Postcard from Rotterdam (updated)

It's exactly a month today since the first post was published on this blog... and we're fast approaching 4000 hits, which I would never have expected in a million years!  We also have some new readers from Denmark today so hello to you from here and welcome to the blog! Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to have a look, please keep reading - as I have many more stories about life in Somero to tell you.



View from the Erasmus Bridge



This particular post I am writing from the Netherlands - Frederic and I are in Rotterdam to see the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament at the AHOY stadium. We are very lucky because tonight's match is between Roger Federer and Jarkko Nieminen. Federer is the favourite to win, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that Jarkko manages to produce something special and makes it through to the semi finals tomorrow.



Rotterdam is not a city that I have visited before, and I have to say that my first impressions are very mixed. The people are polite and friendly, and like most Dutch people speak exceptionally good English. Having said that though, as we drove here in our hire car, we did not stop saying how lucky we are to live in Somero, where the landscape is so calm and beautiful. It's warmer here (around 8 degrees today) but the sky is grey, so everything seems dull, and the landscape that we have seen so far is really not pretty at all. 

The prettier side of Rotterdam





Rotterdam seems to be in a very industrial region and the centre of town is full of unattractive buildings and apartment blocks, many of which look as though they were designed in the 70s. I am not a specialist in architecture but that is not a compliment. I am sure there is more to this region than that...these are just my first impressions...but if you are searching for a holiday destination with beautiful views then I would suggest crossing Rotterdam off your list.



Typical Rotterdam apartment building











I've tried to show you both sides of Rotterdam with these pictures, but in all honesty I still find it an uninspiring city. The one advantage in travelling abroad is that you always learn something new, both about the place you visit and the place you come back to. Whenever I leave Finland I always appreciate the scenery ten times more when I get back, even more so now that we live in Somero.

Sorry, but the scenery around Rotterdam is just plain ugly

I'm off to eat some onion rings in the hotel bar. Think positive for Jarkko Nieminen this evening. I will let you know how he gets on in the match and share some of this very grey landscape with you as soon as I can!

With love from Rotterdam....