Friday - Part 1 - Movies that Matter

This weekend in Den Haag is so packed with events that I will have to write 2 posts today.

First up is the "Movies that Matter" film festival, which started yesterday in the Filmhuis and in the nearby Theather aan het Spui.

On my list, Camp 14, a film + animation about a North Korean guy who escaped from a work camp, Justice for my sister, a documentary about a girl from Guatemala trying to find her sister's murderers and My Brother the Devil, about 2 Egyptian brothers growing up in Hackney.

There's also a documentary about WikiLeaks...in fact there too many interesting things to be able to see them all, however chances are that many of the documentaries in the programme will soon be screened on Holland Doc, the extremely high quality, all-documentaries Dutch channel.

http://www.hollanddoc.nl

http://www.moviesthatmatter.nl/english_index

Thursday - Check into the hospital and get a beer instead

I have already mentioned in an older post the Olivier Belgian pub in Utrecht, hosted in an ex church.

The owners of Olivier seems to have a penchant for transforming unlikely locations into quirky pubs, since Leiden's version is hosted instead in a former hospital.

Wide choice of Belgian beers, hearty food and delicious chips.

http://www.cafe-olivier.be/content/locaties

Wednesday - Pasar Malam Indonesia in Den Haag

I have kind of insider's information about this event, as my boyfriend's parents are Dutch/Indisch, born in Indonesia.

The original Pasar Malam was founded by the first generation of Dutch Indonesian ("Indisch") who came over from the former colony in the 50s.

It was an occasion to meet friends and family, remember the good old days, play some indo-rock and enjoy delicious food cooked by the various Tanten (Aunties).

Over the years however, the Pasar Malam has become more and more commercial and it has lost that "longing" charm that the first editions had. It has now changed its name to Tong Tong fair.

According to John (=bf) however, the newly established Pasar Malam Indonesia has a more authentic feeling  giving interesting insights on how the country is today.

Check out the music programme: among the most popular Indonesian contemporary pop stars have been playing here. Also, try the real Indonesian dishes on sale, some of them very different than their watered down Dutch incarnations.

Tuesday - Sneak peak on the future of Rotterdam

240 million cubic meters of sand have been dug up since 2008 to form the Maasvlakte 2, a new bit of reclaimed land at the entrance of the port of Rotterdam: to put things in perspective, it equals an area as big as Disneyland Paris or Schiphol Airport.

It will host chemical plants, distribution centres and container terminals. Since the new haven will be 20 meters deep, it will be able to harbour the mega container ships that will be used in the future.

At visitors centre of Future Land you can learn about the creation process, the future use and the environmental impact of the newborn land. There's even a film being projected on a water curtain!

Guided tours by mean of a ride on the Future Land Express are available and there's a seaside cafe' too.

www.futureland.nl

Monday - A painting with a view in Delft

There is a spot in Delft from where the view hasn't changed much in the last 400 years. The gates, bridges and spires in Veermer's 'View of Delft' are still there.

The painting is in the Maurithuis, currently closed due to refurbishing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/View_of_Delft

Sunday - The Little Venice of the North

There must be at least 15 places in the world that go under the name 'The Venice of the North', but this village sounds like the closest to the real thing I have read about so far.

Giethoorn, in the Overijssel province, has no roads and its inhabitants can only travel around by boat, foot or bike (of course!).

Guided boat tours and rented boats are available for visitors as well.

Photo ops with gorgeous houses, cute bridges and wonderful flowery displays are guaranteed.

www.giethoorn.info

Saturday - Windmills in the Green Heart

Starting today and for the next 3 Saturdays it's the month of the Green Heart.

The green area between the main Ranstad cities, covered by polders, cows, windmills and several other Dutch stereotypes, is celebrating the arrival of Spring.

For instance today the Mallenmolen of Gouda are open to the public, offering guided tour, demonstrations of wool spinning and a lunch with bread made with flour grinded in the windmill...among many other things.

http://www.gouda.nl/

www.groenehart.no/maand

Friday - The European Fine Art Fair in Maastricht

I first read about this event a couple of years ago, on my boss' discarded Antique Gazette.

It starts today and ends on the 24 March and apparently is one of the most important art fairs in the world: it hosts 260 galleries from 20 countries, covering Old Masters, Modern and Contemporary art.

The main "special event" of this year is a parallel exhibition of Van Gogh's drawings, on loan from the eponymous Amsterdam's museum and there are several other cultural activities connected to the Fair.

On display: paintings, photography, jewellery, 20th Century design and works on paper, most of it on sale, and with entry tickets starting at 55 Euro, it better be good.

Beware: from the interviews I saw yesterday on TV, plenty of poshos on the premises!

http://www.tefaf.com

http://www.vvv-maastricht.eu/during_tefaf.html?lang=2

Thursday - Nijmegen and its Labyrinth

Thanks to Pinterest for coming up with brilliant suggestions when I am looking for inspiration. I have never been to Nijmegen, the oldest town in The Netherlands it seems, although it had been on the to do list for quite a while.

There, in 1982, along the river Waal (where the old harbour used to be) local artist Klaus van de Locht built a decorative, ground level, labyrinth of brick and mortar for the delight of passersby, kiddies, ducks and local photographers.

Apparently there was a plan to demolish it but it was eventually revoked at the end of last year, which is good news indeed because... who doesn't like a nice labyrinth?

http://www.klausvandelocht.nl/labyrinth

Wednesday - A groovy hotel nearby Amsterdam

I saw this new hotel on our way to the Ziggo Dome on Monday, so I looked it up and found out it's part of a chain called Fletcher. Which I immediately liked, since it reminded me of "Murder, she wrote".

Judging from the pictures on the website the rooms have round windows and pretty cool curvy furniture too, including a shower in the middle that looks like a Star Trek transporter.

For those not planning to sleep here but who would still like to give a look, there's are a Skylounge and Sky Restaurant Pi on the top, serving organic fare.

Cocktails can be sipped while listening to live music being played on the very Spage Age-looking Whaletone piano.

A sort of 1960's exercise on "what the future would look like", but then built in 2012.

http://www.fletcherhotelamsterdam.nl/

Tuesday - Triumph of the trompe l'oeil in Den Haag

Awful pun indeed, and I do realise that I posted a lot about stuff happening in Den Haag lately, but this one is a must see and it ends next Sunday.

I took a visiting friend to the Panorama Mesdag and while there, we were lucky enough to chance upon an exhibition of stunning paintings by the British artist Paul Critchley.

Cut out windows that open on hilly panoramas, imaginary doors that reflect the visitors image and put him in the scene, a whole apartment purpose build for the occasion inside the Panorama, where bits of reality (a telephone cord, a radiator, a lamp) mix with the painted version of it.

It's truly entertaining and somehow interactive art and great fun to discover what it's real and when the artist is trying to trick you.

Look out for the fly on the turkey, the (painted) cctv and the photo booth with your image in.

http://www.paulcritchley.com/

Monday - Board Noah's Ark in Dordrecht

A friend from Dordrecht came over for dinner yesterday and told us about a new attraction in his home town.

The story goes like this: after a series of prophetic dreams and visions, a carpenter from North Holland felt the need to build a 1:1 version of Noah's Ark. To figure out what the "original" version's sizes were, he "researched the Bible, various books on the Ark and DVD's".

Whatever one's opinion about the slight wackiness and maybe hidden agenda of the whole story, it looks like a fun day out especially for people with kids, since it hosts two theatres, a self service restaurant called "Vrouwe Noach", an "historical display" and "life sized polyester" animals (plus real ones too).

Besides, it seems to be a very beautifully built boat.

http://www.arcofnoah.org/

Sunday - The day after the night before, or the follow up of the Rotterdam Museum Night

We went to the Rotterdam Museum Night yesterday and my own personal top prize for this year's most entertaining venue goes to the Rotterdam Museum.

We witnessed a match of "blow-dry-your-hankie-across-a-ping-pong-table", courtesy of the creative duo behind Air Match, sipped delicious cocktails with a Surinamese twist, sang karaoke in Dutch and performed  "The Bottle of Tears" symphony for half full (or half empty) glasses and coloured bottles, directed by the talented bohemian guys and galls from The Jumping Flea Market.

Oh yeah, and there was a knitting club as well.

Among all these wonders, I have also discovered the Mesh Print Club: a collective of designers, artists and printers who organise monthly workshops in screen printing and stencilling and offer specially tailor made classes to students and company groups.

The Rotterdam Museum, by the way, is closed at the moment, awaiting relocation scheduled in 2016 to the Rotterdam Forum, designed by Dutch star architect Rem Koolhas.

Saturday - On the Pilgrim Fathers' trail in Leiden

While browsing the NYT last evening, I've found out that in Leiden there is an "American Pilgrim Museum", dedicated to the religious dissenters of the Mayflower's fame.

Open Wednesday to Friday, it is hosted in a XIV century house, not far from the market already mentioned in a previous post.

There is also another landmark related to the Pilgrim Fathers in Leiden: a wall plaque in the Pieterskerk commemorating the unfortunate John Robinson, one of the leaders of the group, who in fact, never made to America.

http://www.leidenamericanpilgrimmuseum.org/index.htm

Friday - Happy Women's Day in Amsterdam

It's the International Women's Day today and the University of Amsterdam is organising free guided tours through their exhibition "1001 Vrouwen".

The 1001 women in question are "extraordinary, famous, infamous and sometimes forgotten" women who had an impact on the history of The Netherlands.

On the occasion of the event, (female and male) visitors can enjoy a cup or coffee in the Museum cafe' for half the price. Not sure if the cookie is included too...

http://www.bijzonderecollecties.uva.nl/nieuws-agenda/agenda/content/evenementen/2013/03/gratis-rondleidingen-over-tentoonstelling-1001-vrouwen.html

Thursday - Ask a Dutch granny to knit your hat

I know it's a bit of a cliche, but I have the feeling that, when the going gets though, people seek refuge in the simple things in life: home made food, a walk in the forest, an hot chocolate mug and some freshly baked cookies. Which incidentally are also cheaper leisurely activities.

Handmade stuff are popular again and a Swedish friend of mine started a knitting club last year.

When it comes to knitting I am hopeless but thankfully I have a mum who is extremely gifted with needles, woollen threads and fabric.

However, for all the people out there who don't have the time or the skills or the crafty relative, in Rotterdam a group of designers have pooled a fine selection of Dutch grannies who can knit your desired scarf, hat or mitten. They are not that really cheap, but surely they are unique and can be considered as a store of value.

When doomsday comes, you will be warm at least.

http://www.grannysfinest.com

Wednesday - Looking for the oldest wooden house in Amsterdam

Just off Amsterdam's busiest streets, very close to Amsterdam's Historical Museum,  there's the quiet haven of the Begijnhof, with its manicured lawn, cute tiny gardens and pretty houses.

Among these houses there's was is said to be the last standing wooden house of Amsterdam, built around 1528. Later on, wooden houses were forbidden due to the high risk of fires.

It's perfectly preserved and maintained and on the ground floor a little information office sells postcards and leaflets.

Take the exit on the Spui and you are few steps away from the American Bookshop.

Tuesday - Go to the beach for the first stroll in the sun

It looks like it's going to be a wonderful day today: sunny and with the temperature raising above the 10 degrees bar.

Time to finally soak up some balmy air and check how the refurbishment of the boulevard in Scheveningen is coming along.

If you are stuck in the office and cannot manage to get out, you can at least check the very handy webcams showing different spots of the beach and its surroundings, 24/7.

http://www.scheveningenlive.nl

Monday - Stacked houses in Zaandam

I was browsing the library at Schiphol airport while waiting for my flight when I saw this picture.

At first I thought it was a clever Photoshop job of pasting Zaanse houses together in a collage to maximise the effect, but it turns out in fact it is an existing building.

It's an hotel recently built in Zaandam and I can't wait to see it. There are a bar and a restaurant, good excuses to give a look inside too!

http://www.inntelhotelsamsterdamzaandam.nl

Sunday - Biking on sand in Den Haag

Every Sunday, the cute cafe' Lola Bikes & Coffee on the Nordeinde, organises fatbike tours to the beach.

According to their flyer, it guarantees: "A great workhout, fresh air, salty sea, breezes, two hours of pure fun, closer to nature, new friends, cute legs", although it's not clear if this last bit is referred to the girls or the boys'...

Meeting point at 8.30 at the cafe'.

http://www.lolabikesandcoffee.nl/