Destined to be a port, Rotterdam became the most non-Dutch city of the country. It is the only city in the Netherlands headed by Muslim mayor, it is also a home for the largest Caribbean diaspora and even has its own China Town. Innate inhabitants and comers are almost equally numbered here. But if we look seven centuries back, we will see only a modest settlement on the Rotte River protected by dam from floods.
A small fishing village reborn into the world's largest port? Sure! Strategic location of Rotterdam – it is comfortably settled on the banks of the Rhine and the Meuse rivers – predetermined its hasty growth from the end of XIV century until today. Hundreds of thousands cargoes passing through the Dutch port were transported through waterways into Germany, France, Switzerland, thereby forcing the city to grow new and new harbours and maritime terminal in order to cope with the powerful stream. Later, thanks to the artificial channel, large ocean-going vessels began to be serviced there.
Rotterdam attained a Phoenix-like fate. Hitler's bombardment of the city, which lasted for five days, resulted into scorched earth and buildings demolished to the ground. But both city image and blown docks were quickly restored, and since 1962 the Dutch port has been the busiest in the world, holding the lead for no less than 42 years.
Rotterdam strikingly distinguishes from the capital by its hard-working nature. As the locals often joke: money is spent in Amsterdam, and earned in Rotterdam. The city is in constant motion - no idleness. Perhaps it is a reason for the city to look younger. Not every tourist believes in the venerable age of Rotterdam staring at the Netherlands highest skyscrapers located in the city heart (the country's largest office centre Maastoren extends to the sky at 164 meters, and the most grandiose residential building in Rotterdam the New Orleans has a height of 158 m).
Maastoren
Only sky is the limit, armed with this motto the architects turned a working town into some kind of Manhattan on the Meuse. It's New York City which comes into mind while walking through Wilhelminapier – the place with the largest concentration of skyscrapers and offices. From here through futuristic, reminiscent of swan Erasmus Bridge one can reach Rotterdam centre with its incredible cubic structures (roofs shaped like inclined parallelepipeds), the White House and the basilica in the late Gothic style – the Great Church.
Erasmusbrug
Going to the old port area of Delfshaven, note that you risk to repeat our mistake and not to reach it before dark. Explanation of this phenomenon is not in a long multi-kilometre road, but in numerous museums nested on the way: the Boijmans-van Beuningen (a collection of paintings including works by Rembrandt, Brueghel and Rubens), Chabot (dedicated to the works of this artist) and Kunsthal sadly remembered for bold theft of eight paintings in 2012. And a final flourish is the Netherlands Architecture Institute located nearby and featuring one of the world largest collections in this form of art.
Delfshaven
And yet, coming to Rotterdam, you should clearly understand what you want to see the most as the choice directly depends on the season. For instance, if you come into the city in summer, late July - early August, then you will meet colourful carnival that fills the air with the Caribbean and Latin American melodies. In September residents celebrate the port fest resulting in a water parade. And the first month of the year Rotterdam International Film Festival is held, which involves mostly alternate film directors.
And let’s add for Amsterdam fans that there are also coffee shops in Rotterdam, and prices there, by the way, are lower than in the iconic city on the Amstel. Another difference of the local entertainments from those of the capital, is that nightclubs support mostly hip-hop music, not techno. On this remarkable differences seem to be over. And it is up to you there to go first. But we advise to visit both cities.
Today OUTLOOK travels along the cities and countries that are considered as the most interesting from the point of view of geography and administrative management. Moreover, they are enclaves as they are located within the territories of other states.
Among tourists, especially those from Europe, it is difficult to find people who have not enjoyed vacation in sunny and hospitable Turkey at least once, so the prices at holiday destinations are more or less known. However, what awaits those who opted for "another Turkey" and went to see the magnificent Istanbul, we would like toexplainwith the example of 10 dollars.
Residents of Queenstown, like all New Zealanders, are among the first on the planet to meet the dawn. There are no children's homes, homeless animals. People are resistant to cold, so much so that at zero degrees go in T-shirts. Each of them has an average of nine sheep, and in nature there are practically no such dangers as mosquitoes and snakes.
In Japan there is a city with the citizens who trust each other. It seems that they drink water from one source that flows along their houses. As well, they wash hands after the meals in the same places. Satoyama in translation means an ideal place for life in harmony with the nature. It is situated in Northern prefecture Gifu that is isolated from the rest of the world with the mountain tops and rice fields.
Only an abandoned artificial archipelago with traces of extinct civilizations can better than a deserted island! Cadent splash of oars that plows blue dreams of the Pacific Ocean quells drumroll of ecstasy in your temples while preparing will and mind to the meeting with the greatest mystery of Micronesia. Nan Madol lies empty for more than one hundred years...
Telling about transport means which became a symbol of some city, it would be an amiss to forget about bikes in Amsterdam. Anyone who has ever been in the Dutch capital, will never forget neither countless cyclists hurrying in swarms through the streets, nor the magnificent infrastructure that contributed to a bike as a safe, environmentally friendly, healthy and the easiest mode of transport.
Its sounds penetrate the heart, stop the flow of thoughts and cause the blood to move in some kind of magical rhythm. It's a roll of thunder. It gives the shivers. It's a secret. Japanese drums in their homeland are elevated to the rank of cult. Without them, not a single official event is possible, their melodies delight the hearing during joy and help to experience sadness.
Today in our review dedicated to the most interesting streets of the planet we are going to talk about Brivibas. The old city of Riga is truly magnificent and finely preserved part of Latvian capital. Verily here there are more tourists and less local citizens, however, 350-400 years ago around it there was nothing and city resembled inaccessible medieval fortress in semi-Scandinavian and semi-European style. All of its population could place here…
Six million years ago, in faraway Mongolia a deep crater of an extinct volcano was gradually filled to the brims with water, turning into a wonderful lake. Water ran high with gusts of wind, and sparkled in the sun like precious jewel, so no wonder that along with the official name of Hövsgöl Lake, this nature wonder has a more poetic name of the Dark Blue Pearl.
The Senegalese capital of Dakar is not only the most important city of West Africa, but also a city of extremes, a fascinating introduction if purpose of the trip is to "get acquainted with the Black Continent, but gently and smoothly". In addition to many civilizational and habitual to modern people attributes of life, every moment you feel spirit of Africa, at once both intimidating, romantic, off-beat and deeply alluring.
Baltic States are a good destination for inexpensive tourism in Europe, they are well known for various attractions and changeable weather. Local waters and winds come up with unexpected rainfalls, but that is not a reason to hide in the hotel since there are many amazing museums around, and it is not much of a problem to visit all three countries within just a few days.
European coast of the Baltic Sea can boast of neither warm waters nor lasting beach season – this however does not prevent it from being a popular resort area. Great number of cozy coastal towns attracts tourists first of all with fresh and curative air as well as with the opportunity to “heal the eyes” looking at the cold sea and amazing landscapes. Sopot – main Baltic resort of Poland – exhibits all of these advantages to the full.
The best gift for ladies is flowers. The truth is, it is incredibly romantic and beautiful, suitable for any age and status. Especially nice it is when there is plenty of flowers. Dozens upon dozens! And where else can you admire floral beauty if not at the festival? We selected five the most famous and flowery fests from around the world.
Someone compares Jaipur with lace tablecloth; others with a box of pink marshmallows; and some admirers claim this is a hive densely inhabited by bees. However, everyone agrees on one thing: there is the wonderful air full of freedom which cannot be found in Europe. It fills the lungs and breathing it a traveller loses count of hours and even centuries.
Ancient Greece began with Mycenae and Crete, and the country's new history starts its record with Kalamata. It was the city where Turkish shackles were dumped for the first time, thus making way for independence. Kalamata is a place with its own temper. Within less than 200 years, it was rebuilt twice, and both times revival followed.
Young Ukrainian writer Pavel Khomenskyi visited Batumi, the city smothered in greenery and shining bright, the one that local citizens call the city of love. Palm trees, cypresses, magnolias, oleanders, bamboos, laurels, orange trees, thujas and box trees exhale fragrances on every step there; they tempt you to go watch a romantic picture of ships sailing off harbors. And today the author shares with you his postcards from this amazing city, penetrated with murmur of the sea and taste of fragrant wine.
Facet of Botswana diamonds shine brightly. But aside from gemstones every woman in the world dreams about, there are many other treasures in this African nook. Today let us have a look at this country for ourselves...
Sauntering through picturesque nooks of Grand Dame Europe we look around without even suspecting how many interesting things there are beneath our feet. If you are annoyed with standard tours that include marathon race around museums and monuments, we suggest you have a look at good Old World from a different perspective. Or more specifically, look under its feet.
Tibet… what are you mulling over while articulating this name, drawing it in your mind mentioning the concept involved in the mild space of clouds?Tibet… There are mountains that seem to be speaking with the heaven. Here everything is penetrated with the religion and different beliefs such as culture, art, folk traditions and customs.
Mon amour, mon ami… All most beautiful words and songs of love sound in French. Review every curve of France and find privacy in province of Provence that gently swings in the south-east of Brigitte Bardot and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Ancient cities from Marseille to Monaco are penetrated with lyric antiquity so ideas of staying at Côte d’Azur keep coming back to your head.
