The area around Hofplein in the centre of Rotterdam was once a bustling district but is now dominated by speeding traffic. To give cyclists and pedestrians more space again, Zones Urbaines Sensibles (ZUS)is building a temporary pedestrian bridge here in a project entitled I Make Rotterdam. This will reconnect the city centre with the northern districts. Called Luchtsingel (Dutch for ‘raised promenade’), the bridge will be largely completed by April 2012 and is just the first step in the plan to make Hofplein a lively pedestrian area once more.

Luchtsingel is being realised through crowdfunding. Everybody can get involved in erecting this bridge. Participants pay a contribution in exchange for having their name written on a plank, piece or component of the bridge. Some 17,000 planks are needed to construct Luchtsingel, and work starts in February. The length of the bridge depends on the number of planks purchased.

I just purchased a plank. It’s only 25€ and you’re name will live forever. You too can take part in the Luchtsingel project through www.imakerotterdam.nl.There are still plenty of planks on sale.

Luchtsingel is a project by ZUS [Zones Urbaines Sensibles] in collaboration with Hofbogen B.V. Luchtsingel is being built within the framework of the 5th International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR). The idea for a raised promenade first surfaced in the Central District master plan drawn up by the city of Rotterdam and Maxwan Architecten. This master plan dictates that Schiestraat will be realigned as the continuation of Delftse Plein, making a pedestrian connection logical. According to the current plans, construction of this pedestrian bridge is planned in 30 years. The area cannot wait that long, however. Crowdfunding allows the bridge to be financed in an alternative way, namely directly by the public. This means that construction can start decades before it is planned.The necessary improvement in the quality of the area is therefore no longer fully dependent on policy plans and real estate developments. With the construction of Luchtsingel, ZUS wants to test the policy framework and design visions for the city of Rotterdam and to experiment with alternative development strategies for the city.

Above photo by Robert Tjalondo can also be seen on the site of national TV station VPRO http://images.vpro.nl/images/44707931+s%28500%29 . It was quite a shock to find myself there, because although excited, I’m not a very good dancer. Robert on the other hand is an expert, because he made a pretty attractive picture. On the face of my dance partner is not even a shred of fear in sight. It even seems that she likes it!?

The mosquito nets are part of a major campaign against malaria. The aim of the action is to raise money so that can be distributed 50,000 mosquito nets in Africa to people who need it.

The campaign ends on World Malaria Day, April 25. In conclusion, on that day the world’s largest mosquito net will be hung over the Euromast. With this action, the organization also hopes for a place in the Guinness Book of Records.

Blessed are the fools. I wonder if Bobby agreed with this statement? Still, he sang more than half his life he was crazy like a fool.

As a small boy of about six I looked at that beautiful man full of admiration, but also with wonder. I could not quite get it: he danced like a fool, but was still surrounded by beautiful women. During that period I unwittingly created my own exuberant dances.

Although my musical taste was not his, I later danced at parties as extravagant as Bobby. I danced with Ma Baker at the Rivers of Babylon. Driven by the pounding disco beat I imagined myself being Daddy Cool.

To how many teenagers Bobby was a source of inspiration on the dance floor? Bobby the playbacking fool, who therefore had no right to speak when the royalties were paid. Bobby the frontman, who stood in the shadow of mega success. Bobby the eternal loser, who lost for the last time in a hotel room in St. Petersburg.

Bobby Farrell is finally blessed with eternal glory. Maybe he was ‘crazy like a fool’, but he will be remembered forever and always  ‘Daddy Cool ‘.

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Fresher than ever.

Crunchy numbers

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 5,900 times in 2010. That’s about 14 full 747s.

In 2010, there were 71 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 176 posts. There were 326 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 64mb. That’s about 6 pictures per week.

The busiest day of the year was July 5th with 117 views. The most popular post that day was In the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were facebook.com, geenstijl.nl, en.wordpress.com, en.search.wordpress.com, and mail.live.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for piercings, baskery, punk girls, dora dolz, and edward hopper.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

In the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes December 2009

Photos Westerpop Aug 30, 2009 September 2009
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Modern Life – Edward Hopper and His Time November 2009

Space Invaders in Rotterdam May 2009

Metro @ Rotterdam Centraal Station (MCS) October 2009

Some of your most popular posts were written before 2010. Your writing has staying power!

In the last few weeks there have been special concerts in the theater of the SS Rotterdam. Last week I was at two concerts that were organized by the well-known columnist Carrie. She found two great acts willing to perform for us:  Michael de Jong and El Pino and The Volunteers. Although you really just ought to have been there, you might also enjoy the photos I took. Check the website of the Rotterdam regularly for more such initiatives. It is a very pleasant way to spend your Sunday afternoon.

www.opderotterdam.nl

On Nov. 14, I announced the new edition of tinyMusic, which took place yesterday in a home in Rotterdam. To get there I had to walk through masses of snow, but it was worth it. Inside  the stove was gently simmering and  together with thirty music lovers, Grizzly Adams and Dyzack it is not difficult to get pleasantly warm. Host Jan Willem and hostess Floor had filled every shelf of the refrigerator with Olm beer and there were various tasty snacks.

Grizzly Adams had a small logistical problem. Half the band had arrived by car and had installed the instruments and amplifiers in the living room. The other half of the band was already waiting for two hours at Utrecht Central Station in the hope that a train was coming to transport them to Rotterdam. Fortunately there was a ‘yes’ to the question “Is there a drummer in the house?” Grizzly therefore could, albeit with a modified repertory, begin their set. It goes without saying that it was  a special concert…

After a short break it was Dyzacks turn. The sympathetic musician from The Hague had in no time the full attention of his listeners. During the songs he performed you could only hear his high voice and magical guitar playing. Then came a deafening applause time after time, after which it was dead silent in anticipation of a new song. Dyzack is back! That he has gained experience in the theater is clearly evident in his modest way of playing that ables him to  command more attention from his audience with less volume.

After the concerts, according to good use, we drank some more Olm and talked amongst each other and of course with the artists themselves about music. tinyMusic can look back on a successful ninth edition.