Bombing Memorial

Sunny day!  Worse, it'll be a sunny week!  Beyond my wildest dreams!  It was so warm, I didn't even bother to wear my coat on my walk to work.  This was shot after work.  It's quite close to where I currently park my car, which is a cutesy corner a couple of short blocks away.  There's a parking garage and it's cheaper than on the street, and also cheaper than other parking facilities, so that's fine.

Only one second-year class today, and we started a practice session of Negotiations.  I actually enjoyed it.  Or was it just the fab weather?  Apparently it also had a positive effect on those who showed up.

In 1940, the old city centre of Rotterdam was bombed beyond repair.  I've mentioned this in the past and I guess every year at around this time, close to Memorial Day, I'll mention it again.  Anyway, since practically everything that would have been worth preserving or conserving was gone, the Dutch government decided that no amount of work would ever bring back the authentic character of the old Rotterdam.  However, there was a way to honour some of the old structures, and this steel model is one of several that show everyone where a bombed building used to stand.  Without reproducing anything, we still get a good idea of what was lost forever.  Now that the weather is warmer, everyone is out on a terrace, eating and drinking, and these memorials remind us that the city centre wasn't always the way it is now.