Sunday, November 25, 2007

The Other Amsterdam

Later this afternoon, Donica and I fly back to Amsterdam on the same Delta flight! How unusual! But that always makes it so much nicer, even if we are sitting in different parts of the plane (her company policy is that employees sit in Business Class since they usually walk off the plane and go right to work!).

Anyway, someone from my other blog asked if I could show some photos of Amsterdam's "seamy" side. So, since I'm doing that there this week, I'll show you the photos all in one swell foop!


This really IS the proverbial and literal "other side of the tracks" behind Centraal Station in Amsterdam. A couple months ago I wanted to go find some more gable stones but had to walk through this section to get there, along the warehouse wharfs.


And of course, I wondered if any people really live there!


And do any kids really play with these toys???


Clearly someone lives here! And they air their laundry just like the best of them.


Some spots really had me walking at a clip. Does this look as creepy to you as it does to me?!
The seed of Chucky?


But as I neared the end of the warehouses, I actually felt I was in New England. And I DID RELAX a bit more!


I even felt some Good Karma and suspected the entire neighborhood had just appreciated in value!

I'm guessing every city in the world, great or small, has it's "other side of the tracks." And we all know what that means. The Great Divide of those proverbial tracks is a challenge to most of us. The Rich and the Poor. The Haves and the Have-Nots. Never the twain shall meet?

Wouldn't we be surprised if someday the divide disappeared altogether!

18 comments:

  1. I hope you had a great thanksgiving! I truly hope that the divide disappears one of these days.

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  2. BTW, I've been given an Roar and you are one to whom I am passing it on to. Check my blog :)

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  3. Very nice set of photos, only shows that this goes on everywhere in the world. you have the good with the bad

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  4. There has been a bit of a Chucky theme latley - what was that doll's head in a previous post?? That's why Ventriloquists freak me out. The pics were pretty nice for Amsterdam's seedy side!

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  5. OH Ginnie, the nicest part of Amsterdam LOL, but these pictures are so great again, dear lady you might have seen more of Amsterdam than I did, but Ginnie walk through the PC Hooftstraat and you'll see that the rich and famous will never disappeare >:-((
    hartelijke groeten.

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  6. CS: WOW. Cool profile photo!! :) Yes, we had a great Thanksgiving and can't believe the weekend is over so quickly. I'll go check out your blog shortly to see what the Roar is all about!

    L&N: Yes, I'm afraid so, Lilli. The poor we always have with us! And the wealthy as well!

    RRD: HA! So true, Stacey. That was the most creepy/seedy part of all for me!

    Astrid: As we will always have the poor with us, I guess it's as true of the wealthy. I'll definitely check out the PC Hooftstraat area! But what does the PC mean?

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  7. Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft, born 16 March 1581, was a poet, writer of drama and a historian
    http://www.pchooftstraat.nl/pchooft.htm
    This is the link, it is in English.

    But when you go there, please don't forget your telelens, the people and CARS you see there are 'famous' ( don't tell them I think they are 'baked air')
    Hartelijke groeten.

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  8. would it be nice if it just disappeared altogether ........wishful thinking ????

    loved the post, as always .....:)

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  9. Oh how beautiful. I just want to photograph so badly all of the time... Argh!

    Great to hear you got on the same flight.

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  10. Hi Ginnie,
    Thanks for showing, I was busy last time, a bit so you're back in Holland soon, I recognise the garbidge, thats so "Amsterdam-like" haha, here 'where I live,( small village, 20 km's from Amsterdam) we cannot put all stuffes on street like the habitants can do in Amsterdam, but Amsterdam is charming for that also , freedom is the 'saying ' there and also "do as you please' :)

    Have a good trip, Kiss

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  11. Astrid: Oh my! I have been forewarned. Thank you!

    Moi: I know. I'm guessing it'll never happen in our lifetime!

    ET: I know you're itching to photograph every moment you can. At least you DO do it when you can!

    JoAnn: Yup, we're back here in A'dam till Dec. 15th! It's always good to be back here!

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  12. Love the pic's Ginnie, and yes it would be interesting if the divide disappeared, but it's been that way for millions of years and don't think it will happen in ours or our children and grandchildrens life time. Life would be boring if we were all the same, you will always end up with lower, middle and upper class.:)

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  13. Lurch: I'm quite sure you're right, Tracy, whether I like it or not!

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  14. Excellent tour, Ginnie, and, yes, a bit creepy. I very much fear that over the last 10 years we have lost much ground on reducing suffering in the world. Isn't the rule: guests should leave a place a bit nicer than they found it. As a species, we're not doing well.

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  15. Olamild: I've read your story and am stunned. Thank God you've seen the other side of the coin/story!

    Ted: Yup. The Boy's Scout rule, as I recall! All the more we advance on technological fronts, it seems we step back on the humane and sociological fronts.

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  16. I am impressed how you captured all those details.

    The divide may be less, but it seems the world for the present goes the opposite way with a even bigger divide.

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