Saturday - National Windmill Day

There isn't a more recognisable Dutch icon than the windmill and today, on "National Windmill Day", it's to celebrate them.

Check on the website for the program of events at the windmill near you.


http://www.nationalemolendag.nl/

Friday - Urban Explorers Festival in Dordrecht

Dordrecht in my opinion is one of the best kept Dutch secrets and this festival is a good chance to discover it.

It promises music, expeditions and performances and starts today with "an extraordinary carillon concert from a "sound artist" followed by an audiovisual live show at the city hall.

http://www.urbanexplorersfestival.nl/

Thursday - Erasmus Bridge

My dad's most favourite bridge ever can be viewed 24/7 from a strategically placed webcam.

Popular culture fun fact: The bridge was featured, together with many other Rotterdam's landmarks, in "Who am I?" a Jackie Chan's film from 1997.

http://www.checkcams.com/holland/rotterdam/erasmusbrug_fotografie_paul_martens

Wednesday - Dinner at the Baazar

I am surprised that I haven't actually already mentioned this place before, but the Baazar, either in its Amsterdam or Rotterdam outposts, is a fixture among the eateries I take my first time visitors to NL.
And when the come back, they want to go again.

The fare is Mediterranean/Middle Eastern, with large portions, decent prices and an atmosphere that is really lively (although not advised if you don't like loud music while you eat ... or in general).

Amsterdam's venue is the most stunning but the Rotterdam one has probably a better atmosphere (and an hotel upstairs) and the perfect location on the city's hippest street, the Witte de Wit.

http://www.bazarrotterdam.nl/

Tuesday - Art, from the very large to the very small

Currently at the GEM (just behind Scheveningen), the exhibition "Ja, natuurlijk" exploring with different large, small and microscopic installations, the synergies between humans, art, nature and technology.

It looks already pretty cool from the outside, so I am looking forward to explore what's inside the building!

Free entrance with the Museumkaart.

http://www.gem-online.nl/en/exposities/ja-natuurlijk

Monday - A memorial tree for the victims of chemical weapons

In Den Haag, just behind the OPCW*'s building, there's a memorial to all the victims of chemical weapons.

In a small dunal landscape next to a maple tree, a pole covered in solar panels powers the webcam hosted on its top, recording imagines of life passing by underneath it. Frames from the footage are then uploaded on a specially created website.

On the pavement, a poem in several languages engraved in granite pays homage to the dead.

http://www.thismeldingtree.org/

*Organisation for the Prohibition of the Chemical Weapons

Sunday - Dutch Liberation Day

Liberation Day will be celebrated today all over the country with free concerts in several cities (14 in total).

Well known Dutch artists will be playing in various locations for the main events plus smaller podiums and venues are scattered around, hosting many more  performances.

During the "5 for 5" moment, the whole country will observe 5 minutes of silence to commemorate the victims of all wars.

http://www.bevrijdingsfestivals.nl/