Off to the exotic East

We took advantage of a radio interview that PJ did yesterday with BBC World to head over to the east side of Amsterdam. Despite being only a 10-minute cycle ride from ours, we rarely get to this part of the city. What a shame -- it's got some lovely buildings. First stop, the Desmet Studios for the actual interview. Presumably, this was a 1920s cinema, which someone has rescued and turned into a small venue and recording studio. Given the blue skies, it looked more like LA, but the chilly evening meant were well aware it was Amsterdam.



The next port of call was a bar on the Entrepotdok that we'd visited for a reviving beer on Museumnacht. I was extremely pleased with myself for finding it again, given that it had been dark, an unknown area, and six months earlier when we'd previously been. What was going to be a quick libation turned into an extended one, as we enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere and bitching about our fellow guests' clothes. The row houses in this area are quite spectacular, far more regular than the ones at our end of the canal ring. Much of this area was labeled slum housing in the post-war years and demolished; the subsequent protests led to the saving of our neck of the woods, the Jordaan -- thankfully.



Like I said, this is one of the areas we know less well, which is a shame when you see what's on offer. I've never been to the Tropenmuseum or the Artis zoo -- nor, unsurprisingly, to the Kindermuseum. (If it were the history of the delicious German chocolate egg manufacturer, I'd be interested; kids, not so much.) Next time I come over here, I'll be just another tourist.



Last stop for pictures on the way home was this rather fun supermarket on the Rapenburg. I remember passing it in Bill's car on the way back from IKEA and cursing the fact that I didn't have my camera with me. No such problem this time. Why can't more city center stores look like this?



I am going to miss the photographic richness of this city. Carrying a camera around is never a waste of time. Oh well, I'll have countryside to photograph shortly.