Saturday - The day and night of the museums

As mentioned yesterday, this is weekend is dedicated to Den Haag as there is so much to do that it would be impossible not to.

First up, the Museum Night, which features not only the museums special openings untill the small hours, but also loads of  "collateral" events: DJ sets, special performances, pub quizzes, meetings with journalists, group yoga and a Google poetry workshop.

The issue with Den Haag is that the museums are not all at walking distance, however very fancy free purple busses (and even a boat) are driving people around for the whole duration of the event.

The ticket is 15 euro, in case haven't bought it already (otherwise it would have been cheaper) and includes transportation.

If instead you'd rather get out during the day and have a good time for free, on the Lange Voorhout, there is the first Embassy Festival, celebrating all the different cultures living in the city with a varied program of music, dance, debates and theatre performance and many food stalls (yay!).

http://www.museumnachtdenhaag.nl/

http://www.embassyfestival.com

Weather forecast for today: covered, but with little chance of rain until midnight.

Friday - The 48 hours of Den Haag - Episode I - Grachtenpracht

There's so much going on in Den Haag this weekend that it looks like  I will have to write the 3 next posts about it...

It starts tonight with the Grachtenpracht festival, a sort of floating festival, providing the visitors with a very different interaction and outlook on the city.

Boats will take the audience along the canals and the occupants will be able to enjoy glimpses of theatre performances, music, dance and much more, on other boats or on bridges, gardens and wharfs.

http://www.haagsegrachtenpracht.nl

Thursday - Utrecht's books fair

I am quite fond of this event, since it's the first one I ever attended precisely 9 years ago on the day I moved to Holland.

Het boekenfestijn starts today in Utrecht and runs till Sunday, with free entrance and a wide selection of books in Dutch and English, all with hefty discounts on the original price.

Although it's hosted in a warehouse, there's enough space and (oddly enough), quietness, to browse trough thousands of volumes of  fiction, popular science, posh coffee table books and quirky and bizarre titles you would have never thought existed.

The event is itinerant and will travel to Zwolle and Eindhoven in the coming months.

http://www.boekenfestijn.com/

Wide selection of dictionaries available too!

Wednesday - Delfgauw, or (the illusion of) the middle of nowhere

In Delfgauw, a village just outside Delft that has a middle of nowhere feeling even though it's just behind IKEA,  there's a green area called "Balij en Bieslandse Bos" with walking and biking paths, taking you through pretty vistas of farms, polders and orchards.

After having leisurely promenaded, stop at this pretty cafe' for something yummy.

http://www.staatsbosbeheer.nl/Activiteiten/Balij/Wandelroute%20Bieslandse%20Bos%20en%20de%20Balij.aspx

Tuesday - Gallery Urban Photos

For a photo trip down memory lane, check out the website and studio of the Gallery of Urban Photo.

I walked by the Rotterdam's gallery one evening and was captivated by the atmospheric black and white images of stylish people having cocktail parties in the 60s, newly built winkelcentrums filled with happy buyers and Rotterdam's harbour at the beginning of last century.

http://www.urbanphotos.nl/

Monday - Les vacances de Monseur Tati

Jacques Tati's six films have been digitally restored and are now touring the Dutch cinemas.

From August till December, the works of this great French comical writer, director and actor, will be shown in several cities, on different dates during an itinerant film festival.

Today for instance, apart from the daily Jour de Fete show in the Amsterdam's EYE, there will be a screening of Parade in Maastricht, Mon Oncle in Haarlem and Trafic in Gouda.

http://www.eyefilm.nl/tati-tour

Sunday - Home made market

For people in The Hague and beyond: today in the Zeehelderkartier it's all fun, games, arts and crafts at the Homemade market.

Food, drinks, pretty things, clothes and more, mostly made by local people and craft enthusiasts.

Starts at 10.00 and ends at 17.00.

Pretty flower pot, little maintenance required.