Thursday - Vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas

I do realise it's not the most cheerful of topics, but funerary art is still, after all, art.

That's why I think that the tomb of Engelbrecht II van Nassau, which can be seen in Breda's Church of Our Lady, is worth checking out.

What stuck me was that while normally these marbled lord and ladies are always fully geared and covered in bling, in this case Mr and Mrs van Nassau are lying almost on the floor, simply clad in a sheet, while all the pomp and circumstance's outfits are carried above them as if to say: all is vanity.

Now to brighten you up: entrance to the quite beautiful church is free (with optional donation), you can watch a presentation about the evolution of the House of Oranje-Nassau and the toilets are very clean.

Wednesday - Den Haag Sculpture 2013

Every summer on the Lange Voorhout in The Hague, in co-op with the museum Beelden aan Zee, there's a free open air exhibition of massive sculptures representing the latest contemporary art trends in a certain country.

This year it's time for Russia. NL is celebrating in 2013 its ties with that country, from when Peter the Great came here incognito to learn the rudiments of sailing and canal digging to the opening of the Hermitage in Amsterdam.

The sculptures are quite impressive, although some may find them puzzling at times. In any case, they are surely better fitting in their elegant temporary setting than the hideous monster trucks and roller-coasters of the Queensday's Kermis.

Another thing that would be perfectly fitting under the lined trees is a proper Christmas market hosted in small wooden houses. The whole area has a sort of Dickensian quality that would make it the prettiest Christmas market in NL: in case you are reading, think about it Major Jozias van Aartsen!

http://www.denhaagsculptuur.nl/index2.php?lang=eng&item=home

Bizzare but true fact about NL and Russia's links: it would seem that Putin's daughter lives in Voorschoten.

Tuesday - Upstream on the Maas

A tip for a sunny day: a water bus trip up the Maas from Erasmusbrug to Dordrecht, the picturesque and still not touristically exploited town south of Rotterdam.

With the OV chipcard a single trip costs 5 euro and your bike travels for free.

http://www.waterbus.nl/landing.php

Not the Waterbus

Monday - Rotterdam's Pride: Groos

There's an area just outside Rotterdam Central station which is being re-developed as an alternative cultural hotspot.

The idea is to use the urban landscape and several empty office buildings to create spaces for music and art studios, cool independent shops, funky eateries and even an unexpected post industrial bier-garden in a former parking space.

The new kid on Het Schieblock (...) is Groos, a shop that wouldn't be out of place on London's Brick Lane, selling clothes, art and other objects exclusively made by Rotterdam's designers.

Sustainable, local and deffo cool, what's not to like?

http://groosrotterdam.nl/

Here's an interview with the owner (nice guy, btw):

http://www.losbangeles.com/culture/tjeerd-hendriks/

Groos = old Rotterdam's word meaning proud

Sunday - Park Pop in The Hague

It's impossible not to mention it, above all because it's free: Park Pop in The Hague.

This years bigger names, Bob Geldof and Sinead O'Connor, will be pulling large crowds of older music fans, but on the 3 stages there will be selection of (Dutch and international) bands, including Noisettes, to cater for all age and tastes.

Bring a picnic blanket, but not your drinks and snacks, because, as is crowd surfing, they are not allowed.

The organisers however are understanding enough when it comes to bring your umbrella: dat kan..

Park Pop starts at 14.00 in the Zuiderpark.

Saturday - Full Moon Festival

Tonight in Tilburg, with all female DJs line up and the bonus of a good cause.

1 euro of every purchased ticket goes to "Because I am a girl", a charity supporting the financing of the education of underprivileged girls all over the world.

Good music + good cause = nice Saturday afternoon.

Ah yeah, as a bonus, it takes place in a park and  it's not going to rain tonight!

http://www.fullmoonfestivaltilburg.nl

Friday - I like Chopin

Classical concerts in Botanical Gardens, that's what the Hortus Festival is all about.

Tonight, Chopin in the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam.

The actual festival starts on the 17 July but these teasers are already quite tasty indeed...

http://www.hortusfestival.nl/

Thursday - Shop it like it's hot

Time to go wild and keep the Dutch economy turning during the Shopping Night in Den Haag, with a mega pimped up koopavaond and shops open untill midnight.

Catwalks on the Grotemarktstraat, goodie bags to be won, free magazines and make up re-touchs in the Haagse Bluf plus entertainment starting with B (don't ask...) on the Grote Markt.

Beware of pickpockets and the occasional Thursday evening street fight.

Wednesday - Little church in da hood

Pauluskerk is a church not far from Central Station in Rotterdam that has been controversial in the past for the very open minded and tolerant approach of its minister, especially towards drug addicts.

Now it may become controversial for its architecture, since this is how it looks like after renovation.

Although there are a lot of Rotterdam haters out there, I personally quite like the building and find it fits very well in the general redevelopment of the station area.

Tuesday - Warm comfort farm

Another cool thing about living in NL is that, even when you live in a city, the countryside is never too far away.

The Terp is a farm in Gelderland whose main activity is the production of organic pumpkins for supermarkets.  Those small round one that you have surely seen at the AH when the season comes.

Not only that: for 50 euro per year (+ admin costs) you can adopt one of their cows, get to see it twice per year chez the farm and get a 4 numbers of the newsletter magazine Koevoet (Cowfoot).

http://www.cvdeterp.nl/NL_home.asp

http://www.adopteereenkoe.nl/

Monday - Leiden open air poetry museum

While walking around Leiden you may chance upon a poem, sometimes written in Dutch, often in another language, painted on the side of a building.

They are part of a project started in 1992 and include a grand total of 101 poems scattered across the town.

Here's a list (in Dutch):

http://www.muurgedichten.nl/wandeling.html

Apparently, several other cities around the world followed Leiden's example and started similar projects too.

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

Sunday - Sail away, Sail away, Sail away

This is not the massive Sail event that takes place in Amsterdam every 5 years, however Den Helder being the HQ of the Dutch navy, one can expect it to be up to standard.

OK, although theoretically it is the second day of summer and sun and warmth would have been preferable when it comes to spending time at sea, it's probably still worth a visit, especially to see the large boat parade this afternoon.

As a British friend once told me: there's no bad weather, just wrong clothes.

http://www.saildenhelder.nl

Saturday - The National Day of Architecture

Great chance to see buildings and other constructions normally banned to public entrance today (and tomorrow too), since it's the National Day of Architecture.

In Utrecht, for instance, you can visit the part of the Central Station still under construction and see how the works are progressing, while in Rotterdam you can take a lift to the largest rooftop allotment in Europe and savour its produce at a pop up cafe' open today only.

The events are too  many to mention and widely spread all over the country and can accommodate the taste of lovers of both classical and contemporary architecture.

http://www.dagvandearchitectuur.nl/

Friday - Too sexy for your t-shirt?

According to the organisers, "it's all things fashion in Arnhem".

The fashion biennale in on in Arnhem, with catwalks, video, shows and a pop-up bazaar.

Then main exhibition explores the topic of fetishism in fashion, quite spot on in these days of Loboutins and Shades of Grey...

http://moba.nu

Thursday - Go! Kart!

There's an amount of indoor things in NL that in other, let's call them less meteorologically challenged, countries would be hosted outside: water parks, skiing slopes and...go kart circuits.

Especially in days like this, when according to weer.nl all hell is about to break loose, it's good to have a few entertainment options indoor.

I personally didn't dare trying ( I don't have a driving license and just the thought of sitting behind a steering wheel make me what to run away screaming and hide in a cupboard) but I have witnessed my friends doing it and they seemed to have an amazing time.

We have been to the karting track in Delft, but there are several others around NL.

In De Uithof, you can even chose between concrete and ice.

As for me, I will still settle for the comfortable seats of the bar and raise my beer to your racing skills...

http://www.raceplanet.com/karting/delft/619

http://www.deuithof.nl/

Wednesday - Ride the surrey with the fringe on top...

....just not in Oklahoma but in Gelderland, which might sound a bit underwhelming, but I am sure it's worth a try!

Fancy a horse cart ride, followed by a picnic and a thriller night show in which the audience becomes part of the play? Or a walk in an ancient forest and a bbq?

Then look no further than the Huifcarcentrum Bergh in Gelderland.

I got tipped on this one thanks to a brochure from Triodos bank, one of the ethical banks available in NL. It seems this is a project they are financing.

The main attraction of the place is clearly the cart riding, however it seems to be a quite family friendly place suitable for a nice day out in the nature and they (as well) are soon going to have a corn maze.

http://www.huifkarcentrum.nl/

And now let's sing along!

Tuesday - I love The Hague photo exhbition

Last opening week of this photo exhibition at The Hague Public Library on the Spui, featuring foreign born photographers taking pictures of their adoptive city.

Runs till 25th June.

In general, The Hague's Library is worth checking as there's always something going on (talks, exhibitions, live music shows) and has an extensive (and rentable), collection of DVDs and books in foreign languages.

http://www.matrixorange.nl/index.php/home/entry/opening-of-the-matrix-orange-photo-exhibition-u201ci-love-the-hagueu201d

Monday - This ain't no donkey business

When I though I have seen it all, I came across this mini camping and recreation area in Prinsenbeek (Brabant) offering, not only a seasonal themed corn maze, but also the chance to play golf on the back of a donkey.

No, really.

http://www.hofvanoverveld.nl/

Sunday - For whom the bell tolled

This bell in S. Joost church in Breda comes from a fire engine that was used in London during the Blitz.

Many of these vehicles were part of the convoys serving the Allied Army during the liberation of the southern part of the NL and after the war they were dumped in a military scrape yard nearby Breda.

A parishioner working there found it and donated it to the church.

Saturday - Rotterdam Unlimited Street Party

Rotterdam is a gigantic open air party venue this week and this weekend is going to be massive.

The programme is packed with parades, carnivals, samba dancers, battle of drums, fantastic food stalls and concerts.

Tonight at 20.30 Manu Chao is playing for free on the Hofdplein, but there are stages scattered all over the city all night long.

http://www.rotterdamunlimited.com