Tuesday - The cultural bike tours app

Useful link for bike enthusiasts looking for new routes to explore the countryside, the towns and notable monuments of the chosen area.

With historical background information, links and maps it can be downloaded for a small fee and let your smart phone will do the rest.

http://www.traproute.nl/

Monday - The bronze folk of Katwijk

This cheerful albeit a bit static parade can be seen on the Princestraat in Katwijk.

http://vanderkrogt.net/standbeelden/object.php?record=ZH28ap

Sunday - The mighty Hoge Veluwe

The Hoge Veluwe is one of he must-dos on my own personal program for first time visitors and it makes for the perfect day out even with the trickiest of guests.

That's because there really is something for everyone to do: a beautiful park with a multitude of changing sceneries, bike riding on the free white bikes, an amazing art museum with its own sculpture garden (about which more on an upcoming post), wildlife watching huts and a recently renovated posh hunting lodge complete with photogenic reflection in the nearby pretty lake.

The easiest way to get there is by car, however public transport also gets you there, by train and then bus.

http://www.hogeveluwe.nl/en/14

http://www.noordhollandsdagblad.nl/reizen/nieuws/article23480903.ece

Saturday - T-shirt as art in Leiden

T-shirts...don't we all love them?!

Far from being just a convenient clothing item, it has now become a major expression vehicle for people's passions, believes and above all, sense of humour (or lack of it).

This exhibition features t shirts used as canvas for all kinds of artistic experimentation.

http://portal.leiden.nl/nl/toerisme_vrije_tijd/agenda/agenda_item/t/t_shirt

Friday - Transformator Den Haag

For the whole month of August at the Dakota theatre in Den Haag: an art exhibition showcasing artists from several European countries trying to express and portray the impact of the intermingling of cultures.

With installations, videos and photos, these artists (two Hungarians, a Slovakian and a Serbian) are exploring the changes and transformations that human beings undergo when migrating to a culture different from their native one.

Entrance is free.

http://pinvents.com/event/301898573287145/transformator-exhibition

Thursday - Amsterdam Skate Week

Last few days of this event dedicated to skating (as in "skateboard" this time), which includes not just ...skating... but also chances to win money thanks to photo and video contests and also of course...skating.

On the menu tonight, street jam "somewhere downtown": the one showing off the best tricks will win 500 euro.

Skating: a spectacular spectator sport.

http://www.amsterdamskateweek.com

2012: skaters on Venice beach.

Wednesday - Pluk de nacht (= Pick the night) itinerant film festival

Another cinema event, this time in Amsterdam with a really interesting selection of films from all over Europe.

It starts tonight and runs till Saturday 17 August, then it will move first to Arnhem then to Den Haag.

Entrance is free in Amsterdam and Arnhem but not in Den Haag.

Beach chairs can be reserved online, however worry not: even if the chairs run out on-line, you can most likely still find some space.

The price of the chairs is not fixed, but it's a free donation to the foundation of the cinema-loving organisers of the festival.

Because the night belongs to...cinema-goers!

http://www.plukdenacht.nl/festival/2013/#programme-stenen-hoofd-amsterdam-2013-nl

My very own beach chair.

Tuesday - Summer film festival in Utrecht

Ongoing summer film festival at the Louis Haartloper Complex in Utrecht, with a recap of the best 2012 films, including The Artist, Shame and Drive, which gives me an excuse to publish a picture of Ryan Gosling.

If the weather is nice, the screenings take place outside.

Louis Haartloper Complex summer festival

Hey girl.

Monday - Off to the beach in Zeeland

Since I live in this country I became something of a weather obsessed, so the first thing I do in the morning is check my trusted weer.nl to have clues on what to wear, if I should take a day off work and head for the beach or if instead I will need towel and hairdryer when I get in the office, etc...

On a lovely day such as today, it would be great to go to Zeeland, on the (white) beach near Burgh Haamstede, where the water is so clean that you can actually see your feet, no concrete towers are in sight and a kind, moustachioed man drives his adapted scooter along the beach to sell to grateful bathers ice creams and cold drinks.

Burgh-Haamstede

Before you head to the beach, get some breakfast in the village: Harry Sonnemans' bolus (traditional spiral moisty pastry covered in sugar and cinnamon) is said to be among the best of Zeeland.


Watch the Hairy Bikers visiting the Sonnemans bakery here:

Sunday - Join the flowers and vegetables pride in the Delftland

It seems that boat parades are very popular this weekend and today the canals between Delft and Naaldwijk will be the setting for a flower and vegetables floating parade, celebrating the area's main trade: greenhouse plants growing.

I have been the happy onlookers of such parade once and enjoyed very much the country fair atmosphere, the beautifully decorated boats (real edible marvels scattered with fruit and flowers) and the incredibly cheesy carnival music.

As they would say on the entertainment column: ***A must see!***

http://www.varendcorso.nl/230/7-augustus-Delflanddag

Saturday - Pride and joy on the grachten in Amsterdam

Who said that there would be no more Queen's Days?!

Today dozens of colourful, glittery and very loud boats packed with handsome guys and sexy girls, partying on the Prinsengracht, will be joining thousands of people "partying back" in the streets along the canal and its surroundings: it's the Amsterdam Gay Pride.... and with weather like this, it's going to be a blast!

http://www.amsterdamgaypride.nl/

Today's bonus suggestion (thanks awesome L.!): Schollenpop, free beach music festival in Scheveningen, with loads of different genres and bands including, from what I read on the website, rappers, metal and the Belgian answer to One Direction!

http://www.schollenpop.nl/

Friday - ABC Trade-In Day in The Hague

Today, from 11.00 till 17.00 at the American Book Center in Den Haag, you can bring English books you have already read and want to get rid of and get in exchange a voucher for the purchase of new books.

All kind of fiction accepted but no non-fiction or children books.

http://www.abc.nl/frontpage/events/index.php?show=details&place=abc&event=872

Second hand book shop in Edimburgh

Thursday - Cheese market in Gouda

Although I must admit that I am not a massive fan of Dutch cheese (apart from the zeer oud), I find the objects and traditions around it very intriguing.

For instance, before moving to Holland I didn't know that the object called kaasschaaf existed. Nor had I ever thought that millions of people could eat bread and cheese for lunch every single day.

So indeed, very fascinating.

There are therefore some must see places for Dutch cheese's aficionados and I think that the capital of the bright yellow stuff must definitely be Gouda. (although I personally associate Gouda mostly with a former colleague with a passion for fossils and body building, but I'm digressing...)

In summer, the best day to visit is Thursday morning, when the traditional cheese market takes place on the Markt. Cheeses are weighted and then traded with a ritual involving loads of hands moving and shaking.

Free samples and plenty of photo ops are offered to the visitors and there's a market selling traditional crafts too.

Gouda cheese market

Wednesday - One drawing a day

Found this flyer around and was intrigued by the simple (yet intriguing) white and blue graphics. Plus, it follows the "daily" principle which I obviously like.

Astrid Moors is the artist behind this project which focuses on quotes, sayings and facts about water. All of them accompanied by a drawing.

One per day (and one per week in July and August).

http://www.wijswater.nl

Tuesday - Topspots, a mouthwatering app

This new app, created by a Dutch photographer, allows you to get a glimpse of places where you I'd like to go for dinner, but would rather prefer to get a "feeling" of the place first (do I need a tie? are there any patrons over 25 y.o.? Or below 75? is the décor tacky? are the waiters fit? etc...)

Each entry is focussed on the pictures, with a short complementing text in English and the contact details.

Available at the moment are just Amsterdam and Rotterdam, but other Dutch (Den Haag, Utrecht) and international cities (Stockholm, Hong Kong) will be added soon as well.

Some features available on line, but it's actually conceived as an app for Ipad and Android.

http://www.topspotsamsterdam.com/

http://www.topspotsrotterdam.com/

Monday - Amsterdam's 9 Straatjes

When you feel like doing a bit of shopping, have grown tired of all the usual chains populating the Dutch high streets and maybe are looking for something different, take a walk around the "9 straatjes" (= 9 little streets) in Amsterdam.

This cute-ish name defines an area comprising 9 blocks enclosed between the Singel and the Prinsengracht, dotted with small indipendent shops, cafes and vintage (too expensive to be called second-hand, that is) shops.

Even if you don't need (or want) to buy anything, a walk around and maybe a stop for a bite and a drink are still worthy, as the whole area has a nice village feeling to it and is away-from-the maddening-crowds that roam the Dam or the Red Light District.

http://www.de9straatjes.nl/uk/

As seen in a shop in one of the 9 straatjes.

Sunday - City of bikes: a book about a men who loves bikes

Quick post today as I am briefly away from my beloved laptop.

It's a book about someone who goes to Amsterdam to study the city's bike culture and ends up staying, writing a book about the bike culture in the process.

http://www.cityofbikes.com/

Saturday - Kwaku festival in the Bijlmer

This annual Festival in the Bijlmer is a celebration of this Amsterdam neighborhood music and culture and takes place over 4 weeks in the Bijlmerpark.

There are of course performances from several local and international bands and DJs,  but also a football tournament (considering the amount and skills of Dutch national players hailing from here, you're almost certain to see some excellent footie), debates (today for instance about the roles of fathers and mothers in kids' upbringing), literary awards and beauty contests.

The entrance is moderately priced at 2,5 euro and apart from the usual fries and kroket stalls, expect to find loads of delicious food from Suriname (bara being my own personal favourite), the Antilles and the Caribbean.

http://kwakufestival.nl/

Friday - Photocompetition: the men and the sea

You love taking picture and going to the beach but you are also get very annoyed about how people dump their rubbish all over the place?

Time to document the mess and havoc created by pollution on the marine ecosystem and have a chance to win a surfing class + the publication of your photo.

More information available on the website of the association Kust&Zee, a foundation that strives for a sustainable use of the sea and the coast.

http://www.kustenzee.nl/fotowedstrijd/index.htm

Thursday - Open air cinema at the Humanity House

Every Thursday till the end of August, at the Humanity House in Den Haag, open air film screening starting at 21.45.

Tonight: When we were kings, a documentary about the legendary Congo boxing match between Muhammed Ali and George Foreman in 1974.

Next week, Persepolis.

http://www.humanityhouse.org/en/museum-agenda/open-air-cinema-1