Dérive 1 – greeningen

Last Updated on 17/08/2022

I decided to start my first walk. The sun was shining and it felt like the perfect weather. I used an app to find a random location to walk to, close to my neighborhood. I explain this method in this post.

There is a wild garden next to the block where I live.

There is harvests here several times a year – it contributes to the local ecological diversity.

A very romantic spot – a bench looking out on storage units.

The government is currently draining the lake. I think they want to change the park, I remember reading about in the local newsletter but can’t find any information now. Let’s hope it’s for the better.

Someone put a belt around the twigs to keep them together.

*yek.* A tag you can see everywhere in good graffiti spots.

This is how most modern housing blocks look nowadays.

In the future, this empty blue spot in the blackground will have another huge housing block. Locals don’t agree.

But some older buildings are not much better. Red alert.

I spotted this fancy cat — reminds me of Ghibli.

I like these small paths that divide the walled gardens. I took a walk and peeked behind the wooden fences – they were all concrete gardens. A fun account highlights this depressing trend.

A person in my flat is *dropshipping* pampas grass.
Maybe I should cut these and also sell them for 60 bucks.

arriving at the random location

Centaurstraat 14.

It wasn’t the highlight of my walk, but I liked the 70s vibes. The second floor had a wall full of vases with twigs in them.

The beautiful water tower – Watertoren West – is completely covered by scaffolding.
It will be turned into high class appartments.
$$$

The control room of the bridge.
Written on the glass: *dick with cheese*

A goat. One of the many animal statues in Groningen.

I could tell a lot about it, but there is an interesting website that has better information.

ARIES STATUE GRONINGEN

The gate of the future

This gate was made in 1888, now it’s an offical monument. There used to be a socialist coop bakery in here! The two big statues represent labourers (you can see their farming tools). The frieze at the top shows a bright future, with a rising sun and (naked) people coming together.

The heads of the labourers are renovated – in 1973 there were “beheaded” so trucks could go through the gate. A fitting parable about the progress of capital.

RELIEF OF SOCIALIST STRUGGLE

Very charming wall – this is behind the gate of Taco Mesdagplein.

Another alleyway. Several people carved their names and a date in the wall. I hope it’s the date of the deed – this one is from 1951.

Unilever’s statement about our souls and our planet.

An appartment in my block has these decorations for ages now. I think it’s more laziness than an actual statement.

When I was almost finished with my walk, this guy walked by. He had an actual parrot on his shoulder. I quickly snapped this pic. There was also a class of children walking by – one of the kids spotted it too. I overheard the kid telling this amazing sight to his friend, but he didn’t believe him.

That was my walk of today. Thanks for reading.