Sketching Amsterdam on the last day 

Most of Amsterdam is built on an old peat bog, and after about 400 years, they've started to slant this way and that. I think it's mostly cosmetic "damage", but there are also places where they built a new metro line, and in those places the houses did start to sag in ways that did impact the function. I think that was mostly a bit south of where you were though. (Fun fact: the reason that there are houses on top of an old peat bog to begin with, is that most houses in older parts of the city are built on massive wooden poles, which reach down to a sandy layer below. Despite being centuries old, the wood can support the houses - unless they come in contact with air!)

The buildings were not always slanted. They were straight when they were build. Due to compression of the soil build on they became slanted. This may sound bad, and in some cases it is. There are more areas in Holland with soft soil where this effect is more pronounced.

Teoh, you have hit the "ball out of the park" with this 2019 Urban Sketchers Amsterdam series!!! So nice to be able to tag along on your journey, to see some of the city, meet people and view the awesome sketches. Thanks for producing these labor intensive videos which keep getting better and better. Take care.

Thanks Teoh...ST. Nicholas is the Saint of the sailors.....he guides and protects them...most residents of Amsterdam were ship traders... And that is why the had the bars over their homes and warehouses..to load and unload their ships...thanks so much for sharing...your little chair definitely wanted to come home with you...

Thank you, Parka, for all your hard work! You are becoming quite an excellent filmmaker/videographer! MANY thanks for sharing with us. I’m so glad you found time to do some of your own sketches. 🎨🖌🌟. Also, about the hooks on the houses. Like someone else said, there is a history of water-based trade - but on the homes, specifically, the hooks are often still used. In many Dutch homes, particularly older ones, the stairs are narrow and very steep. If you want to move furniture into rooms above ground level, it is necessary to remove a window casing and hoist the furniture from the river. Since many of the old houses are now divided into flats, this is still a common practice. 👍

LOL. Was very amused at how you started saying, "It's starting to drizzle and there's no shelter anywhere around this place for me to hide under--," until you glanced at the beautiful building again and immediately followed up with, "Maybe I'll do a quick sketch." It's great you were able to find your handy chair again too!

Thank you so much, Teoh! I do hope you will not really catch that cold. It could be that the strain is taking its toll. However, the inspiration and wonderful experiences will help you over it, I am sure. So nice to see you end your last day with Paul and Sketcherman AND your little chair! Safe travels home, now!

You did a wonderful job communicating the enthusiasm and inspiration of the symposium. Thank you.

Thankyou for taking us on your travels and sketching, it was wonderful to see all the historical buildings and what the city is like. Glad you found your chair, looking forward to seeing your next trip, TFS.

Thanks so much Tech for your videos as usual! I started urban sketching alone without even knowing there was such a big association, but then I found you on youtube and...well, you have been my teacher! I really hope to meet you in Hong Kong next year if I manage to come in some way. Thanks so much again, you are amazing.

Thank you very much for your coverage of the symposium. I was looking forward to the new episode every morning.

Great sketches. Love the crooked houses and the boats and old buildings and... so many interesting places to paint/sketch!

Loved loved loved this series, watched everyday as you uploaded. I had wanted so much to be in Amsterdam. Thanks for sharing so much of it with us!

Looks like it is a good idea to stick around after the Symposiums to catch up on sketches and just to relax after 3 grueling days of 90 degree weather, sketch walks, lectures etc.… I'll keep that in mind when I go to Hong Kong. Thx again Teoh for the journey :)

The do love windows!!! I don't think I've ever seen a whole city made of almost all glass.. Craziness. I just love urban sketching.. love to watch your trips around the world. I wish I could afford it.

Buildings tend to lean towards the street, so the cargo is not scratching the wall while being lifted. I live in a former warehouse like this. Also we put furniture through windows using those hooks or scissor elevators as staircases often are too steep and narrow. But here are a lot of houses leaning left and right. This is quite strange when you see that brick is actually laid out so it's crooked in the beginning. This i still cannot understand.

I hope you feel better soon & have a safe trip home. Thanks for the extra time in Amsterdam. I hope it is not as hot in Hong Kong in April. I am glad you found your chair too, that was lucky.

Rest up well and have a great flight back.

I like your sketches 👍 You have Very interesting journeys/travels 😊

as someone who has a fear of traveling overseas, its nice to live vicariously through you!

Travel safely! Thank you for everything.

MERCI pour cette belle aventure tout en couleurs

Very good Trip. Thanks Teoh, for bringing me along. Go home now and get some rest. Your looking tired.

Thanks so much for showing us the Symposium every day, a really excellent series of videos!

I really enjoy your channel and hope you will continue to document your travels in your sketching journey. Thank You

These buildings are originally on wooden piles which over a period of time can settle and or deflect at the interface point between water and air where the decay mechanisms are most active. This movement can be the causation for structural deformation. The elastic properties of the masonry lime mortars used can accommodate this as a function of the flexural strength. Hope that ain't too technical for ya. I find it all really fascinating 😁

Thank you Teoh. Your episodes were like a mini holiday.

Awesome work Teoh! Can’t wait to see the whole sketchbook. 😊👍🏼🖌

So glad you were able to get some time in for yourself to some sketching. Beautiful sketches as always!

What interesting architecture! Thanks for the tour. And what luck nobody stole your chair! Wouldn't happen in America

Thank you Teoh , for all the fantastic coverage Great, great work.. Have a nice trip homecoming.

Cool. You got to fill your sketchbook and lucked out getting your chair back lol. 😜

Great video and some great sketches. Shame I missed all of this, looks like you had a great time in Amsterdam and plenty of material to draw.

I loved tagging along albeit virtually!!!! Great video again!

Love those old buildings and your sketches. The final one of the boats is gorgeous!

It’s inspiring indeed. Thank you for recording videos. Enjoyed it very much.

Wonderful, wonderful videos of the symposium. I have enjoyed every one of them, and your sketches are terrific...The one of the church is beautiful. I still struggle with details, what to keep, what to leave out. Thank you so much for sharing this whole trip with us...so much work you put into it, it's amazing.

This is so fun!! and fun to watch! Thank you for sharing!

Well done Teoh! Your work has been amazing and you've earned yourself some rest. I hope you get it! We all appreciate your hard work and that you continue to share your wonderful sketches.

Very glad you were there, it was amazing to me to see the large number of people. We will look forward to seeing you back in your beautiful Singapore.

Thank you Teoh. Enjoyed the videos very much.

Thank you so much for your videos ! You made me visit Amsterdam without leaving home. It must have been a great experience to be there. I wish some day I'll be able to join all the sketchers in one of those symposiums. Thanks again, and I am lookng forward to seeing your next videos. ;¬)

You said it all!! Thank you so much !! Loved it!!❤

I am so envious, thank you for sharing. I hope you plan a sketchbook tour video for this one you just finished! Have a safe flight home!

Love your work and passion, by the way 👍

I really enjoyed your videos about this great event Teoh!

Congrats on filling up your sketchbook! Another great video... I bet the cooler weather felt great! :D

Thank you for the time and effort in filming for our viewing. Great job

This is the bonus video from Amsterdam, even better because we got to see more of your work..

Great job of art journalism by you, and enough energy to find time to fill up you sketchbook with great artwork, congrats.

Thank you Teoh....wonderful work...really enjoyed seeing Amsterdam from your lens !

I enjoyed your posts during the trip.

Thanks Teoh for your great coverage of the symposium. Love your sketches too

Thank you for taking us along on your trip. You did a fantastic job filming a great deal of the symposium experience.

Thanks Teoh, I've enjoyed the coverage of the symposium so much and glad to see you found some time to sketch. Safe travel home!

Thank you Teoh!

Some of the buildings were built at a time when it was expensive to do so. So some were built on a small foundation and widened as they went up floor by floor. At least this is what I was told when in Holland.

That was a stellar achievement, videoing the symposium. I have loved every minute of it, so thank you SO much. Do you ever find time to sleep?

Interesting comment about the fact that "bubble machine" aren't prevalent in Asian countries. Good "chair" karma! I really like yellow tug boats!!!! It was a really fun journey, beginning to end! Thanks Teoh!!!

The forward slanting was actually done on purpose so that when they hauled things up, on that hook on top, they wouldn't hit the building.

Thanks 💙

Your footage has been so awesome!! I have loved watching!! I'm going to the usk Brisbane sketchfest in October. After watching Amsterdam I'm soooo excited and can't wait!!

Teoh - there's a guy who's creates a HUGE amount of bubbles for the motorcycles and cars near Maya Mall here in Chiangmai. Never seen it before here but now he's here all the time LOL

Great video and I love the sketches dude like always. Stay real...

Thanks so much for these symposium videos. I really enjoyed them!

Always excited to see your uploads

Thank you; great work and yes - in a word inspiring. Much appreciate you taking the trouble to share so much of the experience with house not so fortunate as being in Amsterdam with you all. I hope the political situation in Hong Kong calms down significantly ahead of the next years USk symposium there. Otherwise I would imagine the organisers may have to plan for elsewhere instead just to be on the safe side ? Good luck and safe travels home. Regards

The houses with the hooks were built to lean forward on purpose. They were warehouses, sometimes combined with living quarters on the lower floors. The forward slanting protected the windows when wares were hoisted to the upper floors.

It was a wonderful journey tagging along with you. I have enjoyed each of the videos you have so painstakingly managed to upload on time every day of the symposium... Good luck to all your future endeavors. Anytime you want to visit Mumbai, you are welcome to be my guest. Mumbai urban sketcher's group will love your company...

Hey Teoh ! I have a suggestion ! You should create a discord for your community so we can share our sketchs and drawings with each over :D

A nice bonus video ! 😀 Did you buy art equipment from the sponsors ? If yes, I'm sure you’ll show us this in another video... thank you and welcome back home !

Wonderful video. Do you have any videos on what compact art supplies you bring with you on your travels? Like art traveling essentials?

'Manga Plaza' Gawd, -I WISH!- it was a Manga Plaza. Sadly, It's Magna Plaza. Used to have a huge Virgin Store in the basement, but nowadays there's really nothing of interest inside ... On my way to Amsterdam right now btw for some (late) lunch. Have a safe & good trip back home.

Wow people there seemed to be smoking everywhere

The hooks are there because most of the "homes" where warehouses in the past.

Thanks for the video

Pretty sketches! :) I enjoyed your uploads, please take care of your throat too =)

no hotdog guys we have few each corner atleast if they visit toronto for sketching day

Sorry for all the smokers in town Teoh, though I do believe most of them are actually tourists themselves. :-/

I subscribed to your channel. Looking at your happy activities, there is also a place I am familiar with. Follow the painter to travel. We work hard together.我订阅了你的频道。 看着你快乐的活动，还有一个我熟悉的地方。 跟着画家去旅行。 我们一起努力。

What type of tourers are these and where can I fine them?

what camera did you used forr vlogging ?

Sketch Manga plaza = MaGNa plaza instead...

In a few years, those slanted buildings will come tumbling down. *GRAVITY TAKES NO PRISONERS.* lol