Brugge in Belgium: May 26, 2024

 

I visited Brugge in Belgium for the first time in about 30 years.

The landscape as well as the atmosphere of the town has not changed although many things have changed – this my first impression.

 

The buildings, streets canals and bridges of the Middle age preserved in the historic district of the city. The district was registered UNESCO’s Eorld Heritage in 2000.

 

The Markt locates in the center of the city. 83 meter-high Bell Tower, Flanders Government’s building and guild houses stand around the square. (See the top photo)

There are flag poles in the place. The flag of Ukraine were raised along with the flags of the EU, Belgium and Flanders. (See the 2nd photo)

The streets were covered with cobblestones.

 

Canals flow in many places in the old city. Tourists enjoyed boat cruising.

 

Begijnhof was first built in the 13^th century. The Beguines members lived here. Today, religious women in wider schools live in this site. It was registered UNESCO’s World Heritage in 1999. (See the 3rd photo)

A message of peace was displayed in the window in one of houses.

 

 

 

 

Paris: May 25, 2024

 

I made a quick visit to Paris. It was my first visit there in about five years.

I found that the city was in the Olympic boom.

The opening ceremony will be held at Palais de Chaillot near the Eiffel Tower. Temporary audience seats were built there.

 

Sene River will be used for the opening ceremony and other occasions. People will see the athletes from the world from the river banks.

Temporary seats were also built in Place de la Concorde. The competitions of breaking dance will be held there. (See the 3rd photo)

 

Pare of Parc de Champ de Mars in front of the Eiffel Tower was closed to the public for the works. Beach volleyball games will be held here. (See the 2nd photo)

 

The building of Paris City was covered with posters of Olympic Games.

 

Temporary seats were also set in front of Notre-Dame Cathedral in the Cite Island. It is under reconstruction from the fire disaster in 2019. (See also the top photo)

 

Panels were displayed on the walls around the working site.

 

I found more people were using bicycles than they had been five years ago. The bicycle zones increased in the roads.

Many people were riding bicycles on Avenue de la Champs-Elyses.

The number of electric vehicles increased dramatically.

 

This is a photo of wind generators taken in the northern France from the Eurostar train. I saw various eco-friendly actions in many places.

 

The city was crowded with tourist from the world as five years ago. I saw many people enjoying boat tour in the Seine.

The city is continuously renovated and the Olympic Games accelerate such developments -- I got such impression.

The news stories report difficult issues such as immigration and the rise of extreme right. I did not find scenes related to such issues on the street corners today. The number of homeless people seemed fewer that it had been five years ago. It may just be temporary controlled.

 

Amsterdam: May 21-23, 2024

 

I visited Amsterdam in the Netherlands for the first time in about 30 years. I found many things which had changed and many other things which had not changed. After all, the city was exciting.

Amsterdam is famous for its canals. There are many big and small canals.

This is a scene taken in the western part of the city.

 

The photo was taken near Rokin, central part of the city.

 

People were enjoying a beautiful day in front of the North Sea Canal (200km long) near Amsterdam Central railway station.

 

The city is also famous for bicycles.

There are bicycle zones on most roads. I saw countless of people commuting by bicycles in the morning and evening.

Some bicycles have luggage cars attached. They carry kids as well as goods with their bicycles. (See the 2nd photo)

 The combination of canals and bicycles makes good picture in the city. (See the top photo)

The Netherlands is also known as a country where many social experiments are tried.

There are many window prostitution spots in the red-light district in Amsterdam. The act was legalized about 25 years ago.

 

People are allowed to take soft drags in the coffee shops (not café). I found many shops not only in the entertainment areas but also in residential areas.

 

The Netherlands leads the world in the agri-business. I visited Aalsmeer, south of Amsterdam. There are many flower-business facilities.

The Royal FloraHolland is the world’s largest flower auction company. Countless flowers come in and go out of its distribution center. (See also the 3rd photo) 

Many flowers are shipped to the world by cargo planes from the Schiphol Airport.

 

There are many must-go places in Amsterdam.

There were many people from the world in front of the Anne Frank House.

 

People were watching Rembrandt’s Night Watch in the Rijksmuseum.

 

The replica of VOC (Dutch East Idia Company) ship Amsterdam provided me various information on the history of the country in the last 500 years.

 

 

Mt. Fuji from Tokaido: May 5, 2024

 

It was a beautiful day today.

I visited Shizuoka Prefecture through Tokaido route. I had opportunities to see Mt. Fuji.

This is a scene from Odawara area, about 40km east from the mountain. I took the photo from Odakyu train.

This is a shoot taken from JR Mishima station, about 30 km southeast from the mountain. Mt Fuji looks behind Mishima City.

Fuji City locates about 20km south from the volcano. Mt. Fuji lies behind tea and other fields in the top photo. The mountain is behind factories in the left photo.

Thei photo was taken from Shiuzoka City, about 50 km southeast from Mt. Fuji. The mountain looks behind the city. (See also the 2ns photo).