Saturday - Whisky by the Sea

More than 500 whiskies are ready to be tasted in the Arsenaal Theather in Vlissingen (Zeeland) during this year's " Whisky by the Sea" event.

I have been to several whisky tastings in NL and always had a good time: it's a wonderful way to drink loads of lovely spirits while pretending to do something cultural.

http://www.whiskybythesea.nl/

Friday - MINI kite surf tour

One of the last submissions from faithful contributor Ale before she departs for her new adventure.

Europe's best kiteboarders are touring the continent sponsored by MINI and this week they are in Scheveningen: freestyle competitions and parties are on the whole weekend.

http://www.kitesurftour.eu/2013/09/20/mini-kte-scheveningen/

Thanks Ale and best of luck! :)

Thursday - Unseen Photo Fair in Amsterdam

An international photofair for undiscovered photo talents and unknown shots of notorious ones.

In the hipster expo space of the Amsterdam Westergasfabriek area, more than 50 international galleries come together to give you the best, the edgiest and the still undetected from the contemporary photography world.

Open till Sunday, it includes a book market, a collection of affordable photos and an exhibition at FOAM.

http://www.unseenamsterdam.com/

Wednesday - The lowest point in The Netherlands

In NL, you literally know when you have reached the bottom: it's on the Zuidplaspolder, somewhere along the highway from Rotterdam to Gouda, on a side road betwen Nieuwkerk aan de Ijssel and Mordrecht.

Marked by the monument pictured below, it makes for an unsettling experience to stand in front of it and realise how low below the sea you would be if there would be water here.

Tuesday - Fotoweek 2013

I got this tip from Arturas, the creative and talented friend I mentioned the other day, who also took the profile picture for this blog's Facebook page.

The Fotoweek runs from the 20 to the 29 September and professionals photographers, amateurs, shops, museum, libraries are celebrating this amazing mean of expression.

At several HEMA shops around the country for instance, customers can have their family portrait taken from Friday till Sunday...for free!

People can also contribute with the best (funniest, sweetest, awkwardest...) family photo to the "Largest Family Photo Album of The Netherlands" which will then be preserved digitally in the National Archives.

http://www.defotoweek.nl/

http://www.defotoweek.nl/popup-studio/index.html

" I think it was on the way to Uni". Copyright: Arturas.

Monday - Flying high

Major nerd alert for this post, although I must say that all kind of people show up in the several spotting posts around Schiphol: mothers with small kids and massive camera lenses, couples who wish to take a romantic stroll under the gasoline fumes, your average plane-spotters with binoculars and jackets with many pockets and even elderly gentlemen equipped with chairs, blankets and lekker bakje's.

Anyway, the latest star on Schiphol's runaways is the A380 from Emirates, which lands daily around 13.00 and take off to Dubai a couple of hours later.

This is a massive, spectacular machine, a proper feat of international engineering and when you stand under it while it lands, you can admire a wonderful human achievement and also feel a lot like Bono in Beautiful Day.

Below the tips from the man of the house:

Check this link 2 or 3 hrs before http://www.schiphol.nl/Reizigers/Vluchttijden/Aankomsttijden.htm
to see if the flight is on time or not. When you are close to Schiphol, better check this link (http://www.lvnl.nl/nl/airtraffic) to see which runway will be used for landing: most of the times it will be the Polderbaan and Zwanenburgbaan.

In any case the most eastern runway will always be used to receive the A380 (this is the Zwanenburgbaan).

For take off, check the link again (http://www.lvnl.nl/nl/airtraffic) to see which runway is going to be used or listen to frequency 121.6500 with a scanner (Startup control Schiphol).

The flight number is EK147 and arrival is every day scheduled at 13.30h, departure at 15.30h.

To check the codes of the runways see:  http://www.airliners.nl/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=206

See? Proper nerds stuff!

Copyright: still the man of the house.

Sunday - Peace of Utrecht's 300 years birthday bash

The first time I ever heard about a place called Utrecht was at school when we studied the eponymous Treaty, signed in 1713 between France, Spain, England and several other countries.

France and Spain agreed to be BFF, Sicily went to Savoy, some more land was officially by decree stolen to the Native Americans, the Spanish Netherlands (what's today's NL and north of Belgium) went to the Holy Roman Emperor...and much more!

So this year Utrecht celebrates that Peace that put it on the map with conferences, shows and exhibitions.

Among other events, today it's day 2 of the Basis Festival in Soest, with the shelters of Soesterberg's Military base open to the public and packed with performances, act, kids' activities and even an assault course (to make peace, possibly?...)

http://www.vredevanutrecht2013.nl/en