In my last post about the Van Nellefabriek, I mention there are lots of interesting things to see along the 3-4 km between Rotterdam Centraal railway station and the factory, making the walk very worthwhile.
Some of you have asked what specifically, so I thought I’d post a little photo story about this stretch.
To the Van Nelle Factory –
From the railway station, I walk along Essenburgsingel, with the railway lines about one block to my right for most of the way, past pleasant neighbourhoods like this one.
– past the Mevlana mosque
This pretty mosque is named after a poet, philosopher and mystic, born in present-day Afghanistan, that I am sure you know: Mevlana Jalalod-din Balkhi Mohammad Rumi, better known just as… Rumi. Mevlana was his title. It means ‘my master’.
A Rumi quote is in order, don’t you think? There are so many great ones to choose from, including the ever brilliant
What you seek, is seeking you.
True dat!
– past cherry trees in bloom
The Netherlands is not all about tulips, you know.
Another quote by the mystic:
Live life as if everything is rigged in your favour.
Yes, do that!
– crossing the bridge across the Delfshavense Schie Canal…
… towards the Van Nellefabriek. More about the most beautiful factory in the world in this post.
Yet another:
Work. Keep digging your well. Water is there somewhere.
Don’t give up!
– and back towards the station (another way)
Returning to Rotterdam Centraal, I take another route, along this side of the canal
I love this quote:
You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean, in a drop.
– past this drawbridge
Cannot stop now, can we:
Love is the bridge between you and everything.
– crossing the canal at Mathenesserbrug drawbridge
where I just barely manage to stumble under the barrier…
… before the bridge opens …
Love is the water of life, jump into this water.
– to let boats through …
… including this barge.
When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.
On we go, along Middelandstraat…
… past idyllic scenes like this one
Beauty surrounds us, but usually, we need to be walking in a garden to know it.
– past cosy cafes …
… like this one, intriguingly named Juffrouw van Zanten (Miss van Zanten)
Dance until you shatter yourself.
Yes! Do that, too!
– creatively named hair dressers
Yippee-ka-yay!
(OK, that wasn’t Rumi. But I feel it could have been.)
– and equally creative street art
Inside you there’s an artist you don’t know about…
Find that artist!
– back amongst hyper modern architecture
Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion.
– and finally Rotterdam Centraal
Start a huge, foolish project, like Noah… it makes absolutely no difference what people think of you.
What will be your huge, foolish project?
And there you have it: the briefest of glimpses of a brief stretch of road in Rotterdam. And a bit of inspiration from an ancient source. Happy Monday!
World at a Glance is a series of short articles here on Sophie’s World, portraying curious, evocative, happy, sad, wondrous or unexpected little encounters.
