Vondel Park

Wednesday, 11 February 2017: 14.45 - 16.03

A snowy winter, here in Amsterdam, has become a rare thing. And such… when the snow arrives you better head out there and have some fun. Or, at the very very least enjoy the fact that it’s here.

I believe there are moments when this building thinks it is a palace.

Way back when, I had a 300 piece puzzle depicting a winter park. I hadn’t thought about that puzzle in forever—until today in the park. Nice!

The Snow People took advantage of the weather and shared their posing skills with passing photographers.

You can’t have snow in the park without people getting it into their heads to make increasingly large snowballs. I find it a wonderfully therapeutic activity.

…And where there are snowballs, there are Snowball Design courses.

Busy-peaceful is the way I’d describe the Vondelpark-in-snow vibe.

What is it with these nutty alien spacecraft: do they really think we don’t know who they really are?

Some of these houses were certainly designed by readers of fairy tales.

You cannot see what I hear, but trust me, it’s a good sound: snow-crunchy music—if you know what I mean.

10.

“Bring me your shivering and frozen; bring me all those in need of a thaw; bring me your red-runny noses and sneezes and coughs. In return, I’ll give you warmth, apple tart, and mugs of hot cocoa.”

*!*

11.

Trees have a pretty laid back attitude, when it comes to dealing with snow.

12.

“No, we’re not working today. Today, we’re going to hang around and watch the world go by.”

13.

Every winter Big Little Tree hired a personal Hang player to come and cheer it up every other afternoon.

14.

The hardest part of a day out in the park is when it’s time to tell the little one’s: “We’re going home now.” This is where the ability to sell an ‘end’ as a ’new beginning’ comes in handy.

15.

These two trees had a falling out about a month ago. The birds are presently putting together a ceasefire document, but it’s not easy. Things are very much touch and go at the moment.

16.

The Yellow Guard protected their boss, Cat ‘er Pillar Digger, with such ferocity, the municipal workers couldn’t get anywhere near it. They were left with no other choice but to abandon yet another piece of valuable equipment.

17.

“Yes, I know. That’s exactly what I was thinking. What can you say? What can you do? So I hear you. I’ve been there.”

18.

Have you any idea what percentage of accidents are caused by untied shoelaces? It’s unbelievable. Some of the greatest accidents, across the globe, were initiated by a flappy shoelace! Stay alert people. Stay alert.