It seems like all of The Hague is under construction, though I’ve been told that the construction is perpetual and never-ending.
Here’s a view of what my parents, brother, and sister-in-law will see when they arrive tomorrow at the crack of dawn (!):
It is just one example of many things which are under construction. At the next corner, they are building a Mark and Spencer’s, which you can read more about at this link.
The most striking thing about the street Spuistraat is how many phone stores there are crammed into a tiny little space. T-Mobile, Vodafone, BelCompany, the Phone House, and more. There’s even a Burger King at the very end.
When I visited this past summer (2011) they were in the middle of renovating the street. While they were doing the work overnight to prevent inconvenience, during the day the streets were covered with cardboard and other materials to prevent shoppers from walking on the streets themselves. A bit odd to walk on.
Spuistraat in Den Haag (December 2010) - at a relatively quiet time
Random things I learned:
1. Most shops close at 6PM, except on Thursdays when they stay open until 9PM.
2. At first I was confused because Spuistraat had an H&M. And then I was told H&M is a European company which made its way into American malls.
3. The streets get rather claustrophobic with the crowds of people walking through them.
4. Don’t wear red and step into Kruidvat. Otherwise someone will assume you work there and start speaking to you. In Dutch. (It was my first day alone, so it was a bit nerve wracking.)
