Monday, January 25, 2016

Rotterdam - Places of pilgrimage - 5

I'm building a mental map of meaningful places in Rotterdam. There is one rule: I have to remember the place myself, without artificial memory aids. I cannot use my photo archive and I cannot use books. It has to be personal.

The previous lists of pilgrimage destinations are here: part 1part 2part 3 and part 4. And there are
also these pages about specific destinations: a park, another park and an allotment garden.
The complete map can be browsed on Google maps.

Surprising how difficult it is to locate these places on the map of Rotterdam. In my memory they're stored like a chain of places: A > B > C, how to travel from A to C. Not: where am I on the map. I have to re-travel this path to re-discover the exact location.
I had to search my archives to locate these places. I still don't have the map of Rotterdam in my head.

Building personal Google maps is very processor-intensive. Too hard for my old laptop. I need a stronger computer.
  1. The strange school tower, Den Hertigstraat - This is a spooky tower on a school building. It has no visibly obvious function (probably stairs or elevators) and has face-like windows at the top. Like some abstract, but ominous guard.
  2. The strangely truncated poplar trees, Millinxpark - These trees have been cut through the middle, leaving them shapelessly decapitated.
  3. The glass display case, Millinxstraat - I think local children can display their treasures here. I saw porcelain animals and model trains.
  4. Strange school tower, Blazoenstraat - Several schools in this area have towers, chimneys or stairways that look slightly threatening. Like some abstract, but ominous guard tower.
  5. Strange school and tower, Zwartewaalstraat, Gaesbeekstraat - This large old school has towers (chimneys, stairways or escalators) that look slightly threatening. They are topped by tiny houses. There are also a few free standing utility-buildings shaped like tiny houses. A strange ensemble.
  6. Strange school tower, Hoogvlietstraat - This large old school has towers (chimneys, stairways or escalators) that look slightly threatening. They are topped by tiny houses.
  7. The passage between the churches, 's-Gravendeelstraat - A green passage between two old schools/churches. American-style evangelist congregations are housed here (I think). It is a peaceful place, not accessible for cars.
  8. The telephones, Oostendam, Lange Hilleweg - Behind the glass, inside this cluttered antique shop several old telephones are gathering dust. Massive Bakelite dials and buttons, textile covered cables. Reminds me of the cold war and Dali. Would this shop ever sell something? How long will it last?
  9. The playing cards, Oostendam, Lange Hilleweg - Here I found several playing cards laying in the street. Scattered by the wind, moistened by the rain. It's not rare to find them scattered in city streets. I always wonder what happened.
  10. The dark, massive school building, Lange Hilleweg - A large, dark school building with an arched entrance. Inside there must be long tiled floors and high tiled walls and massive stone stairways with metal and wood railings. Something to haunt your youth. Later I found out it was the convent of St. Francis.
  11. The ornate lingam, Paul Krugerstraat, Afrikaanderplein - A postmodern obelisk, well-made, coloured, ornamented. Many different materials. Looks out over the park and echoes the crescent moon above the dome of the mosque. Later I found out it's the "Monument for migrant workers".
  12. The magpie tree, Hoogvlietstraat - A tree on the corner where once I saw a gathering of more than 20 magpies.
  13. The convent, Putselaan - It is also called "The convent" and has two saints guarding the front entrance.
  14. The ornate fence around the playground, Putselaan, Hillevliet - A low fence made from thick metal bars. This looks more like something from Paris than from Rotterdam.

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