Amsterdam, 27/10/2012, Urban Photo Collective - Overexposed

Halloween in Holland.

 
In Holland and Belgium more attention is paid to the Halloween party. Every year more of these are organized and many Halloween articles are sold by special shops. Lots of critics are exposed as many people think that it is discovered by commerce to have the customer spend more in the weak period between summer holidays and Sinterklaas (a typical Dutch celebration at 5th December). Also a lot of critics say that this celebration is symptomatic for the Americanization of the European society.

 
Nevertheless a Halloween parade was held in Amsterdam on Saturday 27th October and I went there with the Urban Photo Collective to make my pictures. Theme of this evening was Overexposed.
As usual my pictures are shown at my website: http://urban.iamnotsimple.nl/#30.0

Other pictures of this theme of UPC can be found on Flickr.com. You need to search for: UPC1012

Enjoy (and rember: all people are in disguise)
Arjan

Amsterdam, 2012-10-05 The Kyteman Orchestra

Hi All,

 
This evening I went to the Royal Theatre Carre at Amsterdam to see the Kyteman Orchestra. A band that usually plays at festivals and the so called pop temples (like Paradiso at Amsterdam). So now in one of the most famous theatres of Holland. I was really curious how it would turn out, as it is quite a difference to see a funky band play at a jazz festival or in a concert hall. And I really must say it was fantastic. As the audience was sitting, there was no noise of people talking, moving around or dancing around you. You really had a chance to listen to the music and then a good performence in a concerthall is really great.

 


The Kyteman Orchestra.

20120917 photo’s Hooghalen

Dear all,

 

The weekend of 8 and 9 September was the traditional opening of the season of the Fotoclub. This time we went to a village in the province Drenthe in the nortern part of The Netherlands and famous about its beautiful nature parks and stone graves (Hunebed in Dutch). The graves we did not visit, but nature by means of the moors and sand areas were full in scope. A new 105mm macro lens was much used tob ring some very nice close ups of spiderwebs and mushrooms.

http://fca.iamnotsimple.nl/#25.0

The second day of the weekend we spend at Noorderdierenpark (Zoo) at Emmen. A nice apportunity to make some close ups of the various animals. The zoo itself is a nice placet o be as fort his zoo is chosen to show the animals in their natural environment. So not much cages, but open fields in which the animals can free walk around.

Next mont the photocontest of the month has a special thenme:

Eye to eye to animals

I would say have a look and send in your votes J My personal favorit is the ostrich

http://fca.iamnotsimple.nl/#26.0

 

Enjoy,

Arjan

20120908 FCA weekend at Hooghalen

Hi All,

 

Last weekend we celebrated the traditional opening of the new season of the fotoclub. This year we went to a village named Hooghalen in the province Drenthe.

Very sunny and warm wheather, a blooming heather and a visit to the Zoo of Emmen. For the time being I just uploaded one picture, more will follow in the next few days, as I am still busy preparing my pictures of India for presentation at the web.

Just have a look and wonder who is watching who.

http://fca.iamnotsimple.nl/#25.0

 

CU,

Arjan

India Attari-Wagag border

Hi All,

In an earlier post I told you about the border ceremony of the closing of the border and the lowering of the flags of India and Pakistan at Attari-Wagah.
Monthy Python's Ministry of silly walks must have been inspired by this ceremony.   I found this movie on YouTube. Please watch and judge by yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVLfibEp1Pk

Enjoy,
Arjan

India 2012 (20120810)

Hi All,

Actually I am writing this post on the 12th as I am already home now for 2 days. The last post I wrote in Manali and since then we visited McLeod Ganj, Amritsar and again Dehli.
If you think  McLeod Ganj? Have I ever heared of this town, I have to add that it is close to Dharamsala. As it is well known that the Dalai Lama lives in Dharamsala, I can now actually say that he does not! His Holy Temple is situated in McLeod Ganj, which is a very small village just a few miles besides Dharamsala. The Temple is not one of the nicest Bhudist temples I ever saw. A quite new building made out of concrete with two large halls where the meditation sessions are held.
The best comic I ever saw was the local policeman who managed to get the traffic completely stuck. And that in a village of only 5 streets. i managed to see it all while having a drink (a nice sweet lemon soda) on one of the roof terraces, so I had a good view of it all. A lot of noice (blowing hornes), yelling Indians and a policeman trying to arrange the traffic, but no one took notice of him.

Amritsar: The capital of the Sikh community with only a few highlights. The Golden Temple is the absolute highlight of the city. In a very hectic city this temple is an absolute oasis of peace and rest. The centre of the temple is the Hari Mandir, which is surrounded by water named Amrit Sarovar (Pool of Nectar). The Hari Mandir does have a golden roof in the shape of upside down lotus flower.
The temple is a lovely place to come to rest and enjoy the ceremonies.
In and around the temple you are constantly addressed by the Sikhs asking you where you are from and saying that you are most welcome in their temple.

 In the evening we went to a nearby city (Attari) to the Waga border, to watch the ceremony of lowering the flags of India and Pakistan.   I have seen many military ceremonies in my life, but I really do not know what to think of this one.
On both sides of the border platforms are build to watch the ceremony. On the Indian side a few thousand watchers (mostly Indian people), the Pakistani side could not be seen very well by me, but also a crowd was gathered.
During the time we had to wait for the ceremony on both sides of the border loud music was played. Probably patriotic songs. So it was a real lot of noice.
A local celebrety was agitating the public to get them dancing, singing and waving the Indian flag. If I did not know better I could be watching a football game with a fanatic crowd.
The ceremony itself took only about 15 minutes. A lot of marching, saluting and of course the lowering of the flags. Both the Indian and Pakistan flag are lowered at exactly the same time, the same speed, etc....

Dehli 8 and 9 August
By train we travelled from Amritsar to Dehli in about 6 hours. We travelled 2nd class so no hanging on doors or sitting on the rooftop :-)
In the afternoon I went to the Bahai Temple. A temple build in the shape of a huge Lotusflower ( http://www.shalusharma.com/lotus-temple-must-see-bahai-temple ).



The last day in Dehli I went on a bike tour through the old town.
From DehlibyCycle:

"The Shah Jahan Tour is DelhiByCycle’s classic recipe for an exhilarating glimpse into the life and times of the great Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan and the 1500 acre expanse of his capital - Shahjahanabad. At the time of its construction in the 17th Century, it was arguably, the most prosperous and beautiful city in the world. Today, when you pass through its four hundred year old web of alleys held together with great big meshes of electric cables and infused with the smell of brewing tea and simmering breakfast curry, you see a mind boggling co-existence of the past and the future, competing for your attention. Emerging from this rainforest, thick with traditional architecture- typical of Shah Jahan’s time, you will find yourself in a Delhi of another time while you also see the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, the Spice Market and tranquil Civil Lines, the former British colonial area as a sharp contrast to hectic Old Delhi."

Took the nightflight back to Amsterdam where I arrived after a deep sleep at 06:00 in the morning. Got the weekend to rest before going back to work on Monday.

CU,
Arjan

India 2012 (03082012)

Hi all,

Boring day today. Cancelled a 5 hour walk through the woods because of the rain. Manali is well known because of the rains, but so far it rained only in the evening. Now almost the whole day. This morning i looked around in Old Manali and found a good place for breakfast where an excellent espresso was served. Stayed a long time over there. In the afternoon I spent some time reading and listening to some music on the balcony of my hotelroom.
Tomorrow morning we'll leave for Daramsala. No change to see the Dalai Lama as he is on a tour through Ladakh at the moment. Just missed him as a matter of speaking.
Learned on the news that in Holland some messages were about power downs in India. So far we hardly noticed that. Power over here goes down all the times, but most of the hotels have their own generator.

Going off for dinner now,
CU,
Arjan

India 2012 (020812)

Hi All,

It has been some since my last post, so here I go again. Right now I am in Manali and as to speak in the real world again. Yesterday when we arrived it was rainy, but right now the weather is fine although rain is expected every day around here.
The hikingg around Leh was fabulous. For five days we walked between  4 to 6 hours verey day through the mountains and it looked loike we were walking on the moon. Heavy mountains to climb and no vegetation at all.the route we walked:
Day 1: Basco to Likir (3500mtr). Bikir is a very little village at the beginning of the indus river and has a nice monastary to visit with a Buddha of 30 mtr. The walk was very heavy because of the temperature of about 40C and because we had to cross a desert, so we had no protection against the sun at all. In the evening I felt a little sick, probably because of the heat. At the end of the walk I had finished my complete storage of water for the day (5 liters)
Day 2 Likir to Yangtang (3600mtr)
We have 2 passes to cross today: the Pobe La (3550mtr) and the Charatse La (3630mtr). A walk of appr. 4 hours through beautiful colored mountains. At night the sky was really clear and I cannot imagine to have seen so much stars. Even the Galaxy (Melkweg) was very clear to see.
Day 3 Yangtang to Hemis Shuckpachan (3700mtr)
A heavy steep climb to the Sermanchan pass at 3750mtr. I get really used to the walking through the mountains and developed a steady slow step. Going up your own tempo and enjoy the surroundings.
Day 4 Hemis Shuckpachang to Themisgang (3200 mtr)
Although going down for the day we have to do the first pass at 3750 mtr (Lago Meptekpass). I am getting used to the altitude now and the walking goes smoothly. The surroundings keep amazing.
Day 5 Themisgang to Ulitokpo via Lamayuro.
The last day of the hike and a hard one. First a tough climb to the Bongbongpass (3650 mtr) and then a  slowly decent through a moonlike landscape to the mainroad where jeeps are waiting to take us to Ulitokpo.
In the evening we say goodbey to our crew who took care of building our camp every day, prepared oud good (vegatarian) meals and moved our lugage (by car). We had some drinks in the evening and gave them their tips. They all looked happy.

Then back to Leh for a day to have a shower and clean up from the hike.

Went to DakhTok to see the Buddhist festival. A day full of dances, music and a lot of local people who visited the festival. We stayed near the monastery at a campsite.
In the morning wed visited the second day of the festival. After lunch we left with our bus back to Leh.

In Leh we had to do some shopping as the next 2 days we are only on the road and it was not sure whether we would find a decent place to have lunch.

Leh to Sarchu (4100mtr)
The road is dusty and bad. It is a lot of driving today (10-12hrs) as we have to cross some very high passes.
1) TaglangLa (5350mtr), which is the 2nd highest pass in the world which can be driven by car.
2) Lachung La (50656)
You cannot imagine that all traffic have to go through this road to reach Leh. All goods (oil, food, etc) has to pass this bad road.
We sleep in a permanent campsite with luxury tents at 4100 mtr altitude. Around the campsite huge marmots live and are easy to see and also al lot of Edelweiss grows here. The Swiss would be jealous, because it is almost impossible not to step on it.

Sarchu to Keylong (3350 mtr)
A 6 hour drive. Still no vegetation accept some moss. The mountains are coloured from yellow till red and covered with snow.
An easy ride  with only one high pass (Baralacha 4880mtr).

Keylong to Manali (2050mtr)
First part of the trip goes all well. Good road and fast driving. After the pass the wheather turns and it is raining (first time during the trip). The road turns into a slippery way of mud. Driving goes slow and a few times traffic gets stuck as cars and trucks gets stuck in the mud. A lot of yelling and waiting, but this will always be solved. Costs some time :-)

And now 2 days in Manali. Went to a barbershop this morning to have a good shave. Feel like a babyskin again :-)

CU,
Arjan

India 27072012

Hi all,

After a five day tracking through the highlands I am back in Leh again.The last 5 days I spend walking through the " moonlandscape of Ladakh". Further details will follow as I have no notes with me right now.The tracking was absolute fabulous, wonderfull landscapes, good weather (sometimes even too hot too walk and climb, good vegetarian food and a fantastic crew too take care of us.
Tomorrow we leave for a festival at TakTok and we will spend a full day over there.
I will come back with more deatils later.

CU,
Arjan

India 2012 (20/07/2012)

Hi All,

18/7 Dehli
Flight to Dehli went smoothly and I arrived around 2:00 am in my hotel. Afeter a short and bloody hot night I made a city walk around the slopes of old Dehli with a guide from the Salaam Bakaar Trust. A trust which takes care of the streetchildren of Dehli. They give them a shelter and some education.
In the afternoon I hired a taxi with 3 other members of our group to do a quick tour through Dehli. In a rush we passed the Red Fort, The park where Ghandi was cremated, The India Gate, the houses of Parlement and made a visit to the Laksmi Nayaran Temple.

19/7 Leh
An early rise to catch the plane to Leh. Again a smooth flight and at the end it became claer why this flight only leaves when Leh is not cloudy. The pilot has to make a few hard turns between the mountains to reach the lane to land.
Earlier still on the airport in Dehli I learned from a local newspaper that it had been over 40C.

Grapped some lunch and walked into the city of Leh, which is very small and easy to walk around. Tried not to move to fast as Leh is situated at 3500mtrs altitude. You really have to get used to that. Little less air and if you move to fast your hart beates like hell.
Dinner in a garden restaurant where I had my first Thali. A vegetarian dish containing rice, several curries and bread. Delicious food.

20/7 Leh
Climbed up to the Palace of Leh where we had a look around. It was my first serious climb. A steel path going up for a few hundred meters. The palace was old  and is still being renovated, but you have a nice few over the city.
After the palace another climb to the high above the palace situated Gompa. Some king of monastary. A real nice building on top of the mountain with even better views and statues and wallpaintings.
For the afternoon some shopping for the trecking is planned and some further relaxing.
In Leh the weather is much more pleasant than in Dehli. It is around 25C and a few cloudes.

CU,
Arjan

India 2012 (16-7-2012)

Ready for take-off

Almost anything I might need on the way to India has been packed, my ticket is confirmed and the boardingpass has been printed. Tuesday morning I will leave around 7:30 to Schiphol and I will be airborn at 11:30 on my flight KL871 to India (New Dehli).
The map below will give an estimate of the planned route.

CU,
Arjan

Urban Photo Collective – Out of Context – May 12, 2012

Another shoot with the UPC. Saturday morning we went to the Domsquare in Utrecht to shoot our pictures. Theme was "Out of Context" and we were asked to bring along some items to create our pictures.The items we brought along were our "Little people". You know the Playmobile, tin soldiers, a little buddha statue, etc., etc.
It is quite out of context when this stuff is put in front of your camera in the surroundings of the Dom church of Utrecht. You can see for yourself

 
Link: Out of Context


 
Have fun,
Arjan

Kyteman

Many of you probably never have heared of the artist named Kyteman.

Kyteman which is an alias of Colin Benders also performed under the names: Kyteman's Hiphop Orchestra, Kytecrash and The Kyteman Orchestra.

Here is the link to his website: http://kyteman.com/home. Google for Kyteman and you will find several links to his videos. Try to listen to the song: Sorry.

 

Have fun,

Arjan

 

 

Paradiso Amsterdam 27/4/2012 – Kyteman Orchestra

This is the review of a concert I attended on April 27,2012 at the Paradiso Concerthal in Amsterdam.

Live review: The Kyteman Orchestra in Paradiso, Amsterdam

20:30. Een rij voor de deur tot ver om de hoek, mensen die zich afvragen of ze op tijd binnen zullen zijn, iemand verkoopt een kaartje. Eenmaal binnen is het donker.Het beetje blauwe licht maakt dat je mensen op het podium ziet en de muziek begint. Nog steeds is het irritant donker, het podium staat vol, de muziek zwelt aan.
Met een enorme explosie van geluid, enorme trommels, blazers, violen en een basgitaar die heerlijk hard staat, baadt ineens iedereen in het licht en geluid. Het is Kyteman, met zijn orkest. Blazers links, strijkers rechts. Piano's, klavieren, synthesizers in het midden, drumstellen links en rechts. Op de balkonnen aan weerszijden een koor. De zaal is vol, mensen en geluid.
Onbevooroordeeld ging ik hiernaartoe, zonder hem vorig jaar gezien te hebben, zonder geluisterd te hebben naar hoe het klinkt op plaat. Bij de DWDD recordings een fragment meegekregen van iets wat niet geheel uit de verf kwam, om het zacht te zeggen, maar hier staan ze. Ze blazen me omver, en met mij de hele zaal.
Het is belachelijk mooi, klassieke stukken, de zware stem van de rapper-reus Pax en andere helden. Ze maken het met elkaar tot een mix van gangsterrap in opera-vorm uit de tijd van Bach. Waar je zegt dat Bach bombastisch is, kun je zeggen dat het Kytemans orkest gedoseerde TNT is.
Een groepje kletsende dames wordt door de hele zaal tot stilte gemaand tussen een nummer door.Veelal hoor je gewoon de klink van de tap als iedereen klaar is met het oorverdovende applaus.
Dit begint op een ode te lijken, maar dat geeft niet, want het was fantastisch. Een klokkenspel wat met 200+ aanslagen per minuut bediend wordt, twee drumstellen waar drie drummers op spelen, een grote trommel waarvan ik de naam niet weet die samen met een drumstel een heel diepe Drum´n Bass laat horen en een jam als toegift, wat wil je nog meer. Als je de kans ziet kaarten te bemachtigen, ga erheen! Verwacht niks, luister niet naar de plaat, het wordt je beloond.
Na dit project heeft Kyteman met zijn orkest rust in de tent, misschien een idee om eens te kijken naar "The Passion" en in een schouwburg gaan staan…?
Door Aart de Bruijn



Live: The Kyteman Orchestra

25 april 2012

Paradiso Amsterdam

UPC Urban Art (revisited)

Hi all,

 
This morning (15/4/2012) I had another photo excursion with the Urban Photo Collective. This time we went real Urban. The place to be visited was an old factory near Breukelen (a small city between Amsterdam and Utrecht). The factory was abandoned years ago and really very demolished. The place was closed and we had to climb over a fence to get in. Actually: entrance was prohibited.
You might think why should you go over there and what is there to see in such a ruined place. Well, it is rather famous about its Urban Art. Through the years various urban artists have left their grafity art inside the building and I rather must say it is really a pity that entrance is closed as it is really worthwile going there to see it.
A selection of my pictures is published on my website: http://urban.iamnotsimple.nl/#home

Have fun,
Arjan


ps: an overview of one of the walls in the factory (this is a stich of actual 5 pictures)

UPC Mirror Magic at Utrecht

Dear all,

Saturday February 25 I had another meeting with the Urban Photo Collective in Utrecht. This times theme was Mirror Magic and the location was around the Rabo Building in the centre of Utrecht. A building with lots of glass walls and as the weather was sunny lots of mirror magic was expected. 
My results are on my website: Iamnotsimple

If you would also like to see what other photografers made of this theme please go to Flickr.com and do a search on UPC0212
All photos of the Urban Photo Collective members of February will be shown.

Have fun,
Arjan

Ortisei, February 10, 2012

Hi all,

I have finished skiing for this year. Though a bit early, but temperatures dropped till minus 18C on the mountain and with a strong wind it became just to cold in the lifts.
Well, a little bit of metrics then:
During the last 6 days I used 108 different lifts, the total height difference  was 28.661 meters and the total slopes length was 163 km.
This was wintersport for this year, tomorrow I will drive back to Almere which is a total distance of 1.088 km.

CU,
Arjan

Ortisei, February 2012

Hi all,

As the 11 City Skating tour fever in Holland slowly gets to its climax ( will it go on or not!), I am enjoying my yearly wintersport vacation in the beautiful area of Val Gerdena. The start of the week was freezingly cold with daily temparatures of -15C, but now (Wednesday 8 Feb) the temperature in the mountains dropped to only -7 and it is sunny all day. Although the cold we were almost all the week able to have our lunch on the mountain in the outside, just keep out of the wind and in the sunshine!
Tomorrow is Seela Ronda time. A ski tour of about 65 km around the Sella Massive. Mostly it is done clockwise, but this time we go the other way around.

On the picture both routes of the Ronda are signed. Red and Green. We will start in the left upper corner of the picture and go counterclockwise around the Sella Massive (following the green line).
Saturday will be the day of my trip back to Holland.

CU soon,
Arjan

Urban Photo Collective – Utrecht (Papendorp)

Almere, 29 January 2012

 

Hi all,

 

Yesterday afternoon I spent some hours with the Urban Photo Collective in Utrecht. We went to a new part of the town with lots of office buildings and as it was Saturday there were not many people and traffic around. Lots of time to look around and make some nice pictures. Theme of this afternoon was High Contrast. With a little sun and some clouds around lots of apportunities to create some nice shots. If you have time please have a look at my website: http://urban.iamnotsimple.nl/#18.0