Truth be told, many of the Gay Pride 2010 events started on Sunday, but there is plenty of time to join the fun before the big parade this weekend.

Your ultimate guide to Gay Pride Weekend, which stretches from the 5th to the 8th of August, is available here.

As you may know, The Netherlands, especially Amsterdam, is considered one the gay capitals of Europe. Meaning this is the place where the gay community, friends, and neighbors, set up a lawn chair along the canal, share some drinks, and enjoy the fun.

Unfortunately this year, my favorite event - The Drag Queen Olympics- was canceled last minute and moved to Madrid. As a consolation, there will be a Drag King Betty Contestat King Betty's, with judging by Vera Bergkamp, EllenElla and Miss Windymills.

On Saturday, 7 August, five bus stops along Bus Line 2 in the Museum Quarter will be transformed into performance stages. While still serving their primary function as a bus stop, they will also be the home to a variety of performances, running from 14:00 to 18:00. At 20:00 until 23:00, the entertainment moves to the Leidig Erf. Sunday, 8 August, the day's events will be taking place at Lepelenburg Park from 14:00 to 20:00. All festival events are free.

Some of the performances at the festival include: Paper Tiger, Kim Janssen, The Medics, El Pino & The Volunteers, This Leo Sunrise, Breaking Ground, and Filmmachine. For a full list of events, visit the festival website (in Dutch).

Out of all the Amsterdam Pride 2010 video clips I found on Youtube, the one was my favorite. Over 3 minutes of some of the best scenes along the canals. Enjoy.

Down in Martin Luther King Park, along the Amstel river, the Parade is currently going on in Amsterdam. The only way I can think to describe Parade is a 2+ week long theater festival although there is always more going on than theater.

My favorite theater group in Amsterdam is back this year performing at Parade. They are called Pips:lab and they are arguably the most innovative crew in the country.

Here is my favorite of their street performances:

More on the Parade coming this week. Follow the links for more details.

One of the major features of the event is the music, which includes gothrock, retro-wave, gothic-metal, avant-garde, darkambient, medieval, neo-folk, darkwave, industrialrock, and neo-classical. The musical acts booked for this year come from a variety of countries and include: And One, DAF, Brendan Perry, Leatherstrip, Project Pitchfork, Clan of Xymox, Grendel, Faith & The Muse, Aesthetic Perfection, and many many more.

Along with the music, DJs and dance parties, there are markets set up on the Domplein, for all your shopping needs, from clothing and wigs, to CDs and home decorations, all with a dark spin, of course. There are also fashion shows and musical performances going on in the Domplein throughout the weekend. The events here are free and open to the public and are great for the more casual weekend attendee. They're also great for photographers, as many of the people attending are dressed to impress and are often more than happy to serve as an impromptu model.

The event takes place August 13-15 at various locations around Utrecht. Tickets can be bought for the whole event at €65, or can be purchased for individual days for €37, and single tickets for individual events are sometimes available, starting at €15. Tickets may be purchased through Ticketservice or at the cash desk of Tivoli Oudegracht during office hours, and at Plato record store. Full ticket info is available on the official website (in English), as is the full program with all the locations, times and individual events.

File this one under strange but cool places to stay while traveling around the Netherlands; a former East German airplane turned luxury hotel suite.

The "hotel" is called the Vliegtuigsuite or "the plane suite", yet it is anything put plain. Decked out with super smooth and modern features from the bedroom to the bathroom and everything in between, this old flying machine looks like the future on the inside. The only part of the vessel that actually remains original is the cockpit, everything else is set up as a super cool living space.

I have yet to see it in person, but it has come up in conversations and news reports as one of the most creative hotel ideas the country has to offer. Located between Appeldoorn and Deventer, the price per night is listed as €350 for 2 people. Certainly not a cheap sleeping option, but if it is a unique stay that you seek, the Vliegtuigsuite is just what the doctor ordered. And yes, you can bring the kids, but leave your pets at home.

In only a few hours Sail2010 will begin with the fantastic Sail Parade, the arrival of a huge array of Dutch and International ships in the Ij harbor. The opening will stretch from 10am to 3pm, which is a big window of time for everyone to catch a glimpse. Starting at 10am tomorrow there will also be activities for children at Pirate Island (thematically renamed section of Java Island). There will also be an area for MINI-SAIL which is apparently where miniature boats will be featured.

The entire Sail event is not widely known outside of the Netherlands but make no mistake, this event, which takes place every 5 years, is right up there among this city's biggest and most fun events.

Naturally for full information, including what is happening at what time on each day, as well as full descriptions of featured ships, consult their website. I'll also be keeping an eye on SAIL2010's twitter account for details as to what is going on throughout the long weekend.

Sail2010 has officially ended, as quickly as they sailed into the Ij harbor, the tall ships and vessels of every kind have said goodbye. The 4 day event was bigger and brighter then ever, providing memories that the millions in attendance will enjoy for along time to come. I myself watched the ships come in, and navigated my own boat into the heart of Sail2010. Here are some moments in video from my wonderful experience:

You may have heard the news in your neck of the woods, but here in Holland it made the front page: Anne Frank's Celebrated Chestnut Tree fell under the force of heavy winds earlier this week.

It is referred to as Anne Frank's tree as in her writing she refers several times to the tree which was just outside her window behind the garden house where she and her family were hiding. The tree has long stood as a part of the Anne Frank museum and a beloved symbol. However over the past 3 years the tree had many problems with sicknesses, leading to a famous battle between those who wanted to cut it down and those who wanted to save it. The saving side won the battle, until this week when extreme winds arrived in Amsterdam.

Within all the reports of the tree's death, one question did surface: what to do with the wood? No decision has been made yet. But there are already several saplings from the tree being grown in different parts of the world, including in California.

Next time you find yourself in the Anne Frank museum you will unfortunately not see that trusty old chestnut tree. Maybe they will leave a photo as a reminder...

The weather hasn't been the best the past couple of days, but things might be a little bit drier this weekend, so here's a quick run-down of some of the events taking place in Utrecht.

Tonight at 19:00, there's a free concert as part of the Oude Muziek (Old Music) festival. Arie Abbennes will be playing the carillon bells of the Domtoren for the enjoyment of all. The best place to listen is at the Domtoren itself, but if you're in the city center and outside, you're bound to hear a bit of the performance. There will also be a video screen at the Vredenburg Leidsche Rijn if you'd like to see more of the performance. Full details on the Oude Muziek festival can be found on the website, with information in Dutch and some English.

Saturday night, beginning at 20:00, the Impakt Open Air 2 film festival will be taking place at the Neude. Short films, including previews of the Re:visie program from this year's upcoming Nederland Film Festival, will be shown on a big screen outdoors at the Neude, with a BBQ (organic meat and vegetarian options included), cocktail bar, and DJs to keep things fun and festive. Entry is free, and if the weather happens to turn nasty, the event will be moved to Moira, Wolvenstraat 10.

Between the Giro D'Italia and the Tour De France, cycling has been even bigger here in the Netherlands this year. If you want to enjoy a bit more racing drama, head to the Maliebaan this Sunday, 29 August, for the 54th International Tour of Central Netherlands (Internationale Ronde van Midden-Nederland). The race starts at 12:30 and ends around 17:30, with the start and finish at the Maliebaan. Throughout the day, there will also be various related events in the area and at the Utrecht Archives.

While it is most known for its art collection, the Kröller-Müller museum also features occasional theater performances. These theater pieces feature art from the museum's vast collection.

From now until November, The Paintings (with Us in the Nature) 1971 by Gilbert & George, are on display and part of one of these performances. Active in the 60's and 70's, the artists are most known for being very formal as well as early in their career, "The Singing Sculpture".

Located in Otterloo, the Kröller-Müller is a must-see day trip from Amsterdam. If it isn't raining too hard you can also enjoy the wonderful park grounds which are also part of the museum. Entry is €15 for adults, €7.50 for kids.