Pigeons, crows, seagulls, and more. Bikes, bags, boots. Coats and boats on every corner. A feather floats in the frigid air.
“Dal af in het Rotterdams Verleden” means descend into the Rotterdam past – exactly the goal for my time here in the marketplace. Each store that stands stores a piece of history, timeless. The cultures blend together seamlessly. From 1648 to now, the pungent smell of spices is a testament to the fact that I have not yet caught COVID on this trip abroad. All the plants on the windowsill sit. Each tile of the Market is like a square on an Instagram board. Each individual piece fragment connects to the next, creating a whole portrait. Amongst a group of passersby, a little girl does her own dance. Strangers check in on each other. A man takes a phone call, smiling as he chats. The restrooms nearby alone are enough to empty one’s whole wallet. Suddenly a bird flies inside the market, as does the next. A Photo-Me booth captures the perfect Instagrammable moments for friends and strangers alike. A construction area serves as a museum of sorts for passersby.
