A pirate flag sticking out of a window waving fiercely in the wind…

In the 1600s, Amsterdam was a busy port full of traders. Some sailors took a darker path though… They raided ships or smuggled goods, and then sold them quietly in the city’s backstreets and taverns. ️

One of the most feared was Laurens de Graaf, born in the “Dutch Republic”. He terrorized the Caribbean, attacking Spanish ships and towns. The Spanish nicknamed him “El Gran Diablo”—the Great Devil.

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“The Regular Customer” is a bronze statue in front of Café “Festina Lente” on Looiersgracht, in “De Jordaan”. It shows a man sitting on a bench, gently petting the café cat. The artwork was made in 1997 by Albert Zweep, inspired by the quiet and cozy mood found in the stories of Dutch writer Simon Carmiggelt.

The statue was made to pay off a bar tab of 2,400 guilders. At first, it was made of polyester, but after it got damaged a few times, Heineken helped fund a bronze version.

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A Raksasa is a guardian statue from the old palace complex in Singosarie (now Malang). It stands at gates to keep out evil spirits or people. One hand makes a stopping gesture, the other holds a club. A Raksasa can serve good or evil. This one, here at the house on Palmgracht, protects the home from bad influences.

Malang is known as the most Dutch city in Indonesia. It sits high in the mountains between volcanoes, with a cool climate that Dutch settlers loved—especially rich ones like sugar and coffee planters. Around 1923, they had Delft engineers build what became Indonesia’s finest Art Deco city.

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This relief is a liberation monument at the Weesperzijde. The inscription means “Weesperzijde Quarter Liberation.” It shows a woman breaking chains, holding a child, with a defeated serpent below—symbols of freedom and the end of oppression. A lion represents the Netherlands, and an airplane above likely refers to the Allied forces.

Such reliefs were placed in Amsterdam after World War II to mark the end of the war and honor the victims. The year 1945 marks the moment of liberation.

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The white building on the corner of Elandsgracht and Hazenstraat in Amsterdam is number 78. Built around , it features a traditional gable. This makes it a typical example of old Amsterdam architecture.

Together with number 76, the building is a national monument because of its historical value. It’s located in the Jordaan, a neighborhood known for its canals and vibrant local life.

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The bronze statue of Major Alida Bosshardt stands, or better yet… sits, on the Oudezijds Voorburgwal, in front of the “Salvation Army” building. Made by artist Peter de Leeuwe in 2013 as a tribute to her years of service to the vulnerable.

Born on June 8, 1913, in Utrecht, and passing on June 25, 2007, in Amsterdam, Bosshardt was a key “Salvation Army” figure. During WWII, she helped Jewish children and later supported sex workers and the homeless in the Red Light District.

Her efforts earned national recognition, including the title ‘Righteous Among the Nations’ from “Yad Vashem” in 2004.

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The houseboat “Rumah Saya” is a motor tjalk located at the intersection of Keizersgracht and Amstel. This historic vessel, built in 1893, measures approximately 16.7 meters in length and 3.7 meters in width. ️

In Indonesian, rumah saya literally means “my house” (rumah = house, saya = I/my). In Malay, it has the same meaning.

The houseboat is situated in a prime location, close to the “National Opera”, “Koninklijk Theater Carré”, “Museum De Hermitage”, and the “Magere Brug”.

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