Spring 2016 Europe Getaway ~ Friday, 22 April.
Another great morning.
Some notty picture to upstart the day.....
The weather was good with the promise of sunshine, and an able guide (huhuhu....ungrateful me... he wasn't ~ he just take days off to accommodate me!) Thank you again dear Mil......
Today plan is to visit The Hague and Delft.
As most peoples in Amsterdam did, we were supposed to bike but unfortunately, my biking skills wasn't fully restored. So Milan has to drive and parked his car somewhere around den haag before we continue the "discovery walk" by walking of course. Ha Ha Ha....
I don't mind walking... the weather was nice...
Yeah..look like I'm leading the way....
Below are some pictures I randomly took during the walk
Indonesian President Mr. Jokowi was here. Small demonstrations by (some Indonesian ?) was held to protest against something. That's why so many policemen around. Some of the roads are blocked because of it.
Scheveningen or The Hague Beach
Scheveningen is one of the eight districts of The Hague, as well as a subdistrict (wijk) of that city. Scheveningen is a modern seaside resort with a long, sandy beach, an esplanade, a pier, and a lighthouse. The beach is popular for water sports such as windsurfing and kiteboarding.
The harbour is used for both fishing and tourism.
Milan's so tall that he has to lean down every time we took selfie
Well ~ and I'm such a shortie!!
Nice place to chill
During summer, it will be crowded with local and tourist
Some funny creatures
(Pic above : In Delft)
Going to The Binnenhof
Little is known about the origin of the Binnenhof. Presumably, the grounds next to the Hofvijver lake, and the small homestead on it, were purchased by Count Floris IV of Holland from Meiland van Wassenaar in November 1229. Between 1230 and 1234 he had the homestead expanded to a small keep. After Floris' son and successor William II was crowned King of the Romans in 1248, this construction continued. Between 1248 and 1280, William had the Ridderzaal built. To its left and right, walls were built, which divided the area in front of the building from that behind it. Both walls had a gate. At the end of the wall on the left, near the Hofvijver, the court chapel was built, and near that the Ridderhuis (literally Knights' House) where visiting knights were sheltered.
William died in battle in 1256, before the construction of the Ridderzaal had finished, and the castle was completed during the reign of his son, Floris V. The Binnenhof was the residence of the counts of Holland for a short period. After the house of Holland died out in 1299, the county fell in the hands of the counts of Hainaut. The counts of Hainaut barely resided in the Binnenhof in the early 14th century. Duke Albert I of Bavaria and his successor William II lived in the Binnenhof virtually permanently. Under their reign, the castle saw a sizeable expansion, and gradually became enclosed by buildings.
When Holland had become part of the Burgundian Empire in 1432, the Binnenhof lost its purpose and was abandoned. Part of the complex was later made into the residence of the stadtholder of Holland, who governed the county in absence of its ruler. After Philip II was deposed as Count of Holland and the Dutch Republic was proclaimed in 1581, the Ridderzaal was initially a public space, often used by traders, stallholders and book sellers. In 1584, stadtholder Maurice moved into the stadtholder's quarter, and in the same year, the Ridderzaal became the meeting place of the newly formed States General of the Dutch Republic. The expansions of the Binnenhof by Maurice were the beginning of a gradually advancing reconstruction of the castle that ended after the construction of the southern wing under stadtholder William V, in the late 18th century.
Between 1806 and 1810, under French rule, the administrative centre of the Netherlands was moved to Amsterdam, and the Binnenhof became useless and it was considered for demolition. When the Netherlands gained independence from France, however, the government moved back to the Binnenhof. The existence of the building was in danger a second time in 1848, when a new constitution instituted a system of parliamentary democracy and the States General wished to symbolically demolish the old government buildings and build a new complex. The local residents, however, cared more for the historic value of the building, and successfully protested against demolition.
The House of Representatives sat in the Oude Zaal (literally Old Hall) until 1992, when it had become too small to facilitate the 150 members of the house, and a modern expansion was built on the south of the building, housing its new seat.
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| the Ridderzaal |
DELFT
Delft has a lot to offer! The city is well-known for its ties with the Dutch Royal family and the famous painter Vermeer. Delft is also world renowned for its Delft Blue earthenware and its lovely canals.
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| Barber Shop |
Delft, a canal-ringed city in the western Netherlands, is known as the manufacturing base for Delftware, hand-painted blue-and-white pottery. In its old town, the medieval Oude Kerk is the burial site of native son and Dutch Master painter Johannes Vermeer. Once the seat of the royal House of Orange, the 15th-century Nieuwe Kerk houses the family's tombs and overlooks Delft's lively market square.
The exquisite medieval centre of Delft is a hugely popular Dutch day-trip destination, with visitors flocking to stroll its narrow, canal-lined streets, gazing at the remarkable architecture and learning about the life and career of Golden Age painter Johannes Vermeer. The artist was born in Delft and lived here – View of Delft, one of his best-loved works, is an enigmatic, idealised vision of the town.
Delft is synonymous with its famous Delftware, the distinctive blue-and-white pottery originally duplicated from Chinese porcelain by 17th-century artisans.
Founded around 1100, Delft grew rich from weaving and trade in the 13th and 14th centuries. In the 15th century a canal was dug to the Maas river, and the small port there, Delfshaven, was eventually absorbed by Rotterdam. Today it has a thriving university which is renowned for its architecture faculty.
In the evenings, locals fill the bars and restaurants and the lamplit canals are idyllic for a romantic stroll. It's well worth staying on after the daytime crowds have left.
Stops for coffee before going back
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