Glass panels, bold structures and shiny surfaces....

The Museum Reina Sofia (contemporary art) in Madrid not only houses a great collection. One of the top pieces is the Guernica of Picasso (no photo's there....).... But it also is a fantastic building. The heart of the museum is an old hospital building by the Italian architect Sabatini (last quarter of the 18th century). In 2005 the building was enlarged.

The museum is located on a square. The first thing you notice are two huge glass elevator towers with each three glass elevators (yes... this is only one).

It is fun to be in one of the towers and take pictures of the other.

Or of the square down below.

Later, having lunch on the other side of the square I was watching the elevators. They were behaving like a giant fruit machine.... Sometimes three in a row.

Bingo......

The most fantastic part was the roof pavilion.  Glass panels, bold structures and shiny surfaces. 

Fantastic reflections!

Connecting the old and the new.

Bold structures and bold lettering.

A good place to rest the feet for some time before going back inside to see even more great paintings.

The past staring you in the face....

Walking in Copenhagen along the harbor you are bound to pass theSkuespil Huset (across the Opera). Like the Black Diamond the facade that faces the water is mainly glass. This time there were people staring at passers by from the inside..... More or less strange figures, emerging like ghosts out of their Dickensian surroundings. 

An alienating experience. Like by looking into a window we can see not only what is behind us, but also into the past.

 

Copenhagen reflections....

It is a bright day in Copenhagen. That's when reflections are at their best! Either windows or water... when you start looking reflections are everywhere. To take the right pictures the angle is extremely important. The other thing is.... how to keep yourself out of the picture (you need long arms).

These windows are in the Nyhavn; the place to have lunch in Copenhagen. The difference is that the windows are on the shadow side and the restaurants and cafe's are on the sunny side of the harbor.

As the buildings of the Nyhavn have bright colors the reflections are very "happy".

These windows are in the inner city. Houses there often date back to Medieval times.

But the most brilliant reflections in Copenhagen you find at the "Black Diamond" The building that houses the Royal Library.It looks almost like a beach! People sunbathing in deckchairs.

Reflecting left and right, up and down and front to back .....

But to be completely upside down, you have to be in Tivoli. No I don't dare to go into these machines where you go spiraling or hanging upside down.... Or I think even worse, experience a free fall.

Yes they have amazing modern buildings in Copenhagen (like the "Black Diamond"). This facade with different windows does makes you think of Christiania. You see what I mean by right angle....  (Well I tried...)

And then this building. The offices of Maersk, the largest container shipping company of the world. Rigid rows of windows, reflecting the blue skies. It sure is different.... but a bit to much of the "Brave New World" (Aldous Huxley) feeling for me.

Although this picture of a Royal scenery was taken at the Opera, a huge building on the waterfront across from the Amalienborg Palace. This Opera was a gift from Maersk to the Danish people.

I know; there is so much more to tell more about Copenhagen.... But first lets have a beer (yes of course: Carlsberg!!) in the sun looking at the reflections in the Nyhavn.

Enjoy your flight.....

Flying to me is always interesting. It is good to be a bit apprehensive during take off and landing. This magnificent way of transport should be treated according to its status; with respect! 

But while in the air, it is a good thing to enjoy the ever changing clouds, the colors on the airplanes, the reflections of sunlight on the wings....  

Sometimes even there are beautiful ice crystals on the window as a reminder of the extreme cold outside.

The melting icecap of Greenland

 

 

Ice crystals... on the outside

Enjoy the flight, enjoy the light

A yuppie theme park: Puerto Madero

Thinking it would be nice to go to a part of Buenos Aires that was completely unknown to us, we decided to go to Puerto Madero. Our hotel was not far. We only needed to cross some busy avenues. We were not prepared for the surprise. There was Puerto Madero, but it was as if we were arriving in the Docklands in London.

It was “cool”. New and trendy old mixed together to a yuppie paradise. 

The old cranes and old ships are like artefacts on a set. Walking along the docks you have no idea even of being in Latin America. The cafes and restaurants play rock, beat and other western music. 

The one thing that comes near to tango is the bridge of the women - the puente de la Mujer. Companies have European / North American names. Prices are adjusted to the level of European cities.  

Sure, the weather is much better than in London. The pieces of meat on the menu are huge. You get them with a lot of potatoes… the green is separate. The wine is excellent and the glasses are much larger then in Europe.

Everything is smooth. I found just one derelict building. I suppose in a few years it will also be transformed into something beautiful and expensive.

I loved to be there; just watching the scenery. The blue sky, the colors, the feeling of being safe. At the same time it feels artificial, like being in some theme park. It is nice for a change to be “back” for a while, but after some time I miss the noisy, busy and lively atmosphere of Latin America.