When in Warns, Friesland 2020, NL

Locations: The basic location where I took these pictures is in Warns, Friesland, in July 2020. Since I used this camera and film during the summer, you will also find some colorful images from biking around the Hoornsemeer lake in Groningen, taken in August 2020. Also, two pictures are taken during my first time picking blueberries in Wapse. In the Netherlands you can visit picking gardens, such as the Zeldenrust in Wapse, where you can pick your own blueberries! You take all the time you need with the picking process and when you are done, they weigh your buckets and you pay per kilo. It was a wonderful experience, even though there were not many blueberries left in the gardens! Needless to say, we ate from our blueberry batch a lot, till a couple of months ago!

Nikon F75 (35-70mm). Kodak Ultra Max 400, 35mm film.

De Onlanden, Groningen 2020 (Ektar 100)

Locations: De Onlanden, Groningen, the Netherlands, May 2020.

Minolta Dynax 7000i (AF 35-105mm). Kodak Ektar, 100 ISO, 35mm film.

Before the world stopped, Kozani 2019, GR

Locations:  Kozani city, NOK, Kipos village, Greece. August 2019.

Minolta Dynax 7000i (AF 35-105mm). Kodak Portra, 35mm film, ISO 400.

The Winter Leftovers, Groningen 2020

Locations:  Stadspark Groningen, the Netherlands. February-March 2020.

Nikon F75 (28-100mm). Kodak UltraMax 400, 35mm film.

Winter Details, Groningen 2019

Locations:  Stadspark Groningen, the Netherlands. December 2019.

Nikon F75 (28-100mm). Kodak Utramax 400, 35mm film.

B&W Nature Details (TMax 400), Groningen 2019

Locations: Lauwersmeer National Park, Groningen province, The Netherlands, 2019.

Minolta Dynax 7000i (AF 35-105mm). Kodak T-Max 400, 35mm film.

The Marvellous Colors of Kodak Ektar 100

Locations:  Schöhsee (Plön), Görnitz (Grebin), Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, June 2019 –  Tsagarada, Pelion, August 2019 – Kipos village, Kozani, Greece, July 2019.

Minolta Dynax 7000i (AF 35-105mm). Kodak Ektar, 100 ISO, 35mm film.

When in Cyprus

Locations: Limassol, Lefkara village, Troodos area. Cyprus, February 2019.

Minolta Dynax 7000i (AF 35-105mm). Kodak Film 200, 35mm film.

 

Bourtange Fortress, Groningen, NL 2017

Bourtange is a historical village located in the Southeast of the Groningen province. It is surrounded by a star-shaped fort built in 1593 in order to control the only road between Germany and the city of Groningen during the Dutch Revolt. As it is very close to the German border, its position was crucial to the area. After the final battle in 1672, the fort continued to serve as a defense point on the German border until it became a village in 1851. Now it functions as a historical museum.

I had the pleasure to stay for one night in the village, at a fortress lodging. I even slept on a bedstee, a type of covered bed that soldiers used to sleep on. At the village you can find a souvenir shop for gifts, an old type candy store, a watchmaker shop, the candle shop “Victoria” and enjoy a warm wine and a nice meal at the village’s restaurants. The village has many museums you can visit (Terra Mora, Museum “The Baracquen”, Captain’s House, The Synagogue), and various other places of interest that demonstrate the history of the place. Some of them are the various Officers’ Houses (Major’s House, Captain’s House, Commander’s House, Schoolmaster’s House, Convoy Master’s House) the Priest’s House, the soldiers’ barracks, the cannons, the two gates, the “secreten” (toilets of the old days), the bastions, bridges, ditches, ramparts, the guardhouses, the picturesque Market Square, the church, the Peat Barn, the horse mill, the standard mill, the Synagogue, the powder houses, the former forge and many others! Check out the photo gallery below to see some of those places!

The village even organizes reenactments of the Bourtange battle and other types of markets and events throughout the year. Check here for more information. If you are lucky, you can spot the soldiers marching at the main square of the village. Bourtange is a typical example of the Dutch saying “klein maar fijn”, which translates into “small, but beautiful”, since it is all about quality over quantity.

Bourtange Fortress in Southeast Groningen. November 2017. The Netherlands. Minolta dynax 7000i, Kodak Gold, ISO 200, 35mm film.