⚡️ The Dutch non-profit organisation Zeilen van Vrijheid has launched a campaign for flood victims in the Kherson region. The donations will be used to buy water testing kits as well as water cleaning pills. The former will help control water quality and protect people from outbreaks of epidemics, while the latter will make contaminated water safe to drink and allow it to be stored for a longer period of time when there is no permanent supply. Both kits and pills are needed in plenty.

Support the campaign: on GoFundMe, on Instagram, on Facebook. Thank you in advance!

gofundme.com

Emergency! Water cleaning supplies for Kherson, organized by Veronika Mutsei

Hello everyone, Today, we face an unprecedented humanitarian crisis cau… Veronika Mutsei needs your support for Emergency! Water cleaning supplies for Kherson

The fate of the bicycle parking lot De fietsflat
Today is World Bicycle Day — a good excuse to talk about the fate of Amsterdam's most famous bicycle parking lot. De fietsflat, which was installed in 2001 as a temporary solution to unload the square in front of the capital's Central Station and for the next 22 years remained not only the largest in the city, but also a real landmark, is no longer needed after the opening of two new underwater parking halls on both sides of the station this February. It wasn't dismantled straight away because it was kept as a backup in case the 11,000 spaces in the new parking lots were not enough. But they are enough, so De fietsflat, which was cleared of bicycles back in February, is now awaiting its fate. Incidentally, about 500 of the 2,500 vehicles parked there, i.e. 20% of the total capacity, have never been picked up by their owners, so they have been sent to a depot where abandoned bikes are stored. Among them are several Swapfiets with blue tyres and three VanMoofs worth several thousand euros.

According to the authorities, De fietsflat can last another 50 years, but where and how has not yet been decided. I kept waiting for an update from the municipality on its future, but instead, I came across an open petition from an initiative group at Het Parool. In it, 8 mobility experts call on Amsterdam to give De fietsflat as a symbol, "like France gave the Statue of Liberty to the United States", to another European city working on its cycling policy — Paris, Berlin or even Ljubljana. The committee proposes organising a competition and selecting the winner with the most ambitious plan, from which everyone would benefit: a parking lot for 2500 spaces could serve as a great prize where cycling infrastructure is lacking, and Amsterdam would once again prove its leadership in this field and its commitment to the circular economy.

Het Parool

Opinie: ‘Schenk de fietsflat aan een andere stad, als voorbeeld van hoe je fiets en trein combineert’

De fietsflat is niet meer, maar dat hoeft niet het einde van zijn leven te betekenen. Acht mobiliteitsexperts roepen Amsterdam op de fietsflat, lan...

Bunker Day

Another event that opens doors to normally inaccessible sites is Bunker Day, taking place this year on June 3 at various locations along the Dutch coast. This line of defence, which the Germans built during the Second World War, is called De Atlantikwall ('the Atlantic Wall') and stretches 6200 kilometres from Norway to Spain. In the Netherlands, its construction particularly affected South Holland and Zealand, where buildings were demolished and land was flooded, so that hundreds of thousands of people were forced to evacuate.

A pass for Bunker Day costs €7.5 and allows you to visit all participating locations (pdf programme). The closest one to Amsterdam, which protected access to the capital's port during World War II, is the Bunker Museum in IJmuiden. It consists of several defence items, including trenches and a mini-submarine, as well as soldiers' living quarters with original furnishings. On June 3, additionally, authentic WWII military vehicles will be on display here, and a group of veterans will share their stories.

Bunkerdag

Bunkers - Bunkerdag

the bunkers Discover the Atlantic Wall heritage Discover which bunkers you can visit during Bunker Day. Use the filter to show your favorite location or use the map underneath. Filter by location‘s-Gravenzande‘s-GravenzandeAlkmaarAlkmaarAmelandAmelandBergenBergenBurgh…

If you haven't yet adjusted to the fact that there are almost year-round ''days of something'' happening in the Netherlands, here's a hint for the coming month:
- Today is Castle Day;
- June 1-4 - Rotterdam Roof Days;
- June 10 - Garden Days in Amsterdam West;
- June 15-18 - Architecture Days;
- June 16-18 - Amsterdam Garden Days.

Under 'Better late than never' headline: ARTIS, a zoo in Amsterdam, is celebrating its 185th anniversary with special events throughout May, and a bonus added to the purchase of a ticket to ARTIS-Park itself includes free admission to ARTIS-Micropia, a museum of microbes, and ARTIS-Groote, a museum about life on earth: https://www.artis.nl/nl/te-doen-artis/dagagenda-activiteiten/185-jaar-artis/

​Decomposable coffin company launches new products

Yesterday, on the International Day for Biological Diversity, one of my favourite and fastest-growing Dutch companies, Loop Biotech, presented new products made from mycelium: apart from coffins, it now makes Loop Earthrise™ urns and Loop ForestBed™ stretchers. In addition, it is now possible to personalise the chosen item with a set of biodegradable paints, replace the moss lining with a linen one or add a linen shroud. The design of the Loop Living Cocoon™ coffin has also been revised, by the way, and the price has dropped to €995. In 2021, when it all started, one of the company's goals was to reduce the cost of its flagship product.

Loop Biotech produces everything from 100% natural materials: mycelium, i.e. the underground root network of mushrooms, and recycled hemp. The coffin, urn and stretcher are all manufactured in just 7 days, and decompose a human body in 45. The new products have been developed in collaboration with Natuurbegraven Nederland, an organisation dedicated to promoting an environmentally friendly way of burial in nature, which is gaining popularity in the Netherlands, partly because the right to such a grave is indefinite. If you didn't understand what you just read at first and then were very surprised, get reading this post as well.

​Amsterdam got an app for surviving on the street
Streetlife, a special app created for Amsterdam's homeless people, provides important practical information on where to get medical and psychological help or find lodging, food and clean clothes. This virtual version of the Blauwe Boekje booklet, which has been produced for several years by the non-profit organisation De Regenboog Groep, came about because around 70% of those seeking help have a smartphone. De Regenboog Groep says this is not surprising, as more and more things can only be done online, plus the internet makes it easier to communicate with people who do not have a fixed residential address.

The app is available for free at the following links: for Android and for Apple.

The poor man's Rembrandt, or Unexpected museum marketing
In March, the Rembrandt House Museum reopened after a four-month renovation. The building, where one of the most famous artists lived from 1639 to 1658, has become more environmentally friendly and its public space has been increased by 30%. With these changes, the museum wants to attract new audiences and has therefore taken on an unexpected marketing move: from 19 to 25 of June, the famous Amsterdam tattoo studio Schiffmacher & Veldhoen will be tattooing here!

Why? Here's what Henk Schiffmacher, the founder of the studio himself, has to say: «Worldwide, more tattoos are sold than artworks for the wall. An old tattoo artist once called tattoos 'The Poor Man's Rembrandt': a work of art that is more affordable than a painting by an old master, but no less carefully chosen and executed. Many people also build up real collections of tattoos from specific artists. They come to us because they want to add a Schiffmacher & Veldhoen to their lifelong collection».

The price per tattoo ranges from €100 to €250. Customers can choose from several designs, including Rembrandt's original etchings, his signature or monogram. Here you can check out the available options in advance, choose a master and book a time slot.

Rembrandthuis

The Poor Man's Rembrandt Project - Rembrandthuis

By Schiffmacher & Veldhoen live @ Museum Rembrandthuis From June 19 to 25, 2023, Henk Schiffmacher and his tattoo artists will be tattooing in Rembrandt’s home. During one week you can get an original Rembrandt tattoo done by the world-famous team. Want to…

Amsterdam allocated 100 million euros to build a bicycle bridge over the IJ

Oostbrug, i.e. the Eastern Bridge that will connect Azartplein (KNSM island) and Hamerkwartier (the Nord district) in 10 years, has received a budgeting decision from the municipality of Amsterdam: the city has reserved 100 million euros for it. The Amsterdam transport region will add 75 million. But it is estimated that at least 300 million will be needed to build the bridge, meaning that another 125 million must be found before construction starts in 2029.

Oostbrug is needed because the northern district of Amsterdam is growing strongly, and the city's ferries are getting busier and busier. After the Eastern Bridge, the Western one will also be built, probably in 2040 — both are being implemented as part of the big 'Sprong over het IJ' project . In the meantime, the city wants to add extra ferries: five more by 2030. Not right now simply because there are not enough skippers, and it takes four years to train them.

Telegram

Amsterdammer in English

​New phase of the 'Sprong over het IJ' project The Amsterdam authorities have finally decided where the 2 new bridges and underwater tunnel are to be built to link the Noord district to the city. ***🔹***The Western Bridge (Westbrug): Danzigerkade - NDSM ***🔹***The…