The Netherlands

From our contributors: week of May 13

There’s quite a bit of reading material this week thanks to our contributors, who wrote about interesting subjects in their personal blogs. Happy reading!

Keukenhof Gardens (credit: Aledys)

DeeBee, our contributor from France, posted The Colours of Spring: Bluebells. 

“In France Bluebells are known as Wild Hyacinths and are found mostly all over the country. They bloom between April and May depending on the weather and are of course perennial bulbs.”

Mike, our contributor from Japan, published Then and Now Photos: Shureimon a Torii in Okinawa.

“Spring in the Netherlands can be a bit cooler and wetter than in other parts of Europe and we have been having quite a bit of rain and rather low temperatures lately; but despite the unspring-like weather, I just couldn’t stay away from the beautiful tulip fields in the Noordoostpolder and I even managed to visit Keukenhof Park a few days ago.”

Spring in the Netherlands: the tulip mania, old and new

Finally, it is spring in the Netherlands. The trees are in bloom, lambs are being born as we speak and those born in the past week are already gambolling in the meadows; people are out enjoying walks, riding their bikes or filling the café terraces in the cities.

Tulip field in the Northeast Polder in Flevoland (The Netherlands)

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From our contributors: week of April 2

Another week, another roundup of posts written by some of our contributors on their blogs.

Spinach gnocchi

Carmen, our contributor from Romania, writes about St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Bucharest. (more…)

From our contributors: week of March 6

This is what some of our contributors have written  on their blogs. Happy reading!

Fearless pigeons in Cismigiu Park (photo credit: Carmen Cristal)

Sandra, our contributor from Portugal, continues her A-Z of the Netherlands with C is for Children, where she shares her impressions on Dutch children and parenting styles.

On 14 February 2007, the United Nations considered the Dutch children the happiest in the world. On December of the same year I arrived in the Netherlands. Let me share with you my first impressions on Dutch children.

These are no  scenes from the Birds of L. Hitchcock. Everything happens in Bucharest.
Heavy snow fallen this February made wild pidgeons in Cismigiu Park be very hungry. They eat directly from the people‘s hands, without fear.

DeeBee, our contributor from France, wrote an article about the Baroque religious style in France.

The Baroque is the style of the Counter-Reformation, the reactive movement generated by the Church of Rome in order to reduce and annihilate Protestantism which had been introduced by Henry IV.
The Calvinist king converted to Catholicism before his accession to the throne in 1589 to end the bloody Wars of Religion. He was assassinated in 1610.

 

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From our contributors: week of February 20
From our contributors: week of February 6
From our contributors: week of January 23

From Argentina to the Netherlands for Love blog

Aledys Ver is originally from Argentina but now lives in Zwolle, in the Netherlands. She was swept off her feet by the man who later became her husband, who whisked her away to distant lands. She tells the story here.

Zwolle in winter (photo by Aledys Ver)

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From our contributors: week of February 6

Some of our contributors have been busy updating their personal blogs. Drop by and say hi!

DeeBee, our contributor from France, continues her series about stained glass windows found in Parisian churches. This time she goes to Saint-Séverin in the Latin Quarter.

“Today I would like to focus on the modern windows (here are five out of the seven windows) that adorn the walls of the ambulatory in Saint-Séverin, one of the oldest churches in the Latin Quarter.”

Liz, our contributor from Australia, features mouth-watering photos of Pakistani and Indian food that can be had in Enmore (Sydney)

“A Sydney stalwart for cheap Pakistani and Indian Eats, Faheem Fast Food has long been the go-to place for taxi drivers hailing from the subcontinent. It still is, but you’re also likely to see groups of 20-something Newtown dwellers pre or post bar crawl, families and assorted in the know spice lovers amongst the mix.”

Jenna, our contributor from Poland/Washington DC, finds a sense of community in the neighbourhoods of Washington DC.

“I love walking because it gives me time to observe, both minute details and grandiose observations. My biggest grandiose observation of D.C. thus far? Despite being the nation’s capital, abounding with stereotypes of out-of-touch politicians and grinding, inefficient bureaucracy, much of D.C. is actually quite locally- and community-oriented. “

Sandra, our contributor from Portugal, wrote a post about the Dutch city of Almere, where she currently lives. The photographs are stunning!

“Almere is the youngest city of The Netherlands. Situated in Flevoland, the most recent province of the country, its first house was finished in 1976. Named after the early medieval name of the Zuiderzee, this garden-city is now the 7th largest municipality in The Netherlands with 191,495 citizens (9 May 2011). Almere offers contemporary architecture, several parks, woods and lakes, an exciting cultural environment and a relaxing and balanced life.”

Read more
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