's-Hertogenbosch or Den Bosch

I have been back to the Netherlands again, after having returned to the UK for ten days.  This time it was a visit with Emma for a girlie few days.    In years past, Donna also took part, but of course, she now lives in Adelaide, Australia, and a little too far to come for a short visit.  We really missed you, Donna.   

Emma and I flew from Gatwick to Schiphol, an easy trip, although Gatwick was absolutely heaving with people.   It was lovely to leave the gloom of south east England, and arrive in sunshine and warmth in the Netherlands.   

On the first day we visited 's-Hertogenbosch which is commonly called Den Bosch, to make it easier for everyone.    A picturesque town in the province of Brabant, about 45 minutes by train from Houten.   An easy trip.

Emma and Kylie, all ready for a day of sightseeing and shopping.

Thank goodness I am no longer on a sugar free diet.   The cakes looked delicious.

Emma and I shared a local delicacy, a Bosche bol, which is a large profiterole, filled with sweetened whipped cream and coated with dark chocolate icing.   What decadence!   Half was enough, I might add.   It was delicious but very rich.

Bundeberg Ginger Beer for sale.   Out favourite tipple in Australia and New Zealand.   It was very strange to see it for sale in the Netherlands.

The magnificant Brabantine Gothic Church, of St John the Evangelist.   It was built during the 15th/16th century, and completed in 1526.   

The church is unique, as the flying buttresses are reinforced with statues instead of the more common crockets.  A local artist Hieronymus Bosch, who lived in the town from 1450 to 1516, used such figurines in the imagery of his paintings.   It is thought that he probably had an influence on the design of the sculptures.

There is currently an exhibition of Hieronymus Bosch's paintings in the North Brabant Museum in Den Bosch. which is now impossible to see, as all tickets were sold months ago.   However, the town has put on quite a few exhibits around the town in support of the main exhibition.

And the exhibition provided the opportunity for people to view the sculptures on the buttresses.   A temporary structure has been built on the side of the church, so that people can climb up and walk around the edge of the roof.  

The scaffold was sturdy, but very high.   It took two attempts before I managed to climb to the top.   I am such a coward when it comes to heights.  

A platform at the top provided an opportunity to have a really good look around.   Kylie and Emma looked up at me, as I walked around the roof line.   They, of course, had already walked around, while I was trying to pluck up courage down at the bottom of the stairs.

A chance to look closely at the roof, and spires.

A great view over the town, and the streets below.

The buttresses were covered with figurines, depicting all aspects of life.  They were not the originals. which were removed during restorations in the 19th and 20th centurie.   The originals were damaged by weather and neglect over the previous centuries.   Many of the originals are in the museum which is beside the church.  Fascinating.   

We also went to see the Bosch Experience, an occulus rift experience.   This is where we put huge masks on, and ear phones, and viewed a surreal 3D view of Hieronymus Bosch's paintings and figures, 'on a heavenly host of delights on the road to hell'.   My sense of balance did take some time to readjust afterwards.

An Hieronymus Bosch figure, bold and stark.   My apologies to the more sensitive readers of this blog.

One of the squares in Den Bosch.

The town hall, always a highly decorated building in the Netherlands.

We ate a delicious and very reasonably priced lunch in the sunny restaurant courtyard, not far from the church.

A truly lovely day out with Emna and Kylie.