Have you read the previous blog about the history of the Open Monument Days? It is scheduled for the weekend of September 13 and 14, 2025, but not all municipalities (and therefore not all buildings) are open for two days. Some organize 1 day...
The summer holidays have already started in parts of the Netherlands. Other regions start at the end of this week. What could be better than having the holiday period coincide with a number of major events? And you don't have to travel far. No flying holidays...
The International Literature Festival Utrecht (ILFU) will be held from 23 September to 7 October 2023 in Utrecht, under the motto 'What's the story?'. The theme refers to the multitude of stories that can be told about any subject. During the...
The International Day for the Elimination of Racism and Discrimination is observed annually on March 21. On that day in 1960, the police killed 69 civilians in the Sharpeville Massacre during protests against the apartheid regime in South Africa. In 1966...
We are staying in Willemstad for a little while longer because the Willemstad Five-Euro coin was issued by KNM (Royal Dutch Mint) on February 2, 2023. Afterwards, the King and Queen and Princess Amalia visit the Leeward Islands: Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten from February 6...
The first part of the blog is about the visit to the ABC islands. But first, we look back at previous visits by the Royal House of Princess Juliana, Princess Beatrix, and Prince Willem-Alexander. Did you see the working visit (or extended holiday)...
On Easter Sunday, April 5, 1722, explorer Jacob Roggeveen accidentally discovered an island off the coast of Chile. Roggeveen was searching for the Southern Continent but found an island (later named Easter Island) with mega statues (Moai) on...
During a city walk across the Leiden market, I was approached by a young African man who was selling shirts there. “Sir,” he said, “do you know if slaves were traded on this bridge in the past? If so, I am going here...”
In the month of March, more international sporting events are being held again. While the focus during the previous two months was on winter sports, athletes are now heading outdoors for events such as the spring classics (cycling). TeamNL has a great chance of winning medals during the...
'Operation Gladio' was a top-secret organization that began in Italy in 1952. What kind of organization was it, actually, and what did they carry out? What does 'Gladio' mean? Was Gladio also active in the Netherlands? So, this stamp blog is about a...
In the final fourth part of 100 Years of Bauhaus, the influence on Dutch architecture and the art movement De Stijl is discussed. How did the interaction between the members of the Bauhaus and the members of De Stijl unfold? What...
In 2019, Germany commemorates the 100th anniversary of Bauhaus. An art movement that existed for only 14 years (1919–1933), yet the name has always remained synonymous. Bauhaus was a revolutionary German art and design school. From the very beginning...
SIRE (Foundation for Idealistic Advertising) is launching the national campaign #DOESLIEF. Being unkind without realizing it—that is what the SIRE campaign #DOESLIEF aims to address. Examples: talking on the phone while paying at the supermarket checkout, spreading hate tweets on social media,...
Of the Wadden Island of Vlieland, which has 1100 inhabitants (as a separate slice of the Netherlands), the majority of residents live in the island's only village, Oost-Vlieland. Vlieland is now primarily a popular destination for tourists. Design agency Birza Design (Carla & Ingmar...
Museums, musicals, and memorabilia in honor of a 200-year-old song? In Austria, tourist offices are working overtime. After Mozart and 'The Sound of Music' (by the von Trapp family), 'Silent Night' is the third most popular tourist attraction in Salzburgerland. Why is 'Silent Night'...
Wilhelm Busch (Wiedensahl 1832 – Mechtshausen 1908) was a German poet, cartoonist, and illustrator. He initially trained as an engineer but decided to become a painter. He produced more than a thousand paintings, but he became famous for a sideline. He wrote humorous...
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