Royal Wup

I hadn't seen any green parakeets for a long time, but the bright orange 'wuppie' (which I had glued to my balcony, for the coming inauguration of crown prince Willem Alexander) attracted the attention of two of them.
"Off with his head" seems to be their motto (not mine!).

Garbage collector of canals

The Amsterdam canals are beautiful but to keep them that way, they need a lot of maintenance. For instance: the garbage needs to be removed. We're not just talking about paper or plastic waste...no, this is about using two, large barges, one with a krane with claw mounted on top, and picking up all the sad 'little' shipwrecks, partly or completely sunk, which can be found all along the canals.
This means that, sometimes, they have to scrape the bottom to look for a boat that has 'disappeared'. Usually the grip comes back up, holding a few, rusty, bicycles.
Here's this morning's evidence.

On the way to pick up

and back again, a few wrecks richer

It's very well organised and documented. Pictures are taken as proof of the state the wreck was in, before they're removed and lists of those boats + location are placed on the internet, weeks in advance.
Here's an AT5 article about it: WRECK-REMOVAL

Nordic Art at Groninger Museum

Stairs to 'under water' level

Over Easter, we treated ourselves to 'special offer-1st class train tickets' to visit the Nordic Art exhibition at the Groninger Museum. The trip itself was pretty special, since it was still snowing, and we travelled through the nature reserve 'Oostvaarder Plassen' which, in my opinion, closely resembled a barren tundra (never knew we had so many deer).  For Wikiped.info click on:OOSTV. PLASSEN.
I'd never been to the museum before, and can highly recommend it. It's a modern and intriguing building, partly below water level, with a high-tech information centre.
The Nordic art was quite impressive and even though there was a mix of old and modern art, they still seemed to have a distinctive style. Many pictures were as much about the frame as the painting and artists used a mix of different techniques. The picture (left) is made with oil paint and gold on, embossed, metal. (Right) oil on wood and enamel on copper frame.

Regrettably, the silver collection (my interest) had been 'put away' for fear of theft! We had to 'make do' with more modern art and the extensive china collection which was beautifully displayed in the round Starck Pavilion with small, 'net curtain-display areas'.

Couldn't resist one more picture of the, beautifully renovated, old railway station, a short walk from the museum.

Maastricht

One of the reasons we like visting The International European Art Fair is that we combine it with a stroll through the city of Maastricht.
This time we went to see the amazing book store inside the (at least 700 years old) Dominican Church.

Also a beautiful place to have a light lunch

However, we particularly like the area called Wyck, on the East side of the river Maas, which is where we've stayed the last two times. It's absolutely charming with many, specialised shops and restaurants of high standard which offer quality (bespoke) products. Jo Cortenraedt (below) agrees.

During Tefaf, many shop windows are, artistically, decorated.
This is the local Butcher.

Weekend Tefaf 2013

It was Tefaf-time and, once again, we spent a wonderful weekend in pretty Maastricht. At The European Fine Arts Fair, small improvements had been made (like small, portable 'kitchenettes' dotted around the place with good quality food, for a quick bite...no more crazy queues). The atmosphere was friendly and 'the world's population' was well represented (especially South America).

Fresh roses on huge, circular panels, sunk into the walls, and 'fairy tale bouquets' everywhere, spread their beautiful scent.

We particularly liked 'man with guitar' by Pablo Picasso (above) and the ring by Buccellati, which I tried on two years ago (april 2011 blog), was still there (I think it has my name on it)!!!
Not many people I know visit this Fair but if anyone feels like a nice day out...there's still time (until the 24th).
Here's the link: TEFAF

More neighbourhood-progress

It was the First (and only) day, when the weather was warm enough to sit outside on my balcony, last week. Picture me all homely and peaceful, cleaning, organic, brussels sprouts on a piece of newspaper. Suddenly I heard a low rumble and a lot of clanging noises when, out of nowhere, two huge cranes, slowly, loomed over the rooftops opposite me. What in the....?

Turns out, work has started on renovating the old tram depot, behind the next row of houses, and turning it into a centre for Media, Culture, Fashion and Trade. Tv studios, Cinemas, Restaurants, small businesses, Art, Shops, Training centres...you name it!
It's a large and amazing project, which will take 2 years to build... If they stick to the plan, it will be Good for the neighbourhood!
For those who are interested, please click on: TRAM DEPOT RENOVATION
Here's an impression of what some of it will look like.

I'm really excited about the end product. I realise that after two years of earth tremors, pounding of huge posts into the ground and everything else that comes with building work, I might sing a different tune. But for now....Hey Ho, Here we go...UPWARDS AND ONWARDS.

Little Red Tag

Amsterdam has been held at ransom by bicycles for way too long. They've become a 'health hazard' and the council has decided to give the City, drastic, Angioplasty treatment.  'Special Forces' have been sent out to 'tag and drag' illegally parked bicycles or their rusty 'leftovers'. You get two weeks to save your precious means of transport, so Be Warned!

this one got away

Impressive Delta Works of Holland

On the way back from Domburg we stopped at 'Neeltje Jans Delta Park' to visit the Delta Works of Holland, where one can actually go into the belly of one of the huge pylons of this Dam. If I were to even try writing about this amazing construction, I would not do it justice. Instead, all I want to say is that I was very, very impressed by this feat of Dutch Engineering, built after the devastating floods of 1953 which cost almost 2000 lives. It's the Oosterschelde Dam, which impresses me most of all because, after loud protests of many 'nature-lovin' Dutchies and despite huge extra costs, the dam was built in such a way that a balance was found between nature and mankind. Salt water was still able to come in and go out with the tides. Nature was kept intact and the fishing-, mussels- and oyster industry flourished.
If anyone of you ever pass (anywhere near) this place, pleeeeeeaaaaaaassssseeee VISIT!
To get an idea, click on the following site:DELTA WORKS.
Left: the bottom red line marks the level of water, when 'doors' will close. The top line shows the level water reached, during the floods of 1953.

Tour boat with spare pylon in backround

On our way to belly of working pylon

Dazzling Domburg

Above, Badpaviljoen Domburg which houses a fantastic restaurant and exquisite apartments.

Tuna and soft shell crab

Bouillabaisse

This weekend we treated ourselves to a weekend in Domburg, Zeeland. Because I spent most of my life abroad, I really missed out on getting to know this country properly. I so enjoy our 'recces' of Holland and never realised how beautiful it really is.
I was surprised by the evidence of great wealth (huge villas and castles with beautiful gardens) in and around Domburg (an area I expected to be rather barren and surviving on ever diminishing fishing industry) but discovered that this dates back to around the year 1535, when a canal was dug to Middelburg. There, huge warehouses were built for storing all the goods that would be brought in by ships of the VOC ( the Dutch East India Company). The many people who'd become very rich from this trade would then have their 'pied à terre' and summer homes built in Domburg. For Wikipedia information on this era, click on:HISTORY.
Different times now, but Domburg still has a lot to offer, incl. some great restaurants and shops, and many of the Dutch elite still have their 2nd homes there. Definitely worth a visit!

Although it was a grey day, we really enjoyed our walk on the beach where fishermen were 'line-catching' some Plaice and we ended up having some Bockbier (seasonal, dark, malty beer) at bar/restaurant 'Oase' on the beach, with its very own webcam, click on OASE.

My Favorite picture 

Queen's Day '12/Amsterdam Canals

How fortunate we were with the weather! Yesterday was the only sunny, dry day in yonks, so we all turned out in droves on Queen's Day.
After our visit to the Vondelpark we had to cycle in a hurry (if that's at all possible on Q.day) to our next appointment and were almost too late.

We had a fantastic time. It was said, there were fewer people visiting this year and I'm sure they're right, however, at times, it was hard to believe.

Little engine trouble got fixed

Quiet day for military police

CROWDED CANALS

dogs came along

better view

Onlookers

Baby with orange hat

Queen's Day '12 Amsterdam/Vondelpark

Above, a game thought up by some children. A painting of our Queen with the words 'This will be hard to swallow, your Majesty...' For 50 ct. one had three chances of throwing a ball into Beatrixs' mouth.

This is my second Queen's Day in Amsterdam. We spent the morning walking through the 'Free Trade-Market Vondelpark" and in the afternoon, we joined our friends on their boat for a CRAZY trip through the canals. It was good to see that most people were wearing something orange (Royal House of Orange) and many had gone through great effort to get noticed in the crowds.
Vondelpark
The Dutch are known as 'trades(wo)men'. Tell a Dutchie how good he/she looks in a particular piece of clothing and he/she will not reply by saying: "thank you" instead, you'll hear a somewhat proud: "I 'got' it for only ... Euros". On Queen's Day, you'll find tens of thousands of people selling old or weird stuff, all along the streets of Amsterdam. The life of wheelin' and dealin' is taught to our children from the day they are born and, on Q.day, the whole of the Vondelpark is especially reserved for them so they can practice their skills.
The place is packed with children who've all thought of thousands of different ways of convincing or emotionally blackmailing grown ups into parting with their money (this too, is taught by their parents).

How to draw......

......ATTENTION

Bric a brac for sale.

Tear jerker

Playing Dutch Anthem