Flower

I went to visit a butterfly garden in Leidschendam on the outskirts of the city. This is a very nice trip to do when it is cold and rainy outside. Butterflies fly around you in a tropical garden. Worth a visit!

Red fish.....

Strange encounter in the Binnehof! Especially when he went to buy and eat an ice cream. This was actually an advertising shot for some brand.

Last market day

Yesterday was the last market day of the year on the Lange Voorhout (Thursdays and Sundays). As from next week, only the book market will move for the winter a bit further on the square next to Mauritshuis.

Stad Amsterdam

Just saw the Stad Amsterdam moored in the Scheveningen harbour... She is so beautiful! She is now often chartered by private companies for business events, but she is also sailing around the world. I wish I could one day sail on that clipper....

Tuk Tuk invasion

Since 1 June 2007, this is not an uncommon view in The Hague! Tuk tuks have been competing with trams and taxis to get a share of the commuting transport in the city!! Rather fun. I even spotted a "Just married" white one last week racing through the centre!

May peace prevail on Earth

I went to visit Het Vredespaleis. As it is not allowed to make any picture inside, I am posting today a photo of the fence on the outside of the palace. Het Vredespaleis was built between 1907 and 1913 and designed by the French architect Louis Cordonnier in Neo-Renaissance Style. It houses, among other, the International Court of Justice which is a part of the United Nations as well as the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the Carnegie foundation (Andrew Carnegie financed the building).
The fence is made by a German iron maker. In the medallions we can see the pictures of Amicitia, Pax, Justitia and Concordia.

House on a bunker

After having missed the two bunkers yesterday in Westbroek Park, I had to post today the picture of this private house being built on top of another WWII bunker on the Badhuisweg in Scheveningen. You can see the expected end result here. Apparently, this was a munition bunker with 3m thick reinforced concrete walls, capable of resisting 750kg bombs. At the end of the war, it automatically became the property of the Dutch State, until it was privately bought in 2003. For the whole story in Dutch, click here.

I am very curious to know how a private person can buy a bunker (and for what price), and have the idea of building her own house on top of it. Also what do you imagine the dark room will be used for (recording studio, movie theater...)?

Rose garden

Beautiful Sunday morning in the rose garden of Westbroek Park. So peaceful and quiet....On the picture, one of the 16 statues that stand there.

Looking for the history of the garden, I just read here (in Dutch) that two bunkers from WWII still stand somewhere around and are used as storage rooms for flowers in the winter! They have been hidden so well that I missed them this morning. Need to go back to look for them!

Canal view

Even though it cannot be compared with Amsterdam, you can still wander in the Hague along a couple of nice canals. This one is located behind the Smidsplein next to the French and the American embassies.

Skyline I

While I was waiting for the Queen to ride her Golden Coach last Tuesday, I made a picture of this very classical view of the skyline of the city, showing 3 of the highest towers of The Hague:
1. The Hoftoren (142m) from Kohn Pedersen Fox is the highest tower of the city; it houses the Ministery of Eucation, Culture and Science. Due to the open shape of the top it is commonly called "the fountain pen" (de vulpen).
2. Castalia (104m) designed by Michael Graves, where you can find the Ministery of Health and Sports. Due to its two peaks, it is nicknamed the "boobs of The Hague" (de Haagse tieten)!
3. The Zurich Tower (88m) from Cesar Pelli is dubbed the "lemon squeezer" (de citroenpers). It is home to several major multinational companies including Shell, ING Bank, Nationale Nederlanden and Agip.

Site Et Cetera

I went today to visit a (very) modern art exhibition organised by the foundation STEC in the closed down ex-building of KPN (the Dutch Telecom company). 10 artists worked for 2 weeks to create an installation in phase with the building and with each other. Pretty interesting! On that picture you can see a modern creation of Venus in paper and scotchtape from Richard Mens.

Beach tractor

This summer you could notice that the city councel invested in some new tractors to clean the beach!! Who would complain?

Long live the Queen!

On that picture you can see the golden coach of Queen Beatrix leaving the Binnenhof (which houses the Dutch parliament), and passing by the Mauritshuis, after she read "the Speech from the Throne" that outlines the government’s plans for the coming year. Next to her was Princess Maxima; she was cheerfully acclaimed by all schoolgirls standing next to me (children in The Hague are free from school so they might watch the procession). Next year though I'll buy a ticket in advance for a seat in the grandstands lining the route so that I can make better pictures.....

Training day

This morning a military rehearsal took place on the beach to prepare men and horses for tomorrow's march to celebrate Prinsjesdag. It will mark the official opening of the Dutch Parliament. Here a member of the "Trompetterkorps", walking in the rain at the end of the exercise.

Horse carriage day

For the fifth year in a row, today was "Haagsche Koetsjesdag" (The Hague horse carriage day). You could admire some 25 antique horse carriages coming from the whole country, driven by their dressed-up owners. It coincides with the beginning of the "Week of the improvement" for greener transports in the city. Funny...

Pole 33

Beautiful day on the beach today. Just in case you have not noticed, I was at Pole 33 on Zuiderstrand.

Surfing the waves

Did you know The Hague was a hot spot for surfing? O'Neill sponsors Hart Beach in Scheveningen, and whatever the weather, there are always some surf fanatics to get into the frozen Dutch waters! Enlarge the picture by cliking on it and you'll see one surfer in the water, as well as many perished seagulls!!! Another time I'll show you some kiteboarding photo, even more dramatic!

Who is this lady?

She's Anna Paulowna, and (literally) sits on a bench on the square that holds her name in the centre of the Hague. She was the sister of Tsar Nicolas I of Russia and the wife of William II of the Netherlands. I love this square, there is kind of a Southern feeling (on a sunny day) with a very nice terrass, a busy wine bar and a dynamic art gallery called Vonkel.

I know this!

The first time I walked in Burgemeester De Monchyplein in the centre of the city (Archipelbuurt), I felt I was in a very familiar place.....surrounding me, were all buildings from Ricardo Bofill, a catalan architect that developed a similar living complex (Antigone) in Montpellier, a city in the South of France where I grew up! The statues are from Dirk Bus and come from the previous city hall of The Hague that used to stand on this square from 1953 until 1996.

Empty beach clubs

Brrr......Today is a very automnal day, with lots of wind, lots of rain et 2mns of sunshine. Beach clubs in Scheveningen (one of The Hague's beaches) are deserted.

Colourful

Let's bright up our life!!! Why should we only have black bikes? I found them on the Denneweg, one of the most exclusive shopping streets in The Hague. I just love the colours of this shot, and the limited editions of Vespa of course! For more info just visit the casa vespa website mentioned on the shop window and add it to your Christmas shopping list!

I.O.U.

Just in time!!!!! Today was the last day of "The Hague Sculpture 2007", showing on the Lange Voorhout (the Ramblas of The Hague) some contemporary installations from Dutch and Australian artists. This one was my favourite. I.O.U (I Owe You), a promise that stays suspended, undelivered, from Mikala Dwyer (1998). It is a yearly event, going on for 10 years now. Last year was Botero, and THAT was really fantastic.
The Hague Sculpture

Let's get started!!!

Finally, I can get my first picture uploaded!! That was a bit of a challenge...Here is my first shot of The Hague, showing the Dutch Parliament with the traditional black bike in the front. I promise I'll be more inventive in the days to come!!