M.Kostro, Amsterdam. The Lockdown Blues

M.KOSTRO

THE LOCKDOWN BLUES MAY-DECEMBER 2020

AMSTERDAM 2021

Colophone © by M.Kostro, 2021 Fonts used: Neucha, AmserdamBridge

FOR A. WITH LOVE EVERYONE IS SO PREOCCUPIED BY HIS OWN PROFIT THAT I COULD LIVE HERE FOR ALL MY LIFE WITHOUT EVER BEING NOTICED BY ANYONE.*) RENÉ DESCARTES

*) QUOTED IN THE BOOK DESCRIBED ON THE PAGE 92 (ON THE RIGHT SIDE) [PAGE 100], BASED ON FOOTNOTE IT IS QUOTED SOMEWHERE ELSE AS WELL. I DON'T KNOW WHERE DESCARTES WROTE THAT EXACTLY.

Introduction

2020 STARTED PROMISINGLY. OF COURSE, EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO BE BETTER. DEVELOP. CONTINUOUSLY. ESPECIALLY MY CAREER. THE REPEATEDLY PLANNED, POSTPONED AND RECONSIDERED TRIP OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY HAS FINALLY

MATERIALISED.

I AM THINKING OF A QUOTE FROM A CERTAIN MOVIE:

CHOOSE LIFE. CHOOSE A JOB. CHOOSE A CAREER.

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MOVE TO AMSTERDAM.

IT IS SPRING 2020.

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WELL, I'M NOT VERY ORIGINAL

THE YEAR 2020 WILL PROBABLY BRING SOME CHANGES IN THE STATISTICS, WHICH OF COURSE ARE DIFFICULT TO PREDICT. NOTHING WILL LOOK NORMAL (JUST PLEASE NOT 'NEW NORMAL', IT

SOUNDS LIKE AN INSULT). ALTHOUGH, MAYBE WE CAN SEE A LITTLE SHARPER NOW? DO WE PAY ATTENTION TO DETAILS? EVERYTHING HAPPENS MORE SLOWLY ? CALMED DOWN? EXCEPT FOR FEAR OF INFECTION.

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WE CERTAINLY TRAVEL DIFFERENTLY. THE CIRCUMSTANCES FORCED ME TO REACH THE NETHERLANDS IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN PLANNED.

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THIS IS NOT A GUIDE TO AMSTERDAM. IT IS NOT AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF THE CITY, COUNTRY OR CULTURE. THESE ARE LOOSE THOUGHTS OF A FRESH IMMIGRANT, DOOMED (LIKE EVERYONE ELSE) TO FORCED DOMESTIC ISOLATION, SOMETIMES

SNEAKING AROUND AMSTERDAM'S STREETS AT AN APPROPRIATE DISTANCE FROM OTHERS (AT LEAST 1.5 M), SOMETIMES GETTING ON A BICYCLE, SOMETIMES TAKING A TRAM.

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SNAPSHOTS, CLOSE-UPS AND FRAMES REDUCED TO BLACK AND WHITE OUTLINES. A BIT SAD, BUT ULTIMATELY NOT WITHOUT HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. THERE IS NO CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER IN THIS STORY (WELL, ALMOST, THE END OF THE STORY IS OBVIOUSLY

SYMBOLICALLY RELATED TO THE END OF THE YEAR).

THERE IS NO CONTINUITY AND CONSISTENCY OF PLACES. BUT IT HAD TO BE SORTED OUT SOMEHOW, HENCE THE IDEA FOR THE CHAPTER TITLES. I'VE ALWAYS LIKED TO CATEGORISE,

ARRANGE INFORMATION SO THAT IT IS EASY TO REACH AND UNDERSTAND, THAT'S PART OF MY JOB. I DID WHAT I COULD.

FOLLOW ME!

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I. Work

IT'S ALL ABOUT WORK. IT WAS WORK THAT I CAME HERE FOR. WORK TAKES THE MOST TIME. WORK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

I ADOPT THE DUTCH WORK ETHIC BY OSMOSIS. I FOLLOW THE

THOUGHTS OF MAX WEBER THAT PROTESTANTISM (CALVINISM TO BE PRECISE) CREATED A WORK ETHIC (THE VALUING OF WORK FOR ITS OWN SAKE RATHER THAN FOR ITS RESULTS). AND CALVINISM CANNOT BE SEPARATED FROM THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NETHERLANDS.

SO I DO NOT SEPARATE.

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„LEAVE THE HOUSE ONLY TO GO TO WORK IF YOU CANNOT WORK AT HOME, TO BUY GROCERIES OR TO TAKE CARE OF OTHERS.” MARK RUTTE [DUTCH PM]

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II. Living

OFF TO A GOOD START: THE HOTEL*). TWO MONTHS IN A SMALL BUT COMFORTABLE APARTMENT.

*) THE HOTEL IS BASICALLY OUTSIDE AMSTERDAM, ALTHOUGH AMSTERDAM PROUDLY APPEARS IN ITS NAME.

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COMMON GULL (LARUS CANUS)

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THEN MOVE TO A RENTED APARTMENT IN BUITENVELDERT, IN THE SOUTH OF AMSTERDAM.

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COMMON RAVEN (CORVUS CORAX) MADE OF PLASTIC

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WORKPLACE

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THE MOST IMPORTANT DEVICE(S)

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THE LEAST IMPORTANT PIECE OF CLOTHING

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III. Bike tours and walks

THE TIME OF THE PANDEMIC WAS NOT VERY ENTERTAINING. OUR GOVERNMENT TRIED TO PROVE THAT THERE WAS NO DANGER. „I AM GLAD THAT WE ARE LESS AND LESS AFRAID OF THIS VIRUS, THIS EPIDEMIC. THIS IS A GOOD APPROACH. YOU DON'T NEED TO

BE AFRAID. YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE ELECTION. EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY THE ELDERLY, LET'S NOT BE AFRAID, LET'S GO TO THE ELECTION.” MATEUSZ MORAWIECKI [POLISH PM], 1ST OF JULY 2020.

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THE SPRING/SUMMER PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN POLAND WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SMALL AND BIGGER SCANDALS, SCUFFLES, AND THE DOWNPLAYING OF THE COVID-19 THREAT. I FELT COMPELLED TO VOTE REMOTELY. WITHOUT SUCCESS. MY

CANDIDATE ('MINE' IS AN EXAGGERATED STATEMENT, HE WAS JUST AN ACCEPTABLE ALTERNATIVE) DID NOT WIN.

HOWEVER, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MANY BICYCLE RIDES...

...AND WALKS

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I COME FROM A COUNTRY WHERE CYCLING CAN BE HAZARDOUS. A CYCLIST IS ALMOST TREATED AS A PUBLIC ENEMY. IT TOOK ME SOME TIME TO GET USED TO A SITUATION WHERE I, AS A CYCLIST, AM PRIVILEGED. SHORT TIME. AND I FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE

WITH IT.

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DE RIEKERMOLLEN (1636)

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AMSTEL RIVER

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THE UGLIEST REMBRANDT STATUE EVER (BY HAN WEZELAAR)

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YOU CANNOT ENTER THE AMSTELPARK BY BIKE. NEVERTHELESS, IT IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND PLEASANT PARKS IN AMSTERDAM. THERE ARE EVEN KANGAROOS IN IT.

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THE ROAD TO THE SOUTH-EAST OF AMSTERDAM, TO THE BIJLMER DISTRICT, GOES FIRST VIA THE AMSTEL AND THEN OVER THE A2 MOTORWAY.

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LOCKDOWN DID NOT CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS DISTRICT.

SINCE MOST OF THE EMPLOYEES OF LARGE COMPANIES, WHICH HAVE MOVED TO BIJLMER IN RECENT YEARS, HAVE BEEN WORKING FROM HOME FOR MANY MONTHS, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS THEY DO NOT BUY IN LOCAL STORES, DO NOT GO TO LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND DO NOT VISIT AT ALL.

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WESTERGASFABRIEK

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ALL ESTABLISHMENTS THAT SERVE FOOD AND DRINKS MUST REMAIN CLOSED. TAKE-AWAY WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE. [HTTPS://WWW.GOVERNMENT.NL/]

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ZAANHOF

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ZAANHOF, LOCATED NEAR WESTERPARK, IS A VERY INTERESTING DEVELOPMENT, A DESIGN INITIATIVE OF THE SOCIALIST HOUSING ASSOCIATION HET WESTEN IN 1916, THE BUILDINGS ARE CLUSTERED AROUND AN INNER COURTYARD WITH LAWNS AND A PUBLIC

GARDEN. YOU CAN GET TO THE ESTATE THROUGH SEVERAL BUILDINGS - GATES. ONE OF THEM, OFFERS A PERFECT VIEW OF THE HET SCHIP, AMSTERDAMSE SCHOOL MUSEUM.

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ROSE-RINGED PARAKEET (PSITTACULA KRAMERI) EGYPTIAN GOOSE (ALOPOCHEN AEGYPTIACA)

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IV. Work II

HOW MOTIVATED ARE YOU TO WORK

[

]

[CHOOSE ON A SCALE FROM 1 TO 10]

ASSESS YOUR COMMITMENT TO DAILY BUSINESS TASK [

]

[CHOOSE ON A SCALE FROM 1 TO 10]

DO YOU HAVE THE SUPPORT OF YOUR MANAGER?

[YES/NO]

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V. Shopping

THIS IS OFTEN THE ONLY EXCUSE TO LEAVE THE HOUSE. AN IMPORTANT RITUAL.

„ALL SHOPS WILL NEED TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF SHOPPERS TO ENSURE THEY CAN REMAIN 1.5 METERS APART AND SUPERMARKETS AND OTHER LARGE FOOD STORES MUST INTRODUCE SPECIAL SHOPPING TIMES FOR OLDER CUSTOMERS AND THOSE IN AT-RISK GROUPS.” [HTTPS://WWW.GOVERNMENT.NL/]

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KEEP DISTANCE

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OF COURSE, YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR PIECE OF OLD AMSTERDAM CHEESE OR HERRING CONTACTLESSLY, WITH A CARD (PIN).

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CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS IN THE NETHERLANDS INCREASED DRASTICALLY DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. IN THE SPACE OF FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS, THE MARKET SHARE OF CONTACTLESS CARD PAYMENTS REACHED 70 PERCENT IN THE

COUNTRY. [HTTPS://WWW.STATISTA.COM/]

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THE SHOPS IN BUITENVELDERT ALSO PROVIDE INTELLECTUAL STIMULATION .

WHEN I FIRST VISITED THE LARGEST SHOPPING CENTRE IN THE BUITENVELDERT DISTRICT, I WAS SURPRISED BY MANY

SCULPTURES BY GREAT AUTHORS, INCLUDING ONE OF MY MOST RESPECTED CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS, ERWIN WURM. I REMEMBER AN EXCELLENT EXHIBITION AT THE LEOPOLD MUSEUM IN VIENNA (2017), JUXTAPOSING HIS DISTURBING SCULPTURES WITH PAINTINGS BY THE 19TH-CENTURY GERMAN PAINTER CARL SPITZWEG [HTTPS://WWW.LEOPOLDMUSEUM.ORG/EN/EXHIBITIONS/82/CAR L-SPITZWEG-ERWIN-WURM].

THEY SHARED A SPECIFIC SENSE OF HUMOUR AND IRONY, CLEARLY VISIBLE ALSO IN AMSTERDAM SCULPTURES.

THE MALL OFFERS THE MASSES ACCESS TO THE SCULPTURES OF OTHER STARS OF CONTEMPORARY ART, SUCH AS KAWS AND AI WEIWEI. I REALLY LIKE THAT. [HTTPS://WWW.GELDERLANDPLEIN.NL/EN/SHOPPINGMALL/ART-AT-GELDERLANDPLEIN/]

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VI. Public transport

IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO GET EVERYWHERE BY BIKE. OR IT'S JUST TOO

FAR. VERY RARELY, PERHAPS THREE OR FOUR TIMES, I GOT ON THE TRAM. I ONLY GOT TO KNOW LINE 4 (RAI TO CENTRAAL STATION). BUT ON THE INTERNET, IT'S ANOTHER MATTER ENTIRELY. WHILE LOOKING FOR TRAM CONNECTIONS, I ACCIDENTALLY GOT LOST ON THE YOUTUBE PUBLIC TRANSPORT ENTHUSIASTS' CHANNEL. THE COLLECTION OF FILMS SHOWING TRAM ROUTES FROM THE DRIVER'S PERSPECTIVE WAS PROBABLY MY GREATEST PRIVATE DISCOVERY IN RECENT YEARS. I WATCHED WITH PASSION THE ROUTES OF LINES 5, 24, 4, 19… I CROSSED THE CITY BACK AND FORTH BEFORE I EVEN ARRIVED IN IT. LIVE RIDING IS NOT THAT FUN. [HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/C/RAILPUBLICTRANSPORT/FEATURED]

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SOME METRO STATIONS PROVIDE GREAT EXAMPLES OF HOW TO PLAY WITH TYPOGRAPHY IN AMSTERDAM. MY FAVOURITE STATION (OKAY, I DON'T KNOW TOO MANY ) IS DE PIJP.

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I ALSO VERY RARELY GOT ON THE TRAIN. AFTER ALL, PRIME MINISTER RUTTE ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE. I WAS PROPERLY DISTANCED. MY NOSE, MOUTH AND CHIN WERE COVERED.

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HAARLEM, FRANS HALS MUSEUM, I SOMEHOW MANAGED TO SLIP THROUGH WITH A MASK ON MY FACE, AT A STRICTLY DEFINED TIME, ALONG CAREFULLY MARKED PATHS. I MET THREE VISITORS THROUGHOUT THE MUSEUM (FROM A DISTANCE).

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INSIDE THE CHURCH OF ST. BAVO MADE AN ELECTRIFYING IMPRESSION ON ME. I IMMEDIATELY REMEMBERED THE PAINTING BY PIETER SAENREDAM, WHICH I WROTE ABOUT IN HIGH SCHOOL, LONG,

LONG AGO.

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PIETER JANSZ SAENREDAM, INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH OF ST. BAVO IN HAARLEM, 1635, OIL ON CANVAS, 34 × 28 CM NATIONAL MUSEUM, WARSAW, POLAND

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IT IS 10 KILOMETRES TO THE SEA FROM HAARLEM. BUS 81 TAKES ABOUT 15 MINUTES TO GO THERE. FROM GROTE MARKT (WHERE THE ST. BAVO CHURCH IS LOCATED) IT'S BEST TO REACH THE RUYCHAVERSTRAAT STOP.

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BLOEMENDAAL AM ZEE.

WIDE SANDY BEACH ON THE NORTH SEA. IN SUMMER, DESPITE THE

PANDEMIC, A LOT OF PEOPLE. SO A LITTLE FEAR. BETTER TO COME HERE WHEN THE WEATHER IS BAD. AND TAKE A WALK IN THE DUNES.

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VII. Reading

THE AMSTERDAM PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION - OBA, THE MAIN BUILDING, RIGHT NEXT TO CENTRAAL STATION, HAS QUITE INTERESTING ARCHITECTURE, BESIDES IT IS A NICE PLACE TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME (AS LONG AS THERE ARE NO COVID

RESTRICTIONS OF COURSE).

A VERY RICH COLLECTION OF ENGLISH-LANGUAGE BOOKS.

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SOMETIMES I BUY BOOKS. THESE ARE MY FAVOURITE PLACES.

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LAMBIEK, COMIC BOOK STORE. IN THE NETHERLANDS, COMICS ARE NOT AS POPULAR AS IN FRANCE, BELGIUM, USA OR JAPAN, THE BIG FOUR. BUT LAMBIEK IS PROBABLY THE OLDEST EXISTING COMIC SHOP WORLDWIDE (FROM 1968).

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AMERICAN BOOK CENTER, MANY COMICS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS (YOU MUST USE THESE TWO TERMS, RIGHT?)

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VIII. Entertainment

WELL, WE ALL KNOW BY NOW THAT STREAMING SERVICES ARE THE BIGGEST LOCKDOWN WINNERS. OF COURSE, I DID NOT RESIST NETFLIX EITHER. OF THESE,

I ESPECIALLY LIKE THE SCANDINAVIAN CRIME SERIES. I REGRET TO ADMIT THAT I DIDN'T GET TO WATCH ANY DUTCH MOVIES.

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I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW OF ANY METHOD TO STOP STARING AT THE SCREEN. THE SCREEN AT WORK, SCREEN AT LEISURE. GAMES, FUN, POLITICS.

AUTUMN EVENTS IN POLAND, OBSERVED FROM A DISTANCE, MADE ME MISS MY HOMELAND LESS.

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POLAND ABORTION RULING: PROTESTS CONTINUE IN POLAND. PRO-CHOICE PROTESTERS HAVE MARCHED THROUGH THE STREETS OF WARSAW FOR THE SEVENTH DAY. THEY ARE OPPOSED TO A COURT RULING THAT INTRODUCED A NEAR-TOTAL BAN ON ABORTION IN THE MAINLY CATHOLIC COUNTRY. THE DECISION MEANS TERMINATIONS ARE ONLY VALID IN CASES OF RAPE OR INCEST, OR TO PROTECT THE MOTHER'S LIFE. [BBC]

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I LIKE THESE BOOKS VERY MUCH. I COME BACK TO THEM OFTEN. IT'S SUCH A MUST-HAVE KIT FOR SOMEONE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY ARE. SOMETIMES I FIND THE PLACES DESCRIBED HERE, I STOP, I NOD MY HEAD, OH YES, THIS IS WHERE THIS AND THIS LIVED, THIS AND THIS HAPPENED HERE. VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING IS PRESERVED IN THIS CITY. CHANGES

HAVE NEVER BEEN TOO RAPID. A WALK AROUND WARSAW EVOKES THE SPIRIT OF THE PLACE. HERE, YOU DON'T NEED SO MUCH IMAGINATION.

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AND TWO MORE ITEMS. THE FIRST IS A BRILLIANT, FUNNY AND FULL OF CATEGORICAL QUASI REPORTAGE. IT'S A GOOD READ, BUT IF YOU WERE TO BUILD A PICTURE OF THE NETHERLANDS ON THIS BASIS, IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE TRUE. AND FOR MY POLISH-SPEAKING READERS, A BOOK BY MAREK ORZECHOWSKI. I READ IT BEFORE I CAME HERE. NOT THAT I WAS PARTICULARLY DELIGHTED WITH HIS POSITION, BUT IN MANY ASPECTS, IT GAVE A REALLY INSIGHTFUL PORTRAIT OF THE COUNTRY. HE ALSO PORTRAYED THE INHABITANTS, BUT FOR THE REASONS DESCRIBED IN PREVIOUS (AND FOLLOWING) CHAPTERS, I

HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO VERIFY THIS.

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YOU CAN READ ABOUT THIS MAN IN EACH OF THE

AFOREMENTIONED BOOKS. WHICH IS FUNNY, THE REFERENCE TO SPINOZA ALSO APPEARED IN THE POLISH ELECTION CAMPAIGN (SEE CHAPTER BIKE TOURS), THE FAILED CANDIDATE REFERRED TO SPINOZA'S LEGACY. IT IS HARDLY SURPRISING THAT HE LOST, IN POLAND THERE IS NO USE OF THINKING IN POLITICS, BESIDES, WHO LIKES SUCH SUPERIOR RHETORIC (PRETENTIOUS? MOI?).

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GREY HERON (ARDEA CINEREA)

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BIRDWATCHER’S TOOL

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SCHIPHOL IS NOT FAR FROM HERE, SO YOU CAN ALWAYS DO THE PLANE SPOTTING.

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IX. Bike tours II

PYTHONBRUG, THE BRIDGE THAT SPANS THE CANAL BETWEEN SPORENBURG AND BORNEO ISLAND IN EASTERN DOCKLANDS. BUILT IN 2001, DESIGNED BY ADRIAAN GEUZE (COMPANY WEST 8).

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NHOW HOTEL BUILDING, BUILT IN 2019, DESIGNED BY OMA (OFFICE FOR METROPOLITAN ARCHITECTURE), A COMPANY FOUNDED BY REM KOOLHAS..

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THE BUILDING'S UNUSUAL SHAPE LOOKS REALLY NICE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE AMSTELPARK (EUROPABOULEVARD).

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BETONDORP IS A DISTRICT BUILT IN THE 1920S, MEETING THE SOMEWHAT UTOPIAN ASSUMPTIONS OF ACCESSIBLE AND HUMANFRIENDLY ARCHITECTURE. IT IS MAINLY FAMOUS AS THE PLACE WHERE JOHAN CRUIJFF WAS BORN.

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EYE FILMMUSEUM BUILDING ON THE NORTHERN BANK OF THE IJ HARBOUR. BUILT IN 2012, DESIGNED BY THE VIENNESE FIRM DELUGAN MEISSL ASSOCIATED ARCHITECTS.

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AMSTERDAMSE SCHOOL. THERE MUST BE SOMETHING ABOUT THIS IN A BOOK ABOUT AMSTERDAM. BRICKS NEATLY CREATE AN ARCHITECTURAL DETAIL. THE INTERESTING SHAPE OF THE WINDOWS. RAW, MODERN AND AT THE SAME TIME

SURPRISINGLY POETIC SHAPE. YES.

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X. Work III

„OF ALL THE MEASURES THAT HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC, THE ADVICE TO WORK FROM HOME WHEREVER POSSIBLE HAS PROVED ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE. THIS ADVICE WAS NOT TIME-LIMITED AND SO THE ADVICE

REMAINS: WORK FROM HOME WHEREVER POSSIBLE.” [HTTPS://WWW.GOVERNMENT.NL/]

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XI. People

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ON THE PREVIOUS PICTURE YOU CAN SEE MY NEW DUTCH COLLEAGUES. THANKS TO THE LOCKDOWN, MY SOCIAL LIFE TOOK ON A NEW DIMENSION.

ABOVE - COLLEAGUES FROM POLAND. WE TALK LESS AND LESS EVERY MONTH. HERE, NOTHINGNESS ALSO LOOMS ON THE HORIZON. ON THE OTHER HAND, IN MY BUSINESS CONTACTS, AS I COUNTED, I TALK ON AVERAGE TO SEVEN PEOPLE FROM OVER A DOZEN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES DURING A WORKING DAY. BUT WILL IT KEEP ME SANE?

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Epilogue

TWELVE IS THE HOUR. THE HOUR IS TWELVE.

*)

*) ACTUALLY, FIREWORKS WERE PROHIBITED DURING NEW YEAR'S EVE 2020-2021.

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HERE IT IS. YOUR SUPERHERO FOR 2021,

THE MORE-PRODUCTIVE-REMOTELY-THAN-IN-THE-OFFICE MAN.

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