Red Planet Day on November 28, 2021
Every year, November 28 is 'Red Planet Day'. The day commemorates the launch of Mariner 4 on November 28, 1964. Mariner 4 was an American unmanned space mission to Mars in the 1960s. This flight...
Films
Heidi Klum and Life Ball in Vienna
Some time ago, I received an unperforated 'stamp' with an image of Heidi Klum from Austria, without a value indication, which I could not find in the stamp catalogue. The original stamp was listed in the catalogue and had been issued...
Zorba and more…
The Greek composer and political activist Mikis Theodorakis died on September 2, 2021, at the age of 96. In 1964, he wrote the music for the film 'Zorba the Greek' and the accompanying song 'Zorba's Dance', or 'Sirtaki'. It stood...
Niki Lauda, Formula 1 driver and businessman
One of the most famous Austrian Formula 1 drivers was Niki Lauda. He became world champion in 1975, 1977, and 1984. Andreas Nikolaus Lauda was born on February 22, 1949, in Vienna, the son of a wealthy paper manufacturer. He was already...
Ode to the Passage
Many of you will have been there: the Passage in The Hague, the oldest existing covered shopping center in the Netherlands. It opened in 1885 and, after several renovations and expansions, still retains that special atmosphere in which...
Alzheimer's disease
My oldest brother has Alzheimer's. When I called him recently, he didn't know who I was anymore. It's pretty tough when your brother doesn't recognize you. What exactly is Alzheimer's, where does the name come from, and is...
Deceased in 2020: famous and unknown persons
2020 is a very special year. Worldwide, many unknown individuals have died from the coronavirus. It is estimated that more than 1,7 million people have died from COVID-19. The reality will be higher. The world is turning red. I have a personal...
Ode to Sean Connery (1930-2020)
According to many, Sean Connery is the only James Bond. Sir Sean Connery passed away at the age of 90 in his beloved hometown of Nassau (Bahamas) on October 31, 2020. He was blunt, robust, funny, and a genius all at the same time. He was also very popular with...
Leiderdorp, village of Leiden
Leiderdorp has over 27.000 inhabitants. The village has grown together with Leiden, but the two municipalities are separated by the rivers Zijl and Oude Rijn. Both Leiden and Leiderdorp likely derive their names from “Leithon”, which means “by the water”....
The Romans in Great Britain
Anyone visiting England or Wales will undoubtedly come into contact with the Roman past of these parts of Great Britain. Many Roman remains, such as villas, bathhouses, streets, and fortifications, are cherished by English Heritage and the National Trust, the official organizations comparable...
Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond
When they announced the release of a new series of stamps dedicated to James Bond on March 17, 2020, I immediately thought of the 2008 series. One of the stamps featured an image of the legendary car, the Aston Martin...
85th Book Week (March 7-15, 2020) with the theme 'Rebels and Mavericks'
For the 85th time, the CPNB is organizing the Book Week with the theme 'Rebels and Mavericks'. This theme, featuring writers Annejet van der Zijl (Book Week gift) and Özcan Akyol (Book Week essay), certainly caused a great deal of commotion, especially regarding the latter writer, before the Book Week...
Peter Pan, symbol of eternal youth
In 2002, it was 150 years since the Great Ormond Street Hospital, specifically for children, opened in London on February 14, 1852. At the time, it had only ten beds and grew into one of the best children's hospitals...
The Six Novels of Jane Austen
One of the most beloved English novelists of the 19th century was Jane Austen. She was born on December 16, 1775, in the village of Steventon in the county of Hampshire, near the city of Basingstoke. Her father was a minister there. Her...
Chinese New Year Year of the Rat starts on January 25, 2020.
From January 25, 2020, to February 11, 2021, the Year of the Rat is celebrated according to the Chinese zodiac. We take a brief look back at the Year of the Pig. That was not a good year for China with African swine fever...
Christmas classic The Sound of Music
During the Christmas period, one of the TV channels will surely broadcast the film The Sound of Music. How many times have you seen this film? And can you sing along to the songs: Maria, Edelweiss, Do-Re-Mi? The film premiered on March 2, 1965...
