Eindhoven - Netherlands

Eindhoven – Netherlands

Post published:7 April 2019
Post category:Netherlands Western Europe

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Last hoves on the land of Woensel

Completing the weekend after visiting Antwerp the day before, we return to where we flew into and from where we would depart later on in the evening, Eindhoven. Although this is not my first time here, but possibly the third or so, that was many years ago anyway hence not much I can remember. On the bright side, this is now the perfect occasion to finally have a travel guide written about this city and ready for anyone of you willing to travel here and get some first hand information about.

Although a small and still quite industrial city, it is turning into the 21st century and beyond with great projects all across its boundaries. Being in the sectors of banking and financial, technology, industry and housing. Lets not forget Eindhoven really developed and thrived with the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. It is when it truly expanded and kicked off to become one of the key cities in the world in the production of electronics especially after the foundation of Philips, first producing light bulbs then expanding to plenty other sectors that we basically cannot live without something Philips in our lives.

Another world-wide known company that established towards the end of the 1920’s decade is DAF, the nowadays car and truck manufacturing giant. Unfortunately, the city was not spared during the WWII raids, and it suffered badly to the point that the reconstruction that followed did not restored the buildings but instead, cleared and made way for a new rearranging of streets and planning, and so the new buildings in place. (more…)

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Sint Maarten - Dutch Caribbean

Sint Maarten – Dutch Caribbean

Post published:2 January 2019
Post category:North America Sint Maarten

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The Friendly Island

Another day passing, and onto another island in this cruise through the Eastern Caribbean islands right after the previous base at Saint Kitts and Nevis. This time onto the smallest of the islands we would visit in the trip, Sint Maarten, and even considering such a small piece of land, yet divided in two, the French and the Dutch sides. The Dutch in this case, the part we would visit, which is nevertheless, the one that houses the main international airport and the cruise terminal.

Discovered in 1493 on the second voyage of Christopher Columbus, and named as such as it was Saint Martin’s day when was first sighted, 11th of November. While claimed to the Crown of Spain as a territory, it was never settled and was a low priority. Instead the Dutch and the French saw it as a key location among their other territories in the Caribbean and North America who made it very profitable mining salt, moment in which the Spanish saw again an interest and captured it from the Dutch for 15 years, losing again interest and completely abandoning it in 1648.

The French and the Dutch returned, and although there was never a war between them two, the borders shifted dozens of times over the next 200 years. Still, it was a very pacific agreement that lasts ever since. And while at first it was all about slavery, with the abolition and the following decades, both sides turned into heavy tourism dedication; the principal economy is the island. (more…)

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The Hague - Netherlands

The Hague – Netherlands

Post published:29 May 2011
Post category:Europe Netherlands Western Europe

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The Court City

Continuing on to our final point of the trip in this area of the Netherlands; we arrive to the capital of South Holland, The Hague. Seat of the government of Netherlands, one of the major cities hosting the United Nations and third largest city in the country after Amsterdam and Rotterdam, it is also one of the most historical and nicest where the old and new architecture blends perfectly. You can see the historical centre surrounded in the background by an ongoing rising of towers. I can imagine how this all will look in few years time when the full projects are completed.

The city is the largest on the country’s North Sea coast and it’s the twin brother of Rotterdam at just few kilometres away. In fact, they are so close to each other that they even share the airport and a light rail system. Right by the coast you have the Scheveningen district, where to find the long beach and the longest pier in the Netherlands.

You definitely can, and should, combine both cities in your visit, and consider as we did, some other small villages and places nearby, notoriously both Delft and the windmills of Kinderdijk. Indeed, this was a fully packed weekend, non stop, but again, it was really enough time for enjoying absolutely everything without any rush but of course only manageable if you have a car as depending on public transports, although great as they are, will consume the precious time you depend on.

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Delft and Kinderdijk - Netherlands

Delft and Kinderdijk – Netherlands

Post published:29 May 2011
Post category:Europe Netherlands Western Europe

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The Windmills of Holland

Moving on to our next step of this trip after visiting Rotterdam the day before, it’s the time for a much more relaxing walk around the streets of the little village of Delft and around the world famous UNESCO World Heritage Site listed windmills of Kinderdijk. Definitely very much worthy stops on this trip as we head towards The Hague, our final destination. A perfect weekend you and anyone can plan on the same way as we did and you will be greatly satisfied; but perhaps the main highlight after all to my memory, the windmills. Now gladly to repeat as of the most recent trip in 2019 as part of a weekend in Eindhoven and Antwerp.

These are what we have in our minds when talking about Holland. Canals and windmills, and plains of grass and fields of tulips. Here you have that picture, but this time for real. Built in 1740 as part of the canal system for agriculture, there are lots of them, as many as 19, perfectly restored along a beautiful path and the canals surrounding it all. Overall, one of the key tourist destinations in the country.

As of Delft, it also hosts many canals and a very rich and historic old town. Located only half way between Rotterdam and The Hague, it is therefore very good and easily accessible to each of them by public transport in just a short time. Certainly it is the case you do not need to rent a car for instance. (more…)

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Rotterdam - Netherlands

Rotterdam – Netherlands

Post published:28 May 2011
Post category:Europe Netherlands Western Europe

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Rotown, Roffa, Rotjeknor

Another weekend and another destination. This time to some places not been before, starting with Rotterdam on the first day, and moving to The Hague, Delft and Kinderdijk on the following day. Considering how easy was to come here on this occasion where the night before I flew into Dusseldorf and the following morning drove to Rotterdam. In around 2 hours we were there and ready to start with the sightseeing after leaving our staff at the hotel and so the car behind. Definitely there is no need at all for a car in the city since distances are not big and the city centre very compact with friendly walking distances.

Your first impressions will be of a very modern city with extremely well designed sky-rises. The forms, colours, shapes and heights; this is something unique to The Netherlands and specially to Rotterdam where there are many already built and many others on the way. Construction is quite frenetic everywhere but in few years time the skyline will become one of the most impressive in Europe, not for the height itself but for the incredible collection of buildings, some of which from world renown architects.

So why is that it is possible to build that much, so fast and without obvious restrictions? Well, the city was almost entirely razed to the ground during the WWII raids, therefore, much of what was built in replacement to what once stood to accommodate the population fast and cheap did not have any value aesthetically talking. Slowly, those ugly buildings are being demolished and replaced for the post-modern ones you get to see today. (more…)

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Maastricht - Netherlands

Maastricht – Netherlands

Post published:6 February 2011
Post category:Europe Netherlands Western Europe

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The oldest city in Holland

Continuing to take some advantage from living these past months in Dusseldorf due to the work contract, it’s great to take the chance for visiting that many cities all around, most of which really important and not only in Germany, but across the border into the Netherlands or Belgium. Distances from this part of Germany are really small to be honest, not to mention how easy is to reach a place or the other with such a great railway and road network.

So for today it was the turn of Maastricht, some 100 kilometres west of Dusseldorf. The oldest city in Holland, one of the most beautiful and historical retaining much of its original medieval fabric unchanged; although it’s difficult to find any city in the Netherlands which do not fall under the same beauty circumstances, no matter how modern and futuristic some are turning nowadays. And as a good note in here, the small size and short distances mean a day is well more than enough for visiting absolutely every sight. It is the fact that you could easily visit both Maastricht and Eindhoven in the very same day for example.

This is a very traditional city, you can feel the “real” Netherlands and its people, its culture. Quiet and laid back as opposed to what you will find in Amsterdam and Rotterdam where majority of tourism go. The Meuse River splitting the city in two, and the Jeker River cutting through the historical old town with two branches create great perspectives from the many bridges and the ancient houses built literally on top of the river. There is without doubt a great collection of renaissance style houses scattered all over the city, truly worth to come and enjoy.

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