Saturday 26 January 2013

Saturday - Go to the market in Leiden

A very picturesque market takes place on Saturday in the center of Leiden, on the bridges and along the bit of the Rijn that crosses the city.

The usual fare of fruit, bread and fish sellers is dotted here and there with spice vendors, second hand CDs stalls and decoration and crafts suppliers.

For those who enjoy making their own clothes, a good selection of fabrics merchants is available in the area outside the V&D.


Friday 25 January 2013

Friday - Let them eat cake in Amsterdam

The posts will be short till Sunday because I am enjoying a long weekend in London.

While we are we are surely going for a decadent afternoon tea with some scrumptious cake.

The weather actually calls for just sitting in a cafe, watching people go by and stocking up some sugary calories.

When in Amsterdam, in the Pijp, don't miss a chance to stop by "De ta art van m'tante", the kitchest, most colorful and most delicious cake-shop cafe in town.

Thursday 24 January 2013

Thursday - Channel your inner cave man (or woman) in Drenthe

When most of people think of megalithic sites they probably  have Stonehenge in mind and possibly the  Carnac in Bretagne scattered with dolmen or even Obelix, the menhi- carrying friend of Asterix.

So it may come as a surprise, but such prehistoric sites can be found in part of the Netherlands as well, most of them in the North-Eastern Province of Drenthe.

A museum, walks among the rests and discovery paths are available to the public and fun to explore and I find that these sites do channel a quite spooky vibration...

http://www.hunebedcentrum.eu/en/

Wednesday 23 January 2013

Wednesday - Browse for books under Gothic arches in Maastricht

Stepping into most bookshops and just browse around is a pleasure as such.

It is an extra bonus if the bookshop is a remarkable building in itself, such as the Selexys bookshop in Maastricht, which is housed in a former XIII century Gothic Dominican church.

It hosts exhibitions, talks, books presentations and has an English section.

http://www.polaregaatdoor.nl/dominicanen/

UPDATE: 7/7/14

It seemed for some time last year that the most beautiful bookshop in The Netherlands was threatened with closure, due to the bankruptcy of the chain owning it, however somehow they managed to keep it open.

Last Friday afternoon I was lucky enough to visit it and I must say it lives up to the hype with its high ceilings of the nave covered with rests of frescoes, a cafe where the altar used to be and a good selection of new and used books.

Go there and buy a book or check their website for details on how to support the bookshop and contribute to keep this gem alive!

https://www.facebook.com/Boekhandeldominicanen


Tuesday 22 January 2013

Tuesday - Peek into the House of Representatives in Den Haag

This is a very welcomed suggestion from a friend of mine and keen reader of the blog.

On Tuesdays, the Visitors Centre of the Dutch House of Representative (Tweede Kamer) organises guided tours of the building with the possibility of attending a parliamentary session. The tour includes the current and former plenary hall and the library.

I have been to the Tweede Kamer myself and found it a very interesting and informative visit.

I am also happy to report that, at the end of the tour, I got a myself from the gift shop a very posh candle snuffer with the institution's logo engraved.

This is the phone number for information and reservation: 070/3183055

http://www.tweedekamer.nl/contact/bezoek_ons/


Monday 21 January 2013

Monday - Visit a museum and look out for the Winter scenes of yore

Yesterday afternoon, when it had just started snowing, I was walking in the local park when a classic Dutch Winter scene opened in front of me: bare trees, families skating on the canals and children playing ice hokey on a frozen pond.

I was instantly reminded of the wonderful paintings of Hendrick Averkamp, painted during the last small Ice Age of the XVI Century, with their winter fairs, skaters and frozen lakes.

Averkamp's paintings can be admired in several Dutch museums: the Mauritshaus (currently hosted at the Geemente Museum Den Haag), the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and at the Stedelijk museums in Kampen and Zwolle.

Look out for the posh gentlemen skating in fancy clothes, the people fishing through a hole in the ice and a guy in the loo...

http://www.mauritshuis.nl/

https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/

http://www.stedelijkmuseumkampen.nl

http://www.stedelijkmuseumzwolle.nl




Sunday 20 January 2013

Sunday - Kids' book festival in The Hague

This one is for the kids but I am pretty sure their parents will enjoy it too.

This year's edition of the Boekids festival explore the theme of "Hidden Stories". In the programme, among a lot of other cool things: cupcake making workshops, story-telling from writers of children books, pop-up books making tutorials and a silent disco.

At the Paard van Troje and nearby Humanity House from 11.30 till 18.00.

http://www.boekids.nl

and on Facebook too