Asparagus liqueur from the Netherlands
Talk of visiting a distillery in an old mill in the Netherlands had my mind conjuring images of sails turning slowly on a windmill. Yet the Graanbranderij De Ijsvogel is based in a water-powered mill.
Posts Tagged with Holland
Van Nelle Factory in Rotterdam
The Van Nelle Factory in Rotterdam became the Netherlands’ tenth UNESCO World Heritage Site...The elegant design was described effusively as “a poem in steel and glass” by architect Howard Robertson.
Bobby’s Gin in Rotterdam
“My grandfather was named Jacobus, which is a typical Dutch name, even though he was from the Maluku Islands. His generation had a lot of Dutch names, due to the colonies of the Netherlands in Indonesia. But my grandmother used to call him Bob or Bobby,” explains Sebastian, about the origins of his gin’s name,” says Sebastiaan van Bokkel, the maker of Bobby's Gin.
A to Z of reasons to visit the Netherlands
Vincent van Gogh lived in Nuenen from 1883 to 1885, producing approximately a quarter of his works. It was a formative time in his development as an artist. Several of the scenes he depicted are still discernable. I found it remarkable to stand viewing buildings and landscapes knowing than Van Gogh painted at precisely the same spot.
Celebrating Dutch Golden Age art
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, was born in Leiden during 1606, and recorded some of the most vibrant decades of what is now termed the Dutch Golden Age. He created his first works in the city of his birth — the location of the oldest university in the Netherlands — then moved to Amsterdam. He lived and worked in the capital of a flourishing maritime empire.
The Rijksmuseum, which conveys the history of the Netherlands and displays artworks from the Dutch Golden Age and beyond, is also located in Amsterdam. The grand building was designed by Pierre Cuypers, who was also the architect of the Dutch capital’s central railway station. Bas relief figures adorn the façade of the Rijksmuseum, whose Gallery of Honour was built to give pride of place to Rembrandt’s The Night Watch.
Visiting the De Adriaan Windmill in Haarlem
The urban landmark stands by the River Spaarne. Even if you’re not into history and heritage taking a tour of the windmill is worthwhile for the elevated views. Its wooden platform, 12.7 metres above ground level, provides outstanding perspectives across the waterway and into the centre of Haarlem.
11 Fountains unveiled in Friesland
The site of De Vleermuis had long been utilised as a carpark. During the installation of the fountain, which recycles water, 50 human skeletons were unearthed. Archaeologists have dated them to the Middle Ages and have concluded the location was previously a cemetery. Further excavations of the site are planned.
Brasserie Midi restaurant in Groningen
“We keep the price low because we cut out the middle man. We go direct to the producer,” explains the 30-year-old restaurateur, who has formed close working relationships with farmers and fisherman from Groningen’s hinterland. Ten farms, for example, are now working together as part of a cooperative to deliver dairy products to the Brasserie Midi and other restaurants in Groningen.
The world’s best pub? De Beyerd in Breda
The café-bar’s history goes all the way back to 1838. “It started as a very small bar on the other side of the museum. During the 1950s all the houses were demolished. In this place there was a tailor. He stopped just at that moment, so the pub moved to this site,” explains Jos.
100 Years After De Stijl in Leiden
One of the best known proponents of De Stijl’s ideals, and a founding member, was Piet Mondrian. He moved to New York City in 1940, where he is buried in the Cypress Hills Cemetery. Victory Boogie Woogie, the unfinished painting that is regarded as his masterpiece, is now displayed at the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague.