Marriage of Film and Digital

I love film. If it were up to me I'd shoot film exclusively. Of course, for weddings and other paid work, this is crazy. Especially in a day and age when digital photos are safer by far. My personal photography is very often done on film alone. But when I travel, and particularly when I travel to countries to which I don't know when I'll be back, I take a digital camera as well.

So for this epic trip through Europe I brought the F3 that has not left my side since I got it, and the incredible Nikon D3X. I wrote in part one of this series that I embarked on a DSLR journey for the last year. It all led me to the D3X.

My Zfs are small and powerful, but for my own personal photos I've been preferring shooting with DSLRs if I'm shooting digital.

Baseball player focusing intently while batting during a professional game in black and white photography.

But, never mind the bollocks, here's the Europe pictures!

After a long flight to London, where we connected with our flight to Amsterdam, we were greeted with a new EU passport check system that was inoperable. This led to nearly three hours at passport control. Once we were through, though, I was unsurprised by how much I loved Holland.

We spent some time in Amsterdam before setting out for Zaanse Schans. This was what I was most looking forward to in Holland. This small town, about 20 minutes outside of Amsterdam, features historic windmills and houses. While not Amsterdam, this is what I hoped to find in Holland and I was not disappointed.

A black and white panoramic shot shows someone floating in dark rippling water while wearing a baseball cap.

Large metal gear wheel inside a rustic wooden mill building with a vintage lantern light glowing in the background.

No parking sign on wooden fence with Dutch windmill in green field under blue sky.

My friend Janet has a way of phrasing this. She once went to Germany with many expectations of what it would be like. She expected those traditional fachwerkhauses and Bavarian pretzels on every street corner, the way skyscrapers and hotdogs are seen in New York City. But when she got to Berlin, she was disappointed to find a very modern western city. I reminded her that Berlin was all but destroyed in WWII and that she should temper her expectations for London too. She said she was looking for "Epcot Germany." The term has always stuck with me as an effective way of communicating the expectations of the traditional and cultural in these far off places...at least for those of us in the US. Well, Zaanse Schans was my Epcot Holland. It gave me the experience I was hoping to have in Amsterdam. Even if it wasn't precisely in Amsterdam.

We then found ourselves in a small fishing town a little further out. Volendam was not as quaint as Zaanse Schans, being a proper town with a long history of fishing. The main street was fairly touristy, lined with many bistros with covered outdoor seating, each touting the best friets in the whole country. We obviously walked right past all of these and went down various streets and alleys until we found the local spots.

Being an old fishing town, we figured seafood was the play. And wow were we not disappointed.

We walked for about twenty minutes following the walkways along the water. We were looking for a specific spot, Smit-Bokkum. We'd been told it had some of the best seafood in all Holland.

Rear view mirror of a car reflects bright lights from a vehicle behind at night on a dark road.

Dimly lit restaurant interior with dark wood tables, chairs, and large windows with an exit sign glowing above.

Close-up of ancient wooden gear mechanism with interlocking cogs in a historic mill interior.

After lunch we spent some time walking around. Volendam really is a gorgeous little town. I may have enjoyed Zaanse Schans a bit more, but both gave us an experience that Amsterdam itself couldn't give. It gave us a better look into Holland than if we'd not gone there. And to think that these spots are within an hour's drive from Amsterdam is wild. I cannot recommend these places enough.

Amsterdam, Hot Damn

Amsterdam is, in a word, incredible. I'm not sure what I expected from Amsterdam. Obviously I knew all about De Wallen, the famous red light district, and I knew about the canals. But I found a city that was much more interesting than all that.

The canals, of course, are indeed beautiful. We did a cruise of the canals that left us, frankly, speechless. I've never been, but I imagine this is what a gondola ride through Venice would feel like. We got to see the entirety of the ancient city this way. For those considering a trip to Amsterdam, this is a must. Having the ability to see the city from this vantage point is quite wonderful as it allows you to take in the whole of the city at once. Amsterdam is ancient, yes, but also incredibly progressive. This is clearly evident in what activities are legal within it's city limits, but also in the interactions with Amsterdammers.

Woman relaxing on patio sofa holding red cup, wearing beige top, with teal pillow and glass window behind her.

A shirtless man and young child stand on a wooden dock at sunset, overlooking a calm waterway with boats and homes.

Before even a single encounter with an Amsterdammer, it is evident how incredible a people they are. What has continued to stick with me, nearly a month since my visit, is how the people of this city integrate the natural world into their daily lives.

I have been fortunate to have been able to travel throughout North and South America, the Caribbean, Polynesia, Asia, and Europe. I don't say this to brag, but to give some weight to the following statement: I have never seen any city that is so green. I don't mean out in nature. Scotland has one of the lushest countrysides I've ever seen. And the bluegrass of Kentucky really is something you must see to believe. But in a city, where over a million people reside, I've never seen anything like this.

Black and white urban nighttime scene with blurred bokeh lights and silhouettes creating a moody atmosphere.

Blonde woman in denim jacket and sunglasses posing on sunny tree-lined street.

Gothic cathedral interior with ornate altar, stained glass windows, vaulted ceilings, and wooden pews in dim lighting.

The respect given to greenery, its integration into brick, stone, and wood, its unbelievable. It isn't just decorative. It's purposeful. The plants clean the air in Amsterdam, which smells impossibly fresh. And that's another thing! Yes, many own cars. There are plenty of busses for folks to get around. But the reliance on bicycles is amazing.

It comes down to, in my observation, a sense of personal ownership over the protection of the city. Even in the way Amsterdam resisted the invading Nazi force during WWII, it is evident that this city values the preservation of life. Not in the superficial way folks in the US picket at parks on weekends, but in an honest way that looks to protect all living things. I suspect this is less and Amsterdam thing and more a Holland thing. But it was especially evident in Amsterdam.

A black and white photograph shows a row of people sitting at a bar counter in a dimly lit establishment.

The food was, likewise, incredible. Amsterdammers take pride not just in their protection of life, but in sustaining it. In the human sense, this means that their produce is exceptionally fresh and their meals masterfully prepared.

Of course, friets and stroopwafels abound through the city. Friets were much like French fries back home. But they tasted less like processed fats and more like potatoes. What a concept! Fries that taste like potatoes?! Madness!!

The stroopwafel was the standout for me, however. I have been a lifelong fan of the waffle. In a Celebrity Death Match style showdown between the waffle and the pancake, you'll find me hooting and hollering for waffle to hit pancake with a chair and body-slam it into oblivion. But NOTHING could have prepared me for how good these things were. Waffles...that you can eat with you hands...anywhere?! Sign me up!

A couple in wedding attire shares an intimate moment on the ground against a concrete architectural backdrop.

De Wallen Callin'

Red walkway with orange railings on a ferry deck under an overcast sky, leading to the horizon.

Red outdoor running track on a ferry deck with ocean horizon and blue sky in the background, marked 190M.

Our time in the red light district was brief, totaling just a handful of hours over three days. There are parts of the red light district that are totally my jam. Most of what I'm into is outside the main thoroughfare, where many of the bars and the coffee shops are found. Great service, great people, great beers, and great fun.

I'm not usually a beer drinker. I much prefer wine, whisky, and hard liquor to beer. However, when I'm in the home of one of the most globally respected beer making countries, you can bet your ass I'm not drinking single malt scotch. And the beer in Amsterdam did not disappoint. Neither did finger food favorites like herring and eel. This is where the red light district shines for me.

Landscaped pedestrian walkway lined with lush palm trees under bright blue sky at a tropical resort.

Woman holding a glass of white wine outdoors at night, wearing a floral jacket and gold necklace.

Illuminated historic tower and canal buildings reflected in water at night in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

All-in-all, I loved our time in the red light district. Will we go again during future trips? I don't know. It's got to be done once. But more than once? Well, maybe for the good food and drink.

Part of what I enjoyed about our time in the red light district was my photography set up. Typically I was talking around with a ONA Brixton bag, my newest and current favorite camera bag, filled to the brim with my F3, D3X, 24mm, 35mm, and 50mm lenses. But something I started doing a while back was carrying a second body specifically to load a second kind of film. I found that using ONLY my Leica M3 in Japan last year, while not problematic in switching rolls before finishing them, did present challenges. So I now carry two bodies for this reason. I left the F3 at the hotel and instead carried the Nikon FM2N loaded with CineStill 800T alongside the D3X. I find that at nighttime specifically the FM2N is much easier to use due to the way the meter works.

Baseball field batting cage with chain link fencing stands on green grass under blue sky and white clouds.

Mussels in Brussels

We lamented leaving Amsterdam. But we had to begin making our way to Paris. We had planned a pitstop in Brussels. Being the seat of the European Union, it felt appropriate to spend some time there.

I hadn't heard much about things to do in Brussels. In fact, I hadn't ever heard much about anyone's experience in Brussels. And I think I know why. It was kind of...unremarkable? Is that the right word? I just don't know how to describe Brussels.

Maybe it's because it was sandwiched between amazing days in Amsterdam and Paris, but Brussels just seemed to exist, providing none of the experience that we had in either Amsterdam or Paris.

A black and white photo of people in a restaurant setting with hanging lights and festive decorations.

Tropical beach view framed by palm tree fronds and lush greenery, with turquoise ocean waters under a blue sky.

Tropical beach with yellow and green umbrellas over white lounge chairs on white sand beside crystal blue water.

I will, however, say this in defense of Brussels: the parts that are beautiful are truly jaw droppingly beautiful. And, furthermore, one the best meals we had on this trip was here in Brussels.

As we had done in Volendam, we decided to leave the main streets and begin exploring the city as locals did. We ended up at a seafood restaurant called Le Pêcheur. We sampled a few dishes and loved them all. We started with oysters, which were divine. We continued with the largest plate of moules-frites I had ever seen. These mussels were out of this world good. As in, I live in a city known for seafood and I've never had anything near this good, good. And then we closed out with my all-time favorite fish dish, sole à la meunière. Everything was exquisite, but I'm still thinking about those damn mussels.

Tropical beach scene with orange umbrellas, white sand, and crystal-clear turquoise water under a blue sky.

In the end, I felt like we didn't spend very much time in Brussels, and yet we spent just enough time there. Would I recommend it? I don't think so, no.

I'm glad we went. If for no other reason than to say I've been to Brussels. And let's not forget that incredible lunch! But after you've seen the Grand Place and the Mannekin Pis, which was kind of underwhelming, I don't think there's anything else worth seeing here.

I made my least favorite photos of the trip here. In fact, I don't think I love any of them. The shot of the bicycle in front of the produce market, seen above, is my favorite of the bunch. And yet I think it fails entirely to capture any of the emotion I still feel from the Amsterdam photos. But, I guess that's life.

Two young boys smiling in turquoise ocean water, wearing rash guards, enjoying a sunny beach day.

Mons a Million

What did not disappoint, however, was where we spent the night.

We moved from Brussels towards the France-Belgium border. We spent the evening in Mons. This college town felt like a very small scale Oxford, England. Like Oxford, Mons felt alive. The university and the city at large seemed to blend one into the other. The outskirts of the city were nothing to cry home about, but the closer one gets to the Grand Place, and it's gorgeous town hall, the more the city comes to life.

We also unknowingly timed our visit with the Mons en mode été. This summer's long festival sees the city center transform into a green space, with a children's carousel right smack in the middle of the Grand Place

Smiling boy on an outdoor amusement park ride with other passengers visible in the background.

Is this the greatest city in all of Europe? No, absolutely not. But it did give me something that Brussels didn't. It gave me fun. We walked around the Grand Place, had Belgian waffles (yum), and stopped into L'Exclesior, Mons' oldest brewery and brasserie. Here we noshed on various plates of food, ate many cheeses, and enjoyed some of the best beer we'd had on this trip.

The atmosphere here was unlike anything we'd seen before. Everything and everyone were so relaxed. Children played in the streets while young couples strolled hand in hand. We also had front row seats to one of the biggest and most exciting public fights we've ever seen.

As we sat outside of L'Excelsior, enjoying round two - or was it round three or four? - we suddenly heard a commotion. From across the square a loud voice suddenly called out to someone I now know to be called Gavin. I know this because the woman shouting at Gavin was very upset with him. She argued with him about how he'd left her in a city she didn't know, with no one she knew, and had just found him in a pub with someone who wasn't herself.

For about five minutes he stood and could do nothing except hang his head in shame. She called him all sorts of things, all of which seemed deserved even though I had a hard time understanding some of the Scottish slang she used. The fight ended with them both marching off to their hotel as Gavin continued his walk of shame with his partner ripping into him. It really was an exciting way to end our time in Belgium.

But it wasn't the end. No, we still had many days in Paris ahead of us. And boy were we looking forward to it.

To be concluded in Summer of '26 on Film, Part III: Adventure in Paris.