capable to much more than we think and every person has something special...something that doesn't come necessarily very easily out to be seen for others. I like that the vulnerability and the sensitive part in people is sometimes more visible in that short moment, which is captured by a good photographer or by a painter. 

There was also very interesting photos taken by Franceca Woodman (1958-1981)to be seen at the museum. She was an american photographer, who committed suicide at the age of 22. She herself was a subject in most of her photos, even she also used some other models to express her feelings. The naked body, sometimes partly covered or partly hidden behind the objects or breaking through from a big piece of paper. You can see the pain behind these photos. The contrast between the happy photos from Lartique and these somehow raw, vulnerable, violent and still beautiful pictures was huge. Hard to look at, but she wanted to be seen with her pain. There seemed to be a lot of chaos in her mind, but I guess she tried to work on her issues by making these photos and videos.

I walked along the Amstel river on my way to a tram stop. I was admiring the grey and cold winter scenery. It is good to see the beauty in dark colours too. We need contrasts, but the balance is important to find. Greetings from the river!

The Magere bridge on the back.

Freedom to love

It was snowing today a little bit. It looked like wet, white umbrellas were falling on the green grass and disappearing on the same second they touched the ground. It is Valentine's day, but love and friendship are tested in everyday life. It is a challenge and I mean it in a good way. 

I saw these locks in Vondelpark last week. The symbol of commitment and ever lasting love. Staying together in good times and more difficult times. I think the lock is not supposed to be closing the doors or stopping the wave of change to bring some fresh air to the relationship. The act of commitment should be based on freedom and with the support of other person your wings are getting even stronger. You are allowed to grow as a person and you have to get to know yourself better if you want to keep on developing. The mirror effect is sometimes painful, it is painful to see your own weaknesses and admit you can't run away from your pain. A true friendship and love is the spotlight where you can glow and show the real you. But the brightness of the light depends on the situation and the needs you have as a person or as a couple. The fine tune comes during the years and then you start to know when the light is supposed to be more gentle and when the brightest light is needed, even if it can be too much sometimes. 

Two different minds, two different ways. What is behind the doors? Are we ready to find the key and let someone inside our world and also get to know ourselves better. The key is made of trust and respect. The individuality of our friends and the people we love. A unique combination of two personal histories, making the story together. It is not just a one big story, it is a story made of huge amount of small stories and shared moments. The logic is sometimes difficult to find, too many things between the lines.

Finding your way...

Being able to be alone and having own interests...being curious and finding solutions.

Growing every year and having a fresh start every now and then..

Opening locks, using the keys, enjoying the life of your own and sharing the story with others. A day of friendship and love, not just today but every day. 

Ready for some green?!

Reaching up, growing and slowly painting the shades of spring again. That how it looks when I walk outside and see the small signs everywhere. The fragile looking flower fields protected from the wind by the big trees at the park. Just a very few calm moments today, the wind is very strong now. Getting stronger before the night. The wind is cleaning the way for the new season. That is what I want to think of. A few beautiful individual plants of spring are decorating the scenery. The grass is getting greener, the smoothie of Nature is mixed for us to enjoy.

We saw those complex shapes of trees and saw how strong they look without the leaves. It has been another mild winter and it starts to look like that even the nature is fed up with this season without a name. 

I am a little bit worried of how things will change in the future. When the capacity of environment will be stretched so war to it's limits that we are in real trouble? I just read an article how all big destroys of human made systems and societies happened, because the people went too far of using the capacity of environment and how unfair the resources were dealt among other people. The greediness of people and how the richest elite did not even see the signs (or did not want to)of destroyal coming. The hunger, people searching better places to live and wanting to survive. It seems to go over and over again: the roman, the mayas and other old cultures. We have to have a better look of our own lifetime in this planet and act responsible. I admire the people who are doing recearch, who write or do something else to make us notice things. I hope the people with power will focus and work more for the things that are good for the whole network of continents, countries, people, animals and the nature. Me too, I have to keep on collecting some information and try to be aware of my bad habits!

It is strange that every spring feels like the first spring. How can that be? how can the same flowers, the first leaves on the trees or even the first insects making their sounds be so fascinating? It is like a need to be newborn again or being like a little child: Wondering the world and learning the signs of seasons. I think we have the ability to live peacefully with our environment if we want to use our skills and our wisdom. Going out and see what's there --- STEP ONE..and hopefully more wisdom will come.

Walk, flowers and coffee

Luckily flowers are available at almost every street corner in Amsterdam. I have been making some changes at home. Buying some flowers  inspires me to be more organised and make all the corners look nice.

I decided to walk to a little flower kiosk near Kinkerstraat, because one of my favourite places for a coffee, "Cafe Edel" is there too. I needed badly some coffee and something green to bring back home.

There is so much variation to collect and the decision is hard to make...what to take? It is also not expensive to buy fresh flowers in Netherlands. This is really a country of flowers, the world's leading supplier of flowers, plants and trees.

I like Cafe Edel, because it is just beside the canal and located in a beautiful old school house with high rooms and big windows. The interior is interesting with lot of creative details, like this light made of recycled glass. In a warm weather it is great to have a drink or a bite outside by the water and watch the boats. All the furniture is second hand inside the cafe. The atmosphere is a little bit bohemic, but everything is well organised and cool. 

Almost a year ago it was warm enough to drink a coffee outside. Looking forward to see some sunny days!

Let's see what colour the flower's will be, forgot to ask. It will be a nice surprise! I'm writing this in early morning. It is still dark, but I hear some birds singing. Slowly it starts to feel like the spring will be coming. Have a Good day or a good night...when ever or where ever you read this! 

Under the palm trees

Someone goes warming up to a public Sauna in this grey season, but I prefer going to the "tropic' under the big, class roof of the greenhouse. Here I can imagine, that I am somewhere else for a couple of hours. Hortus botanicus, "De Hortus", in Amsterdam is a great place to visit also in the winter time. I love the space in the big palm house: the huge class windows and the beautifully build class roof is protecting the big trees and giving enough of light. 

The palm house from 1921

The architecture from the palm house is great. Even if it is quite a big L-shaped element in the corner of garden, it looks light and elegant. The whole network of the class in the high windows and up by the roof is inspiring to see. This is a good place for the pot plants to spend their winter. Some trees in this house are very old (some even the oldest pot plants in the world) and this is a home for all these wonderful plants. You can climb the narrow steps up inside and have a look of the whole house from a narrow metallic balcony.

The steps up!

I would like to sleep here in a tent under the sky, but still protected from the outside world. Must be a mysterious place in the night time. This starts to sound like those movies about a man made ecosystem, like the only green place left to live.

The wind was extremely strong when I was visiting the botanical garden, even if it seems so peaceful in the pictures. I walked around in the outdoor garden and saw some very early signs of spring and flowers that are blooming typically in the wintertime. I am not so good at the names of the different plants. It is great that you can always see a name sign beside the tree or a flower when visiting a botanical garden - very educational. I was in 'Hortus Botanicus' last time in the end of October (If you want to see some more pictures, you can have a look at the blog text from 23.10.2015).

Erika herbaria, blooming in winter months

The garden is not very big, but there is a lot to see. There are plants from different climate placed in another big glass house. 

The three climate greenhouse

This visit gave me a lot of energy. I am considering of buying a year card, I know it would be worth it. Even just going for a coffee  and having a walk& a look afterwards. Every time it would be different, depending on the season and the company. From the 16th of April until the 19th of September 2016, there will be an interesting photo exhibition in the "Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam. The International garden photographer of the year(IGPOTY)exhibition will present some work of enthusiastic garden photographers. I loved to walk and take some photos myself and will be very curious to see this new photo collection of garden photographers later in the spring time.

A view from the lovely museum shop to the butterfly greenhouse.

A palm tree inside the cafe.

Wishing for you a good start for a new week!!!