Olive Garden - photo re-taken

A visiting "subject matter expert" from Ohio showed me how to set the flash to throw the light. I was able to get one verse of the lettering from the wall in the Olive Garden. There are three of these verses across this wall. Of course, I have no idea what they say. I'll have to ask, next time we go there.

Enjoying the fruits of our labor

Team Building Exercise in Amsterdam

The IT Steering Committee (from the US) and the IT Leads cooked dinner together. This was more my kind of thing than the last team outing--go carting. Mark ( to my left) told me I was micromanaging :-), but, hey, he was much faster at chopping than me, so it was better for me to supervise! We all agreed, our dinner was pretty delicious.

From left, Doug, Mark, me, Terry.

Verses displayed in house windows

On Westmeers street, many of the windows each had a different verse of a poem taped up, so that the entire poem was complete within the length of that street. I saw different pages up when I was last in Brugge, in 2003 and was fascinated by them, then.

Per Brody Neuenschwander, this was done by Sofie Verscheure, of Symposion. I'm studying Dutch and am far from literate, but this is my rough translation:
"What your hand touches, it is blessed." I'm doublechecking with one of my Dutch colleagues.

La Rose

Love that script

Tea House

Per Brody Neuenschwanderm, this letter is done by Sofie Verscheure who runs Symposion, a wonderful calligraphy center on Oostmeers. I bought LOTs of greeting cards there. When I go for another visit, I'll have to stop in the shop again and let her know how much I admire her lettering.

I had lunch in this restaurant on Sunday afternoon, before catching the train back to Leiden. Salmon and shrimp quiche and Viennese Warm Chocolate to drink. MMMM.

Display in Christofle Bouden's store window

Very colorful stone work.

Ceiling Lettering

I need to find the information on the name of the market. These "vaults" re over an outdoor sidewalk. Per Brody Neuenschwander, the calligraphy is by: Elmo van Slingerland, Michel Derr, Werner Schneider, Kitty Sabatier and himself.

Colorful Maternity Clothes Store Sign

Window Shade Lettering

Again, this lettering had to have been done by a local calligrapher.

Gorgeous Lettering

I've got to get a better picture of this. I expect this exquisite lettering was done by one of the local calligraphers.

Bruges Window Lettering

The sign, literaly translated says Eat and Chat Coffee. I think I'll plan to have lunch here next trip to the city.

Memorial sculpture with Engraved Lettering.

You can't really see it well in this photo, but this is a bronze "basket" holding exquisitely molded bronze flowers.

Frank Van Acker was the city minister who died in 1992.

Very Fun "Antiek" Sign

I like to bounce capitals for fun and loooking at this makes me want to get out the pen and play!

Paper Store - Windows

I wonder which Brugge calligrapher did the lettering in this store. I could see calligraphic cards through the window. I would love to go into this store, but it's normally closed on weekends.

Painted Address Numbers

I saw lettering like this all over the city--I assume done with stencil. I had to study the twos for awhile to make sure they weren't actually nines or a combination of the two. Odd looking, I think.

Brugges Store Sign

Bruges, Belgium - Street

You don't see architecture like this in the U.S.

Arabic-Looking Address

This hotel had large Romans for the name and these numbers for the address. They didn't really go with each other, but each looked great in its own right.

A Closer View . . .

This is obviously not modern lettering. I'd like to learn the story behind this piece.

Building Mural in Brugge

I had a wonderful view of this mural from the 4th story window of my hotel room. Didn't want to open the skylight and try to reach out to take a photo from there, though.

The Koorn Bridge

Enlarge to see all the lights.

Man Carrying Donkey -- In Bronze

I don't know the significance of this one.

Gouda Painted Sign

Lovely caps

Street in Brugge, Belgium

The Dutch spell the city "Brugge" (pronounced bruga, with a gutteral g). The French use "Bruges".

Note the beautiful brick street.

Sign: Ulla Popken

I don't remember their being quite so many signs lettered in informal script in the U.S.

Cheese House - Side View

Cheese-Wighing House in Gouda

We went to Gouda (the Dutch pronounce it "chouda", with the ch having the same sound as a gutteral Irish loch") . It was Sunday afternoon, so most of the stores and restaurants were closed. I made sure they put Gouda cheese on my sandwich--I always want to try the specialties of the area.

Internet Sign

Sylvia will love the "H" on this sign.

Legende Variation

Klaaf Sign

I thought this was especially fun, with the raised letters and shadowed effect.

Town Gate in Cologne

Koln was filled with construction projects. This was the only gate not covered with scaffolding, netting, etc.

Christ Mural on Building

A rather breathtaking mural. I had to run down this street and snap the photo while my coworker waited.

Taku sign

This will be fun to try with a brush.

Window Lettering

Expressive letters. I've got to try these with a brush.

Eigel Sign

Great "E".

Old Town Cologne Building

I enjoyed the colors on the buildings in Old Town Koln.

Hotel Windsor Sign

Several nice forms in the "Windsor"

Cologne side-street

Note the older buildings and on the right, a much more modern version.

Bier Museum Sign

I wonder what this lettering style is called--something to research.

Waterfront in Cologne Germany

These buildings are along the Rheine. Cologne (called Koln by the Germans) was heavily bombed during the war, so this city has far less attractive old buildings than the other areas I visited. I enjoy the difference in style between the store-front buildings and the church in the background.

Nightclub Sign in Cologne, Germany

Another fun script . . .

Fun Lettering Style on a Sign

Memo's Cafe Sign

A cafe in Cologne, Germany--I enjoyed the script lettering.

Snow Day!

I realize that this is a miniscule amount of snow compared to what the Northeast U.S. and other areas of the world have been going through. As I watched the snow fall my cozy spot on the other side of the window, I realized that we Californian's don't get much opportunity to see it come down. I'm sure I've seen it snow at a ski resort, but never just sat and watch it fall for hours. It looked like feathers floating down from the sky. Years ago, Holland used to get lots of snow, but they tell me they haven't had much for the past 35 years. In fact, I recently read that 2006-2007has been Holland's warmest winter in 300 years.

Dennis' New Toy

Since Dennis is now at home alone for long stretches, he finally got a project. He brought home a wrecked plane and is restoring it. It's a small two-seater--same type he owned before. It had a hard landing and broke the landing gear, the motor mounts and sustained other miscellaneous damage. It would have cost more to pay someone to repair it, than the plane was worth, so the insurance company salvaged it. Since Dennis can do the work himself, he feels it was a worthwhile purchase. He removed the wings and tail and hauled it home on a trailer. It's a good thing we have a big garage.

The wings are hanging on the wall behind the plane. The other large parts are hanging in other areas toward the front of the garage.

Recommended book: Literary Paris

I'm reading Literary Paris, by Jessica Powell. Jessica is the daughter of my friend Debbie Powell, who is a fantastic calligrapher. Jessica has travelled around the world and currently lives in London. The book talks about native French authors and writers from America and other parts of the world who spent a significant amount of time in Paris. It tells about the places they lived and frequented. It would be interesting to check out some of these spots.

Wall Lettering in the Olive Garden in downtown Leiden

I'll have to try this one again--preferably during the daytime. The Olive Garden (NOT the American chain restaurant) had verses beautifully lettered across one wall. I wanted to take a photo, but there were people sitting at all those tables, plus most of the wait staff didn't speak much English. When we were ready to go, one of my dinner companions, Doug, asked the manager if I could take a photo. He told him that I liked lettering. The manager told him, "yes" and that he had seen me taking photos around town. And I thought I was being discreet!

Arc de Triomphe

This time we took the subway, since we had walked the entire day before and we wanted to get going, so we could do some sightseeing on the way back. We climbed to the top of the arch--almost 300 steps. After all the steps in the Louvre, the day before, I thought I was definitely getting my quota of exercise!

Fun "sale" Sign

Nice use of color

French "Envelope"

Some people were set up with a booth where they were selling "antique envelopes", which upon inspection were obvious fakes, but the price was right and I thought they'd be great to photocopy and use in collages, so I bought a couple. They were too much alike, which is why I didn't buy more.