Category: The Dutchman speaks about to visit

Amsterdam, October 2019…

The Embassy of the Free Mind is a Dutch museum, a library and a platform for free thinking, inspired by the ideas of the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica collection. The museum focuses on the European free thinking of the past 2000 years, inspired by hermetic wisdom: insight into the relationship between God, cosmos and man.

The Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica was established in 1958 as the private library of the Amsterdam businessman Joost Ritman. In 1984 the library moved to the Bloemstraat in Amsterdam and became accessible to the public. Ritman brought together manuscripts and printed books in the field of hermetic tradition under one roof, thus ensuring that the coherence between the various collection areas and their relevance for today became visible.

In 2017, the library moved to the 17th-century national monument on the Keizersgracht, the Huis met de Hoofden (House with the Heads), and obtained museum status, resulting in the Embassy of the Free Mind. The canal house was built in 1622 by Hendrick de Keyser and belongs to the “Top 100 of the National Service for the Protection of Monuments”. Six heads adorn the facade. They depict the Roman gods Apollo, Ceres, Mercury, Minerva, Bacchus and Diana. The museum has a collection of more than 25,000 works on hermetics, rose cruisers, alchemy, mysticism, gnosis, western esotericism and religious studies.

Rotterdam, April 2019…
Rotterdam is a major port city in the Dutch province of South Holland. Known for its Erasmus University, riverside setting, lively cultural life and maritime heritage. The near-complete destruction of the city center in the World War II Rotterdam Blitz has resulted in a varied architectural landscape, including sky-scrapers (an uncommon sight in other Dutch cities) designed by renowned architects such as Rem Koolhaas, Piet Blom and Ben van Berkel.

When visiting Rotterdam, you definitely have to see and or visit these highlights like the cube houses. high density housing with sufficient space on the ground level, since its main purpose is to optimize the space inside. The Euromast, a tv tower offering 360-degree views. The Erasmusbrug, a combined cable-stayed and bascule bridge, connecting the north and south parts of this city, second largest in the Netherlands. Kunsthal (Art hall) designed by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. No permanent collection but a wide range of temporary exhibits. The large space allows various exhibits in parallel. The range of exhibitions presented at the Kunsthal ranges from 20th century masters to current contemporary art movements. The Port of Rotterdam, the largest port in Europe. From 1962 until 2004 it was the world’s busiest port, now overtaken first by Singapore and then Shanghai. And last but not least the Markthal, a residential and office building with a market hall underneath.

Interested to pay a visit during your stay in Holland? Get in touch and we love to make a tailor-made proposal for visits to this city or others through Holland, with skip the lines tickets and escorted by a specialized guide.

Amsterdam, November 2018…
The Moco Museum (Modern Contemporary Museum Amsterdam) is a private museum for modern and contemporary art in Amsterdam. An initiative of Lionel and Kim Logchies, owners of Lionel Gallery in the Nieuwe Spiegelstraat in Amsterdam. On display works by Banksy, Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali. The vision of the museum is mainly aimed at highlighting leaders and influencers of modern art movements such as street and pop art.

You may still remember the Sotheby’s auction in London October 2018. Banksy’s “Girl with a Balloon” started shredding itself just after it changed ownership for 1.2 million euros.

From January 18 to September 30, 2019, the New York artist Daniel Arsham presents his solo exhibition ‘Connecting Time’. Arsham brings various disciplines back to his work: architecture, design, sculpture, film and fine art. Visitors to the exhibition imagine themselves through various installation spaces, including the Amethyst Ball Cavern and the Eroded Wallpaper Room, where they feel that they are in an alternative reality.

Interested to pay a visit during your stay in Holland? Get in touch and we love to make a tailor-made proposal for visits to this or other museums and tours through Holland, with skip the lines tickets and escorted by a specialized art historian.

Haarlem, November 2018…
Haarlem is a city outside of Amsterdam in the northwest Netherlands. Once a major North Sea trading port surrounded by a defensive wall, it retains its medieval character of cobblestone streets and gabled houses. It’s the center of a major flower-bulb-growing district, and famous for its outlying tulip fields, art museums and hofjes (almshouses built around leafy courtyards).

When visiting Holland, you should definitely consider visiting this beautiful, interesting and historical city also. Not only during the tulip season when the Tulp Mania is brought back to live, but also in light of the 2019 celebration year of the Golden age (17^th century). A period of great wealth for the Dutch Republic, when due to the East India Company trade blossomed. This rich history is still visible in the many mansions, canals, churches and city walls but also the art and science blossomed. Special expositions will take place in the Frans Hals museum and the Teylers museum throughout the year.

Watch my vlog on The Dutchman’s YouTube Channel >>>

Weesp /Amstelveen, May 2018…
Just 15 minutes from Amsterdam you can discover a lovely little village called Weesp, where you will find this beautiful old windmill ‘De Vriendschap’ (The Fiendship) located on the banks of the river Vecht. With the help of the wind, ecological grains produce flour for delicious bread and mixes for pancakes the traditional way. A totally different experience of course in comparison with windmill city Zaanse Schans, but it is the personal touch and stories of 19-year-old miller Suzanne that makes this visit special.

Also, worth a visit in April and May is the beautiful Tea garden. Small but nice and intimate with a lot of varieties of flowers and plants.

Combine this with a visit to the winery Amsteltuin (Amstel garden) where Jan Schake and Tieke Roosen have their vineyard since 2006 in Amstelveen (a village nearby). Special cultivated grape varieties, like Pinotin, Souvignier gris, Solaris and Johanniter has made it possible to create quality wines in our cool weather climate. Over the years Jan and Tieke have devoted their live and passion not only to make amazing Dutch wines but also provide an inspiring environment for older forgetful or slightly demented people in their day-care pavilion.

If you want to know more about these off the beaten track visits, or want a tailor-made proposal? Get in touch.

Nuenen, April 2018…
You can actually do that in the village of Nuenen at a bit more than 1-hour drive from Amsterdam! Van Gogh lived here from 1883 till 1885. In retrospect, his time there was one of the most important and most productive periods of his life: 195 paintings, including the ‘Potato Eaters’, 313 drawings, 25 water colors and 19 sketches in his letters.

Vincent loved the surroundings and the people. He diligently worked in his studio producing studies of typical Brabant residents, but he also went out into the countryside and painted landscapes. He was particularly inspired by the effects of color.

In December 1883, Vincent moved in with his parents. Vincent’s father was the parson of the Dutch Reformed church in Nuenen, whose congregation numbered about a hundred. Vincent painted the church for his mother, who was in bed with a broken thigh bone. It was Margaretha “Margot” Begemann (Vincent’s neighbor) who took over the sewing lessons Mrs. Van Gogh usually gave. During this period, Vincent and Margot fell in love, and he even proposed marriage. In May 1884, Vincent worked on several mill paintings. One was of the water mill at Kollen, which he passed on his walks through the area.

All these fascinating stories can be discovered during a walk through the lovely village and actually walk in the footsteps of Vincent. Get in touch and we will make the necessary arrangements for you to walk in Vincent’s shoes.

Otterlo, October 2017…
I must admit, I know the work of our famous architect Berlage (1856 – 1934), but I was amazed about his vision and design of the Hunting lodge Sint Hubertus.

The lodge was the former residence of the Kröller-Müllers and one of the most iconic buildings in the Netherlands. It was inspired by an English country house: special quarters for each family member, such as a library, a smoking room, boudoirs and the billiards room. With extreme geometric precision, everything was executed with the utmost care because, to Berlage, every interruption and concession would take away from the whole. Berlage’s desire to implement his vision without concession led to frequent disagreements between him and his client, Helene. In turn, these disagreements delayed the building process.

And if you visit the lodge, please make sure to take some time to walk around or bike in the National Park. There are various routes for you to enjoy the scenery, the flora and fauna and all the beautiful sites nature can offer you.

I could go on and on about the the Kröller-Müller’s, the life they lead, the art they collected, their beautiful country house and the National Park, but it’s way much better for you to experience it during a private tour when you visit Holland. Get in touch and we’ll make it happen.

Otterlo, October 2017…
It is always a pleasure for me to visit the beautiful countryside of Otterlo where you will find the Kröller-Müller Museum. Just a one hour drive from Amsterdam and you won’t regret it. The Kröller-Müller Museum has the second largest Van Gogh collection in the world: almost 90 paintings and over 180 drawings. But also, masterpieces of Claude Monet, Georges Seurat, Pablo Picasso and Piet Mondriaan. The museum is set in a beautiful garden where you also can find outstanding 160 sculptures by iconic artists such as Aristide Maillol, Jean Dubuffet, Marta Pan and Pierre Huyghe.

I enjoyed the special exposition ‘The Patron and the housepainter’ which showcases the story of the special relationship between Helene Kröller-Müller and Bart van der Leck, against the historical background of the emerging De Stijl (on display till May 13th, 2018). For their current exhibitions: calendar.

Combine a visit to the museum with a visit to Hunting lodge Sint Hubertus and a walk through the National Park De Hoge Veluwe and I’m sure you will fall in love with the Dutch landscape and the work of Berlage. Get in touch and I will make the arrangements for a private tour.

Franeker, October 2017…
This weekend I visited friends in Franeker, a city in the province Frisia in the northern part of The Netherland. An excellent opportunity to go and have a look at The Royal Eise Eisinga Planetarium, an 18th-century orrery in Franeker, built from 1774 to 1781. Although Eisinga was moderately gifted, he published a book about the principles of astronomy when he was only 17 years old. Eisinga became a wool carder in Franeker. Through self-education he mastered mathematics and astronomy, which he also studied at the Franeker Academy.

On 8 May 1774 a conjunction of the moon and the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter was forecast to appear. Reverend Eelco Alta predicted that the planets and the moon would collide, with the result that the earth would be pushed out of its orbit and burned by the sun. Due to this prediction, there was a lot of panic in Friesland. The canonical view holds that Eisinga decided to build an orrery in his living room to prove that there was no reason for panic. He expected to finish it within six months and eventually finished it in 1781, seven years after he started.

In 1859 the orrery was donated by the Dutch state to the city of Franeker. It has been on the top 100 Dutch heritage sites list since 1990 and in December 2011 was nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site candidate. It is the oldest working orrery in the world.

More info about Franeker and all the beautiful, historic and exciting places in The Netherlands? Get in touch for a tailor-made program.

Koog aan de Zaan, April 2017…
Many clients are looking for ‘off the beaten path’ experiences, avoiding the crowd and visits that make them feel special. But they still want to see the international famed icons of our country.

The perfect match I find is the 18^th century Zaanse Schans windmill village, just 20 minutes’ drive from Amsterdam with a majestic view of windmills lined up along the river Zaan, the historic houses, the atmosphere and there is so much to do and see. Of course, there are many other tourists but if you are invited and have tea or pea soup with Ingrid in her home or meet the miller in his atelier or grind your own chocolate, it all comes alive and you will walk away with a wealth of interesting stories and encounters with the locals.

Watch my vlog on The Dutchman’s YouTube Channel >>>

Alkmaar, April 2017…
It’s that time of the year again. Many outdoor activities are taking place. From April till September, every Friday, the traditional Cheese market in Alkmaar is held. In the Middle Ages, it was common practice to establish a guild for every profession, the cheese carriers established theirs in 1593. Nowadays, many locals and tourists visit Alkmaar to see an old tradition at the cheese market, a spectacle which includes a market filled with cheese and hauling cheese carriers. Even The Dutchman did.

After seeing cheese, maybe you’re wondering how cheese is made? No problem, The Dutchman will take you to a farm for a hands-on cheese workshop and taking care of the farm animals. And if you’re into outdoor sports you can also do some skeet shooting, stone throwing or farmer golf. And there is more… for the foodies we can organize beer tastings, a farmer lunch or dinner on the land overlooking the farm and windmills. Interested?

Amsterdam, March 2017…
I was so excited to give you a behind the scenes visit of The Concert Hall. This historic classical music venue is one of the leading music halls in the world. Many legendary artists have performed here like Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss and Bernard Haitink. But also, world famous pop stars and jazz musicians.

I have attended a few classical and musical concerts myself and organized large events for various clients. Needless to say, that a dinner in the main hall left an unforgettable memory. Not only because of the magical characteristics of this historic building but due to the experienced and wonderful staff. The Concert Hall offers the privilege to The Dutchman to book 1st row seats for most of the concerts for its discerning clients to experience a magical evening.

Get in touch for more info about this Royal venue or if you want to attend a concert. But for now, just have a look at the highlights of my visit to The Concertgebouw. Have fun.

Watch my vlog on The Dutchman’s YouTube Channel >>>

Schoonhoven, February 2017…
In beautiful Schoonhoven the Dutch Silver Museum is located since 1978 in the former Port Barracks. The museum highlights all facets of silver, including lesser-known applications such as mobile phone and botox. On June 5, 2014, Princess Beatrix (our former Queen) opened the exhibition Royal Gifts in honor of the reopening of the Silver Museum.

The museum displays a list of Dutch silver in the exhibition ‘From ore to finished product’. Engineering, history, labels, jewelry from the twenties, historical and contemporary silver. The craft of gold and silver is practiced since 2013 in the museum with their own smiths. Visitors can apply the techniques of a silversmith in the Silver Lab.

A very nice museum to visit if you’re a fan of silver, or if you’re in the neighborhood.

Maastricht is a city and municipality in the southern Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Limburg and also the largest municipality in the province. On The Dutchman’s YouTube channel I will tell you about the highlights of my visit.

Watch my vlog on The Dutchman’s YouTube Channel >>>

Wassenaar, October 2016…
Voorlinden displays the collection of chemical industry magnate Joop van Caldenborgh, whose personal holdings include works by Richard Artschwager, Sylvie Fleury, Dan Graham, Henry Moore, Tom Otterness, and Giuseppe Penone. The museum is adjacent to his home, and the 40-hectare grounds will display a James Turrell “Skyspace” and a steel sculpture by Richard Serra.

Wim Pijbes, former director of the Rijksmuseum was assigned to head up Voorlinden and created a lot of national and international exposure (he left shortly after the opening).  The museum consists of six parallel walls in the landscape allowing the interior to open to the environment. An elegant white colonnade bears the ingenious roof structure and the façade alternates dune sand-colored stone and thin glass fronts. Inside it is full of surprises, A must see museum if you are into modern art.

Grootschermer, September 2016…
When you drive up north to Grootschermer (just 45 minutes from Amsterdam), you will find a picturesque landscape, typical of Holland. This area was born from the struggle against water. Here you will find dikes, polders, windmills, boat locks, dome-shaped farms, cows, cheese, tulips, potatoes and many water birds. The internationally renowned artist Nic Jonk (1928 – 1994), was born here and the unspoiled setting is picture perfect to admire 30 of his giant bronze sculptures and the painting collection inside the museum. His son, Zeger, continued his lifework and will personally welcome you with coffee or tea and Schermer cake. On request, private visits can be arranged. After the visit, we drove through the Beemster countryside (Unesco world heritage site) and visited the Museum windmill in Schermerhorn and had lunch in the charming village “De Rijp”. If you want to stay longer in this area, there are some great B&B’s. Also a spa resort located in a converted fortress.