The Holland Times May 2023

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5 Farmers’ party wins big in provincial elections

7 Staff absenteeism remains pressing issue

Increasing pressure on primary care: GPs are harder to reach

9 Shortage of staff in childcare causes risks to children

Number of online purchases falling for the first time

11

Badgers stop Dutch trains

The Poezenboot needs a new home

13 Shopping special

17 Column

19 Interview with an expat

21 Beauty & wellness

23 Art & Culture

27 Tips

29 Nice spots

31 Sport

COLOPHON

The Holland Times is an independent, English language newspaper with Dutch news, published by Argo Special Media B.V.

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Contributors

Marla Thomson, Molly Fitz, Zuzanna Kuffel, James Turell, Tracey Martin, Juan Álvarez Umbarila, Femke van Iperen, Lorre Luther, Raphael Perachi Vieira & John Mahnen,

Editor Roselaar Tekstadvies

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Farmers’ party wins big in provincial elections

The Farmer-Citizen Movement party (Dutch: Boer Burger Beweging, or BBB), led by Caroline van der Plas, came out on top in the recent provincial and water board elections. The current coalition parties, the liberalconservative People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), the Democrats 66 (D66), Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and Christian Union (CU) had a rude awakening after the elections. Their parties performed worse than expected and will now have to face the downstream effects of the provincial elections - not only at the provincial level, but also nationally.

Although the elections were on the provincial level throughout the Netherlands, they do have a huge impact on the national governance. While the members of the House of Representatives on the national level (Tweede Kamer) are voted in during the national elections, the members of the Senate (Eerste Kamer) are elected by the governments of the provinces. This makes the provincial elections important not only for the affairs of the individual provinces, but also for governing in The Hague.

Most polls and political pundits expected the rightleaning BBB to perform well, but its landslide victory in all provinces took most of the nation by surpriseincluding current Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose nitrogen reduction goals and other legislative plans are now in jeopardy. And to add to his woes, on Prime Minister Rutte’s left are the GreenLeft (GL) and the Labor Party (PvdA), who have decided to join forces in the national Senate - which is projected to make them the second largest party in that chamber. Not only is Rutte’s Senate coalition projected to lose 25% of its seats, but it’s also expected to become the third-largest party there.

Much like off-cycle elections in other countries, the provincial elections are sometimes considered a referendum on the current national government’s job. Judging from the results of the 2023 provincial elections and the fact that voter turnout was one of the largest in recent history, it seems that not everyone in the Netherlands is happy with how things are going.

The election results at the provincial level

The Netherlands is made up of twelve provinces, each with their own government of directly elected officials called the Provincial Council (Provinciale Staten). The number of seats of each province’s council ranges from 39 to 55, totaling 572 throughout all the provinces. Of those 572 collective seats, the BBB won a whopping 19.18% and became the largest party in all provinces except North and South Holland, where the BBB and the VVD each won eight seats.

These victories are even more remarkable when considering the party wasn’t even in existence during the last provincial elections in 2019 - when, incidentally, the far-right party FvD (Forum for Democracy) stunned the nation with large wins through the provincial elections. This time around, however, FvD did not do so well, losing 71 of its 86 seats - mostly to the new political superstar, the BBB.

Just like on the national level, the provincial councils will form coalition governments, usually with the largest party leading the talks. While the BBB received the most votes in ten of the twelve provinces, forming a coalition will not be easy in all provinces. In four provinces (Overijssel, Drenthe, Friesland and Groningen) BBB won 28% or more of the votes, which will likely make the coalition talks easier with other like-minded parties. But in other provinces, like North Brabant, North Holland, South Holland and Utrecht, forming a coalition between the winningest parties will likely be arduous and take much longer, since the elected parties are all over the political spectrum - from GL and PvdA on the left, to the VVD center-right.

The next milestone for the Provincial Councils is 30 May, when the Provincial Council members vote in the members of the Senate. Though their votes are not absolutely binding, it’s projected that the makeup

of the 75 seats in the Senate will correspond with the distribution of total provincial council seats. This means that the three largest parties in the Senate are expected to be the right-learning BBB, the center-right VVD and leftist merger of GL and PvdA. The remaining parties are scattered across the political spectrum, and no one position - left, right or center - has enough votes to create a strong coalition. This means that - like on most of the provincial councils - each party in the Senate will likely need to compromise on many agenda items in order to get anything done. All of this is an incredible blow to the current VVD-led coalition in the upper chamber of the Dutch government.

Challenging times ahead

The Dutch electorate spoke loud and clear: they want a change in The Hague. They heard the calls for change from the new political party that was born out of a grassroots movement and led by an unlikely political figure, agricultural journalist Caroline van der Plas. The grassroots movement was led by farmers protesting Prime Minister Rutte’s government’s plans to slash nitrogen deposition, starting with the Dutch agriculture sector. Farmers protested by blocking highways and riding their tractors through the streets of major cities, including The Hague.

The protesters were angry that their sector was, in their eyes, unfairly targeted, while other industries - including specific companies, such as Tata Steel in IJmuiden - are left to continue polluting the environment and emitting CO2 gasses at industrial levels. While these are valid arguments that should be seriously discussed at the national level (and have been by Mrs Van der Plas, who currently holds only one seat in the Tweede Kamer), the issue of farmers’ rights and dissatisfaction with the current government seem to have been the two points that won over the voters. Will the BBB be able to develop quickly enough on the provincial level to be effective leaders? There’s no playbook for such a young party to take on such large and broad leadership roles throughout the country, at multiple levels of government.

The BBB will have additional challenges at the provincial level. These large wins - three times as high as expected in some areas - will require the newly elected BBB council members to have an accelerated learning curve when it comes to actually governing. All new provincial council members were sworn in in the last week of March, with

most of the BBB members learning on the job. There will also be challenges for the provinces and the country as a whole. With the BBB winning so many seats in the provinces, this means that farmers will have more influence in politics. However, with less than 10% of the Dutch population living in rural areas, this means that the farmers, through the BBB, will have a disproportionate amount of political might. Additionally, right-wing parties usually do well in the rural areas, but in urban areas voters opted mostly for the pro-environmental parties, particularly GreenLeft. This balancing act will no doubt lead to more heated discussions about environment versus the agriculture sector, and other popular themes - migration and Euroscepticism are hot topics in national politics, on which the left- and rightwing parties do not agree at all.

Lasting parties

New political parties form often in the Netherlands. Some are splinter parties from existing parties, for example the right-wing PVV and JA21, while some are born from grassroots movements, like BBB. While it’s nice that the political system in the Netherlands allows for a broad range of parties that represents the broad will of the diverse constituents, at times it can be a little confusing, especially for expats. A new party that speaks to the voters at one particular moment in time might be the big winner of that election, only to find its number dwindle in the next election of importance - like Forum for Democracy going from 14.53% in 2019 to 3.06% just four years later. Will the BBB be able to stay the distance with the ever-changing issues that the Netherlands is dealing with? And how well will the new party be at creating coalition governments that span multiple parties across the political spectrum? Time will tell and it will start telling soon with the election of the national senators just around the corner.

Region water boards

For the regional water board elections, the BBB was the also the biggest party in 13 of the 21 water boards. It won almost 23% of the water board seats that were available. Second and third were the left-wing Water Natuurlijk and the Party for the Animals (PvdD). Again, the opposing views of these parties may lead to governing difficulties in the water boards.

Written by Marla Thomson

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e GASSAN extended family consists of several experts in their eld. We have a team of verveint workers with a real passion for the world of diamonds, jewelry and watches, who are dedicated for o ering our customers the best service and experience ever possible.

e tradition of diamond cutting is part of the Dutch cultural heritage. erefore GASSAN’s headquarter breathes cra smanship. is is an unique feature; GASSAN polishes and cuts diamonds in house. An ultimate experience to see and that we o er at our factory.

e recently renovated GASSAN Boutique breathes luxury with our high-end brand portfolio and is the biggest jeweler from the Netherlands with an amazing brand portfolio with jewelry and watches like Tudor, Longines, Messika, Chopard and many other brands like our own GASSAN in-house brands; GASSAN 121, TROPHY BY GASSAN, Choices by DL, Gigi by GASSAN and GASSAN pre-owned.

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Staff absenteeism remains pressing issue

Levels of employee absenteeism among companies in the Netherlands continue to be an issue, as reported by Dutch insurance company Interpolis and Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Ill health and work overload are among some of the main causes.

One in five business owners of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have expressed concern about rising levels of absenteeism among their staff. This was one of the results revealed by the Interpolis Business Monitor of December 2022, for which more than 500 self-employed people and owners of SMEs participate on a monthly basis, providing information about the most pressing issues in their business. Some of the key problems mentioned were staff shortages and increasing stress and workload. Further apprehension about a potential negative ripple effect on business growth in 2023 was also recorded.

‘When it comes to absenteeism,’ an Interpolis spokesperson told Holland Times about the recent findings, ‘Interpolis has been seeing for some time that in addition to short-term absenteeism, due to a flu virus, for example, there has also been an increasing number of long-term absenteeism, caused by, for example, burnout or physical complaints due to an incorrectly-equipped workplace.’ Absenteeism is a persistent problem, says René Voets, director of Interpolis, in response to the findings, adding that long-term absenteeism in particular seems to be a simmering problem for which there are no immediate solutions.

Reflecting on the Interpolis findings, Dutch media have also picked up on the increasing trend of working from

home, and, although the insurance company says it recognises the advantages of this way of working, it has also pointed out that when people do, they tend to work on while they are sick. This can have a knock-on effect, and ‘can ensure that minor complaints of illness can grow into long-term complaints, resulting in long-term absenteeism’, Voets warns in an article on business news platform Business Insider Nederland in March. Trade union CNV too has expressed concern that more people are continuing to work instead of letting their sickness run its course, and that high staff shortages mean that employees often feel guilty to call in sick.

Whilst Interpolis gauges the state of business among selfemployed individuals and SMEs, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) assesses levels of absenteeism in all sectors, from

health to education and farming, and in the fourth quarter of 2022 it found overall levels of sickness absence to have risen again. This quarter is considered the time of the year when absenteeism is traditionally at its highest, and this was particularly the case in the healthcare sector, as CBS reported in a press release.

According to CBS, by the end of 2022 absenteeism due to illness stood at 5.6 percent among surveyed employees, which, it explained, means that 56 out of every thousand working days were not worked due to illness. CBS asserts that this figure was almost as high as in 2000, when the highest levels of absenteeism ever were recorded. Reflecting on the recent CBS findings, Business Insider Netherlands too indicates that absenteeism due to being sick has been ‘approaching record levels’, and further points out that the recent figures show the sharpest increase in the public administration sector.

However, since the causes of these levels of absenteeism are not entirely clear, solutions are difficult to find. So, Union CNV advises that in future, business owners should aim for a decrease in workload, with less administrative burdens and fewer meetings. Interpolis has advised SME entrepreneurs to make sure they keep communicating with their employees about any issues they may have, as the best way to help ‘distribute the workload and prevent long-term absence’. Whether this is enough remains to be seen.

Written by Femke van Iperen

Increasing pressure on primary care: GPs are harder to reach

One in three patients noticed a negative change in their primary care doctor accessibility in 2022, as the Netherlands is facing a shortage of GPs. A young woman from Amsterdam explains: “It’s particularly difficult to schedule an appointment with my GP during flu season. My practice has limited daily “call back” options, so it is not always possible to reach it by phone the same day. When they scheduled a phone consult with the GP for me, the assistant did not specify the time, so I had to keep my phone close at hand all day.”

Difficulties in making appointments

In October 2022, the lobby organization Patients’ Federation Netherlands surveyed the accessibility of Dutch family doctors. 88% of the surveyed participants wanted to make an appointment with their primary care doctor in the past year. More than half of them did not notice any change in the accessibility of GPs. However, one in three patients noticed - mostly negative - changes. The situation varies greatly per practice. Some people experienced difficulties reaching their practice by phone and making an appointment. Others complained about long waiting times before they could be seen. Some patients struggled to schedule an appointment with their specific doctor. “If I want my own GP, I have to make an appointment three months in advance,” says one of the survey respondents, while another one mentions being on hold longer than before when calling the clinic. More than half of the patients managed to schedule an appointment the same or the next business day and 29% within two to three business days. Some people had to wait four days or longer. “If I call the doctor, it’s already so bad that it really can’t wait any longer. For or five days is too long,” says one of the respondents. Other patients said that they did not mind waiting for a few days in situations that were not life-threatening. Even though some patients complained about a decrease in accessibility of their primary care physician, a vast

majority of the people surveyed said they managed to get an appointment within a reasonable time. Moreover, people were generally satisfied with the outcomes of their appointments. They found the doctors friendly and their complaints were taken seriously.

Looking up the symptoms

The primary reason for making an appointment with the general practitioner was health complaints. Some people also went to see their doctor for a check-up, to consult about medication, or to get a referral. One in five participants looked up their symptoms on Thuisarts.nl or another website in search of a solution to their health problem before making an appointment with the family doctor. Sometimes the GP practice explicitly asked the patients to use Thuisarts.nl first. Thuisarts.nl is an independent website for health information, developed and maintained by the Dutch College of GPs. There is also an English version of the website available (GPinfo.nl), containing a selection of topics from the Dutch version.

According to the survey, appointments with the GP mostly take place at the practice (77%). Phone consultations are, however, still in place. Lots of patients are happy about the possibility of contacting their doctors digitally as well. Most digital contact involves exchanging messages over email or chat; video calls are rarely done. Some patients complained about not getting a reply to their emails or found digital contact with the practice ineffective. However, the Patients’ Federation Netherlands advises increasing the possibilities for online contact as one of the solutions to the increasing pressure on family doctors.

GP practices are full: no new patients accepted

According to the registry of general practitioners and GP practices compiled by Nivel, an organization that researches healthcare, there are approximately 12,000 registered GPs in the Netherlands. As Dianda Veldman from the Patients’ Federation points out, the survey clearly shows the increasing pressure on primary care. Fortunately, general practitioners still manage to provide care to almost everyone who needs it, especially in emergencies.

One of the challenges that the organization identified is the possibility to change one’s primary care provider. Many GPs do not accept new patients, as their practices are full. This means that it is impossible for people moving into a new town to sign up with any GP. The federation advocates for better cooperation between GPs to create a network for people who (temporarily) do not have a family doctor.

Written by Zuzanna Kuffel

Shortage of staff in childcare causes risks to children

The staff crisis in the Dutch child care sector, first reported in 2022, is increasing the risk of child safety, according to a government minister and a lawyer associated with previous abuse scandals. Last year it was estimated that the child care sector needed an extra 32,000 employees to cope with rising demand over the next five years, and a serious solution to this shortage has yet to be implemented.

In 2012, Robert M. was sentenced to 20 years (later downgraded to 19 years plus involuntary commitment) in prison for a multitude of sex crimes against an estimated 87 children. Across four years, Robert M. worked in various daycare centres in Amsterdam, where he repeatedly abused children until his arrest in 2010. The case caused shockwaves throughout Dutch society, not only due to the horrific nature of the crimes but also because Robert M. had previously been convicted of the possession of child pornography videos while working in a childcare facility in Germany in 2003.

This case led to numerous reforms in the childcare industry; these reforms generally revolved around the physical interaction between children and day care professionals. The Dutch government introduced the carer-child ratio - a system designed to limit the number of children a child carer can supervise on their own. While these numbers vary across age groups, any ratio must still adhere to the Four Eyes Principles. This rule

compels childcare facilities to not let any carer interact with children without supervision. This principle can manifest in different ways, most importantly by having more than one carer in the room. Glass walls, CCTV or listening devices could be used if it is not possible for there to be two carers present at all times.

While these rules were a well-intentioned (and, one could argue, necessary) response to the Robert M. scandal, they have inevitably created their own problems within the industry. Most importantly, these requirements are now causing a breakdown of the childcare system’s ability to function during staffing crises.

Karen van Gennip, State Secretary of Social Affairs and Employment, has expressed serious concern over the current situation. In a statement she reaffirmed her commitment to the Four Eyes Principle: ‘I do not intend to let this go, as ensuring the safety of children despite the staff tightness, is a priority.’ She also stated that it is up to childcare facilities themselves to guarantee the safety of children: ‘If they are in doubt as to whether the safety of children can be guaranteed, they should act sensibly and, in extreme cases, close groups.’

Richard Korver, a lawyer who represented many of the families in the Richard M. case, is more strident in his criticism,

describing the situation as ‘dangerous’. He blamed what he termed ‘poor prioritisation’ and that ‘research shows that the risk of abuse and maltreatment of children increases if supervision is not in order. So, this is a bad idea. As a result, childcare organisations run an increased risk.’ He claimed that the risk of child abuse is high and the only safe response to staff shortages is to take in fewer children at childcare centres. He added that potential abusers have ‘a serious abnormality and will do anything to make their move in places with children’.

While Secretary Van Gennip agreed with Korver’s concerns around child safety, there was no ‘simple solution’ to the problem. Indeed, many other sectors are facing similar staffing issues. Two proposals thus far are to campaign for people in similar fields to retrain as childcare assistants and reduce the amount of training hours it takes before a new recruit is allowed to interact with children.

Ultimately, the staffing shortages in the childcare sector form part of a wider social unrest in the labour market that is affecting the Netherlands and most countries in Europe. Until there is a significant reconfiguration of pay and conditions across all sectors of society, crises such as these may become a permanent feature of European life.

Written by James Turrell

mber of o li e rchases falli g for the first time

For the first time in eight years of data, the number of online purchases has fallen. Figures from webshop sector organization, Thuiswinkel.org, show that in 2022 online sales shrank by 5 percent, by a total of €347 million online purchases, according to newspaper Het Parool.

“It’s correct to say that people are going street shopping more often and buying fewer products online,” admits director of Thuiswinkel.org, Marlene ten Ham. This behaviour is expected to continue in the first months of this year. “So far there is still a slow growth, but it’s harder with

certain products. For example, in home and living shopping it’s a bit less, while online fashion continues to sell reasonably well. I expect this will continue for the rest of the year,” says Ten Ham.

On the other hand, due to the sharp increase of prices, the amount that the Dutch spend online still increased to 33.3 billion euros. This is 9 percent more than in 2021, reports Volkskrant newspaper. However, the Dutch received fewer products and services in return. According to Thuiswinkel.org, inflation was clearly felt during last year. Consumers spent about 15 percent more

money per purchase. The figures include sales of retailers who are active on street shops as well as on the internet.

“We do see that the share of online spending is higher on average than in the 2020 Covid year,” says Ten Ham. During the Covid period, physical stores had to close their doors. Services such as amusement parks and concerts also had to be completely closed. Consumers were forced to order headphones, board games and other non-essential goods from online platforms. As a result, webshops saw their customer base increase exponentially.

However, for 2022 declining figures from web giants such as Bol.com and Coolblue showed that there are fewer online purchases made in the Netherlands. The electronics specialists ended up in the red zone and will accelerate the opening of five physical stores. “The growth in online spending in 2020 and 2021 has turned into contraction. I believe this is because people ultimately want to meet, see each other, smell, feel and to touch. Good shops in good places will therefore always exist, in my view,” adds Ten Ham.

Physical stores are popular again

Now that the Covid period is over, consumers are visiting physical stores once again. The love for street shopping is on the rise. The Dutch made 13 percent of all their purchases online in 2021, but this number dropped to 12 percent last

year. An interesting sector is food sales, where the Dutch spent on average slightly more online than in previous years. The increasing popularity of delivery services such as Picnic seems to play a major role in this.

“Online shopping remains popular in the Netherlands. The figures for 2022 are significantly higher than in the preCovid year of 2019, when a total of 26.2 billion was spent online. That proves that e-commerce is here to stay, but combined with street shopping,” says Ten Ham. According to the Thuiswinkel.org director, online spending last year was mainly on events and attractions, and on travel-related purchases.

Dirk Mulder, retail specialist at ING, tells Volkskrant he is not surprised by the decrease in the number of online purchases. According to him, online sales grew to unnatural heights due to the Covid measures. “The only question left was when a correction was going to take place. That moment now seems to have arrived,” he explains. Still, the figures are not representative for the coming years, thinks Mulder. “People thought: it’s possible again, we can go outside. This led to a temporary peak in street shopping. The numbers for physical expenses will start to level off at some point. The growth of online spending will also slowly increase and continue.”

Written by Raphael Perachi Vieira

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How House of Bratz founder Souhayla built a beauty empire

House of Bratz is an aesthetic clinic well known for non-invasive treatments like Botox, non-surgical BBL, IV drips, and fillers.

From creative innovations to strategic planning, female entrepreneurs are making a mark across industries globally, proving talent is not specific to any gender. Souhayla, the founder and owner of ouse of Brat , is a perfect e ample of an outstanding female entrepreneur who went from humble teenaged beginnings to owning a global brand.

ouse of Brat is an aesthetic clinic well known for non-invasive treatments like Boto , non-surgical BBL, I drips, and fillers. The brand spans several countries including the Netherlands, Belgium, and Dubai, and Souhayla recently launched a fifth location to cater to clientele from different corners of the world. The story behind the business could inspire and empower women to relentlessly chase their dreams.

Souhayla was only 20 years old when she started ouse of Brat . Starting with nothing, she had to manage everything on her own. Souhayla worked hard for long hours every day ust to ensure her clients got the best e perience through her services. Souhayla barely had any time to spend with her family or friends. She reali ed that this approach to work might soon e haust her, as she had no time for herself. To achieve the much-needed balance in her life, Souhayla sought the advice of a life coach, who completely transformed her outlook on life.

Gradually, Souhayla reali ed that balancing life and work was possible. aving time for friends and family is not a privilege but a necessity. This new outlook on life not only made her more productive but also more confident. er entrepreneurial ourney posed several challenges, but she has overcome them all to make her business grow. After si years of consistent hard work, she is now an ace with unparalleled marketing skills. Souhayla’s e pertise lies in making something out of nothing. She leveraged this talent to elevate her clinic to the position of a brand that is recogni ed internationally.

Souhayla wants women to know that they can work hard towards their goals while taking care of themselves. Challenges and setbacks are part of everyone’s entrepreneurial ourney in life. Instead of considering them as barriers, take them as lessons learn from.

Souhayla wants to be a role model for aspiring women who dream of starting their own ventures. She believes that if she can come so far having started with nothing, then no dream is too big to achieve for anyone.

Badgers stop Dutch trains

Dutch life in many areas has been brought to a standstill over the past few weeks, not by wind, water or any of the other natural hazards one might expect in the Netherlands, but by common European badgers. The country’s 7,000 or so badgers have been causing major delays along rail lines throughout the country by digging into and under raised embankments, often causing structural weaknesses and preventing trains in many areas from running. More than 10,000 commuters have been impacted by badger-related delays, leading ProRail, the organization responsible for maintaining the nation’s rail infrastructure, to request permission from the Dutch government to take several badger-remediation steps. ProRail has stated it can no longer guarantee network safety on some routes due to badger activity. Trains on several routes, including between Workum and Stavoren and Den Bosch and Eindhoven, have been temporarily suspended due to safety concerns.

Badgers live in underground ‘setts’, made of linked tunnels and several underground rooms. Rail embankments are particularly attractive to badgers, as they’re slightly raised and often made of sand, making them almost perfect settbuilding environments, particularly in flat locations like the Netherlands. The sett under the tracks near the Frisian town of Molkwerum consists of several tunnels and entrances. Authorities fear a passing train may trigger a collapse due to the underground den’s size and location.

ProRail has identified approximately 40 areas of concern related to the Molkwerum

sett – locations where badgers have dug either under or close enough to rail lines to cause safety concerns. Repairs are usually costly and often only provide a temporary fix. The badgers usually just return to the area and rebuild. ProRail’s options are currently limited as badgers are protected under the Nature Conservation Act, which prevents wild animals from being disturbed or removed from their natural environments.

ProRail submitted an application for a waiver of the law to the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) in late March, asking permission to proceed with a solution that involves relocating the badgers and installing fencing to protect vulnerable areas. The plan calls for constructing an artificial nest for displaced badgers in a safe place away from rail lines and embankments. The proposal also envisions an underground tunnel to give wildlife a safe way to navigate around fenced-off areas. Obtaining a waiver from the Nature Conservation Act usually takes approximately 13 weeks from filing to approval. RVO representatives have already begun evaluating ProRail’s request, a process that involves both legal and scientific reviews. John Voppen, ProRail’s CEO, has asked for the application to be expedited due to the shutdown’s disruption to travel and commercial activities. ProRail and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management are working together in an effort to speed up resolution.

Das en Boom, a conservation organization dedicated to badger welfare, stands ready to assist ProRail with any issues

that arise while building fences or relocating the animals. Jaap Dirkmaat, spokesman for Das en Boom, suggests the situation calls for immediate action to prevent a catastrophic infrastructure failure. According to Das en Boom, ProRail’s current attempts to address the problem are too little too late. “We saw this coming four years ago. We sent warnings to Rijkswaterstaat, ProRail and the water authorities,” says Dirkmaat. “Badgers simply don’t belong around infrastructure,” suggests Dirkmaat, as they’re tenacious diggers and expand their setts over generations, which can lead to issues such as dyke and rail line failures.

Badgers contribute to healthy ecosystems by limiting insect and rodent populations. Hunting during the early 20th century drastically reduced the badger population in the Netherlands. In 1900, there were around 12,000 badgers in the Netherlands. That number had dropped to 1,200 by 1960, where it remained until 1980 when the population began to rebound. They’re widespread in South Limburg and eastern parts of the country.

Written by Lorre Luther

The Poezenboot needs a new home

The Poezenboot, or Catboat, a floating shelter for stray and abandoned cats in the Amsterdam Singel, is getting ready to move into a new home. After almost 45 years in its current houseboat, this landmark charity institution has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help finance the much-needed new ship: a custommade ‘Ark’ for the 200 to 250 cats taken annually to care for, vaccinate, neuter, feed, and in most cases, direct to a new family.

Perhaps you have already seen it, visited or passed by it: a reddish wooden boat in the Singel canal, just a short walk away from Amsterdam Centraal Station. Other than some wire net on the sides and a

few signs, it looks like any other ordinary houseboat in the landscape. However, this one ship has been a cat shelter since 1979; and throughout the years it has helped thousands of rescued cats find new homes and second chances. The Catboat institution goes back all the way to the 1960s, and the current one is the charity’s third ship. But after a long life, with many issues becoming more and more pressing, it is finally on its way to retirement, and in dire need of a replacement.

‘We are almost sinking,’ said Catboat manager Judith Gobets to newspaper Het Parool. Their current boat is basically suffering from, well, old age: the sewage system sometimes has water rising up

through the drains; the insulation is not effective in guarding against outside temperatures anymore; peeled-off paint, broken wooden panels, cracks in the floor: all are visible symptoms of advanced wear and tear. But the most important issue is the decaying concrete box on which the boat is built, a problem in the foundation. While the organization initially wanted the boat fixed, the professional advice was that it was better to replace it. And, naturally, that comes with a hefty price.

That is why the Catboat has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help cover the expenses. As an institution, it does not receive grants from the government, but is funded by donations and relies on volunteers. While enough money has been gathered to pay for a new boat structure, the rest in the interior still needs to be sponsored: cages, baskets, sliding doors, scratching boards, toys, and all the things you need to take care of cats.

In addition, better insulation is needed for comfortable temperatures all year long, and an energy efficient system is planned, which includes solar panels for a more sustainable consumption. While some things will remain from the old ship, which will also help the cats feel familiar in their new environment, as Gobets told Het Parool, the majority of the equipment needs to be built and bought anew. The campaign is open for donations until 31 May and has a dedicated website

at denieuwepoezenboot.nl, where the ‘Nieuwe Ark’ can already be seen under construction.

The Poezenboot first started back in 1966, when Mrs. Henriette van Weelde found a mother cat and her kittens abandoned near her home in Amsterdam. An authentic cat lady, she took the family in and gave them care and shelter. Those were the firsts of many cats that she took into her house, until a couple of years later when it was so full that she could just not shelter any more of them. It was then when the first Catboat, an old Dutch sailing barge, was bought and adjusted for the cats. Around that time, the first volunteers came in and the institution started working. But just three years after, a second boat was already needed, which in turn lasted for eight years. The current ‘Ark’, the third boat, has been in service for almost 45 years.

Mrs. Van Weelde passed away in 2005 when she was 90 years old, but her foundation lives on, and is now getting ready to embark on a new chapter when the new boat arrives later this year. The Poezenboot has also become a tourist attraction in itself and is open to visitors in the afternoons on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Written by Juan Álvarez Umbarila

YOUR STYLE, YOUR DOLLY CARGO BIKE

The ideal electric Dolly Family Cargo bike, brings you everywhere. With more than 50 possible colour variations, each Dolly bike is unique!

Not in store, but full service test drive, delivery, service and maintenance at home everywhere in the Netherlands.

Book your free test drive at home at www.Dolly-Bakfiets.nl

Shopping mall Gelderlandplein is the place for Internationals to shop things from far away and discover the best local brands, all under one roof

Looking for the perfect outfit or gift? Or just want to go for lunch, grab a coffee, have some great drinks or enjoy a delicious dinner? Check out Gelderlandplein near Amsterdam’s Zuidas business district. The modern and sleek shopping mall with international allure is home to over 90 shops and restaurants, and various art pieces by world famous artists. Spending a day here is unlike any other leisure activity.

Gelderlandplein is a place where you can get anything, from your daily shopping to luxury items.

Fashion, food and more

Gelderlandplein houses a variety of shops. There is a great mix of local, national and international shops, ranging from high street to high-end brands. If you are looking to treat yourself or find that special gift, check out the recently reopened shops Rituals and Lincherie or find a piece of jewellery at Siebel. At Skins Cosmetics, discover a carefully curated collection of refined, exclusive perfumes and beauty brands.

Get inspired by all the latest trends in living and interior design at Riviera Maison, Total4Living, SissyBoy and Bröring. You might find that perfect outfit you have been looking for at Mango, Costes, Bles Concept, Rick Moorman House of Men, Pauw, Modehuis Blok, Bronwasser Woman, Cotton Club, Rogge Amsterdam, Pauw or many of the other fashion shops. For your new favourite shoes, visit Van den Assem, Zwartjes van 1883, Nelson or Ecco.

But Gelderlandplein is not just for shopping. Enjoy a drink at Coffee Company in the centre court, whilst the kids play their hearts out at Kiddieland with its Peppa Pig Kiddie Rides. In the winter there is an ice rink for kids. Furthermore, the halls of Gelderlandplein show a continuous exhibition of art pieces by Erwin Wurm, KAWS and Joel Morrison.

Just like within the mall, the outside structure of Gelderlandplein accommodates many restaurants and terraces, which liven up the aesthetics and the atmosphe-

re. Whether you’re in the mood for French (Bistro G.P. by George), Italian (Gusto di Casto), quick food (Febo and Tjin’s), delicious artisanal bread (Le Pain Quotidien), the best pitas (Pita Queen) or the best food of local fresh products (Papa’s Loft House), you will find a hearty meal to recharge your batteries and a place where you can catch up with your friends or just enjoy a drink, a real Dutch ‘borrel’, on one of the beautiful terraces. Asian cuisine lovers will enjoy the hip Vietnamese restaurant Saigon Càphê, Japanese diner Izakaya Tanuki or Japanese and Korean food market Shilla, which also offers lunch options. It now also offers a Japanese and Korean liquor store ‘% by Shilla’, with a wide range of sake, soju and various beers. For Asian tapas try Ruby’s Oriental Restaurant. Delicious!

If you need more time to explore the mall, lengthen your experience by staying at Hotel Element Amsterdam. The rooms have a fully equipped kitchen and a Heavenly®bed, which will ensure you are fully rested. Need to recover from an afternoon of shopping or looking for a venue for after work drinks? Element Hotel has recently opened its restaurant Papa’s Loft House for lunch, dinner, drinks and events, which also has a beautiful rooftop terrace.

Parking at Gelderlandplein is free for the first 2.5 hours. Gelderlandplein even offers a free bus service that takes you to and from the shopping mall to the Zuidas and station Zuid. But with the possibility for endless shopping, breakfast, lunch, drinks or dinner, you’ll never want to leave Gelderlandplein!

Gelderlandplein is open 7 days a week:

Monday 12.00-18.00

Tuesday - Saturday 09.30-18.00

Sunday 12.00-17.00

Please note that some shops and restaurants have slightly different (often longer) opening hours, so if you’re looking for times for a specific store, please contact them directly. See you at Gelderlandplein!

Gelderlandplein

Van Leijenberghlaan 43 1082 GC Amsterdam

Dolly-Bakfiets, the family cargo bike

Dolly Bakfiets has been keeping young families moving for over 10 years. Since 2011, Dolly has continued to perfect the electric cargo bike, with top quality, service and sustainability as its main focus points. It offers a unique, personal service at home throughout the Netherlands with no-obligation test drives, delivery, service and maintenance.

Dolly offers one complete bike with all options as standard. All Dolly’s are built in the Netherlands using as many local parts as possible. The unique plastic box is ‘indestructible’, durable and very light, and available in many colours.

The strong powder coating paintwork is done in the Bollenstreek, the solid wheels are hand-spoked in Utrecht, the boxes are cast in Brabant and the entire assembly of the bicycle takes place in Limburg and Utrecht. This way, the Dolly is built in high-tech cargo bike assembly workshops, by people who are vulnerable in the labour market, who build the Dolly with great precision, love and passion. Thus, Dolly achieves its aim of making the finest cargo bike, that can really replace the car.

The Dolly bike can carry two kids on the bench. With a Maxi-Cosi carrier or second bench, there is even room for three kids.

Book your free test drive at home at www.dolly-bakfiets.nl

At Kühler & Partners International Mental Health we provide psychological healthcare for Kids & Teens. We have a specialist team of child psychologists and a child psychiatrist, offering high quality care to children age 6-18 and their families.

We are there to support children who experience psychological issues such as anxiety, depression, stress due to major life events, low confidence and self-esteem, problems with attention, behaviour or emotion regulation. If these problems do not disappear by themselves and last too long, they may have an impact on different areas in the child’s life, such as family, friends and school. Therapy or counselling can help to find a way forward. We work together with children and parent(s)/families towards a healthier and better personal wellbeing.

After initial assessment, we offer individual therapy, parent- and family counselling. Our treatments are tailormade, short if possible and longer if needed. We are a multidisciplinary team of professionals with an international background.

If necessary or desirable, we advise or work together with schools.

International Primary School

Because sometimes you need a little guidance to find your way.

Please

Kellys Expat Shopping - making you feel at home since 2008

If you’re looking for a small taste of home, then look no further than Kellys Expat Shopping! Jam-packed with all your favourite British & American food, the Kelly family has been providing much-loved (and sorely missed!) Expat comfort foods for almost 15 years.

Kellys started way back in 2008, with a small shop on the Piet Heinstraat in the heart of The Hague. With the demand so high, popularity was rising and more and more Expats flocked to the store to stock up on their favourites - so the Kellys team took the opportunity to expand and reach even more of the ever-growing Expat community. Locals and Expats alike were falling in love with the selection, with products such as: Warburton’s Crumpets, Cadbury’s Chocolate, Branston Pickle, Bisto Gravy, Cathedral City Cheddar, Walker’s Salt & Vinegar Crisps, Kraft Mac & Cheese - simply flying off the shelves - just to name a few! Kellys became a place for Expats to join together - with posters for local expat events going up in the window, a small bulletin board of upcoming

gatherings and partnerships with local schools, markets and pubs helping unite everyone together. The business only grew - both in popularity and locations!

Firstly, The Hague store moved to a larger location on the Zoutmanstraat. Then the Wassenaar store opened in 2012 on the Luifelbaan, followed by Amsterdam in 2018 on Ferdinand Bolstraat in De Pijp and last but not least, Utrecht in 2022 on the Nachtegaalstraat. With a young, vibrant, international team, we all speak English daily, so it’s a little escape when you’re struggling to master the Dutch language! We are spread across the Netherlands, offering the best selection there is, and if you do happen to live a little further away, don’t worry! We have shipping options all across Europe – so you can stock up on everything from Tiptree to Shreddies and keep your cupboards full of goodies.

Moving to a new country is exceptionally brave, not to mention a little bit daunting. Especially if you don’t speak the language, you’re trying to establish yourself in a new city, settle into a brand new home, and just generally getting to know your new life. Here at Kellys we aim to make this process a little bit easier. Whether it’s providing your favourite Cadbury’s chocolate bar as a pick-me-up, some hearty Heinz soup to warm up with after a wet (typical Dutch weather!) day or just coming into the store to have a chat in English with our friendly colleagues and fantastic customers.

Absolutely everyone is welcome here at Kellys Expat Shopping. We’ve got you covered if you’re feeling a little homesick and need a warm welcome and some tasty snacks. So come and meet the team and rediscover your old comfort food or find some exciting new favourites!

Zoutmanstraat 22-A in The Hague

Luifelbaan 40-42 in Wassenaar

Ferdinand Bolstraat 139 in Amsterdam Nachtegaalstraat 9 in Utrecht

The history of ANDREA MARAZZINI®

An Italian successful story

The history of ANDREA MARAZZINI® began in the early ‘90s, when Andrea, sculpture and art lover, created a line of handmade jewels. His inspiration came directly from the raw materials, such as metal, natural stones and precious crystals, which in his hands became unique and amazing jewels.

His creations were soon successful and Andrea, with his wife Laura, developed a unique collection of jewellery, thus building the image of the brand ANDREA MARAZZINI®, known and appreciated in Italy and abroad.

Handmade in Italy, Italian creativity

Andrea’s work is based on a constant study of simple and linear shapes to create genuine personal sculptures: a collection of unique pieces with natural stones and precious crystals, artworks which make unique the woman wearing them. Andrea designs and creates all his jewels in his workshop in Parabiago, near Milan, assisted by his skilled artisan team.

Co-operations

ANDREA MARAZZINI® is proud to co-operate with some prestigious customers like Fondaco dei Tedeschi by DFS in Venice, Victoria & Albert Museum in London, La Pedrera in Barcelona and many others, an unmistakable sign of the artistic value of his jewels.

Perfect illusions

Illusions is a line reinterpreted and applied to exclusive jewellery. It contains surprising geometries that upset proportions, creating unexpected perspectives and new reflections of light and colour. Now available in our boutique. Be welcome! Benvenuto!

Albert ten Cate Jewelers since 1837

Aert van der Goesstraat 15

2582 AH The Hague The Netherlands

Tel +31 (0)70 39 10 337 e-mail: alberttencate@planet.nl www.alberttencate.com

HOME SWEET HOME LUXURY LIVING IN AMSTERDAM-ZUID

Imagine…

Living in the greenest suburb of Amsterdam. A quiet, green oasis in the busy capital. You can relax and exert yourself when you want to, not because the environment is chasing you. ere is plenty to do for every age, and the o er is wide, from activities in Amsterdamse Bos to shopping at Gelderlandplein which are both in -very- close proximity.

is could be your new reality when living in Q Residences, Résidence L’Etoile and Résidence La Palissade. Each home excels in luxury design choices, including a high-quality kitchen and tiled bathroom(s) creating a comfortable atmosphere. With apartments varying from 62 to 200 square meters, you will have ample space for you and your family.

All o er underground parking, yet each building has their own unique facilities. And we haven’t even mentioned the amazing views yet. ose, you nééd to see for yourself!

If you would like further information about the apartments, availabilities, or book an appointment with the letting agents, please visit our websites:

Résidence L’Etoile | www. letoileamsterdam.nl

Q Residences | www.q-residences.nl

Résidence La Palissade | www.la-palissade.nl

Projects by

Heroin chic is back, but it’s been around for a lot longer than you’d think

Thin-worship ideals from the early 2000s have begun resurfacing. However, is there more to this phenomenon than meets the eye?

In November 2022, a New York Post article set the internet ablaze with talk of heroin chic returning. For many women over 27, heroin chic pulls forth memories of sketchy diets, standing in the mirror to practice your ‘indifferent’ look, and a general sense of pervasive inadequacy. Heroin chic created a culture where the most embarrassing thing you could do was care about things, especially yourself. Your health, studies, and future; only losers drinking the normie-Kool aid buy into such fantasies, mom.

It wasn’t even really about being thin; it was about looking sick. The pale, emaciated body with glazed-over sunken eyes became the goal. In fact, many women (myself included) have only just started accepting their 60kg+ weight as actually normal. Hence, for many of us, the idea that we would need to start aiming for size zero again has rejuvenated a deep-seated anger that we felt for having to do it all those years ago.

However, you might be as surprised as I was to learn that the 0s were not the first time we tried to get the sick look. Interestingly, it seems that human beings tend to glamourise intense thinness following a period of collective, well, sickness.

18th-century ‘consumptive chic’

In Consumptive Chic: A History of Beauty, Fashion and Disease (2017), Carolyn A. Day highlights how during the tuberculosis epidemic of the late 18th and early 19th century, cultural perceptions of the disease known as consumption became interwoven with contemporary ideals of beauty. For example, people would come to regard TB’s devasting consequences – weight loss, feelings of weakness, and the ghostly paleness that brought out one’s veins and cheeks – as beautiful. As Charlotte Brontë put it in 1849: “consumption, I am aware, is a flattering malady.”

These cultural connotations became so ingrained that many women started using makeup to make their skin look paler and wore dresses that made them look thinner. Over time, these positive associations waned, as the disease became more associated with the poorer classes, but for the first 50 years of its plight, it was chic to look sick.

20th-century ‘heroin chic’

Just under 200 years later, we saw the same thing happen due to the AIDS epidemic in the late 1980s and early 90s. The term ‘heroin chic’ was coined after the death of American supermodel Gia Carangi, who died at 26 years of age due to AIDS complications brought on by intravenous heroin use.

Heroin chic was characterised by pale skin, dark circles under your eyes and emaciated features – all of which are associated with heroin abuse and, as injecting heroin with unclean needles was increasingly a risk factor for the virus, the AIDS epidemic. It is noteworthy to mention that, much like with TB, privilege and wealth did play a role in this cultural tide, as more and more celebrities glamorised heroin abuse and, thus, heroin chic.

Why would we want to look sick after a pandemic?

It is poignant that there is talk of the pale, emancipated look making a comeback after yetanother deadly pandemic in the 21st century. One could argue that it is an unconscious attempt to regain control over our bodies and lives. For e ample, one of our most significant evolutionary assets is our ability to predict future events, which makes us crave certainty. When something like a pandemic occurs, it reminds us of the futility inherent in our illusion of control. We are put back in touch with helplessness, and it is normal to try and do what we can to regain a sense of control, and thus comfort, over that fact. Idolising sickness could therefore be a way of trying to take the ‘sting’ out of these harsh realities.

Elaborating on this further, in Instincts and its icissitudes 1 15 , Freud argues that our drives’ have two primary forms, active and passive, which are correlated to his notion of a life drive (Eros) and a death drive (Thanatos). The life drive was associated with activity, while the death drive was associated with passivity. Freud believed that people e perience conflict between these two instincts and that this conflict manifests in various ways. As such, it could be argued that our ‘active’ side is rendered effectively useless during a pandemic. Instead, our ability to be passive, expressing itself in forms such as staying home and following the rules, is integral to our survival. Sexual intercourse – which one could argue is an expression of the life drive, was also inherently tied up with the AIDS epidemic, so a passive response could be seen as ‘keeping you safer’. As such, it could be speculated that a pale, emancipated look – such a quintessential image of death – emerges when passivity takes the reigns. In a sense, it is an active response to a passive position.

However, I cannot help but feel a heavy sadness at how the female body continues to function as a tool of signification, used and manipulated to express something beyond itself. Once again, millions of women will potentially need to navigate a ‘heal these wounds for me but make it chic’ epoch.

Written by Molly Fitz

Why is the Netherlands so happy?

Happiness is a topic that has been researched extensively in recent years, with numerous studies and rankings released to determine the happiest countries in the world. One of the bestknown rankings is the World Happiness Report, which has been published annually since 2012. Measuring happiness is a complex task, as it is a subjective experience that can vary widely from person to person.

The Netherlands is consistently ranked among the top countries in the World Happiness Report and is known for its high standard of living, social welfare policies, and overall quality of life. This year, in 2023, The Netherlands ranked number 5 of all countries in the world for happiness. Leading the top 5 is number 1, Finland, followed by Denmark, Iceland and Israel.

Determining happiness

The World Happiness Report ranks countries based on the following factors: Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita: A high GDP per capita is often associated with a high standard of living and access to resources that contribute to happiness, such as healthcare and education.

Social support: This includes having friends and family members to turn to in times of need, as well as strong social networks and community organizations.

Healthy life expectancy: This measures the number of years a person can expect to live in good health, which is closely linked to overall well-being.

Freedom to make life choices: The ability to make choices about one’s life, including career, relationships and personal beliefs, is an important aspect of happiness.

Generosity: This includes measures of charitable giving and volunteer work, which are linked to higher levels of happiness.

Work-life balance: This includes valuing a healthy work-life balance, with many workers en oying fle ible hours and generous amount of vacation time. This allows people to prioritize their personal lives and spend more time with family and friends.

So, why is the Netherlands so happy?

The Netherlands performs well in all of the key criteria for measuring happiness. The country has a high GDP per capita. The Dutch are also known for their strong social networks and support systems, with high levels of trust in government and institutions.

The Netherlands places a strong emphasis on work-life balance, with a relatively short workweek and a high number of vacation days. This allows people to prioritize their personal lives and spend time with friends and family,

which contributes to overall well-being.

Additionally, the Netherlands is known for its progressive policies on issues such as LGBTQ rights and drug decriminalization. These policies promote freedom and individual choice, which is another important factor in overall happiness.

The World Happiness Index provides valuable insights into the factors that contribute to happiness and well-being around the world. The Netherlands serves as a prime example of how strong social support systems, a high standard of living, and a progressive political and social climate can contribute to a happier and more sustainable society.

Written by Tracey Martin

Taking ownership of your health

Preventive health check

Getting enough exercise, eating a healthy & varied diet and relaxing. This is important to everyone, but everyone is di erent. This is why it is good to know what you need and what you can work on when it comes to your health.

At Prescan we o er you a innovative preventive health check with no need for a specialist referral. We use the most modern methods of diagnostics such as MRI scans, ECG tests and blood analysis.

The results of your examination will be discussed with you by one of our medical specialists on the same day. This gives you immediate insights into where your health can be improved, and of course we advise you about what you need to do to achieve this.

Contact us for a non-obligation personal consultation.

You can reach us from Monday to Friday between 8.30 and 17.30 at 074 255 9 255 or sent an e-mail to info@prescan.nl.

Interview with an expat

other health issues. You always have to convince someone to send you the right person who will really treat your problem. In addition, I love rain; as the daughter of a farmer, I was raised to feel happy when the rain showed up. Therefore the rainy weather in the Netherlands does not annoy me.

Do you have Dutch friends? How do you meet Dutch people?

Yes, I have. I met them in Brazil and in the Netherlands, through Facebook, WhatsApp groups, expat events and cultural events organized by the Brazilian and Dutch consulates. Besides that, I made friends through other Dutch friends.

What do you like about Dutch people? What don’t you like?

Dutch people in general are friendly towards foreigners and are inclined to help. Related to what I don’t like: in the Netherlands decisions are often taken on mainly financial considerations.

What’s your best advice for new expats to make friends?

To participate in expat events, Facebook and WhatsApp groups, volunteer work and sports activities.

During my period of planning I got help from my friends, I read a lot about the culture and I often visited the country during my holidays. Even the language; I started to study by hiring a Dutch teacher in Brazil.

What are a few things you recommend to new expat here in the Netherlands?

To learn the language as soon as possible in order to adapt well to Dutch culture and society. The ma ority of Dutch people speak nglish very well, but speaking the native language is a factor which can help immensely to understand the culture and therefore to adapt well in a working environment, for example.

Thanks for the interview, Simony!

Written by Marla Thomson

What’s your name and where do you come from? Can you tell us something about your hometown/country?

My name is Simony and I am Brazilian. Brazil is a huge and sunny country located in South America. The inhabitants are very friendly and kind, and are always smiling.

Where do you live in the Netherlands? What is one of your favorite things about where you live?

I live in Apeldoorn, Gelderland. Apeldoorn is well known for the beautiful forests and landscapes around the town. This reminds me of Brazil, so its nature is my favourite thing.

What’s your job or business?

I am a psychologist. I am working online with expats and immigrants in Europe. Based on my experience of living in England for 5 years and now in the Netherlands, I use my personal experiences and psychological knowledge to help them to adapt to living overseas and to achieve their personal and professional goals. Some of the issues that I help them to overcome are loneliness, difficulty to ad ust to the local culture, cultural conflicts, difficulty to make friends, difficulties to deal with cultural working environment and communication blockages because of the language.

Do you have a favourite restaurant in your city? Restaurant Rechts, a Dutch restaurant in Apeldoorn which has good service, a nice atmosphere and an interesting international menu.

What’s your favourite Dutch store?

Clothing store Scotch and Soda. I love the clothes there.

What do you like to do on the weekends?

I like to ride motorcycle with my Dutch boyfriend and go out, for example to music festivals and cinema.

Who is your favourite Dutch historical, cultural or famous person?

Painter Jeroen Bosch. He is a greater painter and has a sensibility to demonstrate in his arts, in a critical approach, the people’ habits and mindsets during his lifetime.

What would you recommend a visitor to do and see in your city and in general in the Netherlands?

They should visit national park De Veluwe, De Apenheul and Palace Het Loo.

What is your favourite Dutch food? And what Dutch food do you dislike?

My first time in the Netherlands was on holiday in 2016. What impressed me were the height of the Dutch people and the many rivers and canals in the cities and landscapes surrounding them. Besides that, the friendly approach of the people made me to decide to come back many times, until I decided to move. I really fell in love with this country.

What is the nicest thing about the Netherlands? How does this compare to your country?

The nicest thing about this country is that as a woman I can feel perfectly safe whenever and wherever I go. In Brazil, as a woman you should take care of your safety, especially in big cities at night.

Besides the weather, what is your biggest pet peeve about the Netherlands?

The national health system is not able tot provide a way to direct to the right doctor, when you have some symptoms which cause pain or

I like stamppot. I dislike fresh haring. Do you celebrate Dutch holidays? Which one is your favorite?

Yes. My favorite is Koningsdag because Dutch people are really celebrating on the streets. In a certain way, this reminds me of my country.

Where do you like to go out in your city? Like with friends or co-workers.

I like to go to pubs and cafés in Apeldoorn.

What famous Dutch place should new visitors

The i ksmuseum in Amsterdam. I am sure they will be impressed with the expositions and arts.

Best-kept secret in your city?

It is really nice to go to café-restaurant Babbel which after 22:30 transforms into a dancing club. Looking back, what do you wish you knew before you moved to the Netherlands?

I planned my move to the Netherlands three years ahead, which was enough to get well informed.

Palace Het Loo

De Apenheul

Koningsdag

18.03.23 -11.06.23

The Art of Drawing

74 drawings by Rembrandt, Bol, Maes and others, The Peck collection, Ackland Art Museum (USA).

When was the last time you felt at home in your body?

Imagine yourself moving with ease from a place of selfacceptance and awareness. You are standing in a place of peace and tranquillity. The lights are slightly dimmed, there is lovely company around you and a serene atmosphere. You’re feeling comfortable and your mind is slowing down. You are focused on your breathing and you feel completely grounded. You decided that day that you are letting go of what no longer serves you. While you are standing in a yoga pose, you notice some improvement in your flexibility. How would you feel about yourself in this beautiful process?

We all need balance and a feeling of connection with ourselves and our surroundings. Sometimes life can be messy and we find ourselves tense and worried. It is in these moments that we desire a break, so we can renew

our perspective. At Caesar you can find the resilience you need to let go of unnecessary stress during a Body & Mind class.

Whether you’ve just started learning to reconnect to your body and mind or maybe you’re on this path for quite a while, the Body & Mind classes at Caesar are easy to follow for everyone. The classes at Caesar are taught by professional instructors that can help you increase your flexibility and reduce stress. They offer a variety of yoga, pilates and breathing classes. A class of yoga will help you restore your own sense of balance. Pilates makes us aware of our power and flexibility. And breathing classes will help you gain trust and awareness in your body. Caesar’s Body & Mind classes are fun and will help you reconnect to your own sense of joy. Why not try it out?

Imagine feeling renewed, at ease with yourself and confident in your own resilience. Your body and mind have a healthy connection and you’re feeling happy in your own skin. You feel satisfied because you finally have a moment to yourself. While you are recovering from your Body & Mind class, you notice that you’re feeling grounded and relaxed. How would you feel about yourself, knowing you can always return to a place that feels like home? That place is within you. At Caesar we believe that our body is our temple, which is why we also offer fitness, wellness and beauty treatments. There also is a Kids Club for children up to eight years old.

For more information about Caesar Fitness + Spa Resort, visit www.caesar-denhaag.nl.

Cosmetic treatments in the Netherlands, where should you go?

The perfect examples are a Botox or filler treatment.”

Who can perform cosmetic treatments in the Netherlands?

Cosmetic doctor KNMG Nicoline Nijman helps you make the right choice in your search for a Botox or filler specialist.

You may find yourself overwhelmed by the range of options in your search for a specialist to assist you in treating any imperfections. Who does what? Where should you go? It can be difficult to make sense of it all. Due to varying regulations, the Practitioners that carry out cosmetic treatments such as Botox and fillers can differ per country. How does this work in the Netherlands? We asked Nicoline Nijman, a KNMG certified cosmetic doctor who has worked in this industry for over 8 years. Nicoline works at The Body Clinic, which has been the best rated cosmetic clinic in the Netherlands for 15 years.

What defines a cosmetic procedure?

Nicoline Nijman “That’s a good opening question. In essence, the goal of a cosmetic treatment is to make someone look better. There can also be a medical reason for this. The treatment is often performed without anaesthesia or using a local anaesthetic.

“I can imagine how hard it must be for a customer to make the right choice in finding a specialist to perform cosmetic treatments. While many practitioners offer cosmetic treatments, including cosmetic doctors, plastic surgeons, skin therapists and beauticians, not all of them are legally allowed to perform such medical cosmetic treatments as Botox and fillers.”

“Government regulations can differ per country. In the Netherlands, cosmetic treatments like Botox and fillers can only be performed by a doctor who has a medical licence and who is certified to do so. The doctor must also comply with the Individual Healthcare Act (Wet op de Beroepen in de Individuele Gezondheidszorg, BIG act). Furthermore, the doctor must receive ongoing training and adhere to strict safety standards. These standards also apply to the clinic in which the doctor performs the treatments.

The Royal Dutch Medical Association (KNMG) is responsible for ensuring that these standards are met.”

How can you check that a doctor is qualified?

“Cosmetic procedures are medical treatments and are associated with certain risks. The risks to the patient can be very serious if these procedures are carried

out by someone who does not have the necessary training and experience. Until recently, any doctor in the Netherlands could have called themselves a cosmetic doctor without having to prove their competency. The title ‘cosmetic doctor KNMG’ became an officially recognized and protected title in the Netherlands in 2019. This guarantees the competency of the accredited doctor.

Although the title Cosmetic doctor KNMG ensures customers that the doctor is competent, other factors also need to be taken into consideration when seeking a competent doctor.”

What should customers be aware of when searching for a cosmetic doctor?

“In your search for a cosmetic doctor I recommend that you conduct in-depth research before you get treated, especially for people who are new in the Netherlands. Fortunately, we can search for many things on the internet these days, which saves a lot of time and energy.”

1. BIG register - The BIG register is a legal, online and public register for Professions in Individual Health Care. You can use this to check if a professional meets the requirements for certification and has the right professional qualifications.

2. To perform cosmetic procedures, you must also be competent. The Dutch Society of Cosmetic Medicine (NVCG) website allows customers to look up all registered cosmetic doctors. This assures

customers that they are in safe hands and helps them avoid the potential risks of treatment by non-competent doctors.

3. It’s important that you choose a qualified and competent cosmetic doctor, but the product used is just as important. Opting for an A-brand product, for instance, can lower the risk of complications. This is because A-brand products are subject to more extensive and stringent scientific research, product development and quality control.

4. Reviews can be very valuable in your search for cosmetic treatments. For this you can visit www.kliniekervaringen.nl

5. And finally, when in doubt, don’t do it!

Book a free consultation at The Body Clinic. If you would like more information about an injectable treatment, schedule a free consultation with cosmetic doctor KNMG Nicoline Nijman via www.bodyclinic.nl or call 020-4638668

DRIVE YOUR PLOW OVER THE BONES OF THE DEAD

Simon McBurney, Complicité

Festival opening. Fairy-tale thriller about activism and our relationship with animals. Based on the novel by Nobel Prize winner Olga Tokarczuk.

1-3 June, Theater Amsterdam

EXÓTICA

Amanda Piña, nadaproductions

Exuberant ritual where forgo en dancers of colour from the early 20th century are given a stage again.

6-7 June, ITA

international performing arts amsterdam

1 June – 1 July info & tickets: hollandfestival.nl

RIBINGURUMU NO METAMORUFUOSHISU

(‘Metamorphosis of a living room’)

Toshiki Okada, Dai Fujikura, Klangforum Wien, chelfitsch

Surreal play with language and music. A family has to get out of their house - until the whole house mysteriously disappears.

7-8 June, Muziekgebouw

ANGELA (A STRANGE LOOP)

Susanne Kennedy, Markus Selg

Individual life as a journey made up of millions of experiences. A play about identity and consciousness.

7-9 June, ITA

LET

X=X

Laurie Anderson, Sexmob

Laurie Anderson plays old and new songs with New York band Sexmob, from 1982’s Big Science to the present.

8 June, Carré

WUTHERING HEIGHTS

Wise Children, Emma Rice

Emily Brontë’s epic tale of love, revenge and redemption in a powerful theatrical experience full of music and dance.

8-18 June, DeLaMar

ÔSS

Marlene Monteiro Freitas

Nine performers pay tribute to inclusivity in dance, full of poetic anarchy and freedom.

9-10 June, Frascati

EUPHORIA

Julian Rosefeldt

Spectacular film installation about the euphoric aspects of capitalism and the history of greed.

9-25 June, Centrale Markthal

EROICA I

Sofia Jernberg, Kit Downes, Pe er Eldh, Kjetil Møster

Lyrical music with rhythmic, complex ingredients, inspired by Beethoven and the painter Basquiat.

11 June, BIMHUIS

LEMNISKATA

Lukas Avendaño

Large-scale dance work, a tribute to femininity as well as the queer muxe community in Mexico.

12-14 June, ITA

DARK SKIES

Jamie Man, Blixa Bargeld, James McVinnie, Slagwerk Den Haag, Asko|Schönberg

Successful young composer Jamie Man and rock hero Blixa Bargeld find each other in a joint descent into obscurity.

15 June, Muziekgebouw

PROPHÉTIQUE (ON EST DÉJÀ NÉ.ES)

Nadia Beugré

Dance performance, focusing on the question: how does a creative transgender community in Côte d’Ivoire hold its own in a patriarchal society?

16-18 June, Frascati

Unimaginable. How Van Leeuwenhoek’s microscope changed the world

With a very small microscope he exposed a completely new world, a world that no one had ever seen before. From 18 April, Rijksmuseum Boerhaave will once again open up this world, which Antoni van Leeuwenhoek discovered 350 years ago. The astonishing microworld becomes visible in the temporary exhibition Unimaginable. How Van Leeuwenhoek’s microscope changed the world. Fun and science are rarely linked together, although it is amazing and above all a lot of fun so discover what can be seen through a microscope. And: new observations are still being made today. We are far from tired of the microworld that was opened up to us 350 years ago.

Antoni van Leeuwenhoek was a Dutch cloth merchant, best known for his homemade microscope. It may be an unusual combination, a trader and a microbiologist, but Antoni used magnifying lenses to check his textiles. Then, he started working with metal plates and drops of glass and eventually made his small device: a microscope that turned out to be so good that it was the first to e pose the micro world.

Van Leeuwenhoek made hundreds of microscopes, yet very few have survived worldwide. This makes it so special that Rijksmuseum Boerhaave has no fewer than five in its collection. In fact, an Leeuwenhoek’s microscope is so special that it was chosen as Showpiece of the Netherlands in a 2018 tv programme, leaving Rembrandt’s Night Watch behind. In the Unimaginable exhibition, we bring the visitor as close as possible to Antoni van Leeuwenhoek. You are, as it were, looking over his seventeenth-century shoulder. What did he see? And why was it so special?

The visitor e periences the wonder and pleasure of the world’s first glimpses into the micro world. We show the beautiful and unique collection that Van Leeuwenhoek and his contemporaries worked with: his microscopes, drawings and letters. Furthermore, more recent developments within microscopy and its techniques are shown. How do you actually look at something under the microscope? How do you capture what you see? And how far can we now zoom in?

Discover why Van Leeuwenhoek enjoyed his work so much and learn more about microscopy. How do you understand a world you’ve never seen? Look, see and enjoy!

Unimaginable: 18 April 2023 - 7 January 2024

Rijksmuseum Boerhaave, Leiden www.rijksmuseumboerhaave.nl

Holland Festival: international performing arts in Amsterdam

Holland Festival, the largest international performing arts festival of the Netherlands and one of the oldest festivals of Europe, will celebrate its 76-year anniversary this year. From 1 June - 1 July, the festival features over 200 performances, from theatre, dance, music, musical theatre and opera to multidisciplinary forms, including crossovers with visual art, digital art, photography and film. Cutting-edge pieces from artists from all over the world are shown at 22 different locations in Amsterdam, like Muziekgebouw, Carré, de Gashouder and Het Concertgebouw. There will be new work from associate artist ANOHNI and makers including Laurie Anderson, Simon McBurney,

Julian Rosefeldt, CocoRosie, Romeo Castellucci, Susanne Kennedy, Lisaboa Houbrechts, Meredith Monk, Tan Dun and Sigúr Ros, all artists who create alternative worlds, look critically at society and make ground-breaking work.

Associate artist: ANOHNI

ANOHNI is an English-born, American-based musician, artist and theatre director. She founded her performance group Antony & The Johnsons in 1995 and was awarded the UK’s Mercury Prize for her albumI am a Bird Now in 2005. ANOHNI was featured in the Holland Festival three times previously. In 2009 and 2012 she made unique orchestral programmes

together with the Metropole Orkest, and also in 2012, she appeared in the play The Life and Death of Marina Abramovi by obert Wilson.

Opening performance

This 76th edition will open with Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, directed by Simon McBurney, a much-admired guest at the festival. The performance, rated with five stars in the English press, is based on the novel by Olga Tokarczuk (2018 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature) and presents a vision of the world in which animals take revenge on humans. It critically explores the effects of power, violence and a lack of respect for nature. Activism, as well as the poetic language and charismatic characters, serves as the driving force behind this radical re-imagining of the world.

There will be several large-scale, site-specific productions immersing the audience in alternative worlds. In his spectacular film installation Euphoria at the Centrale Markthal, German artist Julian Rosefeldt will show the capitalist system in its full spectrum, from consumerism to despair, critically re-envisioning this ideology. In his six-hour performance espublika, the young Polish director ukas Twarkowski fantasises about a utopian society, combining music, theatre, rave and performance.

Holland Festival

1 June – 1 July, Amsterdam info & tickets: www.hollandfestival.nl

Photo by Janiek Dam

Raw are the roots | Nederlands Dance Theater

Eyal & Behar have been running their company L-E-V since 2013, and created several world premieres for NDT, such as Salt Womb (2016) that was awarded a Zwaan for ‘Best Dance Production’ in 2016. After seven years, NDT is excited to again collaborate with Eyal & Behar and bring back their fresh perspective on dance to our audience. www.ndt.nl

Season 2023 | May 11 until June 6, 2023

Amare, The Hague

May 11, 12, 13

June 1, 2, 3

Schouwburg Concertzaal Tilburg

May 17

Internationaal Theater Amsterdam

May 19, 20, 21

Nieuwe Luxor Theater, Rotterdam

May 24 & 25

Parktheater Eindhoven

May 28

Stadsschouwburg Nijmegen & Concertgebouw

De Vereeniging

June 6

‘Raw are the roots’ presents two exciting world premieres by internationally acclaimed artists Felix Landerer, and choreographic duo Sharon Eyal & Gai Behar.

“With his captivating and original way of hewing out movement from the human body, Landerer remains a name to watch out for”, wrote Dance Europe on Felix Landerer in 2012. Ten years later, Landerer continues to be praised for his virtuosic and organic movement vocabulary. With a tone that reflects on the human condition, Landerer crafts poetic compositions that are rooted in resistance and resilience and are shaped by clarity and intention. About his creative process, the choreographer says: “It starts with a sense of creative freedom (…) and gets more cerebral once the brain starts searching for dramaturgical clarity and setting everything within a framework. What is beautiful is to observe how informed the material already is, simply because you made it under the influence of a given idea or subject.”

Landerer has created works for several international dance companies. His company LANDERER&COMPANY received the Stadtkulturpreis Hannover for outstanding civic engagement in arts and culture in 2017. In season 2018-2019, the choreographer created The whys and wherefores are elusive for NDT 2. This new work will mark Landerer’s debut creation for NDT 1.

For the past decade, Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar have formed an essential voice to NDT’s repertoire. Through work marked by a forceful sensuality and vulnerability, the duo has been fascinating audiences with a world of their own making, one that defies preconceived notions of movement and the expression of the body. “To me, dance is tribal and primitive, it’s about joy”, says Eyal. “When I have an idea, it feels like it has always been there, and yet as if it has never been there. Each work is a continuation of the previous one and offers a unique opportunity to go deeper and deeper.”

© Rahi Rezvani, dancer: Nicole Ward

Cobra 75: Danish Modern Art | Cobra Museum

In 2023 it will be 75 years since the revolutionary Cobra movement was founded in Paris. The Cobra Museum of Modern Art in Amstelveen is celebrating this anniversary year with a smashing exhibition programme. Cobra 75 kicks off with a triptych of Danish modern art.

We Kiss the Earth

Danish Modern Art 1934-1948

The anniversary year of Cobra 75 kicks off with a triptych of Danish modern art. The Danish artists who founded Cobra in 1 had a great influence on the much younger Dutch and Belgian Cobra members. Developments in Danish modern art from the 1930s and 1940s take centre stage with themes such as sexual freedom, politics, provocation, experimentation and spontaneity. These developments would later have such a profound influence on Cobra. This is the first large survey outside Denmark that presents around 100 masterpieces by more than 25 artists.

Je est un autre

Ernest Mancoba & Sonja Ferlov

A presentation on the artist couple Sonja Ferlov (Denmark) and Ernest Mancoba (South Africa) complements this retrospective. Both were involved in founding the Cobra movement in Denmark. Their interracial relationship was unique at the time. They each had their own international artistic practice. In 2019, Centre Pompidou presented two major retrospectives of their oeuvre; a selection will be exhibited in Amstelveen.

Becoming Ovartaci

vartaci’s intriguing work forms the final part of the Danish triptych. Ovartaci – born Louis Marcussen – spent most of her life in a psychiatric hospital. Transformation is the central theme in her life and work. The exhibition of paintings, drawings and sculptures is an ode to the imagination and inspiration of this Danish artist who died in 1985 at the age of 91.

Precursor to Cobra

In the years 1934-1948, a spontaneous, abstract art form developed that was unique to Denmark and would later be an important pioneer for the Cobra movement (1948-1951). The artists who started Cobra came from the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark. The Dutch and Belgian artists were relatively young, unlike the Danish artists who were on average 10-15 years older. They had already experienced artistic development before and during World War II, and exhibited a lot of art. In doing so, they had a great influence on the younger generation of Cobra artists. Never before has an exhibition outside of Denmark been dedicated to this subject. Moreover, We Kiss the Earth breaks through the traditional canon of art history and also showcases women artists and artists who have often been ignored in conventional Danish and international art history, such as Else Alfelt, Franciska Clausen, Rita Kernn-Larsen and Elsa Thoresen.

Celebrating Cobra 75

2023 marks 75 years since the revolutionary Cobra movement was founded in Paris. The Cobra Museum of Modern Art in Amstelveen is celebrating this anniversary year with a major exhibition programme. Cobra (1948-1951) was an international movement of young, progressive artists creating colourful, expressive-spontaneous art. In the years after World War II, they caused a revolution: a breakthrough in modern art that continues to this day in artistic conceptions and artistic expressions. The name Cobra is a composite of: Copenhagen, Brussels and Amsterdam. The capitals where the founders of this artist group originated. These include Jorn from Denmark, Dotremont and Noiret from Belgium, Appel, Corneille and Constant from the Netherlands. Besides these big names, the Cobra Museum makes a strong case for an inclusive approach to the Cobra movement and regularly adds to the traditional Cobra canon. In 2019, for example, there was a major exhibition “New Nuances” specially dedicated to women artists in and around Cobra.

The exhibition We Kiss the Earth. Danish Modern Art 1934-1948 is part of the anniversary year Cobra 75 and, together with the exhibitions Je est un autre. Ernest Mancoba & Sonja Ferlov and Becoming Ovartaci forms a triptych on Danish modern art. The three exhibitions are accompanied by a richly illustrated catalogue compiled by the guest curators and published bilingually (Dutch and English) by Waanders Uitgevers. The book We Kiss the Earth is available at the Cobra Museum shop, among others.

27 January - 14 May 2023

www.cobra-museum.nl

Egill Jacobsen, Rød maske (Red Mask), 1943, Cobra Museum of Modern Art Amstelveen, c/o Pictoright 2023

Sonja Ferlov, Untitled, 1938, Museum Jorn, Silkeborg , c/o Pictoright 2023

Ovartaci, Untitled, undated, Museum Ovartaci. Photo: Museum Ovartaci

& Expats shop at Sligro Forepark

Did you know that when you work for an International company or organisation you are able to shop at Sligro Forepark in The Hague?

Foodlovers will find everything they are looking for at Sligro Den Haag Forepark. The most amazing and freshest produce and best advice from our team of food professionals. Come and experience Sligro Forepark yourself!

The Diary Keepers | Nina Siegal

Anyone who has read Nina Siegal’s articles in the New York Times, often dispatches from Amsterdam, knows that she is an excellent journalist. Those of us lucky enough to know her books such as “The Anatomy Lesson”, also know that she is an extremely gifted writer. Those two facets come together in her latest work, a non-fiction book, entitled, “The Diary eepers”. Siegal has tapped into an e traordinary source of firsthand accounts from the Second World War and bound them in historical context to produce a gripping window on life and death in the Netherlands during its darkest days of the twentieth century.

The Diary Keepers is a distillation of the written memories chosen by Siegal herself from the roughly 2100 contributions held by NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies. The war archive opened its doors three short days after the liberation of the Netherlands and the story of how the call went out for the citizens of the Netherlands to contribute their diaries, letters and manuscripts is a laid out in the first pages of this riveting work.

It was in her work as a New York Times correspondent, that Siegal was introduced to the collection of diaries. She was writing a piece on exhibition about amateur war time photography when she was shown the collection. She was intrigued by the accounts of daily life under the German occupation and her latest book takes us inside the hearts and minds of people from different walks of life and very different perspectives.

It is a book that takes place in real time as told by characters who did not know how the story would end. The call to contribute diaries to the war archive came during a broadcast of Radio Oranje from London when the tide had already turned in the war. Gerrit Bolkenstein, the Dutch Minister of Education, Arts and Sciences, urged Dutch citizens to preserve their own writings, letters and diaries. “Not until we succeed in bringing together vast quantities of this simple everyday material will the picture of our struggle for freedom be painted in its full depth and glory.” It is fitting that a writer who been so effective in reporting and telling the stories of so many artists would now paint for us this vivid and candid picture of the Second World War in the Netherlands.

food |

Little Tokyo is an ode to the authentic Japanese Bento Box | Amsterdam

Little Tokyo recently opened its doors on the Singelgracht in Amsterdam. It is the first authentic Japanese store in the city where the Bento Bo is the main attraction. Additionally, there is a daily onigiri special on the menu, mochi ice cream is on offer and one can find matcha, in the purest form. For owner umiko da it is s feeling of Japanese nostalgia.

Little Tokyo is an ode to traditional Japanese cuisine and culture. da is from Tokyo and is a mother of two boys. Before moving to the Netherlands, she was an editor at Chef Partners, where she met and collaborated with a number of top chefs in Japan. For Little Tokyo, she was inspired by chef Hiromitsu Nozaki of ‘WAKE TOKU’ in Hiroo, Tokyo and by her father and mother, who showed her much of the world throughout her life.

The Bento Box is a complete meal served at Little Tokyo in a traditional box made of cypress wood. It consists of steamed rice or rice balls, side dishes and a main ingredient, such as tofu steak or crispy deep-fried chicken. In Japan, the bo es are a regular part of the day and are taken to work or school as a kind of deluxe lunch box. They also travel well during special occasions such as Cherry Blossom Festival Hanami.

With a Bento Box from Little Tokyo, one is good to go, although it is a shame to skip the Temari, round sushi in Kyoto style, and onigiri that are freshly made every day. The filled rice triangles with seaweed are ideal as a snack and available 2 / in Japan. You can also try the best organic matcha, lightly roasted green tea and Hojicha from Pilgrim Matcha. The homemade mochi ice cream is sold in two flavors: Angry hmu from raspberries and Calm Ohmu from blueberries.

The curved Hinoki bento boxes made of cypress wood come from a craftsman from Japan and are also for sale at Little Tokyo, which is also a small Japanese shop in addition to the restaurant. You will also find chopsticks

and all the traditional tools such as bowls and bamboo matcha beaters to make perfect matcha at home.

Little Tokyo

Singel 412 1016 AK Amsterdam

Little Tokyo is open 6 days a week and is closed on Mondays. Open on Tuesday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 to 1 :00.

Me & Mr. Jansen | Theater Perdu

Short description of Me & Mr. Jansen

It all started when the storyteller stumbled upon a black and white picture of a razzia in 1943. In the image, he recognized his current home in the centre of Amsterdam. An older couple was being pulled out of the building by men in white coats, officers of the SS. What must a storyteller do, when faced with such a story? He peels the layers off the past, waking up sleeping ghosts, like the Dutch barber who used to live on the ground floor, Mr. Jansen. Inquiring him about forgotten secrets, distant memories of buried sins.

Me and Mr. Jansen is an engaging solo storytelling performance that invites the audience to venture beyond concepts such as “right” and “wrong”. Who plays innocent, and who wears the traitor’s costume? Can we even choose which roles we play or are we nothing but figures trapped in the wheel of history, endlessly repeating our parts?

Practical information of the première at Theater Perdu

Dates: May 4th (premiere), May 4th en May 6th 2023

Start: 20:00

Prices: Standard: €15 CJP/student/Stadspas: €12,50

Raphael Rodan

This intriguing storytelling performance is based on the personal story of Raphael Rodan: master storyteller, co-founder of The Mezrab Storytelling School and creative director of the annual Storytelling Festival in Amsterdam. He created the piece together with renowned comedian, director, theater maker and actor Titus Tiel Groenstege.

Me & Mr. Jansen will premiere on May 4th 2023, in Theater Perdu in Amsterdam in the context of ‘Theater Na de Dam’, Remembrance Day and Liberation Day.

This program is in English

www.tickets.voordemensen.nl/perdu/event/839

DalÍ & Gaudi | Fabrique des Lumières

Step into a new world and experience an ode to two Spanish masters!

Discover the masterpieces of Dalí and Gaudí at Fabrique des Lumières. During this visual and musical spectacle, the most famous psychedelic works of Salvador Dalí will come to life to the rhythm of the music of the legendary band Pink Floyd. The works of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudía great inspiration for Dalí - completes the overall immersive experience.

A fairytale, a hallucination, a dream: Salvador Dalí’s work is a spectacle not to be missed. Not just on canvas, but possibly even more so in this exhibition, Dalí: The Endless Enigma. Immerse yourself in the psychedelic works of one of the world’s most magnificent artists, while listening to the sounds of Pink Floyd.

Surrender yourself to Dali’s fantastic world, filled with hyperbole and uncanny creatures. The trick is to lose yourself, to get lost, to see, to listen, and - more than anything else - to experience.

This exhibition was shown previously in the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation in Figueres, the Dalí Museum in Florida, the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid and MoMA in New York. Now it’s time for the Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam to host.

Thirty years after his death, Dali’s work is still a welcome escape from the familiar here and now. Presented like you’ve never seen before.

Capricious and provoking is how the works of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí are often described. He is one of the most famous architects of all time, convincing even the great Dalí to become an avid fan. Parc Güel, Casa Batlló, Casa Milà and the Sagrada Família: these are all icons.

But what makes them so unique? The wavy facades of course, but also the brightly coloured glass and ceramic, the large pillars and organic patterns. The captivating play of light and space as well. Take all of these together, and something entirely new comes into existence. This is the wonderful world of Gaudí, where there are no boundries to the imagination and therefore anything is possible.

In this immersive exhibition, visitors are being taken on a 10-minute journey along Gaudí’s extraordinary creations. Supported by George Gershwin’s music, it is Gaudí as far as your eyes can see.

Eco staycation | Roompot

A holiday full of comfort, while at the same time minimizing your ecological footprint? The Roompot resort Qurios Eco Grevelingenstrand is located directly on the Grevelingenmeer, hidden in the Kabbelaarsbank nature reserve. Stay in one of thirty self-catering eco-cottages on the edge of the lake. The tiny houses are designed according to a unique concept that is biobased and circular. The lodges are completely furnished with natural materials. For example, wood made available by the national forestry service was used and the houses were insulated with hemp. The neighbouring houses are far enough away to feel completely free and to connect with nature. The large glass fronts make the outside feel indoors. Moreover, you have an unobstructed view of the relaxing Grevelingenmeer from your terrace. The North Sea beach and the Grevelingenmeer are wonderful places for kite surfing, windsurfing and snorkeling. And with a bit of luck you can spot the ‘pet’ seal!

www.roompot.nl

Hotel La Paulowna | The Hague

On one of the most beautiful squares in The Hague lies the romantic boutique hotel La Paulowna, which consists of five fully renovated and stylish suites, each with a beautiful view over the stately Anna Paulowna square. The use of natural materials, the unique furniture and luxurious details provide a serene atmosphere and the ultimate feeling of comfort. The personal service of owners Anuschka and Wim makes everyone feel right at home here. The city center of The Hague and the trendy Zeeheldenkwartier are less than a ten-minute walk away.

www.lapaulowna.com

Glundr! | Relax and be yourself in Asten

Bed & breakfast Glundr! started as ‘just a nice place to get together with family’. This personal attention for your family’s needs is still felt everywhere during your stay in this luxurious location in Asten. Immerse yourself in the comfort of one of the seven suites, experience ultimate relaxation in the private wellness area and enjoy special dishes by a top chef who will prepare a fantastic private dinner on location for groups of eight to fourteen people.

Glundr! often hosts couples who want to get away from it all, and want to enjoy luxury and tranquility in a hospitable and relaxed atmosphere. And that is where hostess Ivon van Bussel excels, according to the following review: “I have never been received hospitably like here: Ivon made everyone feel at home. Highly recommended!”

The b&b is just three kilometers from National Park De Groote Peel and only 200 meters from De Witte Bergen forest, so walk to these beautiful natural areas directly from Glundr! Glundr! is also on a cycle route junction; you can easily charge your e-bike here. The castle ruins a few kilometers away and Museum Klok en Peel are within easy ‘cycling range’. Rather hit the ball? Glundr! is right next to the Woold Golf Course.

The combination of lu ury, ultimate hospitality, high-quality finish and personal attention creates a wonderful atmosphere. Get away from it all and experience warmth, privacy and authenticity during an holiday, meeting, wedding or event. Of course, its charming looks also make it the ultimate wedding location. Many newlyweds have stayed in the luxurious

bridal suite during their wedding night, with a view of the starry sky from the bathtub. Romance guaranteed… So come, relax and be yourself, come and shine!

www.glundr.com

At Caesar Fitness + Spa Resort we have 5000m2 of fitness, wellness, and health facilities. Caesar is located in the city centre of The Hague on the Mauritskade.

Our motto at Caesar is: “Your body is your temple.” We offer a variety of activities for a healthy balance between sports and relaxation. Our members can train and relax in a safe and healthy environment. Thanks to our state-of-the-art ventilation system, our visitors always breathe in fresh and clean air. This system supplies us constantly with fresh outdoor air filtered through glass filters. Good air keeps us all in a good mood.

Our Body & Mind studio is a place to bring balance to your body, mind and spirit. We give different types of yoga classes. For example: Hatha yoga, Vinyasa yoga, Yin Yang yoga and many more. We can help you find the yoga class that suits you best. As a member you are free to explore all of them.

Next to yoga classes we also give different group classes in our aerobic studio, spinning studio and our swimming pool. They are fun, energetic and they keep you fit. We also have various Fitness & Sports activities. There’s a range of fitness equipment for beginner and advanced athletes, so there is always something to do for everyone.

At the Spa & Wellness area you can ease yourself in a soothing atmosphere. We have a hot whirlpool, a lovely swimming pool and different types of saunas to calm down. Our Beauty & Health offers a variety of massages that add to your well-being.

Did you know that we also have a Kidsclub? Our Kidsclub is for young children from three months old till four years old. If you have kids as a member, they are taken care of during your visit at Caesar Fitness + Spa Resort.

Caesar offers the perfect environment to encourage a healthy lifestyle. A place where you can take a moment to yourself or to have quality time with friends. We are open every day of the year. Being a member at Caesar Fitness + Spa resort adds to your well-being and health. Come and experience it for yourself. For more information, visit our website www.caesar-denhaag.nl.

Football in focus

He remembers it like yesterday, May 5, 1991the day he was invited by a friend to tag along and help take photographs of an Ajax match at their old grounds known as De Meer. He was 2 at the time and doing fine for himself as a sales representative. He manned his friends second camera and in a word, he was hooked. He remembers telling his mother after that experience that we wanted to be a photographer. He had the notion that perhaps he would be better off as his own boss. He was truly enamored with the idea of making his living by combining travel and sport. Some thirty-two years later, it still seems like a good idea. The pins on his map number some 82 countries visited, the lion’s share for work. Stanley Gontha’s eyes, or more importantly the cameras of the sports photojournalist have seen some amazing things.

The first “shoot” was in Diemen for a group of softballers at the club called Survivors. To his surprise, nearly every member of the team bought the photo set he produced, the lone exception simply forgot to bring her money when the photos were delivered. Gontha’s first company, BS Promotions was born. He found out that taking photos of amateur athletes was a lucrative business although he confided that sales were best the lower down the athletic prowess ladder he went. Gontha chuckles at the thought that BS Promotions might have drawn a wry grin for English speakers so when he made the jump to photographing full time, he chose the name to Pro Shots, which not only survived but flourishes to this day.

The real turning point in his journey took place in 1994 when the FIFA World Cup was held in the United States. The trip was always going to be a significant financial layout and Gontha worried that he would not be able to cover the expenditures through sales of press photos alone. The budding entrepreneur managed to convince a courier company who was looking for a sponsor activation to avail themselves of his services. e managed to find several takers and turned a profit on the World Cup even though Oranje had bombed out, thanks in part to sitting on the tarmac at the airport after an accompanying journalist mentioned the word bomb to a stewardess. Gontha was not on

that plane, whose delay was widely blamed for Holland’s elimination from the ‘94 Cup at the hands of Brazil.

One of the biggest changes in the course of Gontha’s career as a photog was the transition from analog film photography to digital. A match between Valencia and Ajax in the 200203 UEFA Champions League proved to be a watershed moment. A a ’s latan Ibrahimovi scored the 1-1 equalizer in the 88th minute. Directly after the match, Gontha was sending the digital image of the Swedish international using the modem in his Nokia cell phone. An hour and a half liter of perspiration later, the image was sent and to Stanley’s delight, the Stockholm newspaper ran his photo in the morning edition. By the time the press center at the 2002 World Cup in Korea opened its doors, the transition to digital was truly manifest. Gone was the traditional odak film processing center. No more bags were distributed for films rolls and the several hundred photos per photographer shot to analog film were replaced by several thousand files on bulky memory devices. Momma had truly taken the Kodachrome away.

It’s easy to think that shooting footballers on servo or automatic mode, snapping away at 7 frames per second, will yield results yet it belies the skill of an experienced sports photographer. Gontha, who considers himself a photojournalist, relies on his knowledge of the game and years of e perience in getting the “money shots” which have adorned the front pages of the Dutch and international press for three decades. Together, with his contemporaries, Guus Dubbleman, Pim Ras, and Matty van Wijnbergen, he is one of the elder statesmen behind the goals. They joke amongst themselves that they travel more with each other than with their spouses.

All kidding aside, the competition is fierce and attention to detail as well as the ability to maintain focus literally as well as figuratively are essential. Sometimes, however, a bit of intuition and luck go a long way to getting an iconic photo. Gontha remembers the details surrounding his favorite shots taken during the penalties in the match between the Netherlands and Costa Rica at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Gontha realized that Dutch trainer Louis

van Gaal’s decision to substitute keeper Jasper Cillessen with Tim Krul would be an iconic moment. While the top photographers normally shoot from behind the goal to capture goal scores head on, Gontha realized the story would be the success or failure of the Dutch keeper and chose to stay at midfield to register the keeper, face forward. His strategy paid off and Stanley Gontha’s shots of Tim Krul securing the Dutch victory adorned the covers and pages of many newspapers and magazines as a testament to the genius of Louis van Gaal and the intuition of an experienced photojournalist.

Stanley Gontha has come full circle. He is an employee again having sold his business to a major publishing house. When he is not working in a stadium, he works from home, the walls of his office adorned with photographer’s vests from major events he has covered including the 1994 World Cup in the U.S, where it all started. These days, he can even enjoy a long lunch, catching with an old acquaintance he got to know during a foray into an entirely different sport, namely, American Football. But the beautiful game has always been his calling and he had never strayed far from footy even after a bought with some health issues had sidelined him. One can imagine that photographing a football match for two hours crouched behind a camera is physically demanding. Gontha confirmed that it is not the most ergonomic workplace. Shooting his 8th FIFA World Cup last year, Gontha remarked that the air-cooling systems that had been installed the Qatari stadia were not only up to the job but in fact overperforming. The air conditioners had been designed for the full brunt of the oppressive summer heat of the Gulf but the competition had been moved to November to mitigate fears of players dropping on the pitch due to heat prostration. Having taken up his familiar position behind goal, he noticed the flow from the stadium’s air no les was worse than a draughty chimney. He asked one of the hostesses positioned near the photographers if the situation could be remedied. She replied cheerfully that he could indeed exit the stadium if he felt chilly! As long as Stanley Gontha is able to bring top football into focus, he won’t be leaving the building just yet.

Written by John Mahnen

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