Looking for classy dinner, drinks and sports? Panenka is a sportsbar in Rotterdam that ticks all those three boxes.
Whenever you’re away in a different country there’s nothing that brings you more in touch with those homey-feelings then watching your fav sports team from back home. Sadly, many bars and cafĂŠs that air any sports usually only show those Dutch matches and aren’t the nicest places to hang around in the first place. Panenka in Rotterdam turns this all upside and around and does it in a winning way.
Just like that penalty:
Your classy sportsbar in Rotterdam
Watching sports at Panenka is watching it in true gentleman-fashion. The owners Sven and Wim had that exactly in their minds when they conceived the idea, also because they just couldn’t find a decent place in Rotterdam. Panenka worked out way better than decent – it’s got tons of style, delicious food, a skybox and an actual wooden stand to watch a game unfold on the biggest screen I’ve seen in Rotterdam.
Panenka’s decor really sets it apart and also makes it a solid choice for a drink in town. There’s the beautiful high ceiling, the chesterfields, the blues and jazz tunes in the background, the woodwork and lightning are in a class apart – but what I enjoyed the most were the old-timey pictures of the legends of yesterday.
Bep van Klaveren. Local hero and my favorite portait at Panenka
How’s dinner at Panenka?
Also completely different than your local sports bar is the excellent menu they have at Panenka. A broad variety of snacks, manly meals and drinks are on the menu. When it comes to dinner there’s not too much poo-haa going on – more some tasty classics that fit right into the atmosphere. We went for the Beercan-chicken, the burger and the steak. All were well done and served with some sides, the portions were bigger than average and it’s always a treat to devour a whole chicken by yourself.
All 3 meaty items were huge – but next to each other they look normal again in this pic
What especially stood out, fitting right into the theme, were the snacks at Panenka. The pork belly board was amazing and their meat-board was just the thing we needed pre-game – so much of the good stuff there.
Ah yes, we also had bitterballen – so should you (always, everywhere)
Oh and as dessert, go for the selection of cheese! Trust me on that one – the only reason why we could finish that massive board was because that cheese was so yummy.
Watching any sportsgame at Panenka
So dinner and atmosphere are all done more than right at Panenka, they’ve also got some special music nights going on there and I even saw a Gin-Tonic night (sign me up for that one any night). What makes it especially worth your while is Panenka’s airing schedule (hit ‘Agenda’) and international clientele – making it the perfect sportsbar in Rotterdam for those who love their English or German football games or sports like F1 or Rugby.
That Anne’s murder didn’t leave Holland indifferent was already clear, but now it looks like the people are actually demanding immediate action. A petition that was opened just a week ago, by a mother of three, demands not only that those responsible in government take responsibility and explain themselves, but also a further inquiry into the psychiatric clinic âAltrecht Aventurijnâ in Den Dolder and daily operations and policies.
The current number of petitioners stands at 400,000 and counting â plans are to deliver the petitions to the Hague, the country’s political center, next week to Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
The Dutch are spelling out quite clearly how they feel.
Dutch Minister of Justice opens Multiple Investigations
The Minister of Security & Justice, Stef Blok, has opened at least two inquiries by both the inspection services of the Ministry of Justice as well as that of the Health Department. They will be investigating the clinic where suspect Michael P. resided for the rape of two girls, aged sixteen and seventeen, five years prior.
At the time of the murder Michael P. was going through a rehab program to re-enter into society. This was allowed because Michael P. was not given âTBSâ, a Dutch sentence that allows for permanent ‘psychiatric availability’ meaning that after the sentence the perpetrator can indefinitely be kept institutionalized if necessary.
The reason Michael P. was not given TBS was because he refused any kind of psychiatric evaluation, causing him to enter regular detention rather than psychiatric.
Minister Stef Blok has announced that he wishes to look into a change of laws that will allow for psychiatric evaluation and TBS whether or not the suspect agrees cooperation. A proposal for such a law was already in the works and the Dutch senate has scheduled a vote on it for early 2018.
Why the Historical Museum of The Hague should be on your The-Hague-bucketlist
One of the things the Dutch are well known for, besides our liberal attitudes and fondness for cheese, is art. The Netherlands and it’s beautiful flat landscape has spawned many masters over the years, such as Vermeer and van Gogh. But in our opinion art is only truly worth the paper it is painted on if it also sheds new light on our society, making us learn about facets that we would have otherwise never known about.
If you feel the same you’re in luck, because the Historical Museum of The Hague has just opened a new exhibition on the history surrounding the life of two black boys at a Dutch court around the 1760’s and onward: and believe us when we say it’s definitely a captivating experience.
The Historical Museum of The Hague
The museum itself is gorgeously situated in the middle of the Hague and is well worth the visit even without the new exhibition! It’s close to many of the Hagues’ most famous sites such as the parliament building and the Mauritshuis, which makes it an ideal stop if you’re planning a cultural tour of the city. It’s also smack dab in the center of the Hague and closely situated near its many squares and bars.
And yes, some of the best of the Dutch masters have their work hanging here
Discover the intriguing history of The Hague
As the name suggests the main focus of the museum is on the history of The Hague. One of its exhibitions shows the old civil militia which protected the city from threats both within and without. They called themselves De Schutterij and were effectively the early Dutch version of a police force. They worked closely with the magistrate, portraits of whom can also be found throughout the museum.
Other highlights of the permanent collection include for instance an entire room dedicated to the Hague in the 2nd World War. From bunkers to pictures of the Hague’s streets after bombardments, the exhibition makes for quite the interesting viewing. Of course there is also a vast collection of paintings from the 16th to the 20th Century to view and admire, and there are even some sections dedicated to modern The Hague history, so if you’re living in The Hague this one is a must-see.
Practically obligated by law in the Netherlands, the Museum also has a small bar area where one can rest their weary feet after a long day of walking past pretty canals and prettier paintings. The cafe is cozy and is situated in the cellar of the building, and they serve good coffee and pastries. And while the Historical Museum of The Hague is well worth the visit by its own merit, the new exhibition ‘African Servants at The Hague court’ is quite the historical sight to behold.
African servants and the origins of Black Pete?
Those who know the Netherlands know that for some time now, there has been an intense discussion raging throughout the country every year, starting around this time in the fall. It is centered around the racially stereotypical character of Black Pete, a singular name for the group of servants to the Sinterklaas, a rich white man riding a horse.
Although the exhibition ‘African servants at The Hague court’ does not deal directly with Black Pete, there is a link. There are some art historians who claim that the origins of the figure of Black Pete, for the first time seen in the 19th century, can be traced back to the African servants who were brought here by slavery in the 17th and 18th centuries and were also regularly portrayed on paintings.
Two of these servants, Willem Frederik Cupido and Juan Anthony Sideron, are the central figures for this new exhibition in Historical Museum of The Hague.
The exhibition ‘African servants at The Hague court’ in the Historical Museum of The Hague deals with two children who were the likely origins of this character; Cupido and Sideron.
The two boys arrived in the Netherlands as slaves, likely selected based on their good looks and intelligence. While the exact origins of the boys are unknown, it is believed Cupido was taken from the coast of West Africa and both were brought to the low countries to serve at the court of the House of Orange, as having black servants was then seen as a way of enhancing status. The boys would be trained in both French and Dutch, serving the royal family as chamber attendants, one of the highest positions within the court staff for non-noble people.
The exhibition is guest-curated by Esther Schreuder, she became interested in this topic through her earlier work on an exhibition on the depiction of African servants in Western art. When she learned about Cupido and Sideron, about whom very little was known, it stirred her curiosity and she began to research the two boys extensively, diving into Royal archives and trying to retrace the lineage into the future, eventually finding some living descendants!
A descendant of one of the boys
The exhibition tries to shed light on the lives of the two boys, including everything from letters they themselves wrote and paintings they appeared in. During the run of the exhibition there will also be talks and presentations which will link the past to the present, shedding a historical light on modern day societal issues surrounding race. This makes the exhibition well worth visiting for those who want to learn more about contemporary and historical race relations within the Netherlands!
How to get to the Historical Museum of The Hague
If you’re interested it may well be worth the 30 minute train ride from Amsterdam to the Hague to get there.
For those of you who don’t trust technology, or who have an iPhone and can’t use the good map app, here’s how to get to the Museum: the starting point is The Hague Central station, follow the signs to the ‘Binnenhof’ and you should arrive at the ‘Plein’. Now before the entrance to the Binnenhof and the Mauritshuis go right and walk some 50 meters next to the hofvijver and then you’ll find the Historical Museum of The Hague!
Of course, that whole area is a joy to check out, so if you’re there for sightseeing don’t rush to it immediately.
The exhibition will run until the 28th of January 2018, and believe us when we say you should visit!
For those of you who do have an actually useful phone, the Address:
Co-working spaces in Amsterdam: why you need them, want to be there and which ones are the best
If you are a freelancer you know what Iâm talking about. Your home is your work place. Your relax space is your productive space. You work where you live and you live where you work. This can sometimes be counterproductive, especially if (and this probably rings true to many freelancers in Amsterdam) you live in a place that is the size of a shoebox and too claustrophobic to get inspired in any way.
The life of a freelancer – always looking for a good working space
In that case you need to get out of the house to find yourself some sort of space where you can post up and get things done. While there are lots of cafĂŠs in Amsterdam, there are few where you can actually find some peace and quiet to do your work. Whatâs the alternative, you say? Co-working spaces. This sounds very professional and can therefore be intimidating to some freelancers. Can I afford this? The answer is usually yes.
Networking, socializing and working at the same time
Co-working spaces, in Amsterdam and other cities, are affordable alternatives to renting your own office space. As a one-man business you probably donât need a huge office for yourself. A desk and a chair will do while you get to take advantage of office necessities like an Internet connection, printers, common areas like a cafeteria and meeting rooms of a shared space. In addition, you get to network and socialize with other entrepreneurs and potentially find new business partners or clients.
A sense of community can boost your motivation
Are we more productive if we work in a room with people instead of alone? Iâm not sure. I know that I definitely get motivated by a professional vibe around me. Deskmag writes that according to the Global Coworking Survey ânearly 1.2 million people worldwide will have worked in a coworking space by the end of the year. Coworking spaces anticipate more members (86%), higher income (81%), more events (71%), and a greater sense of community (84%) in 2017â.
Co-working spaces in Amsterdam: A sense of community to boost motivation
A sense of community is certainly a driving factor for many freelancers, digital nomads, independent contractors and small business owners to rent co-working spaces in Amsterdam. Isolation can be a motivation killer. Sometimes it just needs the sound of someone busily typing away on a keyboard next to you to get your creative juices flowing. You also have different options when it comes to renting a co-working space – from a few hours per month to full access around the clock. Now it just comes down to choosing one of the co-working spaces in Amsterdam to your personal liking. Next to Spaces and WeWork, which are multinational co-working companies, there is a variety of other offers out there to cater to individual needs.
There is a variety of options for co-working spaces in Amsterdam
Bovendebalie – This shared office space welcomes start-ups, entrepreneurs, freelancers and creatives. Itâs located in the centre of Amsterdam above CafĂŠ de Balie on Leidseplein and houses about 40 entrepreneurs and freelancers at the moment.
A Lab – âAmsterdamâs ultimate living labâ – A creative, innovative community that organises lots of events and offers everything from single desks to boardrooms.
TQ â âA curated tech hub in the heart of Amsterdamâ â Next to offering a co-working space in Amsterdam, TQ regularly hosts events with top-notch speakers and makes networking a priority.
WorkSpace6 – âWorkSpace6 is 280 m2 of flexible space for the creative and the adventurous to bring their ideas to life. And play pong.â One of the centrally located co-working spaces in Amsterdam, not far from Central Station, is open 24/7 and they have a ping-pong table.
StartDock – âThe heart of co-working Amsterdam, based on five core values: collaboration, community, openness, coziness and accessibilityâ â StartDock offers office spaces, events and a big sense of community.
B. Amsterdam – âWe bring entrepreneurship within everyoneâs reach by providing the right spaces, toolset and social environment.â You can rent everything from a desk to an entire office and can take advantage of a gym, cinema and even a rooftop restaurant.
Bouncespace – A creative and community-based workspace that offers desks as well as a silent booth that can be used as a meeting room. Youâll also find a hairdresser and an espresso bar in the same building.
The Thinking Hut – They offer a range of memberships to suit various needs as well as very accommodating cancellation terms. In addition to a desk, chair and locker you also get one hour/month of consultancy with one of their experts.
The Startup Orgy – They claim to be ânot your ordinary office spaceâ. This is an open environment created and designed for the urban worker who wants a balance of work and play. They offer part-time and full-time memberships.
Rokin 75 – This co-working space is located in the centre of Amsterdam and it houses around 35 businesses and creative entrepreneurs at the moment.
Hackers & Founders – A co-working space for technology startups and developers. Youâll be part of the biggest community of this kind in the Netherlands.
We went to Exitgame Rotterdam and played the Heist – and robbed them blind!
Here’s a little bit of a confession, I never did do one of those escape room things – even though they are everywhere nowadays. I don’t know why exactly, never gotten around to it and even besides many enthusiastic stories by others I couldn’t quite get my head into it. So when there was the opportunity to get into ExitGame in Rotterdam we jumped on it, and let me tell ya – my heart is still pounding from that the thrill-train called The Heist.
First off, what is ExitGame?
ExitGame is located in the up-and-coming Hoogstraat in Rotterdam (yes, next to KUA), that used to be a dreary street with nothing to do – but the last year its one of those places in Rotterdam that is just packed with trendy fun places. ExitGame is actually the first real escape room of Rotterdam with their ‘Classic’ adventure already going great for 3 years now. But with The Heist they turned things around and opened up a real rollercoaster.
Would we succeed in cracking this safe?
Second, The Heist
So I don’t want to spoil too much, but The Heist is not your classic escape room, this in the sense that you have to break in, instead of out, and that you’ll definitely get your money’s worth since you get an hour to rob the bank (yes, bankrobbing!). Here’s the backgroundstory:
It’s a Friday, January the 22nd of 2016. A robber is about to break into the PortLand Bank for one of his clients, but just when he’s about to make his move he spots you walking down the street. You know this incalculable character from a previous job and you’re still heavily in debt to him. He’s going to happily leave this badly planned-and-prepared heist to you. And then it’s on and you get one hour to steal two rare pink diamonds and plunder a big old bank account at the Portland Bank.
Once the tense music starts playing and you’re left in there with an hour on the clock you’re completely immersed and feel like watching all that Prison Break and Ocean’s 11/12/13 finally comes in handy.
How I felt after 5 minutes into The Heist
I can’t go into details, but the whole set-up was intricate, really immersive, done with loads of humor, there was a corrupt cop and sometimes really really tense (in a good way) and really diverse. The moments when you’re slipping through the laser maze (yes, admit it, this has been on your to-do list since you saw it as a kid) to when you’re cracking a secret code: it’s all awesome!
Us in reality
The guys at ExitGame put loads of work into this one and it pays off as well, there’s loads of high-tech stuff going on and the whole setup is brand new. Oh yeah, and as for us – we cracked that safe and got the diamonds! Scored 77 points of a 100, so beat that.
Robbed it blind!
Third, the details and how its best played
So it takes an hour, you knew that. The Heist (or The Classic for that matter) is best played with 4 people at the same time. Yes, you can play it with 2 people – or even with 6. But breaking into a bank isn’t a job you want to get a large crew into and the amount of cracking that needs to be done requires more than 2 people. It’s a thing to goes with time slots, so reserving in advance is advisable (any more questions, here’s their English F.A.Q.)
Afraid of getting hurt? No worries, there’s nothing extremely physical about The Heist – and unless you’re an 80-year-old grandmother (in that case, welcome to DutchReview, awesome!) you won’t be frightened.
Well, not all grandma’s
It’s also not for small children (the official age-limit is 16, but if there are adults present they can allow 14-year-olds in) and YES, THE WHOLE GAME IS ALSO JUST AS DOABLE IF YOU DON’T SPEAK ANY DUTCH.
Also, it helps if you’ve got a brain to begin with and yes; watching a Heist movie on the night before will help you out.
Fourth, Getting to ExitGame in the Hoogstraat
Exitgame is located right in the center of Rotterdam, only a few minutes walking from the Markthal, library or Blaak station. Basically, when you exit the Markthal and go past the library you’re already in the Hoogstraat.
Need some other things to do in the neighborhood? (besides the Martkhal which you probably saw before). Well for dinner – the KUA taco bar is right next door. The cube houses are also nearby, and the ‘Oude haven’ (old harbor) is a great place to go for a drink.
There’s all sorts of things you can do in Amsterdam, drugs is one of them. But you can also go out for dinner â on drugs, catch a movie â on drugs, visit the museum â on drugs, walk along the canals â on drugs and then there is another popular option: Visiting the hospital on drugs.
Dutch Drugs: Poppin’ Pills and Smokin’ Nether-Kush.
Who would’ve guessed that drugs can get you ill? Nobody, right? Of course you do â everyone does but for some reason a lot of people become ill and refuse to seek medical aid because they’re scared of the consequences. First of all, if you feel sick â always, ALWAYS, seek medical help. It’s not worth the outcome if things really take a turn for the worst.
As we’ve said before here on DutchReview, we’re not ‘against’ drugs â but we certainly hope you’ll stay on the safe side of things. And that is exactly what the City of Amsterdam together with the Jellinek Rehab Clinics and the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) are aiming for too with a new campaign.
Amsterdam, pragmatic as it is, has come to the realization that you can’t completely prevent people from buying â and using â drugs. Instead the city is now trying to prevent serious incidents through a two-step method: Test drugs for harmful, dangerous ingredients and more direct checking for drugs at event locations.
Jellinek is opening an extra location to get your drugs tested, yes really, at 38 âEerste Constantijn Huygensstraatâ – in other words you can make sure your pills are not spiked with something nasty. It won’t make all the dangers of using drugs go away but at least you won’t be inhaling carcinogenics from recycled rubber tires directly.
Amsterdam is Known for Effective, Sensible Policies.
Bouncer at the Door â Water and Medical Aid Inside.
So does that mean you can take your drugs to the Amsterdam Dance Event and go wild? Well no, of course drugs are still ‘technically forbidden’ in the country and city and they’re not giving out a free pass, they’re just trying to prevent awful situations.
This means that security and staff at the various locations will be checking extra hard for controlled and illegal substances â if you’re caught your Mitsubishi-brand pills will be taken away and you will be either sent off at the door or escorted off the location grounds. That is, if you have a small amount of drugs for personal use, if you’ve got any serious amount â meet the Amsterdam police force.
But just to be sure, each location also features a First Aid Post, free water and a random searches may be conducted to make sure everyone and everything goes smooth. At least, if the city and ADE can help it.
Bottom line â enjoy the party, enjoy the drugs, enjoy the city â but don’t take it too far. If not just for yourself.
ADE starts tomorrow until the 22nd of October at almost all major clubs around the city
Undoubtedly you’re familiar with Murphy’s Law: âEverything that can go wrong will go wrongâ. This is a given of life but there are certain aspects we expect to go right no matter what and one of them, surely, is our security measures of an institution meant for the Rehabilitation of the Criminally Insane. Certainly after they just had ‘an incident’ with a deadly outcome, one that kept the entire country busy â the disappearance and murder of Anne Faber.
Too much Freedom of Movement in Dutch Psychiatric Clinics?
Den Dolder: Likely Patient Harasses Woman, Local Man Intervenes.
Just last Thursday the same âDen Dolderâ Forensic Psychiatric Clinic, where Anne was likely attacked and murdered, suffered from a similar incident, just without violent escalation. A woman, who happened to be a passer-by, found herself suddenly harassed by what appears to be one of the clinic’s âinhabitantsâ roughly at the same ward where Michael P., Anne’s murderer, also resided.
Another local passer-by, who happened to rent a place on the same grounds as the clinic, intervened stopping the man from further harassing the woman. After the incident the woman contacted the âDen Dolder Interest Groupâ (Belangenvereniging Den Dolder) with her story. The interest group has been fighting for years to get the clinic to close, the group also believes that Anne’s dramatic attack is not simply an incident but the end-result of persistent problems.
Security Measures Up â But is it Enough?
The latest incident is further heating up the debate and discomfort among the Dutch, and especially the locals, about this clinic in particular but also such programs and the logistics behind it in nationwide Current Minister of Justice, Stef Blok, has already opened an inquiry into the Den Dolder Clinic as serious questions have risen about the freedom of movement and living situation of Michael P. and the facility he inhabited.
The latest incident has prompted police to ramp up patrols of the area and the clinic has instituted 24/7 security measures which, surprisingly, they did not have. The same institute is known locally for drug problems â as many drug dealers have found willing customers in patients. The clinic’s relatively secluded location in a forested area also doesn’t necessarily make things safer.
There’s an Indian Summer coming up and this is, of course, the perfect moment to hit the beach for the last time (yes, 20 degrees is enough for us here). But after that? Well, turns out that our favorite beach town in the Netherlands also has plenty of good stuff going on during the fall. So stop watching Netflix and ditch that laptop and go outside after reading these 5 things to enjoy a perfect autumn day in the lovely Scheveningen!
Wondering where we get all this Scheveningen info from? Buitengewoon Scheveningen is the site to visit for that. They’ve got tons of suggestions, event listings and all kinds of other stuff on Scheveningen going on – and also really creatively written articles (perfect opportunity to learn some Dutch?).
#1 Enjoy an epic walk
With the falling leafs and the temperature still kind and cozy the beach of Scheveningen, the forest surrounding it and of course it’s big next door neighbor of The Hague make it the perfect spot to go for some serious (and relaxing) walking!
And as it happens this very Sunday sees the first edition of the ‘Blotevoetenwandeling’, perfect timing since the temperatures are expected to be warm and perfect for a no-shoeswalk!
Forests! (by @buitengewoonscheveningen)
We’ve already written a bit about the gorgeous scenery which makes it so suitable for walks. Check out the âMeijendelâ area for instance (also unpronounceable for non-Dutch speakers ). This sprawling nature reserve connects Scheveningen, The Hague and Wassenaar, and features dunes, scenic lakes, forests and miles of sandy beach, all right here in the Randstad.
To make walking even simpler, but also a lot more fun – the good people of This is The Hague have launched a few digital walking routes of the Hague and Scheveningen. Works like a charm and all in English as well! You can find all that right here.
#2 Music for the soul
The ‘Zuiderstrandtheater’ is located right along the walking routes of Scheveningen, this building houses one of the better orchestras of the Netherlands; the ‘Residentie-Orkest’ (which translates into the ‘orchestra of the residency’).
The residency orchestra is one of those institutions that you really don’t want to miss out on if you’re into music at all. They’re also about much more than just classical music. We can specifically recommend their (free!) lunchconcerts and their Sunday morning specials. Check out their website, it’s nicely done in English (and you don’t need Dutch skills to enjoy the music of course.
#3 Comfort food
Obviously when the sun is gone and bikini season over there’s only one upside to all of it: we can stuff ourselves with delicious food! First, we need to talk about our national pride: cheese!
Source: FB/dirkjanleeflangkaasspecialist
There’s this epic cheesestore in the Keizerstraat that makes me eat and buy way more than I have any business to do so. The best thing about the shop is all the little samples of cheese you can taste (there’s never one that I don’t like of course). They can also vacuum package your cheese so you can bring it along back home or give away to a foreign friend.
And then every Thursday there’s the classic Dutch street market at the Stevinstraat, always a good vibe and spot to get your veggies, fishies and even more cheese. There are plenty of other nice gourmet shops in Scheveningen, here are a few of them (practice that Dutch! đ
Still not satisfied? Head down to Scheveningen harbor and eat some delicious fish, if there’s one place for a fish-lover to go to it’s there. Read all about it right here in our article on the Scheveningen harbor.
#4 Happy dogs at the beach!
At least one group is always happy when the summer season comes to an end. Manâs oldest companion: the dog! Because at the start of October itâs once again allowed to unleash your dog and have him or her run freely at the Scheveningen beach!
Thereâs even an event for dogs at the beach at the 22rd of October  â aptly titled: âDogs at seaâ. It features a fashion show, a dog whisperer and a dog diving contest. Their website has all the information you need, and I also found this epic clip which I totally need to share with you:
So this promises to be a great event for all dog-loving people (or people who make a living in the âfunny dog movie industryâ).
So we had food, walking, dogs and music. What’s left?
#5 Relax: Spa and Yoga in Scheveningen
Of course, the best way to totally get out of the winter-is-coming blues is taking a spa. And what better spot than the iconic Kurhaus?
The Kurhaus in Scheveningen (kind of The Hague as well) already is quite impressive, but this photo makes it really magical)
The Amrath Kurhaus hotel was originally started as a bathhouse (Kurhaus â kuurhuis) so they know what theyâre doing there. The Kurhaus spa had some extensive renovations carried out last year, so it feels brand new (but you still get that great nostalgic vibe from it). It’s of course even better when you can enjoy the wellness and look at the sea at the same time.
* Pro-tip! The whole month of October you can mention that you’re there through the ‘Buitengewoon Scheveningen‘ promotion – after they have stopped laughing at your foreign pronunciation of Scheveningen they will give you a discount of 2,50!
And last but not least! How about grabbing a yoga session at the Pier in Scheveningen. It’s a weekly thing and when the sun is shining they’ll even do it outside! It’s at ‘personal training’ and once again, if you’ll say the codeword of ‘Buitengewoon Scheveningen’ the first session is actually free! More information can be found here.
That’s it! Any more tips (or pics of lovely Scheveningen)Â we’ll gladly see it shared in the comments!
Will Formula 1 in the Netherlands make an epic urban comeback?
The owners of the Formula 1 brand have recently made clear that they are interested in making a return to the Netherlands as part of their racing calendar for the first time since 1985(!). According to Motorsport.com, Sean Bratches â F1’s commercial director â has already visited the country to have talks and do research into available options to bring back Formula 1 in the Netherlands.
Back when the F1 was in Zandvoort:
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDtRE8C7D6A[/embedyt]
Formula 1 in the Netherlands: Street Racing along the Amsterdam Canals?
According to sources Liberty Media, the new owner of the F1-brand, wants to hold the race on the streets of a large Dutch city â preferably Amsterdam. Even though the latter is understandable, a globally recognized city and mouth watering scenery for a globally televised race, it does seem a bit difficult.
Metropolitan Amsterdam has a whopping 2.4 million population, most of which is closely packed together in and around the city â compressing 800,000+ into the extremely dense city itself. It will likely prove difficult to logistically bring a Formula 1 race into the city without it grinding to a halt completely. On top of which, much of the city is made up out of World Heritage Sites, any damage caused by the race or the events and technicalities surrounding it would be disastrous.
Another great option is Rotterdam, which is much more spacious and who’s Metropolitan Area is about equal to Amsterdam’s municipal borders: 800,000. Rotterdam too allows for some cool imagery â especially its gorgeous Erasmus Bridge and the many skyscrapers that adorn its downtown area along the river banks. Its wide roads also allow for better accommodation of traffic in general but especially racing.
Richard Doornbos during a Rotterdam City Racing F1 Demonstration
Another added benefit is that Rotterdam has âsomeâ experience in doing so with the Rotterdam City Racing events which feature F1 demonstrations racing through the streets of Holland’s skyscraper city.
Formula 1 in the Netherlands â When and where?
Despite less ‘brand recognition’ Rotterdam might not be a bad choice, though of course the final choice is in the hands of Liberty Media and the F1-organization if both cities decide to be game, because it will allow for an easier set up and cause much less of a hassle.
Many of the racing experts agree, logistically Rotterdam wins, but you can almost hear Liberty Media’s board of directors snore across the ocean as they dream of helicopter shots of Ferrari’s, Mercedes and Max Verstappen in his Red Bull thundering through Amsterdam. It’s going to be a tough pick, though it’s not entirely unlikely that the capital may even refuse, tourism and general population growth has already greatly burdened the city. It may not want to push passed its limits by jumping into F1 racing.
If so Rotterdam will almost certainly be the place to go for the Formula 1 in the Netherlands, it has ample space and not nearly the overcrowding and tourism issues its Noord-Holland competitor has. Either way it remains to be seen âhow soonâ the Formula 1 in the Netherlands returns, though it could be relatively soon if all parties involve give green light, what is certain that it has stirred a buzz in Holland. Will Max Verstappen finally race to gold on home soil? We’re excited at the thought!
For a few years now Gin Tonics have been the upcoming drink of choice for many of us on Friday or Saturday night (or Tuesday morning, but let’s not talk about that now). You can’t walk into any bar in Amsterdam and not see tons of people drinking these clean, spirited cocktails with a slice of cucumber/orange/random fruit in there.
After a few years of drinking these I was quite astonished to discover that gin is actually a Dutch invention. What? So all this time, when I was downing these drinks, I was doing my patriotic duty? To be honest, I always thought gin was as British as queuing for a bus or senselessly quitting a successful international trading community. So let’s get to the bottom of this drink now! (Historically speaking, but alcoholically speaking, shouldn’t take more than 1-2 paragraphs.)
The Dutch Origins of Gin
The earliest references of gin date back to the 16th century and reports of it being produced in the Netherlands are also from around that time. Back then, it was produced as a medicine to treat stomach ache, gout and gallstones. They added juniper to it for the flavor, and that also comes with its own medicinal properties. A medicinal cocktail recommended by doctors thenâŚif that doesnât give you a good excuse to have a glass in the weekend then I don’t know what will!
Gin was developed on the basis of the older jenever, and became popular in Great Britain (particularly in London) when William of Orange, leader of the Dutch Republic, occupied the English, Scottish, and Irish thrones with his wife Mary (yes, we ruled old Britain once upon a time – there’s a good story there).
Gin Lane – By William Hogarth
The English actually only properly discovered gin when they were fighting the Thirty Year War in the 17th century in Holland and saw Dutch soldiers drinking jenever to boost morale before heading into battle. The term âDutch Courageâ was born, and the English brought the very concept of gin back with them. After that, it became hugely popular and out-of-control: consider Gin Lane, Gin Craze and the Gin Act.
Luckily, England cleaned up its act, stopped boozing so much, and never had an alcohol problem again.(Right?)
Anyways, enough with all the history – here are some boozy recipes to get your afternoon going!
Damrak Gin & Tonic
Obviously, we need to kick this one off with a true Dutch gin: Damrak Gin! Damrak has its origins in Amsterdam (of course). It’s a ‘soft’ gin with a lot of citrus in it, and it’s best served with some orange slices. And we all know orange is healthy for you, so if you’re feeling gloomy just start drinking these (science also says that oranges will make a guy’s little swimmers swim better, so that might explain why there are so many children born after a night of oranges and Gin Tonics! Right?)
Ingredients:
50 ml Damrak Gin (1/4)
150 ml Tonic (3/4)
2 slices of Orange
Hendrickâs & Tonic
I would swear on our Queen Maxima that Hendrick’s was that one Dutch gin I already knew – the whole name is as Dutch sounding as it can be. But nope, Hendrick’s Gin is Scottish, as it turns out! Here’s the classic cocktail with cucumber in it, only containing 65 calories – so it’s totally healthy to skip dinner and do a Gi-To instead.
Ingredients
50 ml Hendrickâs Gin
150 ml Tonic
2 slices of cucumber
Belvedere Hero Spritz
Not a fan of gin? Well, can’t leave you without a recipe for something also equally delicious and healthy đ Belvedere vodka is something special and tastes way better than regular vodka in my opinion. This recipe also only packs 85 calories and it has grapefruit in it, which will solve all your other health problems (the alcohol in the vodka solves all of life’s problems btw! )
Ingredients
30 ml Belvedère Vodka
30 ml Lillet Blanc
2 slices of grapefruit
A branch of Thyme (fancy stuff indeed!)
That’s it! And like they say in Dutch ‘Drink met mate’ (translates into:drink with friends)
