LIFE IN IJBURG (AMSTERDAM)

I spent a few days with my son's family in Amsterdam /Ijburg. Ijburg belongs to Amsterdam but is so  different from the city as an apple and an egg. While Amsterdam is full of history and old houses and nice shops, Ijburg is young, very young, nearly a baby. The first residents moved into their houses in November 2002 !

If I could fly, from above it would look like that



When I arrive at the bridge I know that I am almost there





The first thing you have to pay attention when you enter Ijburg are the bicycles. There so many and most of them I had never seen in my life. To carry around  3 to 5 children you don't use a car but a bike. Cars are banned in Amsterdam. Bikes are the kings ! The parking spaces even in front of your own house are so  expensive that visitors have to leave their cars outside Amsterdam and take a taxi or  a tram to go to their family or friends. 2.50 € per hour is normal it can go up of course in some areas you pay until 5 € per hour. Now all this is very nice for the environment, but not for a poor vintage lady like me who sat on a bike at least 30 years ago and is used to drive everywhere by car. There are good transport links to Ijburg but if you don't have a weekly ticket or something one ride is also very expensive.



For bikes there is no parking fee, so all along the street you see bikes and bikes. Some families own up to 5 bikes.

Definitively this area is not for elderly people to live.

It is really only suitable for young couples with or without children. Above 50 or 60 it becomes difficult to live there, if you are in a good shape and you can still climb 3 to 4 floors up to the bed or bathroom, then it's OK. You can't be too big either because the stair cases are rather narrow too. The houses are all narrow and high, due to the fact that there is not very much space.



There are many bridges





and the houses look almost all the same



square like boxes and flat roofs




Some people had planted flowers in front of their entrance which gave this kind of ghetto a cheerful touch.







To me it looks like a town of the future, definitively ultra modern. There are lots of sport fields and Fitness clubs, you find from Yoga to football everything, but .... no shop ! Nothing, but a beautiful beach !  Since a few month one bakery has opened near my son's house where I could walk,  otherwise there is no shop at all, you would starve if you can't ride a bike or take a tram ! But  fortunately there are ... lots of restaurants !



Toby and I had lunch here at the beautiful habour, which of course in summertime is very crowded.



Where is my bicycle ?

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MACRO MONDAY - WEEKEND OCT 29

Toy cat mother with kitten (looks so true but is very small)



autumn

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After the few days spent with Toby, I left a day earlier, because it was decided that he wanted to play with his friends at the day care in the morning. I was less convinced when I saw his face, but I thought it's better to leave in this case. Instead of Saturday morning I left Friday. My way home was smooth and without any problem. But as soon as I arrived in the main street of Waterloo, the whole city center was barricaded and police and special units armed til the end of their hairs waved the cars into other directions.

I immediately thought that their was an attack, and as I am curious I tried to get nearer to see a bit more but unfortunately it was impossible. I looked on my smartphone and read that a suspicious suitcase had been found between the school and the church and that's why the whole center was barricaded. The church was empty anyway and the school too as the students had a day off, while the teachers were in a pedagogic meeting in a restaurant as it was lunch time.  

Slowly we are coming to a point that only a few panic, the others went in the next café had a beer discussed attacks and waited until the street was free. Better so. I arrived home and found my little cats almost where I had left them  !

Nothing special had happened in the meantime. 

A friend had given me 6 eggs, from her chickens, they were special, they were blue green ! Funny to see, time saving for Easter



In our garden the mushrooms continue to invade, they are so disgusting and grow so quickly. Nearly each day Mr. G. has to pick them up. Apparently we are not the only one, my neighbors and others also complain about this mushroom invasion !

Besides in the shops there is very little decoration at the houses or in the gardens.



As last year I hadn't done anything this year I decorated a bit the entrance and bought sweets because last year when I thought nobody would ring at the door there were several children. Therefore Mr. G. bought sweets, at least we are equipped, otherwise we have to eat them ourselves !



I even found my witch from at least 6 years ago



and then when everything was finished, we closed the garden too !