Rotterdam -

The River Maas supports a rich and constantly changing mix of water traffic, making it an especially compelling subject for observation while spending time in Rotterdam. Massive inland cargo barges glide past carrying containers, bulk goods, and fuel between the port and the European hinterland, while sleek seagoing vessels move steadily toward the North Sea. Interwoven with this heavy commerce are fast water taxis, commuter ferries, harbour service boats, and occasional river cruise ships, all sharing the same working waterway. Smaller tugs, pilot boats, and maintenance craft add further layers of movement, scale, and purpose. Together, this variety reflects Rotterdam’s identity as a living port city, where daily life, global trade, and river dynamics intersect in a continuous, visually engaging flow. I love taking a water taxi! Sadly, I don't have many images to show the water traffic.

An amphibious bus that looks as though it is sinking

The view from the Fenix Museum in Rotterdam looks out across the River Maas and captures the city in constant motion. From this vantage point, the broad sweep of the river reveals a measured choreography of passing barges, water taxis, and working harbour vessels, set against the crisp silhouettes of bridges, cranes, and modern towers lining the opposite bank. Light continually shifts as clouds drift overhead, casting steel blues and silvery greys across the water and softening the industrial forms. Historic port buildings sit comfortably beside contemporary architecture, underscoring Rotterdam’s layered identity as a harbour city shaped by both labour and design. Cutting decisively through the scene is the Erasmus Bridge, a striking white arc designed by Ben van Berkel, whose elegant profile anchors the view and symbolises the city’s confidence in renewal and movement. Near the river’s edge stands the Hotel New York, surrounded by tall skyscrapers yet firmly rooted in the past; once the headquarters of the Holland America Line, it served as a departure point for thousands of emigrants bound for North America, lending the modern skyline a quiet sense of memory and human history.