Rotterdam in Pictures

Rotterdam strikes me as a place that doesn’t get enough kudos.

In the shadow of Amsterdam, I found a city with the most incredible, mixed up architecture, wonderful food and friendly, open people.

I was there thanks to Ypsomed, the distributors of the Omnipod insulin pump that keeps me on this here earth. I joined their mylife Diabetes Network last year, and was inaugurated with a rather unbelievable trip to their HQ in Switzerland.

This time we hit the Netherlands, which was no less unbelievable (or should that be no more believable?). The theme was again food, sightseeing and most importantly user testing and feedback of their upcoming products. In Burgdorf we saw the finished Ypsopump,  this time it was all about software.

But software isn’t particularly sexy to photograph, so here are lots of pictures of a city that should get a lot more attention. There is a video coming soon that hopefully will do it far more justice…

Ok, so this isn’t Rotterdam, but my relieved mug, happy to have made it after getting delayed at London City for a number of hours due to a serious amount of fog.

Awesome things about Rotterdam #1. Water taxis. Really, really fast water taxis.

Greeted by this majestic being as we stepped from the water, which I’m told was previously the headquarters for the Holland – America ship line.

Contrasting architecture is apparently a feature of Rotterdam’s restaurants as well as its buildings… (Yep, that’s a metal shark).

And then there was wine.

Sashimi for starters. YES. PLEASE.

Three courses down and this guy got the better of me.

Matthijs enjoying the water taxi back to the hotel.

Day two and the work begins. This is Ypsomed’s upcoming diabetes software.

Sascha giving some passionate feedback to the team.

Matthijs and Matthias hard at work.

Plenty of feedback from us ‘enthusiastic’ lot.

Tine looking pensive as she absorbs all the info.

How glorious is everything about this?

Time for another trip on water. This time a more gentle cruise.

A city of two tales.

The majestic Erasmus bridge.

Which we gently passed under.

Curse you 16:9 crop.

Overexposed ladies. Probably not for the first time.

The SS Rotterdam, now a stationary hotel, but very imposing nonetheless.

Making us feel rather small.

Sunshine, bikes and boats.

Time for a trip to the Markthal, complete with apartments looping over it.

Food market porn.

And again.

And again.

More of that incredible roof.

Don’t mind us, we just LIVE IN AN AVOCADO.

The Destroyed City statue, commemorating 25,000 homes destroyed and 900 people killed by WWII bombs.

Complimentary street signs are always a win.

My favourite street we passed, known as Witte de Withstraat. Uber cool.

Says it all, hey?

Our restaurant had a disco ball, so I was sold.

Tired < Chilly < Happy.

The Erasmus (aka The Swan) looking rather fine by night.

The most important part of the hotel: the swings. Of course.