Film set on De Rotterdam

While I was at De Rotterdam the other day, they were shooting a movie called 1950-1960. De Rotterdam will have a prominent roll in it, so the movie will create a lot of free publicity!

A selection of photos I took on De Rotterdam

I guess the title say’s it all… After selecting photos for the blog High Tea on De Rotterdam (http://wp.me/punIp-s1) , I found out that it was really hard to choose. Therefor I proudly present the selection I made in preparation for that blog. Please let me know what you think about them.

High Tea on De Rotterdam

The Hotstepper is proud of Rotterdam and he loves food. There is obviously no excuse not to visit and eat on the steamship of the same name. In a previous blog (http://wp.me/punIp-rC) he mentioned that we should make a visit to this legendary ship, but conceded he had not been himself. Yesterday he so enjoyed with friends a delicious High Tea in the Club Room. The atmosphere is fantastic, being surround by beautiful ceilings, lamps, chairs, tables and original paintings. The style of the ’50s comes back to life.

After the delicious lunch we wandered about the ship. Even though not all spaces are publicly accessible, whether or not legitimate, we still have seen quite a few. Maybe the Hotstepper will go back again for a paid tour, because the visit made him very enthusiastic. Although the ship can not sail anymore, wandering the corridors and the decks makes you feel that the engines could come to life with a big rumble and that the horn could announce the departure to distant places with a firm blow anytime.

That she is forever on the quay, does not mean that a visit is less valuable. From the various decks you have a beautiful view of the sky line of the city. Actually, De Rotterdam itself became part of the much debated sky line of ‘Manhattan aan the Maas‘. It is surprising how many places there are in the city where you can see the ship. Perhaps this offers a nice topic for another blog? Now the Hotstepper first needs to make a selection though from over 150 photos for this blog.

If you decide to visit De Rotterdam, don’t forget to bring your camera!

Also don’t forget to check the site for useful information: www.opderotterdam.nl

For more photo’s also check out: http://wp.me/punIp-sa

Les Banlieus

Last week I watched the film Les Banlieus on www.tv-station.nl. I can’t say that it’s the best movie I’ve ever seen, but in a way it is fun to watch. The “what if” aspect of the film intrigues me and although the scenario is not likely to happen, it gives a nice view on contemporary political and social issues in both Rotterdam and many (European) cities.

The film is made with young people from the Feijenoord district who have little or no experience in audiovisual arts. Through short workshops the youngsters  were well taught how to work a camera. After two audition rounds people were selected for various roles. The film was directed by Hacene Sarhan, maker of Torrie and the Atalanta Project. This film was made possible with financial support from the district Feijenoord  and Your World ’09 and was achieved by Afri Foundation (www.stichtingafri.nl) and Neon Media.

SYNOPSIS
In the deprived areas of a city, the young people are fed up. They don’t want to be treated  as second class citizens anymore. Don is one of those young people. He decides to take action with other youngsters from his neighborhood and thus draw attention to the situation in his hood  in a peaceful way. When two little boys die under suspicious circumstances, everything changes. The peacefulness disappears and the youth start a riot.

Visit SS Rotterdam!

She has been a while on the waterfront of Katendrecht. After a few delays, it is now finally happening. The Rotterdam, the largest vessel ever built on Dutch soil and the former flagship of the Holland America Line, was opened for the public last February 15. You can do tours on payment of entrance fees, but you can also visit the terrace, bars and restaurants of the ship for free.

Recently they worked hard to restore the ship to its original condition. Such including art, architecture and design from the 50s. In that decade the Rotterdam was designed and decorated by several renowned artists and architects. A visit to one of the bars will be more than having a drink, it is a step back in time and of cultural-historical value. Who can think of a better excuse to enjoy the finest views of Rotterdam’s sky line on a beautiful day on the terrace on the deck of the Rotterdam?

For more information, check http://www.opderotterdam.nl