Saturday - The Kroller Muller Museum

This museum in the middle of the Hoge Veluwe National Park, never overcrowded, allows visitors to enjoy the paintings without having to elbow their way to the front.

The Van Goghs are plentiful and cover a wide period of the artist's lifetime, so you will have the chance to marvel at the 'Potato eaters' in all their glumness for as long as you wish.

Check out the paintings from other Dutch artists like Jan and Charlie Toorop plus several pieces from international artists, including the modern art equivalent of H&M: Picasso.

The museum would be perfect enough as such, however there's much more to discover in the surrounding Sculpture Garden.

In the midst of a beautiful park, massive sculptures pop up unexpectedly from behind hydrangea bushes and in-between the trees.

For the smaller pieces, mainly bronzes, there are 2 open air pavilions.

My personal favourite: the massive, labyrinthine and accessible Jardin d'email (enamel garden) from Dubuffet.

http://www.kmm.nl/?lang=en

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kr%C3%B6ller-M%C3%BCller_Museum#Sculpture_Park

Friday - Scheveningen Firework Festival

Apart from dogs, passing birds and grumpy people, everyone loves a good firework display... just ask Guy Fawkes!

The International Firework Competitions starts today at 21.45 and will delight onlookers for the next 2 weekends till the 24 August.

If you plan to go by car get there early as it's normally packed, no matter the weather.

http://www.vuurwerkscheveningen.com/

Thursday - Karma Chameleon (in Almere)

Almere is one of the new towns built on the land that has been reclaimed from the Ijmeer after WWII.

Loathed by many for its lack of traditional Old Dutch gezelligheid, it features however several contemporary buildings that are worth visiting (and make good photo material).

One of these is an office complex called La Defense.

The specificity of it is that while the exterior blends in with the other surrounding buildings, the internal courtyard hides a surprise: the walls are made of glass panels covered in light-reflecting foil, changing colours throughout the day according to the sun's position and angle.

The result is an ever-changing, spectacular opalescent façade.

http://www.unstudio.com/projects/la-defense-offices

Wednesday - Guided tours at castle Hoensbroek

I mentioned this castle in a post sometime ago, as they were hosting a mock-tournament, complete with horses and pikes.

During the summer, on Wednesday afternoons, they also offer guided tours through the highlights of the castle, explaining how the life of the castellan and his family and knights (and minions) used to be.

Recommended for medieval history enthusiasts, children and GoT fans


http://kasteelhoensbroek.nl/evenement/kasteel-hoensbroek-binnenstebuiten

Kasteel Hoensbroek.
Ok it's not. It's Winterfell, from Game of Thrones.

Tuesday - The cultural bike tours app

Useful link for bike enthusiasts looking for new routes to explore the countryside, the towns and notable monuments of the chosen area.

With historical background information, links and maps it can be downloaded for a small fee and let your smart phone will do the rest.

http://www.traproute.nl/

Monday - The bronze folk of Katwijk

This cheerful albeit a bit static parade can be seen on the Princestraat in Katwijk.

http://vanderkrogt.net/standbeelden/object.php?record=ZH28ap

Sunday - The mighty Hoge Veluwe

The Hoge Veluwe is one of he must-dos on my own personal program for first time visitors and it makes for the perfect day out even with the trickiest of guests.

That's because there really is something for everyone to do: a beautiful park with a multitude of changing sceneries, bike riding on the free white bikes, an amazing art museum with its own sculpture garden (about which more on an upcoming post), wildlife watching huts and a recently renovated posh hunting lodge complete with photogenic reflection in the nearby pretty lake.

The easiest way to get there is by car, however public transport also gets you there, by train and then bus.

http://www.hogeveluwe.nl/en/14

http://www.noordhollandsdagblad.nl/reizen/nieuws/article23480903.ece