Saturday, June 17, 2006
Former Rangers midfielder Giovanni van Bronckhorst has just tasted success in the Champions League, collected his second La Liga title with Barcelona and is looking forward to being a linchpin in Holland’s World Cup bid … and some people still think he can’t play at left back. Stewart Fisher reports from the NetherlandsPEOPLE said Giovanni van Bronckhorst couldn’t play at left back. Some people still do. But there comes a point – somewhere after a Champions League win, back-to-back La Liga triumphs, and more than 50 caps for Holland in that position – that a player deserves the benefit of the doubt.
While Edgar Davids, Roy Makaay, Clarence Seedorf and Patrick Kluivert have all been left out of Marco van Basten’s Dutch World Cup squad, there have never been any question marks over the inclusion of the former Rangers player, who glides into the tournament at the peak of his footballing powers, and with the raw statistics to endorse his claim as one of the pre-eminent players in the world in his position. Even little Joshua van Bronckhorst, the player’s second child, had the foresight to be born four weeks premature in order to minimise disruption to his daddy’s World Cup preparation.
“The baby was expected in June but came early to make sure his dad could concentrate,” Van Bronckhorst told the Sunday Herald, “because during the build up to the World Cup it is better to focus. Everything is OK with the baby and these are happy times for me. The World Cup is coming at a perfect time. I’ve had a successful season at Barcelona, and at 31, physically, I am in my best years.”
Speaking at the Dutch training camp in the secluded Hoenderloo last week, Van Bronckhorst also chose to reflect on the chain of events which have seen him reinvented as a specialist attacking left back, the most significant of which being the agency of one man, Frank Rijkaard. “The first coach who put me to left back was Rijkaard with the national team back in 1999, and from that moment on that has been my role for Holland. With Rangers, I played midfield, with Arsenal it was a bit of a combination, and with Barcelona it was back to left back again. I have had to develop my defensive skills throughout the years, and I think I am established in this position now.
“If you see the big teams, teams who are trying to play quite offensively, normally you won’t see a very defensive right back or left back, they are all players who can go forward as well,” he added. “Of course you still have to defend at times, but if you look at Milan, Madrid, or Brazil – and it’s the same with Barcelona – we only have two central defenders and a midfielder who plays in front of defence.”
Barcelona-based Johan Cruyff is Van Basten’s main advisor, and the inclusion of both Van Bronckhorst and Mark van Bommel in his system is evidence that the Dutch are paying homage to Catalonia this summer. The former AC Milan striker wants his side to play with an identical 4-3-3 formation to the Spanish giants, with an identical pressing game high up the pitch. It requires all 11 players to be on the same page, in peak physical condition, with no room for free spirits who regard themselves as bigger than the collective.
As the minutes count down to a crucial opening game against Serbia and Montenegro, with a meeting against Australia in Rotterdam this afternoon, Van Bronckhorst believes the international team still have some way to go in terms of fitness and organisation before they can be like Barça for the entire 90 minutes.
“We press the opponent very early on their pitch, which is something I am used to with Barcelona,” Van Bronckhorst said. “And we are trying to do the same with the Dutch team. We are obviously not where we want to be yet. But at least we know the level we want to get to. Playing like Barcelona you need to have 11 players who are all playing the same way, with the same tactics in their minds.
“If one or two players aren’t doing the same, then you have a lot of problems, because you play so far up the pitch. Everyone has to join and do their part. If you don’t do that, you have a lot of space behind you, and in some places on the pitch you will have to play two against one, which is always difficult.
“The pressing game is very demanding physically but also mentally because you have to be 100% focused throughout the entire game. You need a team you think can cope with it. If you are going to play like Barcelona, and you have two players in your squad who play for Barcelona, then it seems pretty obvious to me that you are going to pick them.”
The only problem with all of this occurs, of course, when you collide with another of your club teammates. Lionel Messi, for instance, has been playing on the right side of the Argentinian attack and is likely to be in worryingly close proximity to Van Bronckhorst when the two teams meet in Frankfurt on June 21. Indeed it is Messi, and not Ronaldinho, whom Van Bronckhorst calls the “biggest talent” in world football, and this from a man who plays with both each day in training.
“I spoke to him after the draw was made and he said that everyone in Argentina was also saying what a tough group they have been given,” Van Bronckhorst said. “Holland versus Argentina is always a great game to watch, and hopefully that will be the case this time as well. I might even be playing against him, in which case it is going to be a tough job. At the moment I think Leo Messi is the biggest talent in world football. He has so much skill and is so quick. He is one of those players who is very difficult to mark.”
Van Bronckhorst has been waiting so long for his first taste of World Cup action that he will savour every drop. He travelled to France with the 1998 squad, but although the team made it all the way to the semi-finals, he didn’t get as far as the pitch. The summer of 2002 was then spent holidaying after Portugal and the Republic of Ireland shut them out in qualifying. “I didn’t play any minutes in 1998, but it was great to be a member of the squad,” Van Bronckhorst said. “We were stationed in Monaco for four weeks, and Monaco is a great place to stay. Luckily, it looks like I am going to get some minutes this time around.”
Remarkably, with Ruud van Nistelrooy also making his World Cup debut, much of the onus will be on them – and the only two players who have played in the World Cup, Edwin van der Sar and Phillip Cocu – to talk the others through. “If you look at Van Nistelrooy, Van Bronckhorst, and Edwin van der Sar, then I think we have enough experience,” Van Basten said. “But it is also not too good to have too much experience.”
The Dutch are ranked as high as third in the world, but most observers would compare this year’s team unfavourably with that of eight years ago, let alone the team which reached the final in 1974 and 1978.
“The squad of 1998 was quite a well-known squad throughout the world, with players with big names playing for big clubs,” said Van Bronckhorst. “The squad we have now has a mixture of players who are a bit older and also young players who are big talents but are not very experienced in big tournaments. If you look at the two squads on paper I think you would probably say the quality now is a bit less. But we have confidence in ourselves and had a good qualification campaign, where we finished first, and it was by far the easiest qualification we have had for years.
“People won’t see us as big favourites to win this cup so hopefully that will give us some calmness throughout the team. Having said that, I will still back Holland to win it. We want to win the World Cup, and, obviously, if you are going there you have to have confidence in yourself.”
Van Basten is still revered in Holland for the role he played in taking the country to their only major tournament win, also in Germany, in 1988, but there have been criticisms of his decision to leave prolific Ajax striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar behind, and concerns about his inexperienced defence, despite the fact it only conceded three goals in qualifying. While Van Bronckhorst has 56 caps, and should overtake Van Basten’s tally during the tournament, three likely starters – Khalid Boulahrouz, Joris Mathijsen and Jan Kromkamp – have fewer than 30 caps between them.
Their future may be Oranje, but for Van Bronckhorst it is all about the here and now.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Van Persie, Robin
When Arsenal bought Robin van Persie, the left-sided midfielder/attacker was not even a first team regular at Feyenoord.Still, there was no doubt that this young starlet had real potential. In his first year at Highbury, van Persie was primarily used as a substitute, but in his second year he broke into the first team after some stunning performances and great goals.
In the Dutch side, he has to compete with Arjen Robben for a spot on the left wing. Van Persie has won the UEFA Cup and the FA Cup with Feyenoord and Arsenal respectively.
Date of birth:
6 August 1983
Height: 183 cm
Weight: 71 kg
Position: Forward
Current Club: Arsenal (ENG)
Int'l Goals: 1 (as of 5-Jun-2006)
Int'l Caps: 10 (as of 5-Jun-2006)
First Int'l Cap: Netherlands v. Romania ( 4-Jun-2005)
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
More than forty years Miffy (dutch rabbit)
How many lines does one need for a mountainous country with a rising sun?Four, if your name is Dick Bruna.Three sloping ones for the mountains and a hemisphere for the sun.And no more than three colours are needed:yellow and blue and green.How many drawings do you need to tell a story? One, if your name is Dick Bruna. Then, for example, you would draw an obstacle for a horse-jump race where one of the red-white painted balls has dropped. No more than about ten lines, and three or four colours, but looking at it, it is directly obvious what just has happened: the horse has not jumped high enough, the world championship has been lost, the rider has trained years and years for nothing, and the horse might even have a sore leg.
Dick Bruna, born in Utrecht in 1927, designed thousands of covers for books, billboards, stamps and of course books for children. He has made fifteen picture books about Nijntje. Nijntje can also be found on clothes, on tools for young children, and on puzzles and toys. Dick Bruna has also made picture books about Snuffie, Boris Beer, Betje Big, more than 80 books.Dick Bruna's books are recognisable by there square shape, an ideal format for small childrens' hands. The plastic cover can be cleaned easily and is solid.
The success of Bruna's books is mainly based on the direct and clear use of color, and the simple representation of figures and objects out of the visible reality. It's just this simplicity that shows his great skills. The restricted use of the primary colors red, yellow and blue, with complementary green, grey and brown, has had the positive effect on the fresh and recognisable look of his books. Dick Bruna keeps working on a character, until no more than the essence remains. For one drawing he sometimes needs more than 100 sketches. It's almost becoming a pictogram.It is more than forty years ago that Miffy (in Dutch: Nijntje Pluis) was born. At that time she did not look like she does now, but actually even sweeter; her ears were a bit woolier and stood slanting on her head. Only the face with the pointy eyes and the nose in the form of a cross were the same. Only in 1963 Dick Bruna started drawing Miffy as we know her nowadays: in firm lines, the face pointing directly towards you. Like this she became the world's most famous bunny.
Nijntje since then has appeared in many languages. In the past Nijntje has a lot of different names in different countries:Nijntje in the Netherlands,Miffy in England and in Germany,Kleintjie or Umtwanana in South-Africa, Coelhinho in Portugal, and Mouffe in France. Miffy also appears in Arabic, Hebrew and in Japanese.Nowadays Miffy is the international name of the Dutch Nijntje Pluis.
(source: http://home.iae.nl/users/robbert/miffy.htm)
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Holland
Background:The Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU), and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.
Location:
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Geographic coordinates:
52 30 N, 5 45 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 41,526 sq km land: 33,883 sq km water: 7,643 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Land boundaries:
total: 1,027 km border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km
Coastline:
451 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters
Terrain:
mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m
Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 26.71% permanent crops: 0.97% other: 72.32% (2001)
Irrigated land:
5,650 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
flooding
Environment - current issues:
water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
Geography - note:
located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)
Population:
16,407,491 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.1% (male 1,523,316/female 1,453,232) 15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,627,007/female 5,491,802) 65 years and over: 14.1% (male 974,037/female 1,338,097) (2005 est.)
Monday, May 29, 2006
Dutch windmills
At one time there was over 9000 windmills in the Netherlands. Now there are less than 1000 windmills left. They have been there for a few hundred yearsSince ancient times, man has harnessed the power of the wind to provide motive power for transportation. Likewise, the technique of grinding grain between stones to produce flour is similarly ancient, and widespread. Quite where and when these two came together in the first windmill is unknown, but a likely scenario suggests a Persian origin, from where (tradition has it) the knowledge spread back into Northern Europe as a result of the Crusades. (Of course wind was not the first non-human power source applied to the task of grinding corn - it was preceeded by both animal power, and in all probability by water power). European millwrights became highly skilled craftsmen, developing the technology tremendously, and as Europeans set off colonizing the rest of the globe, windmills spread throughout the world. The pinnacles of windmill design include those built by the Dutch (who used windmills extensively to pump water as well grind flour) and the British, who developed many advanced "automatic control" mechanisms over the centuries. As steam power developed, the uncertain power of the wind became less and less economic, and we are left today with a tiny fraction of the elegant structures that once extracted power from the wind. These remaining windmills, scattered througout the world, are a historic, and certainly very photogenic, reminder of a past technological age.Coffeeshops
In Amsterdam, coffeeshop means a place where cannabis is openly sold and smoked. Thought soft drugs have not been legalized in the Netherlands, it is tolerated when used discretely. Hard drugs are strictly prohibited. The coffeeshops can legally store up to 500 g of marijuana and can sell up to 5 grams to adults over 18.There are many different kinds of coffeeshops in Amsterdam, some are relaxed, some more vivid, with psychedelic decor or loud music. Since people around enjoy, any agression will not be accepted. Also, it is not favourable just to hang around - a coffee, soft drinks and snacks are generaly available, only few coffeeshops have an alcohol license. You can smoke from your own bag, you just have to buy something.
General rules that coffeeshops require to abide:
- Minimum age 18 years, identification duty
- No alcohol, no hard drugs
- No selling goods
- No mobile phones (in some)
- Agression is not allowed
- No hanging around
Each coffeeshop offers several kinds of weed and hash, usually there is a "menu" to choose from. The prices vary according to the quality (about 5 EUR per gram) - be careful, the local skunk is strong, you can always ask the staff for the strenght and the general effect. You may also want to ask for a pipe to use, rolling papers and filter-tips are available as well.
(source: www.amsterdam.info)
Amsterdam Red Light District
From brothels to sex shops to museums, the Red Light District leaves nothing to the imagination. It is very likely that you will have heard about this neighbourhood and to be frank, everything you will have heard is probably true , but to really put rumours to rest, you have got to check it out for yourself. The Rossebuurt, as the locals know it, is unlike any other place. Guaranteed. Certainly, the Red Light District that everyone knows about is the one where women, of all nationalities, parade their wares in red-fringed window parlours, many ready to offer more than a school boy peep-show in a private cabin. Another familiar image of the Red Light District is of packs of men, young and old , couples holding hands and pointing in shock of it all, giggling groups of women celebrating a hen night , and busloads of Japanese tourists toting cameras (except not in the direction of the female entertainers! Strictly banned!). This is proof enough that the RLD deserves a visit, if not a little look in.Perhaps what few really notice is that the Rossebuurt (Dutch for ‘pink’ or ‘red’ neighbourhood) is in fact one of the oldest and most beautiful parts of the city with its long winding narrow, cobbled streets and utterly charming 14 th century architecture, such as the gothic Oudekerk, or Old Church. The Red Light District simply oozes charm and one cannot help but admire the old buildings that lean at odd-angles, and the tree-enshrouded canals. Music, especially during the summer season, invites you to linger just that little bit longer while the arrival of new classier eateries and great authentic restaurants such as Café Pacifico, one of Europe 's first Mexican restaurants, make it so appealing. Recently resurfaced streets, restored façades and trendier clientele to the area are now transforming what was once a dark and seedy part of town.
Amsterdam prides itself, and rightly so, on its wholly liberal and tolerant attitude, embracing the fact that people may be into prostitution, soft drugs and pornography-and this is only human. So instead of criminalizing everything, this very upfront city wears its heart on its sleeve-what you see is generally what you get. Enjoy the honesty of it all, as you won’t find it anywhere else. So how do you get to it? It depends which RLD you are looking for as t here are in fact three Red Light Districts in Amsterdam: the main area is in the Walletjes area (between Centraal Station and Nieuwenmarkt), and the other two, in Singel (between Raadhuistraat and Centraal Station) and de Pijp (behind the Rijksmuseum).
Prostitution
Prostitution is legal in Holland, and in Amsterdam most of it is concentrated in the Red Light District where it has enjoyed a long tradition of tolerance. Since October 2000, window prostitutes have been allowed to legally ply their trade. Today, prostitutes in the Netherlands are also taxpayers. Unfortunately, discrimination is still very much part and parcel in this trade as many prostitutes report that some banks even refuse to grant mortgages for example. However, now as a legal profession, the government ensures that all prostitutes are able to access medical care and work in better conditions by regulating and monitoring working practices and standards. Help is also at hand in the district itself thanks to the Prostitution Information Center (Enge Kerksteeg 3, http://www.pic-amsterdam.com/). Also, contrary to popular belief, the RLD is actually the safest area in Amsterdam as clusters of policemen, and private bodyguards employed by the girls themselves are always on duty.
Did you know?
Window prostitution is distinct to the Netherlands. Until recently, there was also a tipple -zone (pick-up area) servicing the needs of clientele on the move. Utrecht, 30 minutes east of Amsterdam, has its own canal-based RLD, Rotterdam has a number of sex clubs or private houses (privenhuizen) and smaller cities like Groningen and Alkmaar have also jumped on the red light bandwagon.
So where to go? Well, if curiosity does get the better of you, come down at night when the district really comes to life. During the day, the district is less lively and even less attractive as the more sordid aspects reveal themselves in natural daylight. Although there are women forever tapping on the windows even during the light hours, most of the action takes place around 11pm , when the district is swarming with crowds and the red neon lights illuminate the inky canals. The atmosphere pretty much thrives until around 2 or 3am when the crowds die down and businesses shut up shop.
Whether you are window-shopping, Amsterdam style, or actually wanting to buy something, there is likely to be a place, window, or even two, that cater to your every whim. For those not easily offended, there are plenty of live sex shows and the most notorious of these go on at the theatres Casa Rosa (OZ Achterburgwal) and the infamous Moulin Rouge (Oudezijds Achterburgwal 5-7). For the merely curious, there are numerous peep shows that may come with video booths. But of course, for the more adventurous among us, there are more interactive shows, for example at de Bananenbar (Oudezijds Achterburgwal 37). Exactly what goes on in these places is up to you to discover, if you so wish. For goods, there is a somewhat eclectic mix of videos, magazines, sex aids and toys. The RLD is also home to many gay bars and cinemas which can be found on the very busy Warmoesstraat. If the Red light alleyways are not your cup of tea, there are a number of brothels and private houses that offer a more traditional form of prostitution.
(source: www.amsterdam.info)
Friday, May 26, 2006
Cerita Bagio dan Susana: Holland Village, Singapore
The Oranjes rediscover their ambition
After finishing fourth at France 98, the Netherlands failed to reach Asia’s first finals after being thwarted in qualifying Group 2 by Portugal and the Republic of Ireland. It was a devastating blow for a nation rich in football tradition and sumptuous talent, and a memory the current crop of Oranje stars will be looking to erase at Germany 2006.The Dutch team's greatest moments were back in the 1970s. Under coach Rinus Michels, they finished runners-up in the 1974 FIFA World Cup™ as a team boasting the great Johan Cruyff and Johan Neeskens lost 2-1 to the hosts Germany. Four years later in Argentina they made it to the final again, losing out 3-1 to the host country in Buenos Aires to become the first back-to-back runners-up.
As reigning European champions, the Netherlands looked set for glory at Italia 90, but despite the presence of international stars such as Ruud Gullit, Ronald Koeman, Frank Rijkaard and Marco van Basten, they came unstuck in the second round against a Germany side who went on to become world champions.
As they prepare for their first FIFA World Cup since reaching the last four at France 98, the Dutch can point to some impressive results in qualifying. Former star striker van Basten has rejuvenated the national squad since replacing the experienced Dick Advocaat following the Netherlands’ semi-final exit at UEFA EURO 2004.
The benefits of this shake-up were almost immediately apparent as in the first match of their Germany 2006 qualifying campaign, the Oranje beat the Czech Republic 2-0 in Amsterdam. By emphasising their authority over their chief rivals in Group 1 from the outset, the Netherlands facilitated their task considerably, and the van Basten effect has shown no sign of waning. With ten wins and two draws, the Dutch secured qualification by underlining their superiority over the Czechs with a 2-0 win in Prague on 8 October 2005.
It has to be said that in international stars of the calibre of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Edwin van der Sar and captain Phillip Cocu, van Basten possessed an almost cast-iron insurance policy. Consequently, he was able to gently introduce a new generation featuring the likes of Dirk Kuyt and Hedwiges Maduro, in addition to using the maturing talents of Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart.
Highly impressive as a unit, the Dutch now want to demonstrate their formidable qualities at the highest level. Well in advance of the short trip to Germany, van Basten has already nailed his colours to the mast: the Netherlands will be going for gold. No doubt he will seek inspiration from the stunning performance of Johan Cruyff’s ‘Clockwork Orange’ at the 1974 finals which, incidentally, were also held on German soil.
The world according to Neuro: Public holidays : going Dutch
The world according to Neuro: Public holidays : going Dutch
Hey Amigo,
Visit:
http://gotoholland.blogspot.com
Hey Amigo,
Visit:
http://gotoholland.blogspot.com
Flowers at the Keukenhof
HistoryIn 1949 the then mayor of Lisse, Mr. W.J.H. Lambooy, together with ten leading bulb-growers conceived the idea of a permanent annual open-air flower exhibition. Their eyes quickly alighted on the Keukenhof Estate: the ideal site.The kitchen herb-gardenKeukenhof has not always been the beautiful estate that we know today. In the 15th century, the 32 hectares of the present park were part of the enormous estate belonging to the castle of Slot Teylingen. This was ruled from 1401 to 1436 by the Countess of Holland, Jacoba van Beieren. She used part of her estate as a herb and vegetable garden. Here, every day, the countess personally gathered the fresh ingredients for her kitchen. It is to this that the present Keukenhof, which literally means Kitchen Garden, owes its name.A design dating back to 1840In 1840, the celebrated garden and landscape architects 'Zocher & Son' were commissioned to develop the park. Both gentlemen had carried out a similar task earlier in Amsterdam: they designed the Vondelpark. If you visit the Keukenhof now, you can still see their handiwork in the area surrounding the Beukenlaan. The majestic trees and the pond date back to that time. In the years following, the Keukenhof Estate was further developed into the present 32-hectare park.
World figures
In its first year, 236,000 people visited the exhibition - proof enough that Mayor Lambooy and the bulb-growers had judged correctly. As the years passed, the Keukenhof grew to attract from 600,000 to 700,000 visitors a year, peaking at more than 900,000. These included a great many 'World Figures' such as the US Presidents Eisenhower and Clinton and Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. Keukenhof also had the honour of providing the décor for the first public appearance of Princess Máxima, who at the time was still the fiancée of Crown Prince Willem-Alexander.
Keukenhof today
The number of bulb-growing companies taking part has now grown from 10 to more than 90, but the Keukenhof's character remains unchanged: every year it exhibits the best and most beautiful flowers in the Netherlands. Keukenhof has become one of the best-known attractions in the country and one of the most photographed sights in the world.
Van Gogh Museum
A visit to the Van Gogh Museum is a unique experience. The museum contains the largest collection of paintings by Vincent van Gogh in the world. It provides the opportunity to keep track of the artist's developments, or compare his paintings to works by other artists from the 19th century in the collection. The museum also holds an extensive offer of exhibitions on various subjects from 19th century art history.The Flower Park (Floriade)
Floriade 2012 In 2012 the Floriade will take place in Regio Venlo - the region of the Dutch town of Venlo. The Floriade is a flower show that is organised in the Netherlands once every ten years. The Floriade is one of the largest horticultural events in the world, which has been officially proclaimed a ‘world horticultural exhibition’. The next Floriade (in 2012) may still seem a long way off, but the cooperating authorities of Regio Venlo and the Nederlandse Tuinbouwraad (Dutch Horticultural Council) are already poring over the question of how to tackle the challenge of surprising and fascinating a few million visitors from the Netherlands and other countries in 2012. The Nederlandse Tuinbouwraad and Regio Venlo are working close together in their plans for 2012.
Dozens of millions of Europeans live and work within a radius of 100 km around the Venlo Floriade site. Floriade 2012 will lie in Europe’s front garden.
The Floriade: inspiration and tips for a green and colourful living and working environment and healthy food. The horticultural sector produces products which like no others influence the quality of our lives. Dutch horticultural entrepreneurs export their products and expertise to countries all over the world and together constitute one of the most important pillars of the Dutch economy. They also employ clean and safe production methods and use natural energy sources as economically as possible.
The Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam
The construction of the Erasmus Bridge, for which Ben van Berkel made the original design in 1989, has begun in 1994 and will be finished autumn 1996. Van Berkel & Bos is co-operating with the Department of Works of Rotterdam on the working drawings. We also have separate commissions for several projects belonging to the bridge, such as the street furniture, parking garage and harbour boat building. Furthermore we supervise the quality of the steel and concrete works, the river banks and the lighting design of the bridge.The 139 m. tall pylon will become a new point of orientation, connected with, and announcing the new developments in the 'Kop van Zuid' area. The asymmetric form, with its bracket construction in sky coloured steel and its long cables, conveys the 'mobile forces', that is to say, the multitude of public, urban, constructive and architectural considerations that have been at the basis of the bridge.All details of the bridge have been treated integrally, from the five differently shaped concrete piers, to the railings, the landings, the joints of concrete and concrete, steel and steel, concrete and steel. The finish of each part is of crucial importance to the materialization of the whole.A lighting plan was made to emphasize the multiple identity of the bridge as an urban artifact. At night, when the appearance of the bridge is reduced to a silhouette, special lighting from the inside will show up the interior of the bridge, with its bundled cables rising steeply above the water as a dematerialized image of its daytime self.Thursday, May 25, 2006
GO TO HOLLAND
A Quick Tour
Did you know...
That when the name Holland is used instead of The Netherlands, it actually refers to the two Western coastal provinces, North and South Holland, which have played an important role in the country's history
That centuries ago the North-West of the Netherlands was covered with trees... That's where the name Holland comes from; "holt-land", which means woodland.
That The Netherlands occupies an area of 41,160 square kilometres and is home to 16+ million people. Partly reclaimed from the waters of the North Sea, it is Europe’s most densely populated country.
That the Netherlands is one of the European Union's most dynamic centres of trade and industry. Dutch economy ranks sixth in the European Union and fifteenth in the world. The port of Rotterdam is the biggest port in Europe. Amsterdam Schiphol international airport is the fourth biggest cargo-handling airport in Europe. That is why the Netherlands is often called the Gateway to Europe.
That with only 0.008% of the world's area, the Netherlands is the world's third largest agricultural exporter after the USA and France!
That the Dutch are the tallest people in Europe.
That both its people and their language are known to English-speakers as Dutch, a name derived from the old language named Diets. The old low-frankish dialects were very familiar to the 'low-german' dialects that were spoken in the most parts of northern Europe. Together they were referred to as 'nederduits' (low-german) and the language in the area of the low countries was called 'diets', which explains the name 'Dutch' in English.
That nearly a quarter of its surface area is below sea level. The lowest point in the Netherlands, near Rotterdam, is 6.7 metres below sea level. Its highest point, the Vaalserberg, is 312 metres above sea level. The Vaalserberg is in the southeast of the country, where the borders of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany meet.
That in the entrance lobby of the new town hall in Amsterdam there is a glass pillar filled with water. The level of the water rises and falls according to the rise and fall of the tide. At low tide the water level falls below ground; at high tide it rises to almost 7 feet above ground. This is to say, were it not for the sea wall and the city's defenses against the elements, Amsterdam would be swamped by the waters of the North Sea twice a day.
That the name 'Netherland' is derived from the Dutch word 'neder' meaning 'low', and the term Low Countries is used collectively for Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, a reference to the low-lying nature of the land.
That practically the entire west and low north of the country consists of polders: drained land which is mainly surrounded by dikes, within which groundwater levels can be controlled. There are some 5.000 polders in all. The largest polders are the result of the Zuyderzee works. Since 1920 - when the decision to carry out the works was taken - these have resulted in the inland sea (Zuyder Zee or Zuiderzee) becoming a lake (the IJsselmeer) and a gain of 1.650 square km of land.
That a second major project in the Netherlands' fight against the water is the Delta project. The construction of the Delta works (Delta Werken) started after a devastating storm surge hit the low-lying polders of the southwest Netherlands on 1. February 1953, killing more than 1.800 people and flooding large areas of land.
... and that the supposedly Dutch story, known as the legend of Hans Brinker - who supposedly put his finger in the dike to prevent a flood, was actually a literary invention by the American writer Mary Elizabeth Mapes Dodge (1831-1905), who was born in New York.
(source: http://www.thehollandring.com/)
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