Here’s a photo I took of the Hofvijver last weekend:
I suspect the area was crowded today. Our summer is apparently two days long: today and tomorrow the temperature is around 28C/82F, before the temperature drops back down to 21C/69F on Sunday.
Did you know there is a live webcam of the beach at Scheveningen available at strandweer.nu? (strandweer = beach weather). Of course the sea itself is still pretty cold, considering the summer hasn’t been overly warm, yet.
uitkijktoren = watchtower in English
Binnenhof’s uitkijktoren is now open. It is 28 meters (92 feet) tall, which gives you lovely views of both the city centre as well as the renovation work in the Binnenhof. Anyone can freely go up during the day:
I don’t know, maybe I will go up there at some point and get some good pictures for you. In the meantime, take a look at the pictures at this article in Dutch over at omroepwest.nl. There’s also an article in Dutch over at indebuurt.nl with a few more pictures.
149 steps up, 149 steps down…
Last week I was walking around getting my usual dose of summer vitamin D when I came across the Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives). It’s actually the temporary location, but considering the renovation of the Binnenhof won’t be done until at least 2028 it doesn’t feel that temporary.
On the side of the Tweede Kamer, not far from the National Library of the Netherlands or Central Station, you can find some pretty flowers. Of course, their primary use is to be a roadblock so that you can’t ram into the building, but okay. Let’s be positive.
The Binnenhof observation deck that I mentioned in a previous blog post will be opening on 11 July. There’s an article in Dutch about it at binnenhofrenovatie.nl. I don’t think I will (ever) be going up it, but maybe you will. You’re probably braver than I am!
The European elections are being held today through June 9. The Netherlands is going to the polls today, although you need to be a European Union citizen to vote. I am not a Dutch citizen (yet) so I won’t be voting.
To celebrate the occasion, the flags by the Hofvijver (normally the flags of the Dutch provinces plus the flag of The Hague) have been temporarily switched out for European flags. I do enjoy seeing how the flags change throughout the year to mark special occasions.
As I noted in my last blog post, Marco and I visited the BlowUp Art exhibition which was on the Hofvijver. Sunday was the last day. I also took a few photos of some gorgeous flowers on the platform which I just have to share.
And a close up so you can see the raindrops on the petals:
Here’s a random story from the Netherlands for you: Woman on TikTok fries chicken on the train and claims it is allowed.
Crazy.
Today Marco and I went to the Hofvijver to check out BlowUp Art The Hague. Note: tomorrow is the last day to see it! This time we went on the platform itself, which was an experience to say the least. The walkway area leading to the platform is quite wobbly. The best way to describe it is to say it is like walking on a swing bridge as it sways in all directions, especially if you choose a less than straight path. If you walk straight forward it doesn’t move around as much.
You can get some great pictures here with the Binnenhof in the background. The Binnenhof is the parliamentary building for the Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives). The eggs were pretty cool because they are reflective so you can get some interesting photos, especially if you come as a group. The other thing to notice is the tower at the far left of the Binnenhof building – that is normally the office of the prime minister, when the Binnenhof isn’t in the middle of a 5-year renovation.
I mentioned the tower being the office of the prime minister because this pink tower is actually a homage to it.
There is also one colorful egg which will end up in a lot of people’s photos for sure.
Finally, here’s a look at the platform itself to show that you are actually on top of the water.
I think I’ll miss this art installation. When it first arrived it didn’t look like much, but not all of the blow up art was in place yet. It was also more fun than I expected to walk on the platform, although I was glad to get back on stable ground after!
The Binnenhof in The Hague’s city centre is currently being renovated. For a very long time – the current estimate is that it will be done around the end of 2028. If they are lucky.
One thing the city is working on is a tower (uitkijktoren in Dutch) where visitors can look up and over the Binnenhof walls to see the construction that is currently going on.
Here is a look from a bit further away (and a look at the beautiful sky today):
The tower is about 28 meters tall (92 feet). There is of course no elevator (!) but entry is free. The city is hoping that this will keep tourists interested in the area while the Binnenhof is closed since the Binnenhof is a main draw for tourists. The tower hasn’t opened quite yet, though.
The 2024 edition of BlowUp art has arrived in The Hague and is available through 2 June. This time the focus is around the Hofvijver area. Here is a look at some of the artwork currently on display:
The yellow pot is from the theme “larger than life”. The pink tower is a play on the Torentje or “little tower” that the Dutch Prime minister would sit at, just out of view behind the tree above. There’s even a Dutch Wikipedia page about it.
Here is a close up:
The floating garden near the pink tower is also part of the temporary art exhibition and was designed by second year students in the “Urban Green Development” program.
This weekend is Remembrance Day (May 4) and Liberation Day (May 5). The first day is a somber event where all war victims with ties to the Netherlands are remembered, and the second day is a celebration of freedom. For instance there is a festival going on at the Malieveld this afternoon and later tonight.
While in the city centre I took a picture of the Dutch flags on display at the Hofvijver:
May has been just as rainy as April, with only a few exceptions. Therefore, any bit of sun deserves a trip outside, even if you still need to wear a jacket.
The Netherlands still has two more holidays to go before we enter June – December drought. This Thursday is Ascension day and Monday, May 20 is Pentecost. After that the next holiday is Christmas… eek! However, we do get more days off than the US does. If you work full-time in the Netherlands you are entitled to 20 days off at a minimum. I get 25 days off, although when I started at this job we only got 20 days. Some lucrative companies even give 40 days off, although that is not the norm.
Okay, I am exaggerating a bit. But if you were thinking of getting a good picture of the flags at the Hofvijver here in The Hague, thank again. There is currently construction on the tram tracks in front of the area. And that’s ignoring the nearby construction which means the Binnenhof is closed until at least 2028 (dutchnews.nl).
In the meantime visitors can visit the Information centre binnenhof Renovation – see also denhaag.com in English. You can find the information centre at Plaats 22, not far from the Binnenhof (Google Maps).
Life in the Hague 