Last weekend was the cultural evening of the year here in lovely Rotterdam. Rotterdamse Museum Night was so hyped up and so many people had raved to us about it that once we got the tickets I was so excited for it to come round.

A night full of art; museums; bars; DJ’s; drinking in churches and riding bike through mass crowds did not disappoint.

We met Kirsten, Saskia and Joline across the river for a quick scoot around the Fotomuseum before we cycled back across Erasmusbrug and into Witte de Withstraat – the heart of it all. A few free shots of the street, some pole dancing and some very expensive bitteballen started us off before we headed to Boijmans to check out the amazing Yayoi Kusama Infinity Room. One of my favourite artists since I was a teenager, seeing her work is always so much fun.

We cruised around Boijmans for awhile, seeing a snippet of live music and running into people we know (starting to feel like real locals now!)

As we made our way across the bridge to Kunsthall and the Natuurhistorisch Museum we passed some of the other thousands of people out and about in the late evening with the blue badges flashing in the dark to identify them as fellow Museumnacht goers.

Taste-testing yoghurt at the Natuurhistorisch Museum I heard someone speaking English; as always I pricked up my ears and started to eavesdrop and Oh! an Aussie accent! More people we know, the lovely Shaney and her Dutch fiance with their friends ‘The Uglies’ (don’t ask, I don’t know).

Over at Kunsthall the line to actually see the art was too long so we just chilled downstairs with a beer and listened to an old school Rotterdam DJ, who was really awesome. Shaney had told us about a Church where you could sit in the pews and drink beer – amazing! Just as we headed inside we heard that the party at the Nederlands Architectuurinstituut was pumping so we ducked down the road to meet Wouter and his mates there.

More partying, Heineken beer on tap via a little man with a tank strapped to his back – they really need to get those in Australia! Kicked out at 2am, we walked down Witte de With and chatted for awhile before eventually everyone dispersed to their respective fiets for the wobbly ride home.

The girls as we headed across Erasmus – that bridge is hard on the thighs!

Our tickets and guide book & the lights of the Erasmus.

The dames.

Gorgeous vintage photographs from the Fotomusuem & Joline on Witte de With.

Tom figuring out how to work his flashing badge & relaxing with a drink and some bitteballen.

Free shots going down a treat.

Love Witte de Withstraat.

Saskia, Joline & Kirsten.

I love the floor at the entrance to Boijmans & just a few of the fietsen scattered around the museums.

This poor girl must have had a chilly bum & the coolest coat rack ever at Boijmans – as you place your coat on a coathanger you take the key attached and your coat floats to the ceiling, to retrieve, enter key and coat descends.

Yayoi Kusama. My love.

Dali – A couple with their head filled with clouds.

Boijmans fun.

Bicycle obsession being fed.

Easily distracted by shiny objects.

Just one reason why I love him.

Dinosaurs and owls and fish and flowers and cool shit.

Shaney Hudson – travel journalist; drinks beer in Church in the early hours of a Sunday morning. Blasphemy!

Our crew at the NIA.

Mijn Nederlandse liefde.

These kind of events are what make me love Rotterdam, there is so much going on and everyone in the city is so proud and enthusiastic of their town. I was told yesterday of another awesome even to look out for during summer – the Wednesday Night Skates where the city centre is blocked off to all bikes and cars and only skaters and bladers are allowed on the roads. Everyone follows a car through the streets blaring dance music – how freaking awesome!