Meen, playing Mikado outside restaurant Beat burger. Haven't been in yet. Anyone else?

Parc near the Euromast. Unfortunately I couldnot find anything on the sculptor of these women but I like that you can just see a kissing couple looking through them.

Lloydstraat. Back in the days, the ships from the Lloyd company were bringing coffee, tea and spices to this former warehouses that needed to be kept in the dark. A couple of years ago the warehouse was transformed into lofts and apartments.

Rotterdamse Schouwburg. The images/portraits above the staircase are memories of plays that were performed in this theatre.

Rotte, I suspect this polar bear to be part of the floating art collection on the Rotte but to be honest I couldn't find anything about the artist.

Noorderkanaal. There are two forms of rowing: 1) In sweep or sweep-oar rowing, each rower has one oar, held with both hands. This can be done in pairs, fours and eights. Each rower in a sweep boat is referred to either as port or starboard, depending on which side of the boat the rower's oar extends to. Usually the port side is referred to as stroke side, and the starboard side as bow side; this applies even if the stroke oarsman is rowing on bow side and/or the bow oarsman on stroke side.
2) In sculling each rower has two oars (or sculls), one in each hand.

Mauritsstraat. Some great graffity from Lastplak.

Mauritsstraat. Inside or out, I hope you have a great weekend!

Central Station right before a shower. As of tomorrow I will be gone for 3 weeks. I ve got an alarm system and house sitters, so the villains who are skimming sites can skim on. Posting will of course go on, but I won't be able to comment or make a return visit.

Lijnbaan. Bavaria is a Dutch beer brewer that has been in the news quite a lot recently. With the world soccer event recently of course (see this clip of the Bavaria girls) where Dutch girls (some sponsored by Bavaria) attracted a lot of attention in an officially by Heineken sponsored stadion.
And then there is Mickey Rourke (with a face that shows what too much alcohol and plastic surgery can do to you) now doing adds for non alcoholic Bavaria beer. The new white non alcoholic beer was sampled here.

Lijnbaan. With the sun we have been having you sure need some glasses. The brightly coloured or the Rayban ones are the ones to have this year.

Boomgaardhof. (thnx again Roeb) This is a guest photo from my favorite Canadian :) Melissa Dale-Hicks, whom I am going to visit in 3 weeks time.

Termeulenplein, I don't know why but the municipal cleaners have garbage containers that make a boo sound when you open them. Seriously, why?

Sunset on Rotterdam. A guest post today from Francisco van Jole a Dutch (and born and bred Rotterdam) journalist.
I am seizing this opportunity to reach out to guest photographers or fellow 'Rotterdammers'. Don't be shy :), if you would like to publish a photo here, just leave a comment or DM me on Twitter/Facebook.

Witte de Withstraat. One of the chefs of restaurant Oliva seen through an opening in the kitchen.

Schouwburgplein. Today the 3-day international Hip Hop Festival "State of Mind" start in de Doelen. For more info click here.

Schouwburgplein. Our weather is seriously crazy. Always has been but now we have clear and sunny mornings like on this photo and in the afternoon we have HUGE showers of rain and hail. Trees blowing over, the top of a church blown off, tents being destructed. And the next morning sun again. Crazy.

Van Oldenbarneveltplaats. Just a goofy sign. Who puts these stickers on poles and the back of streetsigns? You see the stickers everywhere, but never someone actually sticking them :)

Jan Evertsenplaats. To be honest, yesterday's weather looked totally different but this photo was from the day before and it was still HOT then.

Meent. What can I say. On orange bouquet including orange vuvuzela's to congratulate the Spanish people. Overall their team was better. We fought for what we were worth and we were THIS close. What a match.

Meent. I have been excited and nervous all day. Tonight is THE match. For the first time since 32 yrs the Netherlands soccer team has made it to the finals again of the World Championship.

My kids have orange hair, one of our American friends has come over especially to watch the match here, and of course I will be dressed appropriate too. The german octopus has predicted that Spain will win but of course he is just a stupid octopus and will be eaten in a salad tonight.

Metrostation Zuidplein. I am just back from the first night of the North Sea Jazz festival in Ahoy, where I saw Norah Jones, Tower of Power, Dianne Reeves, Corinne Bailey Rae, but also a Dutch artist called Wende Snijder and...Nikki Yanofsky, a 16 !! yr singer who amongst others sang the Canadian national anthem at the opening of the Olympic Games in Vancouver recently.
Anyway, there is a lot of music going on in Rotterdam at the moment and I also ran into this Japanese group that was entertaining the people coming out of or waiting for public transport.

Coolsingel. Men @ work @ the city hall.

Nieuwe Binneweg. While waiting for the finals this Sunday, our country prepares itself mentally and physically for the victory.
Wether we become 2n or 1st the team will be honoured in Amsterdam and probably get a boat tour through the canals, just like in 1988 when we won the european championship. Due to all the crowds that climbed on the houseboats, many sank, so I wonder what will happen somewhere next week. Ofcourse there is a minor detail and that is that we have to win but somehow for most of us Dutchies that is simply a certainty and not a question.

Manage De Prinsestad. I am counting a lot of pony tails here.

This tv screen shows the eldest daughter of prince Willem-Alexander, princess Amalia with the same orange vuvuzela I will be using tonight when we are playing against Urugay. Everybody here is counting on the finals between Germany and the Netherlands, which brings back a lot of (sometimes painful ;) ) memories, but first it is Hup Holland Hup tonight!!

Abraham van Stolkweg, the animals rescue service has all sorts of creatures in its cages!

Boompjes, Fabian Cancellara winning the First Episode of the Tour de France yesterday in Rotterdam. I had never witnessed a tour etappe and I can tell you it is a fantastic circus. Luckily we were in a (covered) VIP unit (although I was half laying on the ground for this photo) coz in between it did rain pretty hard.

Gouvernestraat. Let me first say YEAHHHHHH We beat the Brasilians and are through to the semi finals!!!
Ok bout the photo then. Rotterdam is not only hosting the first episode of the Tour the France today but also getting ready for the North Sea Jazz festivals in a week's time. Yesterday i went to hear and see Renee Neufville sing and if you have no idea who she is, no worries: this is her with Roy Hargrove a couple of years ago.

Museumpark. Today De Parade starts in Den Haag and you can make these poffertjes yourself, just like my sons did for 3,5 euro. Nom Nom!!
PS: quarter finals this afternoon against Brasil. Exciting!!!

Nieuwe Binneweg. It's the first of the month and therefor Themeday today, and the theme is Reflections. I was busy hurrying by this nice little shop and really need to go in one of these days! Click here to view thumbnails for all participants .