Saturday - Ik Hou van Holland

Ik hou van Holland (I love Holland) is not just an awful TV show on which Dutch celebs confront each other on their general knowledge about their own country (lower than mine, it seems), it's also an interesting project being developed by the Stedelijk Museum Schiedam.

The aim is to explore the relations between Dutch art after 1945 and the social, political and cultural contexts in which artists have been creating.

 This series of talks, workshops, short exhibitions and of course loads of art pieces on display will last till 2015.

http://www.stedelijkmuseumschiedam.nl/nl/tentoonstellingen/verwacht-in-2013/281-ik-hou-van-holland-nederlandse-kunst-na-1945

Today there's also the culmination of the celebrations for the 100 years of the Peace Palace, with a big concert and some international guests. The ticket costs some hefty 50 euros, but according to some it's worth it, chiefly because Jude Law will be among the presenters.

http://100jaar.vredespaleis.nl/

The Peace Palace. Copyright: the multi-talented and simply awesome Arturas 2.0

Friday - The Faulty Towers Dining Experience

How many times, when getting a very poor (or rude) service at a cafe' or a restaurant, people think "Jezz, it's like being on Faulty Towers".

Well now you can actually experience almost the real thing: Faulty Towers - The Dining Experience, in on in Rotterdam from tonight and will move to Groningen in February.

Que? Que?!

http://www.interactivetheatre.com.au/ticket_sales/neth-sep2013.html

Thursday - The toast factory

What does it take to create a meal as simple as a toast from scratch, factoring in the human, emotional and ethical implications of rearing a living animal to kill it...and in city centre farm?

The creative minds behind this project decided to figure it out, so earlier in February this year, they got two pigs, some cows and planted the grain.

Now in September, the toasts are finally ready for ... harvest.

http://www.detostifabriek.nl/index.html

Korean toasts, with kiwi jam spread.

Wednesday - The green green grass of het Groene Hart

A maze! Made of corn! Near Utrecht!

...and many other surprising findings will hit you when you browse this site.

Het Groene Hart ( the Green Hearth) is that area you cross when you drive from Utrecht to The Hague, scattered with farmhouses, the occasional windmill line and the ever chillin' cows, but also many little towns and villages with a surprisingly rich past and historical relevance.

http://www.groenehart.nl/

Tuesday - Prinsjesdag

Prinsjesdag is the Dutch equivalent of the British Queen's Christmas speech or the US President's State of the Union address, only instead of happening in December or January, it takes place on the 3rd Tuesday of September.

And let's face it, most of the people feel that the new year actually starts in September, when schools reopen, people are back from holidays and you sign up again for the gym, the Spanish class or the Italian cooking workshop. All of which you will anyway seldom attend because with the weather and the darkness, who wouldn't rather be on the couch with a comforting cup of hot chocolate and "How I met your mother" on TV?

But I digress...

This is year's Prinsjesdag is particularly relevant as it's Willem Alexander's first time and people are eager to know what he will say, what Maxima will wear and if Geert Wilders's hair will glow in the dark as usual.

The reigning monarch makes her/his way to the Ridderzaal on a golden carriage, as you do.

Go early to find a spot among the loyal monarchists well equipped with fridges, Thermos flasks and fishermen's umbrellas: you may be lucky and score a discarded boterhammetje.

http://www.prinsjesdagdenhaag.nl/

Most likely, it will unfortunately rain on their parade...

Monday - The bridges over trouble water

It seems that every country in Europe is equipped with its own controversial Calatrava masterpiece.

These bridges are located in the Harlemmermeer area, bewteen Hoofdorp and Nieuw Vennep and the costs for their construction and maintenance have been spiralling throughout the years, as often Calatrava's projects tend to do.

These (quite striking) three bridges are poetically called Harp, Zither and Lute and they actually blend very well with the surrounding countryside.

http://www.architectuur.org/bouwwerk/140/3_bruggen.html

Sunday - Open Monuments (Last) Day

Second (and last) day of the Open Monuments Day and although there aren't as many monuments open as yesterday, there are still plenty of interesting sites to visit.

The searching engine is an useful tool and the best strategy is to look by Province and then zoom in a certain area, to skip the usual spots and find the unexpected.

Loads of churches are open today, possibly because it's Sunday and they would be open anyway...

http://www.openmonumentendag.nl/zoek/

Come in: we are open!
 Laurenkerk in Rotterdam