Recovery is the name of the game, but for some people that requires some nice sounds and cozy events.

Friday:

De Biet are an old school band from Amsterdam Oost. 60's sound, they like to say: Maloe Melo. 10pm, 5€ entry.

Saturday:

You know before he was an actor, Ice-T was a rapper. And he's back, to be found at Melkweg; 9pm, 27€ + membership.

Sunday:

Lee Konitz, the legendary saxophonist, plays Bimhuis, along side the Concertgebouw Jazz Orchestra; 9:15pm, 16€.

Happy New Year all! Why not start off 2009 with a description of a great place to stay – at Schiphol airport.

Yotel is a relatively new concept that allows passengers to get a good night’s sleep at the airport. Hours between transfers can now be spent in comfort – and if you’re too lazy to get up at 4am for that early-morning flight, you can even stay over the night before.

Yotel’s décor is contemporary and the sleeping arrangements luxurious. Best of all? Standard cabins start at EUR 35 for four hours and EUR 70 for an overnight. Quick, tell all those people sleeping on chairs in the waiting rooms that there’s a better solution!

One of the not often mentioned traditions of the holiday season throughout certain towns in the Netherlands and Belgium, is the burning of the Christmas trees. Each year at the close of the holiday vacation (so around Jan 4th) cities and towns gather up all the thrown away Christmas trees in one particular location, announce a date and time to the public, sometimes they'll make a party out of it, and light the trees on fire.

This tradition actually goes back a long time as a religious ritual revolving around the idea that for some the tree was magical and for others it was important to get rid of them immediately after the holiday. From a more practical approach, it was better to gather them up than to risk the random trees that might be set on fire or otherwise cause problems while waiting to be disposed of.

The burning in Amsterdam was this past weekend. Unfortunately I missed the fun, but AT5 and flickr have some evidence of the event.

Everywhere you look in the Netherlands right now, people are ice skating. I walked by my local hardware store and people are standing outside looking in the store room window at various types of ice skates that are for sale. Every now and then I pass a sign on my street that reads the Dutch equivalent of "ice skate sharpening here". After over a decade of not having cold enough temperatures for good ice, skating fever has arrived.

Today, for the first time in 13 years, the Dutch Natural Ice Skating Championship took place. Here, watch the last lap for yourself:

No I will not stop talking about ice and skating yet. Although, its almost 5C today so that lovely ice is actually melting. But I digress, more ice skating tales!

Today I wanted to tell you about the tradition of the 11 city ice skating tour. Also known as the Elf Steden Tocht, it is a speed skating tour/race that passes through 11 cities in the magical Northern province of Friesland. Besides the long distance and the many cities, the race is also unique because it can not take place every year. In fact, in only takes place when the ice is thick enough so only if the winter is cold enough in the Netherlands, which it hasn't been since 1997. The race itself has only taken place 11 times, and this year the organizers are celebrating the 100th year of their existance as a group. To celebrate that anniversary, a theater group is putting on a travelling theater piece that takes you back through the century. (check out the youtube video, also available on the video player here on trippist)

But when the ice is thick enough, they announce the race and the whole country goes bananas. People flock to Leeuwarden to see the skaters and generally speaking, party like its 1999. Imagine ice skating 199km (123miles) with several thousand people!?

Will they be able to hold the race this year? The weather outlook for this week in Friesland says it will stay just above zero all week. So for now, the 11 city tour will have to wait.

Wandering the center of Amsterdam last week with a friend visiting from LA, we stumbled upon what looked like a skateboard shop. Stepping inside it became clear that this was more than a shop, it was also an art exhibit, chronicling the history of skateboarding. It just so happened that my buddy is a old school skateboarder, so we wandered by the old shoes, photographs, and time line of artifacts while he explained how it was to be a skateboarder in the 80's.

Besides being a shrine to the history, this place is also a Nike SB shop, featuring all the newest and flashiest boards and gear related to skateboarding. It also seems to be a popular hang out for some young skaters, at least on this particular night. I've never seen so many shiney new skateboarding sneakers in my life... which by the way, used to be considered shameful (having new looking shoes) in that world. See, I learned a bit about their culture! (after years of ignoring my many skateboarding friends in high school)

According to the internet the exhibition should be over by today. However the space itself is so big, I predict there will be something equally as interesting going on over at the Made for Skate location.

Shop Name: Made for Skate
Location: Spuistraat 125a
Hours: 12 - 7pm Daily.

Well I’m a little late on this one, but it seems earlier this week Minneapolis got a lesson in how to become a more bike-friendly city.

In a blog entitled “Let's bike like Europe,” Bradley Campbell talks about the free event and describes the presenter, a woman named Jane Shey who’s working on her PhD in Belgium:

She has reviewed several studies that identify key municipal policies, which indicate how several cities including Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and Groningen, have become the "Gold Standard" in cycling.

The presentation includes pictures to show how bike accommodations are structured, including bicycle lanes, paths, and cycle tracks, as well as bike parking facilities at transit stations. It will also include information about the policy changes that were instituted, problems of cyclists (including bicycle theft), attitudes about safety, and funding schemes to improve cycling

Not a bad idea! Pay close attention, Minneapolis.

Thanks to Jesse for the link!

The ice is gone, its back to normal winter January in Amsterdam. Lets go to the list:

Friday
Wristcutters, A Love Story, is one of the films currently playing at the SMART project space. Starts at 8:15pm, price is not listed but its a small budget event.

Saturday
It's Spellbound, the LGBT underground dance party. Starts at 11pm, 7€ entry and it all takes place at OCCI.

The Hey Kids Part Your Life Away involves good DJ's and alot of partying at Sugar Factory. 11pm, €12.50 entry.

Sunday
10am, its the annual RadioTV North Holland Vondelpark run. 10am, free!

Dutch jazz singer Soesja Citroen is doing her thing at the Bimhuis. 8:30pm, 15€.

Once again De Nieuwe Kerk (located on Dam Square) has put together a great exhibition. This time they focus on religion and spirituality in modern art. It is in cooperation with the Stedelijk Museum, which is currently closed for renovations. The exhibition enables the public to see part of Stedelijk’s extensive collection while final preparations are made for it to move to its new premises on Museumplein at the end of the year.

Admission is EUR 10 – and just EUR 3.75 if you have a Museum card. The exhibition runs from Dec. 13, 2008 – April 19, 2009, so there’s plenty of time to check this one out. Don’t miss it!

You might be wondering if indeed, as CNN tells you, people in other countries were really watching as closely to the inaugeration. What were they doing in the Netherlands? - I can hear you asking your computer screen.
I'll tell you what I know, and that's the scene in Amsterdam - THEY WERE WATCHING. Not only were they watching, they were gathering, at a quarter to 5pm CET I saw people rushing out of the grocery store, riding faster than normal towards their destination, and people flocking into bars and café's with their eyes fixed on the tv screens. Even at some squares, like down in the WTC business district where there are some outdoor screens, cyclists just pulled over and crowded around the bright blue light.
Being such an international place, a culture that greatly values travel , a country where many in the past immigrated to countries like the US and Canada, the significance of an Obama inaugeration was certainly felt here. And just like you may have heard, even over here.. they are excited and eager to see this happen.
A little more illustration, the video below is in Dutch, but the visuals say it all.. its the Obama Club of the Netherlands (yes that exists!) who threw a big party today, just outside the Hague. Enjoy:

The International Film Festival Rotterdam kicked off today and with that kick off come many special events. Among them: Size Matters, the projecting of a series of films on several sky scrapers and buildings of importance around Rotterdam. The films are old black and white films and are being played on huge screens that are visible from very far away.

The production is entitled Urban Screens, and seeks to explore the place that screens have in public life. Actually it seeks to do alot more than that, but of course its really about how it effects the individual watching the screens.

One woman on the local evening news commented that growing up she used to stare at the giant Robeco sky scraper imagining what could be done on such a large surface. Maybe she was a spiderman fan, who knows.

The film festival is going from today until February 1st. Tomorrow I'll get into some possible highlights and suggestions of what you can catch if you make it over to Rotterdam in the coming weeks.

The rain will never stop. So don't bother waiting for that to happen, instead put on rain gear and head out. Here are my simple highlights.

Saturday:

Alkaline Trio, I'm actually a fan of this great rock band with an oh-so-heavy guitar sound. Melkweg; 9pm, 12€ + membership.

Amsterdam Soul Club is heavy on the soul and taking place at the Badcuyp; 10pm, 5€.

Sunday:

Sunday Night Jazz at Club Panama looks good this weekend; 8:30pm start, €22.50 at the door.

Plague of the Zombies is a super old horror film and the TropenTheater is playing it; 2pm, 5€.

I said I would talk about some more films going on the the International Film Festival Rotterdam right now and indeed I will. Despite the fact that I won't get down to Rotterdam until Friday, I've been reading the blogs and the newspapers and keeping my finger on the pulse of the people, and here's what I've got for you:

The big film that gets alot of the public eye this year is The Hungry Ghosts, by Michael Imperioli, you remember him as Chris from the Sopranos. So far its hard to get alot of details on the film, but looking at IMDB, it seems the critics aren't thrilled. Still, the festival is all about you making up your own mind, so ignore IMDB, right?

Another director with a film thats getting some attention at the festival, Lav Diaz's film Melancholia is said to be extremely sad and very good. Diaz recently won a best feature award at the Venice Film Festival so needless to say, he could be on a roll.

Reading through the Guardian's film blog, they're big on the Rotterdam Film Festival in general, going on about how its unique among film festivals in Europe -

While Cannes, Berlin (which follows directly on from Rotterdam) and Venice court the red carpet, Rotterdam, alongside Vienna and Turin, make up a triumvirate of second-rung festivals far more concerned with the experimental, the global and, not least, public participation. All showings are open to the public at this freezing cold harbour on the Dutch North Sea coast, and the festival is all the better for its engaged and democratic nature.

Of course I should also mention the Tiger Award nominees, but that alone takes alot of explaining. So go check out the list for yourself.

Last week the Democrats Abroad threw a smashing inauguration party in honor of the new U.S. President, Barack Obama. They closed down the Hard Rock Café and provided special meals for attendees. The Dutch press was there, snapping pictures of entranced spectators. There was even a cardboard cutout of Obama himself. Attendees could pose with the man of the hour for the sum of 10 euros.

Not sure if it’s a regular thing, but the Hard Rock is a great venue for such a special event. It’s definitely worth checking into!

Last week I had the privilege to visit Los Pilones, the only authentic Mexican restaurant in Amsterdam. But it wasn’t at their original location on Kerkstraat 74. In 2008 they opened a second restaurant in the Jordaan, located at Eerste Anjeliersdwarsstraat 6, right around the corner from Café Nol.

The food is of the same outstanding quality – maybe even better! But the big surprise was that Los Pilones now makes its own tequila. For you experts out there, you can choose from blanco, reposado, and añejo. I tried (a small amount!) of all three, and though torn between the blanco and añejo, I took home a bottle of the former.

Los Pilones is a must-visit – and I haven’t even mentioned the fantastic décor. They’re open Sunday through Saturday (closed Monday) starting at 4pm. Buen provecho!

Ever heard of TripAdvisor? If you’re looking for a hotel in Amsterdam (or anywhere else, really) it’s a great place to start. Not only to they list 570 hotels and accommodations, but they employ a system of peer review to the order in which the hotels are listed.

For example, the top-rated hotel today is called Fusion Suites, and its high rating is based on 80 traveler reviews. Many of the raters take their time to explain exactly what they loved (or hated!) about the hotel, including its location, price, and tidbits about public transportation or nearby shops.

Here's one you may not have known: it is the 400 year anniversary of Henry Hudson's journey from Amsterdam to New York City.
As an Englishman hired by the Dutch East Indies Company, Hudson set sail in 1609 and the original purpose of the voyage was to find a passage to the pacific. Instead he found the area known today as the Hudson River Valley, as well as what would later become New Amsterdam... even later- New York City.
But this post is not just a history lesson, there's a big celebration in honor of his voyage going on throughout the year.
The joint effort between Amsterdam and New York City is entitled Henry Hudson 400. Among the big events, a special art exhibit of Van Gogh's work here at the Van Gogh museum, a self-guided multi-platform walking tour in Manhattan focusing on historical sites of New Amsterdam, a Water Forum at the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey including guests from both Amsterdam and New York, and much more. I mean... much, much more. I though I could list it all, but I can't, check the website for yourself. As each HH400 event comes up I'll be writing about it here on Trippist, and of course I'll participate in as much as I can.

So 400 years.. that's an impressive anniversary.

Goodbye January 2009 and hello weird February, and I'll show you some reasons why its going to be a strange month:

Friday-
Hip-hop perenials Capone-N-Noreaga are playing Melkweg, 9pm, 22€ + membership.

Saturday-
Occi is having the Embroyopunks Release Show, featuring names like Antidote, Bratpack and Citizenspatrol; 5€, 9pm start.

Sunday-
Adding a twist to Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, the Nieuw Anita will have DJ Ghost Trucker spinning during the film. 7:30pm, 6€ entry.

And if you've got money to burn and you're looking for an epic superbowl party, ESPN is launching a new American sports channel in the Netherlands, and the party is fancy, read all about it.

Looking further: Feb 3rd-
The New Kids on the Block, yes you read that right, are playing Heineken Music Hall. 45 euros and an 8pm start and you're guaranteed to feel like you're back in the early nineties.

Tomorrow I’m heading to the Rotterdam Film Festival. It’s been playing for a while now but tomorrow is the last day. Better late than never!

If you’re in the area and want to try to get in a few screenings before the festival shuts down for this year, have a look at Saturday’s program. But make sure you call and reserve tickets before making the trip to Rotterdam. Though friends of mine have had luck buying seats until recently, you never know.

There’s more than 20 theaters to choose from all over the beautiful city of Rotterdam – definitely worth the trip.

On Sunday (and Friday and Saturday) the Theater aan het Spui in Den Haag is showing “A Christmas Carol.” It is put on by the AATG, and it’s a panto. Ever been to one? The website proclaims:

Ding dong, Ding dong, t'is Christmas time. Oh no it isn't, Oh yes it is. Ok it's not, but at the end of January it will be again because the AATG will present their annual Christmas Panto. This time it is A CHRISTMAS CAROL –the panto. This classic story by Charles Dickens is a tale of good and evil, ghosts, men in dresses, redemption, choirs, screaming children, magic and a few custard pies for good measure.

So come one, come all to boo at the baddies and cheer for the goodies. Will Scrooge find redemption? Will Bob Crattchet get a pay rise? Is that a bloke in a dress? Where did I leave my car? To find out the answers to at least some of these questions come to the panto.

Tickets are EUR15 for adults, EUR10 for those under 16 and over 65. If you can manage to get a group of 10 together at this late date the tickets are cheaper (EUR13).

Concerned about whether Dutch children are reaching a satisfactory language level, Amsterdam schools have come up with a list of 2,000 words that every child should know by the age of four or five.

According to Expatica:

The city council commissioned the 2,000-word list and wants to ensure that all children are familiar with its basic vocabulary before learning to read and write in the third year of school. The list will eventually be added to the school curriculum at national level.

Sounds like a nice idea. Now I just need to find a way to get a hold of that list…

There's nothing particularly educational about this film, yet it was my experience this morning choosing what films to watch with a group of friends at the Rotterdam International Film Festival. Film reviews later this weekend....

There are always courses of every type going on in Leiden, but this one caught my eye: a month-long beginner’s course in karate for women over the age of 14.

The course is given by an association dedicated to teaching women karate (Shuri Ryu) and will start tonight (Sunday) at 19.45. It runs for one hour and also covers self-defense training. The course takes place in both Amsterdam and Leiden.

Not a bad idea, and a great opportunity to practice your Dutch. For more information look here.

It is that time of year again fashionistas, Amsterdam Fashion Week. Despite being someone who is clueless when it comes to fashion, I can only imagine alot of you are down with whats new and exciting. Therefore, a bit of AFW here on trippist, starting with a video:

I stumbled upon a few stories lately related to The Hague's project for the year 2020. It's called the Global City By the Sea project, and it's purpose is to change the so-called international zone around the embassies, Europol, and the international court for the former yugoslavia into a more beautiful area.

How can the area be made more beautiful? According to the plan, which has not yet been approved, the major focus is upgrading roads, walkways and tunnels. Beyond that, making the beach more accessible is the major selling point. The plan calls for the area around the World Forum to also be upgraded, specifically green spaces and public areas around the convention center.

That is of course, if the plan is approved.

Before hitting the Rotterdam Film Festival on Saturday, I headed to my favorite sushi place: Sumo. They have an all-you-can-eat lunch special (sushi and grill) for just EUR 16.50. Customers get two hours to order a maximum of five rounds, five items each. If you don’t finish the items, you pay extra.

I’ve never made it past round three, and they serve the sushi so fast that it’s impossible to get nervous about making it in two hours. The only drawback is that this great deal is available only between 12.00 and 17.00, and the dinner version is more expensive (EUR 20.50 and 22.50 on the weekends) but still reasonable.

Sumo is located at Westersingel 1A, about a five to ten-minute walk from Rotterdam Central Station – depending on how excited you are to get to the sushi.

Every month, the Leiden expats organize a pub night in Leiden. They’ve been going on for over a year now and the turnout is incredible! We’ve settled in at De Burcht, and I’m happy to say the expats really do take over the pub on this special night.

If you’re in the area feel free to stop by. There are expats from many different countries and all walks of life that call Leiden or a surrounding city home. You never know whom you might connect with.

The next pub night is tomorrow (Saturday) starting at 8pm. See the Facebook event page for more details.

A quick to-do list as I'm actually in Portugal this weekend on family business.

Saturday:

Giant Sand is one of the great acts of the last 20 years, Paradiso; 8pm, 13€ plus membership.

Maloe Melo is doing Asian night with the Bebas Band; 10pm start, 5 euro entry.

My dear friends at Peper are throwing a big bash entitled "Lust in Space", thats at OT301 at 10pm, 5 euro entry.

Sunday:

Wicked Jazz Sounds Clubnight at Sugar Factory; 11pm to 5am, 9.50€ entry.

I’ll be heading to Antwerp soon for a work-related activity, so research has been necessary into how and how fast I can get there. I checked out the NS Hispeed site and punched in the specifics: Leiden to Antwerp.

The site lets you select the basics (date/time of travel, plus any applicable discounts – I have the Voordeeluren card). The trip (with same-day return) only costs me about EUR 30. The journey takes a little more than 1 ½ hours each way. Not bad for a quick visit to the lovely city of Antwerp!

Here’s a story from December that may leave you…confused.

Van Dale Publishers, a Dutch dictionary company has revealed that 57% of online visitors have chosen “word of the year” for 2008. I’m not even going to describe it here, so just check out the article. Fifty-seven percent?

The second and third-place finishers were a bit more family-friendly:

The dictionary company said the second-place finisher for word of the year was "wiien" -- to play video games on the Nintendo Wii. Third was "bankendomino," an all-in-one metaphor for the recent economic phenomenon of banks falling like dominoes.

Did you know that Amsterdam has an urban farm? YES it does.

It is called the Buurtboerderij, and its located right off Westerpark. Amazingly, its a farm house practically in the middle of the city. Back in 2001 the house was squated and a group of people took on the work of rehabilitating the old abandoned house. What they created was not only an alternative living space, but also a performance space, and a vegetarian eatery.

Talk about keeping good hours, the farm is opened everyday from 8:30am to 11pm. They make 4€ breakfasts from 9 to 10, lunch from 1 to 2 for 5€, and dinner starting at 7pm for 7€. Vegetarian options are always available, though they ask they you call ahead (see website for number).

There's a three part documentary about the Buurtboerderij on youtube, it's in Dutch but even if you don't understand you'll see images of what the place looks like and the work they've done.

I'll be heading there on the next nice weather day we get. So stay tuned for more photos and video.

Valentine's day might have once not been a big deal in this part of the world, but looking at the concert agenda... things sure have changed.

Saturday:

Kill Your Valentine on the Catwalk, techno party at OT301; 10pm, 7€.

Over at bimhuis its the Amsterdam World Music Festival: Barcelona! Its a big show and it starts at 5pm, and €35 gets you a passe partout.

Sunday:

It's a sunday morning opera at the concertgebouw entitled "Purcell Gala"; 11am, prices range from 14.25€ and up.

Shimmy Shake - Cross Over Belly Dance Competition at the Sugar Factory; starts at 1pm, 12.50€ entry.

And looking ahead, Thursday night features the great Habib Koité & Bamada at Melkweg; 8:15pm, 20€+membership.

A fabulous new food store has opened in Amsterdam and Haarlem. It’s called Markt, and if you’re picky about the products you eat – this is the place for you.

They provide a comprehensive variety – produce, cheese, bread, fish, etc. – and I’ve heard that it’s all highly recommended. The website even introduces you to their personal butcher, and lets you know what specials are on for the current week.

Markt is located in Amsterdam at Overtoom 21, and Haarlem at Gedempte Oude Gracht 66.

There is a new and fascinating-sounding exhibition that started yesterday (13 February) at the Van Gogh museum in collaboration with the Museum of Modern Art in New York. According to the website, “Van Gogh and the colours of the night is a unique exhibition of paintings by Vincent van Gogh evoking the atmosphere of the evening and night.”

During Van Gogh and the colours of the night an extra charge of € 2.50 applies for a total admission price of € 18.50. An audio tour is included in the price. The exhibition runs through June 7. Don’t miss it.

Despite the pouring rain, there are still lots of things going on indoors this season. And among my favorite places for 2009, S.M.A.R.T. is definitely in the top five.

Formally known as the Amsterdam Center for Contemporary Art and Cinema, before it was made into its current form, SMART was actually the city morgue. And one thing I love about this building, call me morbid, is that as you walk around and see all the wonderful art and creativity, you can still feel a sense that this WAS the morgue. That -to me- makes for an even more interesting experience, knowing some more history of such an interesting place.

The current exhibition that I enjoyed wandering through is called Coalesce: Happenstance and involves various artists doing work in the same space. The result, in my experience, was a mix of ideas and experiences that left me curious at every turn. Of course also confused at many moments as well. But confusion would never stop me, at walking through the exhibition left me pleased and ready to get back to work with a fresh perspective. I think.

Coalesce: Happenstance is showing at SMART until March 8th. Afterwards you can go have a drink at Lab 111, or food if you're hungry. Or watch a film in one of the cozy theaters.

SMART is open everyday afternoons and into the night. There are always people running around and happy to talk to you about life or their work, and perhaps the icing on the cake - its totally free.

You know I'm a sucker for the technology and especially the merging of maps, flight, and my computer. Therefore I was very happy to try out the Utrecht fly-over map on google earth.

If you've ever messed with google earth then you might know that anyone can build 3d buildings and place them on a map. When this option first started years ago, only the most popular buildings would get a 3d image and appear on google earth. But now that some time has passed, maps such as the flyover 3d map of Utrecht have been built down to the most mind boggling little detail. To the point that we can actually call it a virtual flyover tour of a city.

Here's a link to a news item about the 3d tour and an interview with the designer. But Ill also include a link to the file so you can try it yourself (google earth needs to be installed on your computer - its free). So if you can't be in Utrecht right this minute, or if you're planning on going and want to get a feel for the streets and the city layout... try this out!

Lets see what manner of fun I can recommend for this weekend--

Friday

Bulgarian Jazz star Dimitar Bodurov and his trio; 8:30pm, 16€.

At Sugar Factory its Disco Dip; 11pm, 10€.

Saturday

Maloe Melo's beloved Soul Prophets; 10pm, 5€.

SUBBACULTCHA! at the Nieuw Anita; 8pm, 6€.

Sunday

New Zealand's rockers The Datsun's play Melkweg; 8:30pm, 14€+membership.

Concertgebouw features Maurizio Pollini on piano; 8:15pm, tickets 42€ and up.

Are you an expat in the Leiden area? The Leiden expat group is now hosting a movie night about once a month – here you can watch films out of the mainstream – often in languages other than English – but with English subtitles! Combine that with a chance to meet and chat with a big group of expats and you’ve got a great night ahead of you.

This month’s film is on Wednesday but is fully booked. However, there’s hope for the next one! Just join the Leiden expats group on Facebook (you have to be a member of the Netherlands network to do this) and you’ll be sure to hear about all other upcoming films as soon as they’re announced.

A scene from just before midnight last friday on Museumplein:

I had a chance to try out a relatively new eating establishment in Amsterdam. Located in the east of the city, Quatfass offers an interesting concept in food. Seemingly inspired by the concept of tapas, they offer a wide variety of dishes (from burgers to shrimp) served in smaller portions designed to share with your eating companions. They’re also keen on incorporating feedback from patrons and online visitors, and recently revealed a new menu with these suggestions in mind.

As of March 1, Quatfass offers a Sunday Brunch along with life music and delicious food choices.

Quatfass is open every day of the week from 4pm. It’s located at Ringdijk 3 in Amsterdam, just off the number 9 tram line.

Trippist is of course not a news site for things happening in the Netherlands. However it seems silly to post today without acknowledging that as I type these words the rescue and recovery effort is underway. The Turkish Airlines plane was approaching Schiphol Airport on its way from Turkey when it crash landed in a field. Lots of speculation about wounded or dead but nothing is certain right now other than the fact that many passengers were able to walk away. I won't be posting an update, Ill just list 2 or 3 english language sources for you to consult.

Regular posting will resume later today.

Turkish English News

Expatica

GuardianUK coverage.

There is alot of talk about hybrid vehicles and electric cars being in high demand in North America. There is also alot of talk among European governments, including the Dutch government, about reducing emissions and investing in alternatives. Yet rarely have I heard or seen any evidence of electric cars on Dutch roads (not including the little cars for special needs people that ride in the bike lane).

However, at long last, I found evidence of electric cars in the Netherlands. Thanks to Radio Netherlands, you can watch a little news clip of one such car. Keep an eye on the roads, you should be seeing but not hearing, alot of these.. soon.

I found myself at Schiphol the other night and hadn’t had time to get dinner. Unfortunately I was on an errand outside of security so I didn’t have access to the delicious options for air travelers. But, just past the main entrance, Per Tutti had always looked so appealing with its fresh pastas and pizzas on display. I decided to give it a try.

I ordered a pasta dish and some red wine. A few minutes later, my food was delivered to a nearby table. It was…reasonable. The pasta had been microwaved and tasted like it had been sitting out for quite a while before that. It was served on a plastic plate and the wine in a plastic cup.

Not exactly high-quality dining, but I guess I can’t complain for a quick 9pm-bite at Schiphol.

Hard to believe that there’s a restaurant in Amsterdam with its own greenhouse – but it’s true!

But the excitement of De Kas doesn’t stop with the unusual presence of homegrown herbs and vegetables. The five-course menu comes from whatever is being currently harvested and also draws inspiration from other seasonal ingredients.

I ate there on Friday night and was wildly impressed with the food choices: fresh vegetables, meat, fish, delectable pastries, and delicious wine. A must-visit – and completely unlike anything you will experience food-wise in Amsterdam.

Just a perhaps useful reminder that the Stedelijk Museum, aka Stedelijk CS, is closed. Of course if you go to their website they highlight the fact that only that building is closed and the permanent headquarters is under construction, BUT - they are now doing Stedelijk in the City. This is their program of showing exhibitions in different parts of the city.

Earlier in the year they did Fauvists and Expressionists at the Van Gogh Museum. Until April you can see their exhibition Holy Inspiration, Religion and Spirituality in Modern Art at the Nieuw Kerk. Starting April 18th they'll be showing work all over Amsterdam West as well.

This is just a reminder as I recently heard from visitors who arrived at the Stedelijk CS building only to see the huge craters punched into it during the demolition. For full details of where to go and what to see, keep an eye on their website.

Some months ago I made a new American friend here in Amsterdam. Turns out, he works at the hologram shop. Which got me thinking... most people who come to this fine city, don't know about the renowned hologram shop in the red light district.

Yes the hologram shop and gallery features all sorts of items, only these items are holograms: pens, notebooks, jewelry, portraits and more. My own room now features several small hologram stickers, courtesy of one very enthusiastic friend at this unique Amsterdam shop.

One more thing I shouldn't forget to mention, located right at the edge of the red light district, the shop also features adult holograms! Which immediately makes me think of little child holograms that have grown up.

Even if you're not in Amsterdam at the moment, click over to the website where you can watch a 3D Slideshow. (warning, 3D glasses required)

Tomorrow is Rotterdam Museum Night. Many have heard of – and attended – its counterpart in Amsterdam, but this event looks just as exciting.

On March 7, 2009, it’s the eighth annual Rotterdam Museum Night. More than forty museums and galleries will be open from 20.00 to 02.00. The theme (“RE:”) provides inspiration for various activities and amazing performances.

Tickets available online on the official website.

There’s another exciting event happening on Saturday – the Leiden expat pub night. As usual it takes place at the pub De Burcht. Expats from around the world will start showing up around 9pm, and we socialize and have fun until the wee hours of the morning.

Feel free to stop by and introduce yourself if you’re in the area. For more information, see the Facebook event page.

I've heard whispers on the street about something called spring one day arriving. In the meantime, I'm looking at the following shows this weekend:

Saturday

Occi features the Ketacore releases, 11pm, 5€.

Youssou N'Dour's film I Bring What I Love showing at Melkweg, 9pm, 6€.

T.M. Krishna is young phenomenon in southern India, TropenTheater, 8:30, 21€.

Sunday

Studio Pelotonic is happening at Badcuyp, 8pm, 4€ (additional cost if you want the dinner option)

I had a delicious dinner at the Burgerzaken in Leiden last night. On the way out, I noticed an upcoming event: Vivian June is performing this Sunday (March 15) from 4-6pm. I snapped a picture with my phone and made a mental note: What better way to spend a (probably rainy) Sunday afternoon in Leiden?

The food at this place is really incredible, by the way, and not too expensive. LeidsLekkers reviewers rave about the lunch menu – I might just have to check that out soon, as well.

New Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum! The painting "Girl Holding a Balance" is showing only until June of this year, which leaves not a whole lot of time to see it. The painting is on loan from the National Museum of Art in Washington, DC.

What is more cool is not just that such a special painting is on display here in Amsterdam, but that Vermeer didn't do that many paintings, and during these next 4 months, the Rijksmuseum will be showing 5 of them under the same roof! (among them: The Milkmaid and The Woman Reading a Letter)

Which might leave you wondering, how many works by Vermeer are out there? Answer: 34.

A random group of creative people in the city of Utrecht have put up exhibits all over the city featuring photos of apes. The photo documentary group FOTODOK launched this collaborative project along with English photographer James Mollison last week, which features the faces of Apes. Or as their press release puts it :

"in different sanctuaries over the world Mollison photographed apes, who are victims of the bushmeat trade or illegal pet trade. He depicts these threatened animals as individuals with their own character and identity. Mollison’s purpose with this series is to let us rethink our position in the chain of nature. And to raise questions about identity."

Apparently the Apes are also present on popular social networking sites like Hyves and Facebook, although I myself am not friends with any of them.

Full details in both English and Dutch are available on their website, and of course one of the great things about public outdoor art, is that its free and scattered throughout the city! See their map for exact locations.

Days are getting longer and the temperature has gone up just a bit... what to do?

Saturday:

Wolfpin is having a CD release party at Meloe Melo; 10pm, €5.

A true world music "nomad" Nynke Laverman plays at the Muziekgebouw; 8:30pm, €28

Sunday:

Taiwanese-American Jazz singer Vienna Teng plays Bimhuis; 2pm, €18.

The Netherlands Opera does Carmen; Het Muziektheater, 11:30am, tickets start around €30.

The Noordbrabants Museum in 's-Hertogenbosch is holding an exhibition called De Ideale Vrouw (The Ideal Woman) from January 23 through May 3, 2009.

Looking at images in both art and media, the exhibition explores the concept of the ideal woman from both the past and today.

The Noordbrabants Museum is open from Tuesday to Friday from 10.00 - 17.00, and Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 12.00 - 17.00. The museum is located on Verwersstraat 41 in 's-Hertogenbosch.

Just a little spring update for the Foam (Amsterdam Photography) Museum:

img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3152/3056022059_4974c0916a_m.jpg"align="right"hspace="12"wspace="12">Currently there is a Richard Avedon exhibition showing thru May 13th. Avedon, an Ameican who died just over 4 years ago, was a photographic legend in the world of fashion and fine art. Among his most famous work I'm reminded of the Portraits for the Beatles White Album, the civil rights movement in the 60's, and mental hospitals. There was also collaboration on books with authors like Truman Capote and James Baldwin. He would eventually become staff photographer for the New Yorker Magazine in the 90's.

The Foam is open everyday from 10am to 6pm, Thursday + Friday they stay open later until 9pm. Standard adult admission is €7.50.

Want to learn more about the great Vincent Van Gogh? Well now you can, with a new film created for viewing on IMAX. According to the website:

The film retraces the artist’s footsteps, leading us through the painter’s subject matter and sources of inspiration. From the Netherlands, to Arles, to Saint Rémy and Auvers-sur- Oise, we rediscover the places and landscapes that have inspired some of the most essential works in art history. From the dazzling yellow of the cornfields to the deep blue of the sky, the entire palette of one of our most flamboyant painters explodes to light up the giant screen…This passionate voyage, this new closeness to Van Gogh – the masterpieces and the man – open up a world of unexpected, intense emotions on the giant screen. The film offers us the unique joy of seeing and getting to know, with ever increasing admiration, the man whose energy and freedom are intrinsically bound to the great beauty of his work.

Admission is € 9.75 Adults, € 7.50 for children under 12, and € 8.00 for CJP cardholders. Tickets can be booked online at Belbios.

File this one under long-term plans as it is too special to do last minute: Tracy Chapman is playing in Amsterdam this summer. A rare chance to see this legendary artist perform songs like "Fast Car" and "Talkin Bout a Revolution". Chapman is one of those singers who's songs are known by most anyone, throughout the world.

The concert will take place at Heineken Music Hall on July 11th at 8pm. Tickets go on sale this Saturday and will be going for about €38. Once again, tickets will likely go fast so if you have the means, either by reserving them in person, online or via telephone, do it soon.

Everyone's starting to come out of their cave's as the days are longer and the sun makes more frequent appearances. Therefore the entertainment options are improving too:

Friday

Pianist Alexandre Tharaud performs at Concertgebouw; 8:15pm, €31.

Saturday

JOSÉ FRANCO & RAÍCES DE FOLCLOR play the Tropen Theater; 8:30pm, €21.

Sugar Factory features a battle of the bands entitled Meeting Point: “Guess What”, 7pm, €12.50.

Sunday

Her voice has been compared to Sarah Vaughn and Ela Fitzgerald, Roberta Gambarini plays Bimhuis; 8:30pm, €21.

Monday

A rare monday recommendation - the great Lyle Lovett performs at Paradiso; 8:30pm, €35 + membership.

The Movies that Matter Festival, previously the Amnesty International Film Festival, will be held between 2 and April 8 in and around the Den Haag Filmhouse. The festival provides inspiring movies and documentaries as well as discussions with filmmakers and those concerned about the debate on human rights.

Selected films including the planned program are available on the website. Tickets are € 7.50 for each film or € 6 if you have a CJP/OV-studentenkaart/ Pas 65/Stadspas. A passé-partout is also available for € 25.

Exploring new places in Leiden has become a top priority this year. That’s why I decided to finally check out Annie’s, a food and drink cellar that I’ve walked by countless times on the way to Leiden’s bi-weekly market.

I was served a sparkling water with a lemon…and ice! Plus the water itself was chilled, making for a deliciously cold drink. I ordered a Carpaccio sandwich with Parmesan and pine nuts, also excellent and very filling.

Annie’s is very close to the market, located on the Hoogstraat 1a. It’s hard to spot from the street as the entrance is down a flight of stairs. In warmer weather they have an excellent waterside terrace available for drinks and lounging.

I'm planning a visit to the Zuidersee Museum now that spring is here. It is not one of those big name museums that people come to Holland hoping to see, but I hear great things about the different aspects of art, culture, and history that the museum encompasses. With plenty of things to see for both adults and children, the Zuiderzee Museum is all about the relationship between land and water that is so tied to the country; past, present, and future.

Now when I say museum, it probably isn't the kind of museum you picture in your head. This is a museum + park, which includes traditional Dutch houses. So during the week, for example, the buildings are closed, but you can walk around all you want.
The schedule for visiting the museum varies depending on what you want to do, so consult the website for detailed info. The cost for adults is €13, kids 4 to 12 €7.80, 3 and under free. There are family rates and other deals depending on your situation.

Further details, including how to get there (short train ride from Amsterdam), are also well described, in English, on the website.

The other day I realized I had a gift certificate to redeem at an Amsterdam-based travel bookstore called Pied a Terre. I headed down to Overtoom 135 and had a look around – and the store was a delightful surprise!

Not only does Pied a Terre provide the standard mix of travel books for worldwide destinations, but also it mixes English, Dutch and French options throughout each section. It has a special corner dedicated to biking trails and another for walkers. I saw a Jakarta street atlas, a wide selection of globes and travel journals and even globe-shaped bike bells.

A kid’s play area is tucked under the stairs and a small café in back boasted a coffee and apple pie special for under 5 euros. After an hour of wandering in awe, I chose a Vienna travel guide and paid with my gift certificate. This store is highly recommended for any kind of traveler…or book lover, for that matter.

Someone sitting near me at my favorite local café was talking about going to Leeuwarden this weekend. Apparently that is where her family lives. There are times when I hear people speaking about Leeuwarden like this breath of fresh, healthy air. Not sure if thats more nostalgia or fact. That should probably be for you to decide.

Just over 2 hours from Amsterdam (by train), capital of Friesland (Province), and home to around 90.000 people, there is plenty to see and do if you make the trip up there.

Searching through internet artifacts about the city, I found a film from the 70's that may give you an oh so warm feeling about Leeuwarden. Enjoy:

Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972) was a Dutch graphic artist known for his mastery of drawing impossible situations. As the Escher in Het Paleis website puts it:

Water flows uphill, birds metamorphose into fish and figures walk endlessly up and down the staircase in the same courtyard. In “Another World” you look into space while simultaneously viewing the craters on the lunar surface from above and from the side. In other drawings small reptiles crawl out of the frame across objects on a table and back onto the sheet of paper.

It has to be seen to be believed. And it’s possible, at the Escher in Het Paleis museum in The Hague. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday between 11.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. and adults pay € 7.50. It is located at Lange Voorhout 74.

Last weekend before the finest month of the year in the Netherlands. What to do?

Saturday:

Café Pig, featuring Nadja and Paul White; OCCI, €5, 8pm.

Pink Istanbul Art + Dance Event; Paradiso, 11pm, €12.50.

Sunday:

D12 is hiphop; Melkweg, 8:30pm, €22 + membership.

Jazz from MAHANTHAPPA/DRESSER/HEMINGWAY ; Bimhuis, 8:30pm, €16.

Visiting Leiden? If you’re on your way into the city or heading home, Café Midi is a great little stopping place on the way to or from the station. They offer coffee (made by a real Barista!), smoothies, homemade soups and sandwiches – think of a great Mediterranean mix like coriander, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives…even pesto and tapenade.

It may be small and tucked away on the Steenstraat, but summer offers even more options with a terrace perfect for enjoying the occasional sun. Café Midi is open Monday through Friday from 8-18.00 and Saturday and Sunday from 11-18.00. Try it out at Steenstraat 1B.

Perhaps a little known fact: Amsterdam is a candidate for the 2028 Olympics as well as the World Championships of 2014. Seem far away? Remember when Beijing 2008 sounded futuristic?

In order to get and keep the city in the running for both games, one interesting plan calls for the improvement of the modest Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam south. Unlike alot of over-the-top plans for stadiums that cities often come up with when it comes to the olympics, the proposal for this stadium seeks to add simple and non-intrusive extensions of seating complete with some protection from the elements. Here's a draft image:

Of course that's not the only piece of the puzzle. Lot's of other infrastructure and assorted projects will be undertaken as part of the olympic bid. This one just happens to be my favorite for its simplicity; keeping in tact that very fascinating 1920's feel to the old stadium.

Cars ranging from super-luxury to environmentally smart and modest are now on display at AutoRai 2009 in Amsterdam. Another feature is the 110 Years of AutoRai classic car section. There's also a chance to test drive some of the most powerful SUV's on the planet.

The show started today and will be running through April 11th. Tickets are €16.50/€18.50 on weekends. Kids 14 and under admitted for free.

Exciting news for Leiden dwellers! A new post office is opening on the Haarlemmerstraat 56, located in the Sigarenmagazijn Opdam. Until now the locations of the post offices have been so inconvenient (well, I’m lazy) that I avoid going at all costs. Not any more!

The post office will be open on Monday from 13.00-17.30, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9.30 to 17.30 and Thursday ‘til 21.30, and on Saturdays from 9.30 to 17.00.

What to do on such a fine weekend:

Saturday-

Kubus & BangBang at Melkweg; 9pm, €13 plus membership.

Globalization Bazaar Bears Feat. DJ Ishtar and Polyesta; 10pm, €8.

Akadinda, minimal music from Uganda; 12:30pm, free.

Sunday -

Jazz Orchetra of the Concertgebouw feat. Peter Beets; 8:30pm, €16.

The Radio Philharmonic Orchestra plays concertbebouw, featuring Maria João Pires on Piano; 11am, €16.50.

Lastly from 12 to 6pm its the "Spring is in the Air Market" at Westerpark.

Another sushi recommendation for Trippist followers – this time in The Hague. It’s called Momiji Sushi. Great décor, incredibly fast service – we got in on a Saturday night without a reservation and were finished within an hour. If you’re really in a hurry you can even choose to sit at one of those revolving food counters.

The sushi’s great, too. They have a number of set menus with sushi and sashimi mix. We ordered menu B, which cost 18.50/person. It was more than enough and delicious.

Momiji Sushi is a 10-15 minute walk from Den Hague Central Station. It’s located at Rabbijn Maarssenplein 1.

No not the day, but indeed the venue of the big Queen's Day concerts is moving to Westerpark this year. This includes the party on the night of the 29th, Queen's Night, and the day itself, the 30th, which is filled with big live acts on stage all day long.

The festivities have previously been held at the Amstelveld which has been overfilled over the past few years, and led to lots of noise complaints from residents in the center of the city.

As the day nears I'll dig up more information about what and who, making sure you know your options for the biggest party of the year in Amsterdam.

Students from Delft have been testing out the effect of smell on nightclub goers. In other words, looking into what effect different types of scents can have when pumped into the air at some prominent clubs in the cities of Leiden, Delft and Utrecht. The question is especially interesting to club owners as ever since the smoking ban, we naturally notice bad smells in public spaces, especially night spots where everyone used to smoke.

Their conclusion was that the slight scent of orange in the air led club goers to stay longer and made their overall experience a positive one. Other scents they tried out: strawberry, peppermint and cinnamon. All of which resulted in increased revenues when they were used, though orange scored higher than all of them.

Now that their research is done, the students have turned their research into a company. They're called Moodscent.nl and the next time you're at a nightclub in the Netherlands and you experience the joy of a slight smell of orange in the air, you know who to thank.

When you die, what becomes of your online identity? This thought-provoking question is addressed in the current exhibition at Mediamatic in Amsterdam. From the website:

What happens to your online profile after you die? Do you want it to remain online, so friends can leave a message in your memory? Or do you prefer having it deleted, so no confusion can arise about your death? These questions are the inspiration for the new exhibition Ik R.I.P., the third in the series about self-representation on the internet.

With The Travelers by Elizabeth Heyert, coffins from Ghana, the computergame The Graveyard, 'test-dying' in a coffin, workshops Coffin for your Beloved, the new website www.ikrip.nl and more.

The exhibition runs through 12 April, so be quick! Mediamatic is located on Vijzelstraat 68, and is open Wed - Fri from 12.00 to 19.00 hrs, and Sat + Sun from 12.00 to 18.00 hrs. If you can’t make it, you can still set up some digital last wishes here.

Amsterdam has its first free mobile guide! Here's more info from the release:

For the first time, travelers to Holland will be able to use an iPhone or a mobile web browser to explore the city of Amsterdam from the palm of their hand! The Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions, dedicated to providing free advice and resources on travel to Holland, announces the launch of the Amsterdam Mobile Guide—a new, free iPhone application available now in the Apple App Store. Anyone with a mobile web browser can also view the Amsterdam Mobile Guide here.
The Amsterdam Mobile Guide provides iPhone users with striking images and regularly updated information on Amsterdam’s most popular attractions, including museums, restaurants and bars, hotels, shopping and much more. Whether a visitor is planning a trip or already in Holland, the Amsterdam Mobile Guide points travelers to “must-sees” in Amsterdam while providing easy ways to contact any of the nearly 200 venues of interest by phone, email or the web, directly from the application. Helpful features such as Google Maps and the GPS “Near Me” function assist travelers in finding their way around Amsterdam in real-time, making it easier than ever to navigate Amsterdam’s historic canals and shopping districts.
For new visitors, the Amsterdam Mobile Guide includes thoughtfully designed itineraries specific to an 8, 48, or 72-hour trip to Amsterdam. Travelers can create their own itineraries on-the-go by setting personal preferences and choosing from categories like Entertainment, Attractions, Gay and Lesbian, Night Life, Shopping, Restaurants and Architecture to create a unique Amsterdam experience.

Users can get more detailed information on all the features of the Amsterdam Mobile Guide here.

Attention, Netherlands-dwellers with an iPhone or iPod touch: I have some incredible news for you! An incredible application has been developed that will revolutionize the way you approach train travel.

The application is called Trein, and it is what the NS should have done a long time ago with the technology at its disposal. You can use this application to check train times and platforms and most importantly – check on delays. The application is actually faster and more accurate than the information you receive at the train station. It’s incredible! Other features (from the website):

– View realtime departure times for the nearest station and your preferred stations – Quickly add nearest stations to your list of preferred stations – View disturbances and railworks – Plan trips using the planner that will remember your planned trips (requires an internet connection) – Support for iNap so that you'll be woken when you reach your destination

Of course NS is having a fit and is saying that this application violates copyright. My two cents? Get over it, or make your own application. Trein has made train travel in the Netherlands bearable and almost fun again!

It was formerly known as Ingang B, a cafe-restaurant tucked out of the way within the squat-hospital complex known as the WG Terrain. Ingang B boasted a theater right next door and a disappointingly expensive menu.

But then it closed and days later after some shuffling around, a new sign went up outside this cozy café, which read: WG Café. Suddenly there was outdoor seating a-plenty, an affordable menu filled with with Dutch and international cuisine items made with love. Of course being tucked away in a corner where there is pretty much zero traffic is still a bonus in this part of town, that part hasn't changed.

Still, when it comes to rebranding and the rebirth of cafés, the WG Café has done a great job of taking a long existing space that wasn't turning any heads, and making it into the kind of place where you're glad to came by and you might just do it more often. (click the link for a google map, walking distance from Vondelpark)

(also they're really into doing simple weddings, if you're into that)

Looking for a beautiful getaway inside the borders of the Netherlands? Bed of Flowers is an incredible Bed and Breakfast located about an hour southeast of Amsterdam, close to the village of Beuningen. The photos on the website say it all.

From the B&B it is possible to enjoy biking trails and some walking as well: you can see a castle from the 14th century (Doddendaal) after a 15-minute hike.

Two different rooms are available and are prices at €95 per night for two persons including a breakfast made with local cuisine.

Much of this week I will be in Utrecht. Its only about 30 minutes by train from Amsterdam so I'll be commuting back and forth, and in between taking photos, visiting interesting spots, and reporting back to you about what I find.

As preparation for the week, I was thinking we should review the fundamentals about Utrecht:

4th Largest City in the Netherlands - 300,030 people.

Utrecht University, Largest and Highest Rated University in the Netherlands

Dom Tower, tallest and most important landmark in center city.

Centrally Located within the Netherlands, means regular trains to any city in the country.

Gerrit Rietveld, architect and designer, was from Utrecht

Major hub for Eurolines, the bus company that connects to all of Europe

I'm not exactly sure how it works or why is was built, but I'm very curious about the singing tower in Utrecht. The fifty meter tall tower is filled with glass bells of different tones that can be played kind of like an organ. It will officially be inaugurated this sunday, but today they released news footage of the first public test of the singing tower.

The structure is located at Cultuurcampus Vleuterweide, part of the modern new neighborhood of Utrecht known as Leidsche Rijn.

If you'd like to see images of the building of the glass bells, click here. To watch video of the news item which includes some sounds from the tower, follow this link.

It is said that an old law in Utrecht forbids any building from being taller than the beloved Dom tower in the heart of the city. And when you look around the Dom, that does seem to have been respected. Unless you look towards the part of town behind Central Station, where Rabobank is building two towers that will eventually be taller than the Dom.

While the Dom is 112m tall, the new Rabobank towers will stand 120m tall, that is - when you add on the TV antennas that will go on top. Somehow this technicality means that once they are completed in 2010, the Dom will no longer be the tallest building in town.

On my way to the convention center this afternoon, I snapped a picture of the towers which are very much under construction at this point. Also if you're curious about architecture and city scapers, here is a look at what the towers will look like, once they are completed.

You find yourself in Utrecht on a beautiful sunny spring afternoon, and although there is so much to look at and do, you've got to sit down and do some work. You look for a café, a place with room enough for you to have a snack or a drink and also get some work done. Oh, and you'll need some wifi to go along with a friendly atmosphere. Here's a suggestion: Toque Toque.

TT is in the heart of Utrecht, along the oud gracht, and whether its a beautiful day and you want to sit outside or its an ugly day and you want to hide inside and chat with friends or do some work, they've got room for you. Besides being a huge place, TT also features a solid menu, happy-go-lucky staff, normal prices, and most importantly for us internauts, free wifi (just ask for the password). I even noticed they do meetings and events, if that's your thing.

Before getting down to work I enjoyed their custom pizza-broodje with pineapple, which is a sandwich you won't find too often in the Netherlands. It was so delicious I decided their apple pie must be worth a taste, and indeed... it tasted yummy. I then sat down and caught up with much work while occasionally getting distracted by the staff hijinks or customer behavior.

All in all, I'm going to start calling Toque Toque, my field office when I'm in Utrecht.

Things have been kind of quiet here in Leiden for the past week or so. Not much to write about. It could be because the weather has been uncharacteristically fabulous. The outdoor terraces are again full of sun worshipers and we’re all holding our breath, waiting for the good luck to end.

In the meantime, I’ve wandered over to trusty Expatica.com to have a look at their news in brief, complements of Radio Netherlands. A few tidbits from today:

*Latest figures from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reveal the Dutch economy will shrink by 4.8 percent in 2009.

*Trouw reports the number of people who died in traffic accidents dropped significantly in 2008.

*The campaign to have Sesame Street restored to its original broadcast time of 18:30 in the evening is back.

Pretty exciting, huh? Now back to enjoying the sun.

Yankee Come Back is the title of the current Boom Chicago show in honor of the 400-year-long relationship between The Netherlands and the US. From the website:

This year marks the 400 year anniversary of the Dutch founding of New York, then New Amsterdam. In a multimedia spectacle of sharp sketches, improvisation, videos, internet and live music, the actors of Boom Chicago examine the relationship between the two countries that has lasted 400 years. How will that relationship continue in the future and how do both groups think about themselves and each other?

Tickets can be purchased online. Tickets are €20 and €24 on the weekends. Boom Chicago has its own kitchen so you can combine the show with dinner or just with drinks, depending on your preference. Boom Chicago is located in Leidseplein, Amsterdam.

It’s almost here – the infamous Queen’s Day is almost upon us. Unless you plan to escape the country a couple days in advance and return after the mess has been cleaned up, you might want a bit more information about why this crazy holiday is celebrated each year.

For that, you can check out this website. Unfortunately it’s only in Dutch, but it has really pretty pictures of all the royalty. You can also learn that the Queen and the members of the Royal Family will celebrate Queen’s Day this year in Apeldoorn. The mayor invited them so I guess they couldn’t refuse.

In case you haven’t picked up a Dutch tabloid lately, you can also learn more about the little princesses and where they stand in line for the throne. Not a bad way to practice your Dutch.

Well the clock is ticking, less than 48 hours to Queen's Day 2009! Every year the country's biggest party gets more elaborate and some might argue, more regulated.
Scanning the horizon for new developments for Queens Day I've noticed this huge digital signs set up at strategic locations around town.

The idea is that there will be specific routes to guide people more efficiently across town on the big day. Typically on Queen's Day, just walking through the center of town is an adventure as the streets are filled with people from near and far who come to celebrate. But now the city has devised a color coded route system marked by these big displays.

Orange= Through the Jordaan to Leidseplein Blue= Though Spui and Leidseplein eventually arriving at Museumplein Red= Via Nieuwmarkt to Rembrandtplein

Those are the most important. If you come across Green or Yellow those are alternate routes to Museumplein.

Will the system help at all? If you find yourself in Amsterdam in a sea of people dressed in orange, making no walking progress, then you'll know it isn't working. Then again, the fun is everywhere on Queen's Day, no matter where the signs are trying to lead you.

Want to learn more about the religion that evolved from slavery? The Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam has a fascinating exhibition on until 10 May. The exhibition features more than 250 objects from the Lehmann collection, one of the most important collections on Haiti. From the website:

The exhibition shows how these objects and the accompanying rituals are a part of the daily life on Haiti. They have been made and used by secret societies, and have rarely been shown outside Haiti. The life-size images, complete altars and fascinating art objects paint a picture of this mysterious religion with her African, Christian and Indian elements.

The Tropenmuseum is open daily from 10 am - 5 pm. Regular adult entrance is €8, with various discounts available. You can reach the Tropenmuseum via tram 2, 7, 9, 10 or 14, visiting address Linnaeusstraat 2.

The big day is almost upon us: Queen’s Day 2009. If you’re getting ready to head out on the town, here’s a few interesting tidbits that may facilitate your fun.

Let’s start with the slightly boring but very important. I Amsterdam lists a number of rules and regulations in regard to the celebration of Queen's Day, particularly in relation to opening times, alcohol consumption and live music regulations. I like the regulation regarding individual alcohol consumption: If you are carrying more than one drink you could be considered an alcohol dealer and risk confiscation. One drink at a time, please!

Amsterdamz.com offers lots of information about Queen’s Day, including what color you should wear (hmmm….). They also have a special Queen’s Day page with a comprehensive list of relevant events.

Finally, DutchAmsterdam.nl offers a number of tips for tourists on Queen’s Day. For example, there is no public transportation running in the center of Amsterdam, and the lockers are closed at the Central Station. They also scanned a print copy of 2008 Queen’s Day map. Enjoy!

As I type this the people outside are yelling, for no particular reason other than it is Queen's night. However this entry isn't about the rowdy folks on the streets of Amsterdam, it is about one of the many activities in Rotterdam during Queens Day (today!)

If you can get yourself to the Leuvehaven, which is right near the Erasmus bridge, you can be a part of the Queen's Day Dance Festival. The event starts at 14h and runs throughout the afternoon. It will feature various DJ's and musical acts all with the purpose of inspiring you to dance.

Admission is €5 and with that you have the right to dance-dance-dance. Here's a map if you need it. While on this blog you'll hear lots about whats going on in Amsterdam this Queen's day, I want to give full credit to other great parties in other great cities in the Netherlands, especially Rotterdam.

World headlines covered the tragic events here in the Netherlands on Queen’s Day this year. Speculation is currently running high as to how the role of the monarchy may change in the future.

Radio Netherlands has an interesting piece entitled “End of the cycling monarchy?” and gives some interesting background into the history of how the Orange family has conducted themselves.

Queen's Day 2009, despite the tragic event that took place in Apeldoorn, was still a day filled with alot of fun and beautiful moments. It may sound strange, but as someone who was driving a boat around most of the day, I hadn't heard what happened outside of Amsterdam until the end of the day.

All disclaimers aside, I thought I'd share a slideshow of my Queen's Day in Amsterdam, spent half on the canals driving a boat around, and half wandering around Vondelpark. It ends with a BBQ at my house. Hope you enjoy.

Surrounded by a beautiful sculpture garden on the banks of the Rhine river in Arnhem, the Arnhem Museum for Modern Art (MMKA) houses some great exhibits well worth your time when you're visiting the lovely city of Arnhem.

At the moment, running until May 31st, is the exhibition entitled Gelders Balkon by f.e. van der Weide. Also running for a few more days is the exhibition entitled: Ophelia, named after Hamlet's love, which is inspired by concepts like unrequited love, desperate longing, death, and more. This summer will bring more interesting exhibits to MMKA, which you can read about on their website.

Like any fine museum of this caliber, guided tours are available, there's a good café, and you can even rent the place for special occasions. Normal museum hours are about 10am to 5pm, closed on mondays. €6 entry, under 18 get in free, as do museum card holders. Click here for directions on how to get there.

The US is of course famous for its fun parks with the twisty-crazy roller coasters that can make you lose your lunch. But did you know that the Netherlands also has its share of world class roller coasters and fun parks? YES!

Today's news features one of those funparks, Duinrell, which is just outside The Hague. Duinrell has just opened its new state-of-the-art rollercoaster for 2009, and the kids are already coming from around the country to test it out. I should mention that rollercoasters are not all Duinrell has to offer, they also have great water rides, and plenty of amusements for the youngest and oldest kids- see for yourself on their site. Now check out someone's video of the new ride... see if it temps you.

Directions on how to get to Diunrell can be found here.

A couple nights ago I attended a Beyonce concert at Ahoy in Rotterdam. It was my first visit to this venue and I was suitably impressed.

First off, parking was more than ample. The lot across the street was practically empty – so empty, in fact, that I thought the concert had possibly been cancelled. Not so – when we entered, Ahoy was filled to capacity (10,000).

Our seats were in the first ring, and we decided on closer inspection that we would prefer to sneak onto the floor. This proved to be impossible – they were very strict about checking the tickets. Which in the end turned out to be a good thing, considering the size of the crowd.

The sound was pretty good, definitely better than the Amsterdam Arena. Concessions were plentiful and expensive but not ridiculous. I’ll definitely be going back.

Forget everything you've heard about good parties in Amsterdam OR the Netherlands in general.

We are 12 days away from a festival that is unlike any other. It is called Damoclash, and features a united effort from squatters, artists, crazy people, and assorted rebels. As they so eloquently put it on their site:

You are DamoClash too! So bring your paint-bombs, bad poetry and godforsaken ideals and spread them around at will amongst the visitors! Jump on the open stage, run around like a bunny or give a speech on the relevance of Emma Goldman in todays society! ... or just dress up as a short-seller...

Damoclash takes place at the amazing ADM terrain, site where the big Robodock parties one took place, home to a very large squat community. And it isn't just for dancing and drinking, there will also be theater, film, poetry, and as they said above - whatever you want to do.

I myself will be heading to Damoclash and hope to provide you with some video evidence.

It may be a couple weeks old, but this news was startling: April was (almost) the hottest April on record since records started in 1706. Wow! The average temperature is usually 8.3, and this year’s average was 12.2.

I did notice that the trees seemed quite green very early. Often their lushness led me to believe we were already experiencing a glorious summer.

The hottest April ever? 2007. It will be interesting to see what results May brings us in a few weeks.

Their slogan is "Holland's Finest Beach", which is a pretty bold claim. When I first heard that slogan I thought they were going a bit far for a place that is nothing more than a beach.

As it turns out Noordwijk has alot more going on than just its lovely beach. A historic town center, a museum dedicated to the region's agricultural history, the In De Muze Theater, are just a few of the places of interest in Noordwijk.

The name you should recognize, which is also part of the Noordwijk experience, is the nation's most loved gardens - Keukenhof- of course.

They even have something, which I'm yet to experience, called a Swiss Wellness Center. Which is exactly what it sounds like: professional massages and body care. The beach is already known to be good for your health, yet Noordwijk wasn't satisfied, they got a place that is dedicated relaxing and improving the overall condition of your body.

As I look outside it has just started raining, but the forecast predicts more sun for an already sunny pair of months here in Amsterdam. When the weather clears and summer officially arrives, I'll spend some time in Noordwijk.

There’s no shortage of restaurant reviews online, but here’s a great list that worth taking note of. Kira, the founder of Cosmo Polite, a service that hosts events for expats in Amsterdam, has provided a comprehensive list of her favorite restaurants here.

She has created an extensive list of a variety of restaurants, with brief descriptions, photos, and price indications. She ends with a wish list of restaurants she hopes to review soon.

One example:
Proeverij 274 - Brasserie of Quality
Proeverij is a well-kept secret, as it is a great cozy place to enjoy a good dinner and an elegant wine. A top-class brasserie, without any pretense.
Cosmo Polite Category: Informal restaurant with excellent food
Proeverij 274, Prinsengracht 274, T. 421 18 48. €€

At long last, its that time of year when my favorite acts from both the world of hip-hop and indy-rock come to Amsterdam. Here we go:

Saturday-

Magic Malik Orchestra at Bimhuis; 8:30pm, €18.

The party is called Spellbound, and it's taking place at OCCI; 11pm, €7.

Sunday-

One of the great from the WuTang Clan, Ghostface Killah performs at Paradiso; 10:30pm, €25 + membership.

Italian Guitarist and Singer Gianmaria Testa plays the Kleine Komedie; 8:15pm, tickets range from €12.50 to 25.

Monday-

Yamoto, the dummers of Japan; Carré, 8pm, Tickets between €15-35.

Breaking News: A baby Zebra was born at the Artis Zoo over the weekend! Yes. The little fella was up and walking within 10 minutes of his birth.

Not impressed? I'll have you know there are only 2000 of this type of Zebra's (Grévy Zebras) left in the wild. The zoo reports that both parents are doing well and proud as Zebra parents can be. Don't scoff, you try giving birth to a Zebra!

You can see baby and family and lots of animal friends at Artis daily, from 9am to 6pm. Entrance is €18.50 for adults and €15 for kids (ages 3 to 9). Directions here.

In a few weeks, the Livingstone Gallery in Den Haag will welcome an exhibition by An Hoang, a Brooklyn-based painter. This will be Hoang's first solo exhibition, entitled The Space Between.

According to pia jane bijkerk, "Hoang's work explores concepts of time, longing, and nostalgia in her paintings. She combines imagined and existing interiors in transparent layers, inviting the viewer to find familiarity." For examples of her work see her website.

The exhibition opens on June 7, 2009. The Livingstone Gallery is located at Anna Paulownastraat 70, telephone is 0031 (0)70 3609428. It is open from Wednesday to Saturday from 12.00-17.00 and every last Sunday of the month.

The museum night phenomenon is probably familiar to you; all over the world, on a specific night of the year, cities keep their museums opened late and throw some big parties to give everyone a chance to enjoy them in a way slightly out of the norm.

On Saturday, May 30th it is Utrecht's turn at Museum Night. At 9pm, 8 different museums will kick off a night of fun AND learning. Yes I said learning, although I can't guarantee that part.

What museums, you ask? Here's a short list:
The National Museum from Musical Clock to Street Organ
The CatherijnConvent Museum
Sonnenborgh Museum and Observatory
The Railway Museum (my personal favorite!)

There's more, just check on the website. An all-access pass runs €15, which you can buy online.

Ever heard of drug tourists? They’re a popular sight especially in border regions of the Netherlands, where people cross the border from Germany, Belgium, and come from France to purchase marijuana in coffee shops. Residents are complaining, but a solution has been introduced: It’s called the weed pass.

John Tyler at Radio Netherlands explains it well:

Here's how it works. To get the pass, you have to become a 'member' of a coffee shop, the Dutch cafes allowed to sell cannabis. After paying a fee and showing official identification, your details are entered into a computer system, and you get a pass.

The pass allows you to buy up to three grams of marijuana per day. All the coffee shops will be hooked up to the same system, so you can't cheat and get more by hopping from shop to shop.

The pass aims to discourage drug tourism, and time will tell if it has the desired effect.

via Niclas

World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) is almost here! The event, which has taken place annually since 2004, involves many cities around the globe. A bit about the event and the mission from their wiki:

World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) is being organized and supported by many different groups. The groups are only connected by their determination to all be naked on their bikes on WNBR Day, riding in celebration, jubilation to deliver a vision of a cleaner, safer, body-positive world to the masses. We have many great reasons to be celebrating, with all the glory of naked two-wheel sanity. It's time to join hundreds of naked compatriots in a free, non-sexual, fun bike ride!

If you’re in the Netherlands and you want to participate, keep an eye on the List of rides wiki for the Netherlands, located here. According to that page, the upcoming main Northern Hemisphere ride will be on Saturday 13 June 2009, so watch for potential Dutch cities where you can join the fun.

World Ocean Day is Monday, June 8th. That means that globally, a mix of scientists, politicians, policy makers, managers, students and citizens will gather in order to call attention to the fate of the world’s oceans.

Erasmus University Rotterdam and Delft University of Technology are sponsoring their own event on World Ocean Day. A schedule of events can be found here, including the première of the film The End of the Line (launched worldwide on World Ocean Day).
The evening will consist of talks by a number of fascinating individuals, including Fabien Cousteau (grandson of the legendary Jacques Cousteau) and Captain Paul Watson (founder of Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace).

This event will be held in the auditorium of Erasmus University Rotterdam. For more information and ticket sales (students €10, employees €15), visit the official website.

I've got my tickets. Two tickets to be exact. This Thursday, May 28th, the great Somali-Canadian Hip-hop artist: K'Naan performs at paradiso.

This is more than a to-do, K'Naan is a rare talent in this world with not only a unique story but also with a blend of beautiful music. Born and raised in Mogadishu, Somalia, as a teenager K'naan would immigrate, along with his mother, to Canada. His style of hip-hop includes beautiful Somali influences and traditional Somali rhythms.

His first album, Dusty Foot Philosopher is the type of album I have constantly in my rotation. In Canada it received critical acclaim and numerous awards. Now back with his new album, Troubadore, K'naan has outdone himself with even more diverse tunes and collaborating with a surprising collection of artists.

Oddly enough Paradiso has him listed as playing the smaller hall upstairs at 10:30pm. An odd decision as there is little doubt the small room will easily fill. €12 plus membership is also a more than reasonable price to see a rare and unforgettable talent.

I bet we've never discussed Sumo Wrestling anywhere on trippist. I suppose that makes sense since this is a blog about things to see and do in the Netherlands. However, Sumo is coming to Holland, so of course- we're talking about it.

On the 5th and 6th of June at the Heineken Music Hall there will be a Sumo Wrestling Tournament. The event is part of a celebration of 400 years of trade and business between the Netherlands and Japan. The featured wrestlers hail from the highest class of Sumo in Japan, appearing for the first time in the Netherlands.

Normally for the HMH I would point out how much tickets are, however this event is so special, you actually have to apply to be a part of it. Here's a link to the form you must fill out.

Right here in Leiden you can find one of the first botanic gardens in Europe. In the city center and part of the University of Leiden, it is a wonderful way to spend a summer day. Part of the garden provides a historical reconstruction of the very first version of the botanical garden. Other highlights include a Japanese garden named after the scientist Von Siebolt, and a garden named after the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus.

The garden is located in the center of Leiden. From Leiden Central Station, follow “De Leidse Loper” in the direction of the National Museum of Antiquities. You will find the garden at Rapenburg 73. A PDF map of the route is available here.

In the summer (1 April – 31 October) the garden is open daily from 10am to 6pm. The entry fee is 6 euros for adults but free with the museum card. Entry is 2 euros for students – just present your university ID card.

As part of an annual cultural festival, 43 Dutch and foreign artists will exhibit their work in unusual places in the North part of Leiden. “Unusual places” could mean in windows of Moroccan butchers, at the entrance of a Turkish mosque, in a video store, a barber shop, or in the Albert Heijn.

Between June 5 and 28, you can admire installations, paintings and other art in these locations. The official opening is on June 5 at 5pm, at the Tamtam Gallery located on Beatrixstraat 4a. During the opening, between 3:30pm and 7pm, it is possible to admire some temporary installations and performances by five artists.

For more information, including times, entrance prices and locations, see the festival website.

The weather has been great the past few weeks. It’s that time of year again where a trip or two to the beach might just be possible.

Kira at Cosmo Polite provides some great information about city beaches that are up and running for the 2009 season. She distinguishes “regular” beaches from city beaches, which are artificial beaches next to a lake or pond often with any number of bar or restaurants to serve the sun worshippers.

Most importantly, the link provides a Google map with all locations conveniently marked. Don’t forget your sunscreen!

As part of an annual cultural festival, 43 Dutch and foreign artists will exhibit their work in unusual places in the North part of Leiden. “Unusual places” could mean in windows of Moroccan butchers, at the entrance of a Turkish mosque, in a video store, a barber shop, or in the Albert Heijn.

Between June 5 and 28, you can admire installations, paintings and other art in these locations. The official opening is on June 5 at 5pm, at the Tamtam Gallery located on Beatrixstraat 4a. During the opening, between 3:30pm and 7pm, it is possible to admire some temporary installations and performances by five artists.

For more information, including times, entrance prices and locations, see the festival website.

File this one under "now I know":

Research by a fancy Dutch marketing research group indicates that the official summer drink of 2009 is... drum roll - Prosecco! Yes the Italian sparkling wine is everywhere this summer, I can testify to that effect. Whether I'm at a BBQ in vondelpark, or attending a friend's birthday party in Noord, everyone seems to offer me Prosecco, which immediately makes me think they just came from Italy.

Indeed this prosecco that is all the rage in Amsterdam right now is cheap and readily available at any grocery store (our most popular being Albert Hein). For those of you who don't care how popular prosecco is, fear not - there is plenty of beer, wine and any other drink available to you as always.

Have you ever visited a website that made you hungry? Well, take a deep breath, click this link, and enjoy the most incredible visual treat that will leave your stomach growling.

I heard about Bakery Niemeijer from Danielle at the style files, and I’m so happy I clicked through to their website! Run by two brothers, they offer French breakfast, pasteries, and lunch options ranging from sandwiches to soups and salads. After the online images, I can’t wait to try out the actual food. Their menu is available online (in Dutch).

The bakery is open Tuesday through Friday from 8.15am - 6.30pm, Saturday from 8.30am - 5pm and Sunday from 9.30am - 5pm. They are located at the Nieuwendijk 35 in Amsterdam.

I spend part of last weekend Kayaking in the recreation park known as Twiske. Imagine a huge area made up of water, tree's, the occasional windmill, and the occasional wooden bridge connection one meadow with another. Oh yes, cows too, there are plenty of cows nearby.

For about 20 euros per person, myself and 6 friends had use of simple kayaks that even a novice could figure out. Loaded with enough food for a picnic and plenty of sunny weather, we paddled to an island that looked appealing, setup out picnic, and spent the afternoon chatting, relaxing and eventually paddling around different corners of Twiske. At some point I found myself lost in a tiny stream used primarily by cows, I determined by the smell. All smells aside, I highly recommend Twiske, which is only about an hour's bike ride north of Amsterdam Central Station. Check the website for maps and details. And here's a quick video clip of me looking around on kayak.

If you have ever visited Rotterdam or the city is on your list of places to visit, am sure you have come across the Cubic Houses (or kubuswoningen in Dutch). As of Monday you will have a chance to actually sleep in one of the cubes as the hostel chain Stayokay is opening with rates starting at €23.50. Each of the 49 unique rooms differ in layout and design.

The unusual architecture by Piet Blom has attracted visitors from all over the world. The cubes are located in the city center and overlook the historic old harbor of Rotterdam. For bookings and more information visit the Stayokay website.

Have you heard of Proef A’dam? It’s more than just a restaurant – it’s a creative design studio where food concepts are developed and executed. But that’s not all, there’s a number of uses for this great space. According to their website:

In Proef you can work relaxed at the big table, have a break in our herbs garden or cuddle one of the chickens if you’re sick and tired of the meeting you are in. It is possible to marry in Proef, you can ask the civil servant to come to our studio! When the sun is shining, you can eat outside or share a picknick at a nice place in the park. In the studio you can give a presentation while the fireplace is heated up. Meanwhile you can see the chefs create the most delicious meals and serve in the same space. They like to tell you more about the taste and the honest ingredients we work with. In Proef the food tells a story and we think it is important to think together with our clients. Food concepts are tailor made.

Sounds delicious, and I’ll be trying this place out this summer. Proef is located on the Westergasfabriek at Goschalklaan 12 in Amsterdam. It is open from Thursday to Sunday and it is possible to eat at 6pm or 9pm. For more details see this page.

Having recently received the information below via the Leiden expats Yahoo group, I thought I’d pass it on to Trippist readers:

0031, the international event for gay and lesbian students, young expats and their friends, takes place in Leiden every other month. The next edition of 0031 will be organised on Friday 5 June.

Event #1: 0031 Picnic @ The Park

Spring has brought sunnier weather and a sunnier mood. Bring some food and drinks, and of course some good friends, and join us in the park for the 0031 Picnic @ The Park! (Friday, 5 June, starts at 7:30pm at Van der Werffpark in Leiden)

Event #2: 0031 - 1001 Nights

Friday 5 June, COC Leiden promises to vibrate in a different rhythm again under the fascinating theme of 1001 Nights. You will enjoy our local stars in bewildering performances and the music will have an oriental touch to kick up your feet and shake some ... Bring your own belly buttons, though! (doors open at 9:30pm at COC Leiden)

The weather has been great the past few weeks. It’s that time of year again where a trip or two to the beach might just be possible.

Kira at Cosmo Polite provides some great information about city beaches that are up and running for the 2009 season. She distinguishes “regular” beaches from city beaches, which are artificial beaches next to a lake or pond often with any number of bar or restaurants to serve the sun worshippers.

Most importantly, the link provides a Google map with all locations conveniently marked. Don’t forget your sunscreen!

A good friend of mine was just on a romantic getaway which took him to different small cities in the Netherlands, and one stop along the way was Delft. Where did he stay in Delft? The very interesting Havenstraat 5 Guesthouse.

Unlike hotels and hostels Havenstraat 5 is not for the masses. More to the point, Havenstraat 5 is a stylish apartment for 2 people. (yes, 2!) The apartment, which can be rented per night, per week or per month, features a fully stocked kitchen, a combined living room-bedroom, and a modern bathroom. Guests can also enjoy the tranquil garden.

Location wise the guesthouse is very near the Delft train station, and walking distance from the historic city center. So not only do you get to relax in an extra comfortable apartment, you're also right in the middle of the legendary city of Delft.

As always, expats have lots of choices if they look to Cosmo Polite for things to do. A couple examples of what to expect in the coming weeks:

On Tuesday, July 7th the group will attend the Robeco Summer Concerts. Thursday the 16th is the monthly Thursday Expat Drinks, and Thursday the 23rd hosts a summer wine tasting. Saturday the 25th of July is a Salsa Beginners workshop, and another Robeco Concert presents itself on Tuesday the 28th.

See Cosmo Polite’s website for more information and to learn more about the club.

The summer’s heating up, and there’s so many things going on I don’t even know where to start. And now, there’s an entire website dedicated to discovering the summer in Leiden.

The months of June, July, August and September are full of activities and events in art, culture and music. The website “Zomer in Leiden” provides a comprehensive look at all of these, updated each Monday.

Mark this website and get ready to enjoy the summer months to the fullest.

Amsterdam and Rotterdam have their museum nights in the winter months, but Leiden holds its night of cultural fun in July. The deal is similar to the other cities – lots of museums opening their doors until late with exciting programs and a whole new look at their contents. A couple details:

Museum night in Leiden runs from 8pm until late on July 4th, 2009. In addition to the many museums that will take part, there will be DJ's, concerts, outdoor cinema, workshops, theater, dance and more. Afterparties will be held in InCasa and ALSV Quintus.

Interested participants can buy a Passe-partout for €10, which can be purchased online (see the banner at the top of the page), at participating museums and at the Visitor’s Center Leiden.

Although I've mentioned it on the blog before, this past sunday I made my way to Arnhem for a meeting and a tour of the Museum of Modern Art; also known as MMKA. While I had long heard that this place existed and was interesting to see, I was still surprised with how beautiful it is. Inside and outisde.

Inside MMKA is not overwhelming yet it isn't so small that you're done in an hour. Between the exhibit, entitled Rebelle Art and Feminism 1969-2009 and the permanent collection, there were plenty of pieces that had me laughing, confused, impressed, disgusted, and often - in awe.

Beyond the fantastic art, MMKA also hits you with a beautiful garden. A garden located on top of one of those Arnhem hills overlooking the river, a beautiful green landscape the likes of which you don't normally get to see in the Netherlands. You can sit out there looking down at the river and taking in the scenery while enjoying the mind numbingly good brownies from the museum café. I may take the 1 hour 30 minute ride back very soon just to do it again.

I've been so busy enjoying the Over Het Ij Theater festival I haven't had time to write about it.

Until Now.

Just a quick free ferry ride from Central Station to NDSM in the north and you will find yourself surrounded by strange and wonderful energy. From the moment you walk onto the festival grounds you'll notice the shipping containers with little signs "Next Show in 10 min", people will then buy a 2 euro ticket and fill the container. They then close the doors and inside you come face to face with great amateur and professional actors. Some containers don't have much of anything, some are wall to wall grass and greenery, others are a mystery as I ran out of 2 euro coins and couldn't peek inside.

Rounding the corner past the restaurant/bar serving up yummy brownies and mint tea just the way I like them, I see an audience where each person has headphones on. They're all staring at a guy with dreadlocks who is arguing with someone on his mobile phone. My brain slowly puts together the scenario, they are listening only to his conversation, which I can't hear as I don't have headphones and Im standing too far away.

I finally get to the theater piece I'm there to watch, which involves sitting on one side of a canal while on the other 2 performers use no words to do their play. Occasionally a boat that has nothing to do with the play floats between we the audience and the play itself, the audience giggles. We are each handed binoculars to get a closer look at the performers across the canal. At the end one actress holds up a small wooden sign that reads "end".

While the Over Het Ij festival features mostly content in Dutch, I still highly recommend the atmosphere and the performances. You see some incredible creations, as well as plays that don't require you to understand the language.

The festival continues from now til July 12th. If you have even a small chance to get there, GO!

It is quite hot out there. Like middle of the summer, is every window opened? type hot. And with summer come the cool evening concerts, among them I recommend....

Friday:

The Netherlands Air guitar Championship takes place at Paradiso, 8:30pm, €10 + membership.

Saturday:

Part of their summer concert series the Royal Netherlands Concertgebouw Orchestra plays in their house; 8:15pm, tickets range from €29 to €40.

Sunday:

Duff McKagan's Loaded (Velvet Revolver / ex-Guns N' Roses) has been touring the world, you can see them at Melkweg this Sunday; 8:30pm, €20 + membership.

Last weekend I was at Hargen Sail festival 2009. Hargen Sail is a huge annual sports festival on a beach up near the city of Alkmaar. Unlike most locations I recommend as someone who relies on public transport and bicycle, getting to Hargen Beach without the help of an automobile is pretty complicated. But if you do happen to rent a car, make your way towards the picturesque town of Schoorl and from there you will easily find Hargen.

To give you a feeling of the beautiful beach atmosphere after a full day of ultimate frisbee, volleyball, and sailing, here's a short video clip:

If you’re in the Netherlands between July 10-12, 2009, be sure to stop by the North Sea Jazz festival. This festival boasts a large number of musical genres, including traditional jazz, fusion, gospel, funk, soul, R&B, hip hop, and many more.

Tickets can be purchased online, and include options for all-in, three-day tickets and one-day ticket options. Day tickets are € 75 and three-day tickets will run you € 179. All-in tickets are € 335 (which give you admission to Ahoy Rotterdam on all festivals days and to all supplementary concerts in the Amazon). All prices are exclusive of service costs.

THE recommendation for this weekend consists of 3 concerts, one major location: Westerpark.

Anyone who goes by Westerpark this week will notice the huge summer stage that his been setup to accommodate a very big concert series entitled Live at Westerpark. So let's cut to the chase:

Friday: Simply Red, 8pm, €49.
Saturday: Lenny Kravitz, 8pm, €59.
Sunday: Anouk, 8pm, officially sold out.

You probably noticed 2 things about the weekend schedule. Some legendary names at some very expensive prices. For the true fans out there, I'm sure its worth it.

It is time again for the Amsterdam Roots Festival. This Sunday you can enjoy, for free, national and international musical acts as well as browse the more than 100 stands that make up the festival.

Among the acts this year are names like: Natacha Atlas & The Mazeeka Ensemble, Zimbabwe's Chiwoniso, and Miami-based Locos Por Juana. Beyond the music, there will also be dance workshops and demonstrations of numerous styles like: salsa, samba, African dance, and tango.

Last year 60,000 people found their way to Oosterpark to enjoy the roots festival. This year organizers expect even more visitors to what has become one of the city's most loved festivals. Stands as well as performances will start around noon and continue til at least 9pm, giving you plenty of time to enjoy at least some of it.

There are those buildings that announce renovations and you don't hear from them for several years. Quite often the work takes much longer than originally proposed. Well after extensive renovation, the Palace on the Dam, more officially known in english as "The Royal Palace", has re-opened to the public.

Built in 1648 by reknowned Dutch architect Jacob van Campen, the palace originally served as Amsterdam's city hall. The building's classicist style shows some very big Roman and Greek influences. When it was first opened citizens of Amsterdam were so impressed by it, they used to refer to it as the 8th wonder of the world.

Eventually the city would outgrow its little wonder of the world, the Royal Family took control of the building first as a residence in the city, and eventually only for official ceremonies; as it is used today.

All summer long the palace is open daily from 11am to 5pm. Standard price is about €7 with discounts available for seniors and students. A quick stroll from Central Station, the Palace is of course very obviously located on Dam Square.

In the city where I live, Amsterdam, there used to be a few people riding around on segways. However, 2 or 3 years ago, the futuristic transport devices seemed to disappear from the urban landscape. In 2007 there was supposed to have been a national ban on segways from public streets. Somehow in the beloved city of Delft in 2009, segway tours are still going strong.

A segway tour of Delft lasts about an hour. You can book it at the tourist information point, keeping in mind that its a minimum group of 4, otherwise you have to pay a surcharge. The €56, 60 minute tour is given by a professional guide, as is the €46, 45-minute tour. The tours depart 4 times daily, check the website for exact times.

While you may not be able to experience the wonder of seeing all Dutch cities by segway, it is still pretty cool that a city like Delft still offers you that unique option.

Those long summer days mean lots to do, see, and hear in Amsterdam. Here's a few for the weekend:

Saturday:

Finale of the Next Stage band contest, featuring great new bands from the BENELUX region; Melkweg, 6:30pm, €15 plus membership.

The Mike Del Ferro Trio is doing an excellent Brazilian music set at Bimhuis; 8:30, €15.

Sunday:

Nexus Instituut - Great! is the performance at the MuziekGebouw aan't Ij; 2pm, €26.

Monday:

LEWIS BLACK! The legendary American comedian is doing at show at Carré. I will be there: 8pm, only ticket range left is €29 and up.

Scandinavian singing sensation Lisa Ekdahl plays a rare sit down concert at Paradiso; 8:30pm, €18.50 plus membership.

One of my favorite Amsterdam-based bloggers, pia jane bijkerk, will be holding a book signing at the American Book Center located on the Spui in Amsterdam. She’ll be part of an event called Urban Culture, a celebration of the creative, the handmade, and the do-it yourself movement.

Pia will be signing her new book called Paris: Made by Hand. For a full listing of all participating artists and authors, see the American Book Center blog.

The book signing will take place on June 27th, and the American Book Center is located at Spui 12.

There’s still a week left of this exhibition, so head over to The Hague to check out India Contemporary at GEM. The exhibition provides an intriguing overview of modern Indian art that blurs the line between East and West. From the website:

In its forthcoming exhibition India Contemporary, GEM shows the work of three leading Indian artists and becomes the first Dutch museum ever to offer a clear picture of the current state of contemporary Indian art. Jitish KallatRiyas Komu (b. 1971) and Sudarshan Shetty (b. 1961) will exhibit not only recent installations and paintings, but also works made especially for this exhibition. The three are members of a generation of artists who bridge east and west, looking both to the old and the new world. Their visual idioms draw on western art movements like Surrealism, Pop Art and Social Realism but the intelligent use they make of the best elements of the two different cultures makes their work innovative and refreshing.

GEM is located at Stadhouderslaan 43 in The Hague. It is open Tuesday-Sunday from 12pm-6pm. For adults, entrance is €5, and is free for under-18s and Museumkaart holders.

The Hermitage is opened!

Yes over the weekend there was major fanfare on the Amstel as the Queen and the Russian president got together along with several other important people to have a ceremony and declare the Hermitage- opened. The museum is the only branch outside of Russia, of the world famous Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg.

For the past 300+ years the building on the Amstel had served as a home for the elderly. Until the decision was made several years ago that it should be renovated and made into a permanent museum. As one would expect, it will offer visitors a chance to view rare works of Russian art.

The museum is opened daily, from 10am to 5pm. Admission is €15 for adults. But children under 16 or those with an I Amsterdam card, get in for free.

Here's a video of the opening ceremony:

Looking for an excuse to get to know Den Haag better? There’s still a week left to go in the 2009 Hague Festivals. For the second year in a row, Den Haag is hosting a large number of events in the city, such as Festival Classique, The Hague Sculpture, Shopping Night, Dutch Veterans Day, and Parkpop.

For a full list of events, click here. To see photos of this year’s events, check this page.

This weekend is the last weekend for the beloved theater festival known as Oerol which takes place in Terschelling. They call it location-specific theater which means you might see a performance in a barn, shed, or just on the street. The performance itself can also take any number of forms or styles.

Since Terschelling is one of the islands in the north of the Netherlands, getting there is in itself part of the journey. Getting there via public transport involves taking a normal train north and later switching to a ferry which takes approx. 2 hours. For full details you can check out the directions on the website, where they also recommend you book the ferry beforehand.

I've not yet been to the Oerol Festival and it looks unlikely I'll make it there this year. But my friends who appreciate theater and creative performances, they love the festival. They even recommend it to non dutch speakers coming from outside the country. Not only are the surroundingss beautiful, they often tell me, but you get to watch some extremely inspiring performances.

How does gravity work? What is a black hole? How do satellites function? What space missions are currently in operation? The European Space Agency offers a chance to get more acquainted with space as well as their work in a fun and exciting way. Just 25 minutes by bus from Leiden Central Station, visitors can come to ESA’s location in Noordwijk and explore such issues of interest.

From Leiden Central station visitors can take bus number 32 to the bus stop Space Expo. It’s a short walk across the street to the exposition. It’s open Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 am to 17.00 pm. Visitors pay € 9,50 if they’re above the age of 13. For more information, see the website.

Guess you have noticed it was awfully quiet around here... But not without reason though, we have been working hard on giving Trippist a fresh new look. Hope you like it.

Besides that we also have a new Trippist, her name is Alison and this is what her bio sounds like:

After a life spent mainly in various parts of the Deep South of the US (with a stopover in NYC where I acquired a cat, a dog and a boyfriend), I now unexpectedly find myself in Utrecht. When I'm not getting lightheaded from trying to master pronunciation of the Dutch G, I can be found wandering the city with camera and dog in hand, and making a go at becoming a freelance writer and editor.

Am sure we'll be hearing from her soon. Welcome Alison!

The family-owned gallery is located in the heart of Utrecht, across from the Neude and a short walk from the central station. The gallery's collection also includes works from other major modern artists, such as Andy Warhol and Joan Miró, as well as the Dutch artist Jeroen Hermkens, who has painted cityscapes around the world, including New York, Rome, Paris, as well as a series of paintings of Utrecht. It's fun looking at the paintings of Utrecht and picking out where in town the various spots are located.

Kunsthandel Juffermans is located at Lange Jansstraat 10, and is open Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. The Chagall and Picasso exhibit is free -- although the lithographs cost from €300-7000 -- and it runs through 28 July 2009.

The time has arrived - as of 20 June 2009, the Amsterdam Hermitage Museum is finally open. Described as a satellite version of the original in St. Petersburg, the museum in Amsterdam begins with the exhibition At the Russian Court, which includes more than 1,800 treasures from the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg.

The Hermitage Amsterdam is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 pm, and on Wednesdays until 8 pm. The museum is located at Amstel 51. You can reach the museum by tram, on line 4 to Rembrandtplein or line 9 and 14 to Waterlooplein. Adults pay € 15. Children up to the age of 16 and I Amsterdam card-holders are free.

If you're not convinced - check out some great photos on the style files. I've included one of these photos below. What a great-looking museum.

A variety of sounds will be hitting the streets of Utrecht over the next week, ranging from the sublime to the truly unusual. The international Europa Cantat festival will be taking place in Utrecht from 17 to 26 July at various locations throughout the city. The festival, held every three years in different countries, brings together individual singers, choristers and ensemble singers as they take part in concerts, programs and workshops in a variety of musical styles and themes, ranging from Hindu ritual singing to Renaissance singing to rap.

More than 3000 people are expected to participate in the official concerts, but there will also be daily Open Sings, during which anyone can join in and make a joyful noise -- or at least try. Other open events include boats full of singers sailing and singing down the Oudegracht, and karaoke nights through 25 July at the Domplein. The full schedule of events can be found here, including a listing of the numerous free, and open-air events held daily.

Tickets for individual concerts are €10 each, while tickets for the discovery ateliers and special day-ticket options start at €50. Complete information about ticket purchases and options can be found here.

In conjunction with the Europa Cantat is the unusual, but fascinating, Rioolfest, aka SewerFest. From 18 to 21 July, special speakers will be placed in the sewers of Utrecht, and from them will emanate the sounds of the London Underground, a modern zoo, fairy tales and even the Tour de France. This unique sound project can be heard from the street level as the sounds make their way up through the pavement and storm drains in the city. The heart of this project will be located at the Zadelbar at Zadelstraat 22 in the city center. The full schedule can be found here (in Dutch).

After last week's impressive flashmob tributes to Michael Jackson in Stockholm, this past weekend it was Amsterdam's turn to dance like zombies.

At Leidseplein, Museumplein, and a bridge near the Keizersgracht, huge groups of random people turned out at a pre-determined time to do a 2 minute Thriller dance. It was all white gloves, mirror sunglasses, and red jackets as professional and amateur dancers got into the spirit.

This being Amsterdam, there was no shortage of camera's to capture the moment, and thanks to internet buzz, several television stations were on hand to capture the flashmob, which is normally carried out without the knowledge of mainstream media.

Here's one of the better videos from this past weekend for your viewing enjoyment:

Amsterdam's second most loved celebration is only 10 days away. This year's gay pride celebration consists of a looooong list of parties and events, starting Thursday, July 30th.

Friday night features my favorite event - the Drag Queen Olympics; a dozen or so queens dressed in their finest high heels and evening wear, competing in events like the stiletto sprint and the hand bag toss. The cut-throat competition begins at 6pm.

Saturday is of course the main event, the gay canal parade, the only one in the world. Floating down the canals there will be a neverending line of boats featuring different themes, music, and well, you never know. As of 2pm, sitting along the canals will be people of all ages, locals and visiters alike, joining in the celebration.

Of course I've just described 1/100th of what Gay Pride 2009 has to offer this year. Be sure to check the website for all the details of what is happening, when and where.

There's always more fun to be had in Leiden, and the website Leiden City Events makes it even easier to find things to do. The site offers a variety of activity suggestions, particularly for groups of people.

For example, you can read about the Sailing Terrace, a boat available for rent for up to 300 people which costs € 300 for a minimum of 1 ½ hours.

Or, if you're interested in theme-related tours, check out the information on "Wandelingen." For example, you can learn about the literary heritage of Leiden while enjoying a walking tour through the center of historic Leiden. These tours are available for 1.5 hours (price: € 110) or up to 4 hours (price: € 192.50) for a maximum of 24 people. Tours are available in English.

The Leiden City Events website is in Dutch, so pop on over to Google Translate if you need help with any of the details.

Electronic and Techno music will be reverberating around the walls of Tivoli de Helling this Thursday and Friday. First up is a show by the infamous Venetian Snares, fronted by Aaron Funk, creator of core break, known for its speedy pace and crazy rhythms.
Venetian Snares
Thursday 23 July 2009
Tivoli de Helling, Helling 7
Cost: €11
Start time: 23:00

Next up is the Friday night touch of techno-dub, with Full Spectrum vs Dub Infusions. Full Spectrum is a Utrecht collective taking a new look at techno, with the special added influence for this show of Dub Infusions. The show will be featuring Keatch (Belgium), Headhunter (UK), and a dubstep stand-off of Utrecht's Black Salt Candy versus DJ+.
Full Spectrum vs Dub Infusions
Friday, 24 July 2009
Tivoli de Helling, Helling 7
Cost: €10
Start time: 23:00

Tickets to both shows can be purchased online through the Tivoli website, or can be purchased at the venue or at Plato, located at Voorstraat 35.

The Parade is a travelling festival of theater, music, film and more, visiting various cities throughout the Netherlands. From July 10-26, it is in Utrecht. The last stop on the festival's route this year will be Amsterdam (July 31 - August 16).

The festival features a mix of new and well-known artists, with theater acts and films by young makers, through to concerts and other performances by some of the big names in their industries. Many of the performances are also accessible to those who are deaf or hard of hearing, as they feature special interpretations or are simply visual, containing no spoken language. This is also handy for visitors who might not speak Dutch.

This cultural feast also includes an edible feast with foods representing a variety of countries, such as Turkey, Mexico, Suriname, Spain and Japan. There is also the Poffertje Palace, delicious for adults and children alike. The festival also includes special programs for children, such as performances and workshops.

A full listing of the events held every day can be found on the main website for the festival.

Moreelsepark 1, 3511 ER Utrecht
Sunday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Friday and Saturday 3 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Entrance is free before 4 p.m.; after 4 p.m., €7 (children under 12 and adults 65+ get in free)

Probably many Trippist readers are expats. Some of you live in the Netherlands, maybe others are contemplating a move to a new country and trying to learn more about life abroad before you take the plunge.

Being an expat is the topic on a huge number of blogs. No matter what country they reside in, expats all often face similar issues: how will I learn the language? How will the move impact my career or studies? How long should I stay?

I recently found a blog called Expatify.com that deals with all these issues and more. Although they don't exclusively deal with the Netherlands or Europe, they provide lots of relevant information for those of us living abroad.

They did recently list the Netherlands as the number one bicycle-friendly country - can't argue with that one. Seems like a good site to add to your blog reader.

I confess I had never heard of the 4 Day Marches before today. Actually today is the last of the 4 days for this years march. According to their website it is their 93rd edition.

I went researching what the marches are all about, and here is what I learned:

• This is the largest march event in the world.
• It is meant to promote sports and exercise
• Participants march 30, 40 or 50 km per day
• A large amount of military personnel participate

Even though the event will be over in a few hours, you can still browse photos and videos on their official media site (beware music starts automatically).

It's summer - so what better time to visit the beautiful island of Texel? Texel is the biggest and most populated of the Frisian Islands which belong to the Netherlands, and resides in the Wadden Sea. The island includes seven villages, countless cycling trails, tons of beach and amazing nature, like sandbars.

It is possible to visit Texel all year round, but the summer months provide an opportunity to fully enjoy the biking trails. Swimming, walking and horseback riding are also popular.

From Amsterdam, it's easy to get to Texel. Just take the train to Den Helder station. At that station there is a bus to the port, and a ferry takes you to Texel in about 20 minutes.

Did you know there is a theme park in the Netherlands that aims to take you back in time? I mean way back in time.

The park is called Archeon, where you can experience daily life in either: Prehistory (6000 years B.C. - 12 B.C.), The Roman Period (12 B.C. - 406 A.D.) and The Middle Ages (approx. 1350 A.D.). Recently they announced that (as of August 1st) visitors could also stay over night, sleeping as people did in any of those 3 ancient time periods.

You might be thinking - do people really want to take it that far? The park says that "hundreds" of families have already signed up to be among the first to do the old fashioned overnight thing.

Archeon is located just outside Leiden and a short ride from either Schiphol airport or the Hague. Besides by car you can also get there by train. The day rate for adults visiting the park is €16.90. Details on other rates, discounts and beyond can be found on their website. Rates and details about sleeping at Archeon have not yet been posted but should be up by August 1st.

When I lived in Amsterdam, I was just a five-minute walk from the fabulous Noordermarkt, located in the Jordaan on the corner of the Westerstraat and the Prinsengracht. Though I love Leiden's markets the Noordermarkt is still the best market I've experienced in the Netherlands.

What makes this market special? For one, it's full of organic goods - fruits and vegetables, but also honey, breads, cheeses, and tea. More than 30 stalls are set up every Saturday from early in the morning until about 4pm.

I highly recommend making time to visit the Noordermarkt, especially in the summer. But winter can be equally charming, especially with all those nearby cafes where you can enjoy a coffee or cocoa.

Every wondered what it would be like to sleep in a crane, a lighthouse or an old airplane? Hotelsuites has converted such structures into luxury hotel rooms.

My personal favorite is the airplane suite (see here for pictures of the interior). For a mere € 350 per night (including breakfast!), you can sleep in a 40-meter long converted aircraft - an Ilyushin 18 built in 1960. The interior is designed for two guests and contains a whirlpool, separate shower, infrared sauna, mini-bar, 3 flat screen TV's, a blu-ray DVD player, kitchenette with combi-microwave, coffee and tea making facilities, free wireless internet, air conditioning, etc. Wow.

The airplane suite is located at De Zanden 61b, in Teuge, The Netherlands, which is located close to Deventer, Apeldoorn and Zutphen. Book if you're interested but be aware: Reservations canceled within less than 30 days of your planned stay will be charged. And no smoking in the airplane, please.

Feeling the urge to shake what ya mama gave ya? Saturday night in Utrecht is the place to be if you feel like dancing. Every first Saturday of the month, you can choose between salsa or the hits of the '80s and '90s.

At Plaza Kargadoor, the salsa evening starts off with either a film or live dancing performance at 8 p.m., followed by a salsa workshop and a night of dancing until 3 a.m.

Kargadoor, Oudegracht 36, Utrecht
(030) 231 0377 / info@kargadoor.nl

If you're feeling a bit retro, head to the Winkel van Sinkel Saturday night at 11 p.m. for a night of dancing to the hits of the 1980s and '90s. DJs spin the top songs of the decades, while VJs entertain you with scenes from legendary films of the time. This event is held every first Saturday of the month here in Utrecht, and takes place in a number of other cities throughout the country, such as Den Haag, Rotterdam and Amsterdam, on various dates. Check the website to see if your city is included, along with dates and addresses and presale ticket purchases.

We All Love '80s & '90s
Winkel van Sinkel, Oudegracht 158, Utrecht
Tickets: presale €10 (excluding fees) or €12.50 at the door

This month, it's the yearly Musical Boat Parade. From 2-5 p.m. on Sunday, 2 August, five boats will be sailing along the Oudegracht, the central canal running through the city. These boats serve as stages for the performers, and each one will be sailing the canal for 1.5 hours as the musicians perform. The musicians this year are: Christiaan Kuyvenhoven, a classical pianist; Charlie Dee, performing a tribute to Joni Mitchell; Mdungu, considered the best African-music artist in the Netherlands; Arts the Beat Doctor, an Utrecht hip hop artist; and Bettie Serveert, the famous Dutch rock act, who will be performing songs from their upcoming album.

This Sunday is, of course, Shopping Sunday, so if you're out shopping along the Oudegracht, you can stop for a moment to enjoy the passing concerts. There are seven dedicated locations where you can enjoy the concerts, be it from the streets above, the terraces along, or in boats on the canal. Check the website for the downloadable map (plaategrond). The event is completely free.

2009 marks four centuries of trade between the Netherlands and Japan. This relationship will be celebrated this year with a number of events in both countries. If you're in the Netherlands, Leiden hosts many of these events. For example, the SieboldHuis in Leiden currently has an exhibition entitled "100 Years Tokyo," which runs until 23 August. According to the SieboldHuis website:

"The temporary exhibitions will offer a variety of themes: modern Japanese and Dutch design, Japanese film, music, anime and manga, private and public Japanese collections from all over the world."

The SieboldHuis is located at Rapenburg 19 in Leiden. Adults pay €7.50 and museum card holders and students from Leiden University are free. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10.00 - 17.00.

For an overview of events in the Netherlands, see the Japanleiden website.

From August 2 until September 12, 2009, the Olof Art Gallery presents an exhibition called "Paramaribo Dreams." This exhibition features artists with ties to Suriname, including Rinaldo Klas.

The exhibition officially opens on Sunday, August 2 at 3pm with a celebration and a performance by Willemien van Dijke and Martin Hoevenaars, two artists represented in the exhibition.

For more information and opening times, see the website of the Olof Art Gallery.

This weekend was the massive Gay Pride Celebration here in Amsterdam. Whereas on Queen's Day the town turns orange, during pride everyone goes pink. From old to young, quiet to loud, onlookers to participants, locals to visitors from around the world - Pride 2009 will surely be remembered as one of the biggest ever. (perhaps in the world?)

Normally I put up some of my own videos after such a great party. But this year I came across someone with beautiful video posted on youtube. Therefore I present to you, a glimpse of pride 2009 from YouTube user ReneevanderSluis,

Many of you are no doubt familiar with the fantastic google maps option known as Street View. This option gives you the power to not only see a map but also to walk at the street level and see everything you would see if you were there in person.

Google in cooperation with some of the most popular theme parks in the Netherlands has now started on the project of making Street View available for inside the parks. In other words, you sitting there in your home in the US or Canada, you can first walk the paths of Efteling and see the rides at the Netherlands most loved action park. Once again taking mapping to a whole new level and providing you with a VERY good idea of what is located where for when you go ultimately go there in person.

Also a curious fact about the Street View mapping process, since they're inside the themeparks in places where cars can't go, they use the famous Google Street View Trike, which you can see for yourself in the photo below.

A long list of international bands and DJs is confirmed for the festival, with shows at both Tivoli locations, EKKO, as well as the Dom Square and the Catherine Convent. Some of the headliners include Lacuna Coil and Front 242. Other events include fashion shows held at the Domplein on Saturday and Sunday, and a market (free to the public) with vendors selling gothic/fantasy/underground wares ranging from clothing and makeup to music and books. The market runs Friday through Sunday, and there will be music performances throughout the market hours.

Multi-day and individual-day passes are available for purchase. Prices and purchase info can be found on the official Summer Darkness website. The site also contains a full listing of all events, times and locations, with most information given in both English and Dutch.

And hey, even if the event isn't your cup of tea, the city center becomes a great place to people watch, day and night.