'To prevent bird strikes, it is prohibited to feed birds and leave food scraps behind.' To reinforce the large yellow warning sign, rubbish bins have been placed along the entire length of the spotting spot, alternating with wheelie bins containing blue rubbish bags.
At the edge of the extensive parking lot, where night drifters have left black tire tracks, there are a few mobile toilets. And an information board: 'The Polderbaan, opened in 2003, is Schiphol's newest runway and, with a length of 3,800 meters, also the longest runway.'
Before you lies the vastness that Schiphol commands, an immense void under the smoke of the city. Just in front of you is the Polderbaan, and two kilometers east, parallel to it, the Zwanenburgbaan. With a bit of luck you can see planes take off or land synchronously here.
Also interesting, if you are not a hardcore airplane adept, is the bush behind you. At the end of 1994, opponents of the Polderbaan planted 7,800 trees here. On the planned route, they thought. When it eventually turned out to be a bit further west, they planted another bush that was on the track. That grove has long since disappeared, but the initial mistake allowed the Bulderbos to mature. This 'enduring symbol against the growth of air traffic' is also worth a visit.