The legendary Colin Benders, AKA Kyteman, will be there with Tim van Delft, the drummer from de Staat, pianist Wout Smeets, dance producer Pitto, and DJs Ivoryman and Juan Barros. The night will be a mix of hip hop, funk, electronica, and rock. Also on hand will be a fashion show, and artwork by Leyp and the D-Team. As an added bonus, the first people there that evening will get to "shop" the special store set up with a variety of t-shirts, hats, socks and more. First come, first serve, with the opportunity to take home one free item.

The Dom Jam takes place Friday, April 2, from 23:00 to 5:00, at the Winkel van Sinkel, Oudegracht 158. Tickets are €12.50 in advance or €15 at the door. Tickets can purchased through Paylogic, or from Oh My Tees, tel. 0302343023.

The St. Willibrordus church, a colorfully decorated neo-gothic church in Utrecht, is hosting Goede Passie, a series of concerts in celebration of Easter. Thursday, April 1, at 20:45 is a Festive Passion concert. Friday, at 17:00 is Stabat Mater by Pergolesi, performed by Esther Kronenburg, soprano. Saturday, at 14:00, Russian folklore group Zarjanka will be performing Easter and Russian folk songs. Later that day, at 20:30, Requiem by Cherubini will be performed by a chamber choir from Zeist. Finally, on Sunday, April 4, at 14:00, there will be a performance of Symphone Passion, by Marcel Dupré. All performances are free, although donations will be accepted. St. Willibrord is located at Minrebroederstraat 21, Utrecht.

The 2010 exhibition kicks off April 22 in Amsterdam, where it will remain until June 20, before heading next to Portugal. It will be back in the Netherlands throughout the year, with stops in Utrecht, Leeuwarden, Naarden, Rotterdam, Eindhoven, Maastricht, and Groningen. The full schedule can be found on the Wold Press Photo's official website, which also includes a gallery of all of the winning photos.

Every night at dusk, various spots around the city -- encompassing canals, buildings, objects, streets and bridges -- will be lit by special installations designed by light artists. The lights will burn from dusk to midnight every night, highlighting the past and present of this ancient city. To follow the full tour, it will take you around 1.5 hours at a comfortable stroll. Of course, you can always just hit up individual spots around town at your whim. With the increasingly nice weather, it should make for a nice way to get out and enjoy the evenings, maybe with a stop at a restaurant or café along the way.

The walk and lights are free, of course, and cover the city from Vredenburg to Mariaplaats. You can get the full map of the light displays through the VVV Utrecht, located at Domplein 9; the Apollo Hotel at Vredenburg 14; and the information center of the municipality of Utrecht, Vinkenburgstraat 26.

They have a small, but carefully selected wine list, as well as various ports and sherrys and other liquors if you want to stop in just for drinks. Now that the weather is improving, they've got outdoor seating, as well. It's a social little place that offers quality dining for a reasonable price, while avoiding a stuffy atmosphere. They even have a pub quiz every last Wednesday of the month.

If you're in Utrecht and looking for a quality meal, definitely try out Zocher. They even have a special theater menu if you're heading to the nearby Stadsschouwburg for a performance. The restaurant is located at Lucasbolwerk 21, Utrecht, and they're open every day except Tuesday. Check their website for opening times and the menu.

It is hard to believe Sail '10 is coming this summer to Amsterdam. It only happens every 5 years or so and it involves beautiful ships dropping anchor in the inner harbor and a massive celebration. Tall ships come from around the world to participate and anyone can climb aboard, look around, and speak with crews.

An event so large and so special requires alot of behind the scenes work, and right now Sail is looking for volunteers. If you find yourself in Amsterdam this august, if you can speak more than 1 language, and if you're eager to help out and be a part of it, Sail is waiting for you.

They've put the call for volunteers on their site. On that same page you'll also find detailed descriptions of what is involved and what qualifications they require. You can bet there are a lot of PERKS!

Don't forget that this weekend is Museum Weekend, in which more than 500 museums across the Netherlands open their doors for free or for significantly reduced prices. Not every museum participates, but plenty of them do. Here in Utrecht, some of the participating museums include the Sonnenborgh, Catharijneconvent, Geldmuseum, Centraal Museum, and the Botanic Gardens. The Centraal Museum has a special exhibit currently going on, showcasing the work of fashion designer Alexander van Slobbe. The Geld (money) Museum will be offering special workshops on Saturday for just a few euros, allowing you to make jewelry from money.

To see the full list of participating museums, check out the official website. It includes opening times, entrance costs (many are free) and special events taking place this weekend at the museums.

Spring is in full swing, so it's time to check out the flowers! This can also be done indoors, of course. For example, until May 9th the Teylers Museum in Haarlem is holding an exhibition on botanical arts. This includes Highgrove Florilegium. For those of you who aren't familiar, these are aquarelles and engravings of floors that can be found in the gardens of the Highgrove House, which is the official residence of Prince Charles.

The exhibition is held at the Teylers Museum in Haarlem, located at Spaarne 16.

Boekennacht 2010 is right around the corner! On Friday, April 23rd from 8-10pm, head to the American Book Center (for English language events) and the Spui for all events.

It's the second edition of Boekennacht, and this year's theme is 'De roes.' Be prepared for outdoor book displays, literary events, library events, and also presentations in pubs in and around Amsterdam's Spui.

If you're a book lover this is an event that shouldn't be missed! See the ABC blog for more information, and get ready to stop by the store and the treehouse for events.

Ok well its not a direct connection; Greetings from Siberia! Yes we trippists aren't always in the Netherlands, like any good .NL residents, we travel. In keeping with that tradition, Im traveling through Siberia, and I wanted to share a few nuggets of wisdom regarding the process of getting from the Netherlands to Russia.

Traditionally in the travel world, people love to make jokes about Aeroflot Russian airlines. This might be because in the past there have been accidents, or because with such a large country they have to cover alot of territory and they've surely got some old planes in service.

That said, if you travel from Amsterdam or, for example, Paris on an Aeroflot plane to Moscow, you'll find yourself on a very new plane and met with extremely good service. Perhaps it is because of the bad reputation they gained since the end of the USSR, or perhaps they had a management epiphany - whatever the reason, we traveling from Europe to Russia are benefiting.

In summary, if you are someone planning a trip to Amsterdam, and then thinking to continue on to Russia.. first.. I admire your taste in travel. Second, don't ignore aeroflot, their prices might work for you and the service if definitely on the rise. Once you get into Russia and take a domestic flight.. well... Ill save that for another post!

It's that time of the year again: Keukenhof is open! I have a friend who experienced Keukenhof for the first time about a month ago. She took the train, the bus, paid the EUR 14 entrance fee, and ... no flowers. What a disappointment!

But now, a visit should be safe, and is highly recommended! If you're particularly adventurous you can rent a bike (or bring your own) in Lisse and bike through the tulip fields.

This weekend is a particularly good time to visit. It's the Russia Weekend / Summer Bulb Market on April 16, 17 and 18. If you visit this weekend you can see a number of bulb growers showing and selling their tulip bulbs. Their website also lists a number of interesting package deals. It's a Dutch spring experience you'll never forget!

Saturday, April 17, is the international Record Store Day, a celebration of independently owned record stores. The Netherlands will certainly be celebrating, with stores in Utrecht, Leiden, Zwolle, Enschede, Rotterdam, Groningen and more participating. Stores will have special discounts, limited vinyl releases, live performances and more.

At Plato in Utrecht, Voorstraat 35, DJs Quasimodus and Waterleidings Mij. Oost-Brabant will be performing at 12:00 and 14:00 respectively, followed by live performances from Roosbeef (15:30),The Mad Trust (16:00) and Boemklatsch Surprise (16:30). A coffee bar will also be on hand to keep you caffeinated as you explore the stacks.

For the full list of participating stores in the Netherlands, check the official Record Store Day website in English or Dutch.

Well, Trippist readers, I hope none of you were planning a trip to the Netherlands this weekend. Flights have been cancelled since Thursday - I even missed out on a weekend in Spain to visit the family. I'm not complaining too much, though, as the weather here in NL is absolutely beautiful!

I've heard stories from numerous people whose holidays have been disrupted or are stuck in various locations around the world. But then I started to realize how big this problem really is, thanks to NCR Handelsblad's summary of issues.

For example, think about cargo: The article points out "The closure of airspace over several countries reveals the vulnerability of an economy that is based just-in-time delivery, allowing for fresh products and minimal inventories. In shipping, 'fresh' can apply to many things, ranging from grapes from Morocco to trendy fashion items and electrical devices from Asia."

Given that Schiphol airport processes 1.2 million tons of cargo annually (think everything from fish to tulips), this could lead to massive chaos - and is indeed already having this effect. Read here to learn more about this developing situation.

Get your game on tomorrow, Sunday, April 18, at Utrecht's monthly Cultural Sunday event. This month's theme is Vrij Spel (Free Game) and it gets visitors to look at the arts and sciences in a game-playing kind of way. Artists, scholars and students of some of Utrecht's universities have created a variety of games and interactive programs for all ages to explore science, research, philosophy and justice, all in an entertaining and brain-teasing way.

As always, there are events all over Utrecht at a variety of sites, including the Domplein, various university buildings and the Sonnenborgh. Check out the official website for a downloadable schedule with all of the events and times (in Dutch). As always, Cultural Sunday events are free.

Greetings from Novosibirsk, Russia, where my trans-Siberian journey continues. Watching the news in between stops and cities Im traveling through, obviously I know all about the trouble with the volcanic ash and the airline industry all over Europe. Strangely enough this happens at a time when Im traveling almost everyday across Russia... except that my travels are by bus and train.

All this reminds me of the great transport network of trains and buses we have in Europe, so that even when airplanes are not an option, there are ways! Unfortunately few people travel 36 to 40 hours by train as Im about to. Busy lives and limited time does not seem to allow for it. Me, I've got a date with the Trans-Siberian... next stop.. Irkutsk and lake Beikal, the deepest lake in the world!

See you all on the other side.... of Siberia.

On the official page the regulations are laid out: "The only rule for 30 Days of Biking is that you bike every day for 30 days--around the block, 20 miles to work, whatever suits you--then tweet about your adventures with the tag #30daysofbiking. Event starts on April 1 and ends on April 30!"

You can follow global progress on Twitter. Also check out a great video by Mindcaster, made in honor of the event.

And of course don't forget to visit the official blog.

That is the question you need to answer in order to win free bike rental during your stay in a hostel in Amsterdam. Hostelbookers teamed up with the Bicycle Hotel and are running a competition where 2 people can win free bike hire. Details on the contest can be found here. Good luck!

Did we mention it is 30 Days of Biking month?

No trip planned to St. Petersburg? Have no fear - St. Petersburg has come to you! From
March 6 - September 17, 75 paintings from the collection of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg will be on display at the Hermitage Amsterdam. From the website:

For this exhibition about 75 paintings have been selected from the Hermitage St.- Petersburg, which has one of the world's finest collections of French painting of the early twentieth century. Apart from the world-famous French masters, such equally celebrated Russian contemporaries as Malevich and Kandinsky will be represented. These artists are seen as the pioneers of Modernism. Almost all the works exhibited are on permanent display in St.- Petersburg.

Hermitage Amsterdam is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm, Wednesdays to 8 pm. They are located at Amstel 51 and can be reached online or via telephone +31 (0)20 530 74 88.

This one's a bit last minute, but if you're in Utrecht this weekend, you might be interested in the Africa Independent Festival taking place at the RASA Center for World Cultures (Pauwstraat 13a, Utrecht). The event will feature performances by Sam Mangwana & Odemba OK All Stars, Victor Démé, Dobet Gnahoré, Manou Gallo, and Mdungu with Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara.

The festival is spread over two nights (April 24-25) and tickets cost €16-19 per night. The RASA website has more details on who is performing each night and when, along with information for making ticket reservations.

Have you ever wondered about story behind the eggs you just purchased at the Dutch supermarket? How do you make your selection? By price? Is there some other indicator that you use? I've recently learned that all eggs made in Europe have their own "badge." This badge, the numbers printed on each egg, tell you which country the egg was produced in, and a little bit about the farming system (how the chicken is housed). It even specifies the actual farm where the chicken comes from.

A website has been set up to explain these numbers in more detail. It's in Dutch, but here's a rough English translation:

THE FIRST NUMBER (between 0 and 4, with 0 being the best score for how the hens are treated):
0: Organic eggs come from hens kept in sheds with up to six animals per m2. The space is at least 4 m2 per laying hen. Other requirements include that the chicken should be fed largely organic food and it is not allowed to treat the beaks (e.g., cut them off, as is sadly standard practice elsewhere).

4: Within a large barn, there are three to five hens per cage. Each animal has access to at least 550 cm2 of floor space. The floor of the cages is wire mesh - when the eggs are laid they fall onto a band which collects them in bulk. (The website notes that many companies are switching to cages where the hens have access to nests, perches and a free range area).

THE COUNTRY CODE:
This is self-explanatory, where NL stands for the Netherlands, etc.

THE LAST NUMBER:
Every poultry farm in Europe has its own code. Dutch companies have a code that consists of 5 digits.

Here's another example of why I love being in the Netherlands in springtime - beauty can spring from the most unlikely places! I found this gem while heading to a meeting in Delft.

Here's a chance to learn how to cook with organic ingredients and practice your Dutch: Puur, the recently opened organic supermarket in Leiden, is offering cooking workshops on a regular basis for the rest of 2010.

At EUR 45 a pop, these workshops are run by Jeroen van Wijk and cover a variety of foods, including:

29 May and 5 June: tapas evening
11 September: the Italian kitchen
25 September: the Marrocan kitchen
9 October: the Thai kitchen
23 October: cooking with forgotten vegetables
6 November: savory and sweet pies

Interested? Just sign up at www.whatscookin.nl (look for "kookavonden Leiden") and you're all set!

Me Gusta! provides a combination of café, deli, and catering services. They also have a charming shop where they sell Mediterranean goods.

The store is open from Monday to Saturday. Stop in for a delicious lunch (see some samples below!), a coffee or cappuccino and a treat, or pick up some Italian wine or olive oil. They also have a delicious looking Spanish tortilla for sale - homemade, of course! I tried the caprese sandwich - absolutely delicious and priced fairly.

Me Gusta! is located at van Hogendorpstraat 16a in Wassenaar. If you're ever in the neighborhood, it's definitely worth a visit.

Botenverhuur de Rijnstroom, Weg naar Rhijnauwen 2, has everything from one-person canoes for €4 for one hour, up to motorboats that you can rent for the whole day for €60, with everything in between. They're located between the Utrecht stadium and University de Uithof and have routes that take you through the old city center or out into wilder, greener locations.

If you want a party boat with food and drink, you may want to consider the tapas boats that sail through Utrecht. Besides the tapas boat, they also offer BBQ, high tea, stamppot and lunch boats. They're good for large groups, seating at least 10 people, which means the price is much lower if everyone is chipping in. If you want just a boat and skipper, that goes for around €140, with the food and drink boats going up in cost from there.

I'm landing back in Amsterdam just in time for the biggest annual nation wide fiesta in the Netherlands, Queens Day. I did this on purpose as although I love to travel, being in town for Queen's Day is always a pleasure. This year, despite the looming threat of a garbage collection strike, the city is still getting ready for another classic.

As part of the preperations, I found an I Amsterdam Queen's Day Iphone App. Of course my first recommendation of Iphone apps for NL tourism is our very own! But for this specific event, try out the Queen's Day app, its actually part of their regular app with a special feature for this specific holiday.

Features include updates about what is happening where and how the fun is progressing in various parts of the city. Kind of like a traffic report for partying.