The Utrecht Archives

A trip into Utrecht to see the Utrecht Archives, and also to look at the black and white photograph exhibition.   The photographer was called F. Van der Werf, and the photographs were taken before World War II.   He set himself up as an independent photographer in 1930 and then became a press photographer after the war.   He stopped work in 1962.   

The Utrecht Archives is now based in a building that had once been a courthouse, first as the Court of Utrecht (1837) and then as the Provincial Court of Justice (1877).  From 2001 to 2008 the building was subject to intensive conversion and restoration work. 

Initially there had  been an abbey here, the Benedictine Abbey of St Paul.   It was probably built about 1000AD but during the Reformation there was no need for an abbey so the buildings were sold off and used for other purposes.   The church was demolished around 1725.   The cellar and some of the walls can still be seen in their original condition in the building.    

There is a lovely cafe on the bottom floor, on the left, with a large terrace outside.  There appeared to be a hotel attached to the back of the building.

A beautiful wrought iron staircase and domed ceiling dominated the centre of the building.

Walter resting in a very light and airy sitting area.

Tucked away at the back of the bottom floor was a carriage.  Once seated inside one pressed a button, either English or Dutch, and listened to a narrator describing the passing scenery, a series of old paintings and drawings.   The carriage moved as if pulled by a team of horses.  Of course it did not move.  The only part that moved were the paintings and drawings.   Very strange but quite effective.

There was also a small theatre and with a press of a button, a film about different historical periods of Utrecht would be shown.

There were also many other displays, plus the cellar, which I think was also a brewery.

The black and white photographic display was fascinating as it showed life in Utrecht during the 1930s.   I was especially fascinated by the photograph of the Dom.   Even an accomplished photographer such as F. Van der Werf managed to show the tower leaning to the left.

It definitely leans to the left, according to my photos,

but what is this, a slight lean to the right.  It must sway in the wind!

So we left the very interesting Utrecht Archives, and made our way along Hamburgerstraat, named after the German city of Hamburg perhaps, not McDonalds, towards the central railway station.

Another great day out in the Netherlands.

Den Haag

A visit to Den Haag, the seat of Dutch Government.   The administrative capital of the Netherlands. 

It is also a patrician city, very elegant and gentile. 

 Walter was born in Den Haag, and he spent the first ten years of his life there, before his family moved to Australia.   So it is also a very special city for Walter.

Our first view as we left the railway station.   The modern city buildings, rising up into the skyline, behind the square.   

We had taken the slow sprinter train from Houten to Den Haag.   The train that stopped at every station.   It was not planned, but we noticed the sprinter train to Houten was travelling on to Den Haag so we stayed on it.     I think two fast intercity trains passed us on our journey.   

Consequently by the time we arrived in Den Haag, it was lunch time, so we found a lovely little cafe not far from the station.   It was very cosy and had a great view of the street below.

A small sandwich and a coffee revived us somewhat, and we continued on our way.   I look very happy and comfortable in the armchair.

Our next stop was the Mauritshuis.    

The Mauritshuis is an art museum which houses the Royal Cabinet of Paintings, mostly Dutch Golden Age paintings.   The 17th century building was once the residence of Count John Maurice of Nassau, but is now the property of the government of the Netherlands.    The house has recently been refurbished.

It is a very elegant building, both inside and outside.

Peter Paul Rubens' 'Old Woman and Boy'.    Such character in the faces.

The centre hallway and stairs.   So many beautiful paintings.

Jan Steen's 'As the Old Sing, So Pipe the Young'.   Jan Steen portrays everyday life very well.   The paintings are always very jolly.   And a little bit decadent.   In the painting below a man is teaching a boy how to smoke a pipe and a lady is holding her glass out so that it can be filled with wine.   There is a Dutch saying, that if you have a house like Jan Steen, it is very messy.   Not complementary at all.   I love Jan Steen's paintings.

A very special painting, now well known after the film called 'The Girl with the Pearl Earring' was produced.   Johannes Vermeer did not use a model when painting the girl.   He also uses light as a special effect.  

Another Vermeer painting 'Diana and her Nymphs' which again shows the light reflecting on part of the painting.

We were fascinated by the painting 'The Bull' by Paulus Potter.  The detail was amazing, even down to the bird in the sky, the cowpad and the flies hovering on the cattle.

The flowers in the reception hall of the building.  A brilliant display.  I put my hand up to touch them and found they were artificial.  That was a little disappointing.

Outside again and we entered the Binnenhof which is the centre courtyard of the Dutch houses of parliament.   The Knightshall, in the photo below, is used for official occasions, such as the opening of parliament.

The Passage is the oldest indoor shopping mall in the Netherlands.   It was built in the 19th century, and contains many exclusive shops.  Too expensive for us but Walter had a free cup of coffee in the Nespresso shop.

A delicious array of chocolates.  The Netherlands is not a country to visit when one is on a sugar free diet.  The temptations are great.

The town hall.   As always a very beautiful building.

The official working palace in Den Haag.   The Ambassador of Italy and his wife left after an official reception, escorted by military policemen on motorbikes.   They were probably driven around the corner to one of the embassies.  An impressive display all the same.

We realised that it was getting late, and we were by this time some distance from the railway station.   It is amazing how far one can walk when meandering around streets.   After a long and tiring walk back to the railway station, we met up with Aaron, and headed back to Utrecht on a fast intercity train.  

All we had to do then was find our bikes amongst the hundreds of others in the parking area in the station.

Aah, there is mine.   The one with the blue bags.   Still there.  But it was locked.   One must never leave an unlocked bike around in the Netherlands.   Otherwise it will disappear.   Very quickly.

A very interesting day in a very elegant city.   We always enjoy visiting Den Haag.

Rotterdam Zoo

A day at Rotterdam Zoo, with Mia, Abi and Raphy.    

The idea was to take the train to Rotterdam, and then walk 10 minutes to the zoo.   A nice leisurely train journey.   But there were no trains running through Houten on the Sunday.  Work on the lines, I think.   This sounds like the UK!   

As it turned out, travelling there by car was in fact quicker, and easier.   There was very little traffic, and we managed to get a park in the street, right outside the gates.   Great.

The threesome all ready for their day at the zoo.

Elegant birds.   Flamingos?

Pelicans.   Definately.

A komodo dragon, for sure.   Very dead though.   Stuffed.

The zoo was divided up into different areas.   The Chinese garden was especially beautiful.   It was easy to imagine we were in a garden, not a zoo.

Some sort of fluffy wild cat, but it was determined to keep looking the other way.  

The rhinoceros, minus its horn.   A magnificent beast.

We loved watching the baby elephants having a bath.

The zoo was interesting but not as outstanding as the Colchester Zoo in England.   However the acquarium was the best we have seen.  It was huge.  

A close up view of a turtle.

A photograph of our three grandchildren, taken in a room in the centre of the acquarium.  The lighting changed from white to blue to red.   Great for photography.

A stingray close up.   I am relieved there was strong glass between us and it.

The very cold penguin area.

Outside again.   We thought these birds were not real, until one of them moved slightly.   Very eerie.

The collection of statuesque giraffes.    Beautiful.

We ate our sandwiches in a comfortable cafe, where the children had cold drinks, and Walter and I had very good coffees.   Great view too.

At the end of the day we went to the large hall where there was an inside playground, and a fast food outlet.   Hot dogs in a bun, with lashings of mayonnaise, were the order of the day.

An easy drive back to the campsite, and spagetti bolognaise for dinner, in the caravan.

A perfect day.

Huis Doorn - an elegant residence in exile

A visit to a residence in exile, Huis Doorn.   Fascinating.

And what, you may ask, is Huis Doorn?   Good question.    It is a place of historical significance, and one that we knew very little about, until our visit.  

Huis Doorn was once the residence in exile of the last German Emporer, Wilhelm II.  It all started at the end of WW1 when the defeat suffered by Germany was widely seen as Willem II's personal failure.   The republic was proclaimed on November 8th, 1918, while the Emporer was in his headquarters in the Belgian city of Spa.  He knew he could not return to Germany, so set off to the neutral Netherlands.   Luckily for the Emporer, the Dutch government granted him permission to take up residence in their country.   Wilhelm consequentially signed his abdication.   

The German Government provided money to purchase a country estate, and to transport some furniture and personal effects from Wilhelm's palaces in Potsdam and Berlin.   The German Government also provided enough money for him to live in relative luxury, although he was only allowed to travel 15 km from his home.   During the depression, the funds from Germany were greatly reduced, which meant the Emporer had fewer servants.  He still lived very well.

The Emporer lived at Doorn until he died in 1941.   His first wife, Auguste Viktoria, died in 1921, and he then married Hermine, the widow of Prince Johann Georg Schoenaich-Carolath.   When the Emporer died, his family were told that they would have to start paying taxes, which they could not afford, so the Huis Doorn became a museum.   Hermine went back to her family home in Poland, which was fine until the Russians took over in 1945.   She was not allowed to live in luxury and was sent to Frankfurt to live in a two bedroom flat.   A bit of a come down.   She died a few years later.

  

A fascinating history lesson.

Walter posing in front of the gate house, which was built in order to provide security and privacy for the Emporer.

A beautiful path between the tall trees.

Huis Doorn, set in beautiful grounds.

We had a tour of the house, furnished beautifully and magnificantly.    Unfortunately I was too busy trying to listen to, and understand, the Dutch explanations to take photographs.

A very large turtle lives in the pond, which Raphy saw, when he visited the house with Aaron and Kylie.   We looked, but did not catch sight of the turtle.

But back to Wilhelm II.   He spent his days walking around the estate, chopping wood, and reading books about theology and archeology.   He insisted on discussing the information gained from his reading, with family and guests.   This must have been very boring unless you were interested in theology and archeology.   Wilhelm also had one arm that was shorter than the other, which made the chopping of wood quite difficult.   He also had a special spoon to help him eat food.

The last piece of information.  Willem II was the grandson of Queen Victoria, the British queen, and the son of her eldest daughter, also called Victoria.   A very German family.

One of the other buildings is now the restaurant, and cafe, where we sat on the patio and drank a delicious cup of coffee.

There was a temporary exhibition in the huge garage about WW1.   It also focussed on the plight of the people who fled into the Netherlands from Belguim during the war.

The country could not cater for the large numbers of refugees, and finally had to build fences between the two countries to stop the increasing numbers from entering the country.

The display compared the plight of the people from Belguim during WW1 with the refugees that are currently trying to enter the European Union.    It was a very poignant display.

A final note.   The visit also made us think about the events that occurred after Germany became a republic.  And how history may have been completely different had Germany experienced victory in 1918.   Emporer Wilhelm II would not have abdicated, and Hitler would not have become a powerful leader. And there may not have been a WWII as most of Europe may have been under German rule anyway.

All very fascinating.

Toverland

A visit to Toverland, an amusement park situated near Venlo, on the German border.    A long drive from Houten, but worth it, in the end.   

We set off in two cars, Kylie, Abi and her two friends, Raphy, Walter and me.   The weather was sunny and warm, but not too hot.    Most schools had finished their holidays so we predicted that Toverland would be quiet.   A perfect day. 

But alas, there were coaches queued up, filled with excited children.   School trips.   We had not expected this.   However, it turned out to be not overly busy, thank goodness.   

We packed the small trailer, which made carrying lunches and changes of clothes so much easier.

There are two very large halls, filled with rides and play equipment.   Perfect in wintertime.   We certainly appreciated being inside when we visited the park two and a half years ago.

The brightly coloured chair ride.   But not for me, too whizzy.   It was more like coffee time at that point, so desperately needed, after a long drive.   Not that it was brilliant coffee, these places never seem to get it right.   But it was caffeine.  And hot.

The park had been extended since we were there last.   Beautifully landscaped, with plenty of areas to sit and enjoy the sunshine.  

The water display, set to music.   Not bad at all.

Muscles are needed for this ride, as it requires the children to pull themselves to the top.   Abi and her friend looking down at me, and feeling very pleased with themselves.

The huge roller coaster, the longest one I have ever seen.   I went on it last time, and the ride seemed to go on forever.  I declined this year, even though it was a lovely sunny day, and the views on the way up would have been breathtaking.

Riding the rapids on the circular boat.  Walter and Abi hanging on tightly.

The high ropes walk.   This activity looked very exhausting.   We made our base at one of the tables on the lawn.   It was very pleasant.  Toverland is not just about fast and exciting rides.   It is also about picnics, leisure, and imaginative play areas for children.  In front of the lawn was a water area, where children could play with rafts, and cross a swing bridge, and get very wet.  

A little entertainment for the younger school children.

A dry toboggan run.   Walter and I loved this ride, although we only went on it once.    And I did not put the handbrake on either, which the people behind me must have appreciated.   When I went on one in Germany I had a line of tobogganers behind me, totally frustrated and annoyed, due to my slow descent.   They kept yelling at me, first in German and then in English, to release the brake.   No way I answered.   I am not keen on speed.  

I would have had another turn, but getting out of the toboggan was a problem.  Thank goodness Walter pulled me up, otherwise I would still be there, whizzing around the circuit.  I am definitely getting older, as getting up, and out of the flume boats was also a major event.  

  We all had a lovely day, plenty for the children to do, and a relaxing time for Kylie, Walter and me.

Walter and I felt a triffle stiff the next day.