Bourtange Fortress, Groningen, NL 2017

Bourtange is a historical village located in the Southeast of the Groningen province. It is surrounded by a star-shaped fort built in 1593 in order to control the only road between Germany and the city of Groningen during the Dutch Revolt. As it is very close to the German border, its position was crucial to the area. After the final battle in 1672, the fort continued to serve as a defense point on the German border until it became a village in 1851. Now it functions as a historical museum.

I had the pleasure to stay for one night in the village, at a fortress lodging. I even slept on a bedstee, a type of covered bed that soldiers used to sleep on. At the village you can find a souvenir shop for gifts, an old type candy store, a watchmaker shop, the candle shop “Victoria” and enjoy a warm wine and a nice meal at the village’s restaurants. The village has many museums you can visit (Terra Mora, Museum “The Baracquen”, Captain’s House, The Synagogue), and various other places of interest that demonstrate the history of the place. Some of them are the various Officers’ Houses (Major’s House, Captain’s House, Commander’s House, Schoolmaster’s House, Convoy Master’s House) the Priest’s House, the soldiers’ barracks, the cannons, the two gates, the “secreten” (toilets of the old days), the bastions, bridges, ditches, ramparts, the guardhouses, the picturesque Market Square, the church, the Peat Barn, the horse mill, the standard mill, the Synagogue, the powder houses, the former forge and many others! Check out the photo gallery below to see some of those places!

The village even organizes reenactments of the Bourtange battle and other types of markets and events throughout the year. Check here for more information. If you are lucky, you can spot the soldiers marching at the main square of the village. Bourtange is a typical example of the Dutch saying “klein maar fijn”, which translates into “small, but beautiful”, since it is all about quality over quantity.

Bourtange Fortress in Southeast Groningen. November 2017. The Netherlands. Minolta dynax 7000i, Kodak Gold, ISO 200, 35mm film.

Martin Scorsese – The Exhibition 25/5-3/9

He is one of the most famous and most loved American filmmakers of his generation. His movies have inspired many and his distinctive personal style has shaped attitudes and modes throughout the years.

If you don’t know it already, the Eye Film Museum in Amsterdam has been hosting Scorsese’s exhibition since last May. With an immense personal collection (Scorsese’s and De Niro’s) of objects (over 400), memorabilia, awards, documents, photographs, and a compilation of film fragments, this exhibition guides you through the beginning of Scorsese’s inspirations and his life work with care and great self-awareness.

The exhibition is wisely divided according to the general themes of Scorsese’s films and inspirations. The main ones are family, heroes, brothers, relationships between men and women and are the most intense and descriptive ones throughout the exhibition. They include many key film fragments that are projected on large screens, but also photographs, small video fragments, objects and storyboards that show how and why Scorsese chose those themes in his work. Evidently, this part is very interesting and powerful, representing consistently the key inspirations and film subjects Scorsese utilized the most.

After those sections, the least important ones follow, such as editing, camerawork, cinephile and music. The section of New York is perhaps the one that almost every guest feels the need to explore a little bit further. There are clips, many film objects exhibited and even a giant wall poster with a yellow neon Mean Streets sign and Travis Bickle’s wonderings in Times Square. Here, you can take the well-deserved selfie.

The exhibition covers successfully the whole spectrum of Scorsese’s filmic career and focuses on his early and most acclaimed work. Taxi Driver, Mean Streets and Raging Bull are perhaps the most present films in this exhibition that reappear in many sections and the ones that made Scorsese famous for his glorified view on violence. The Wolf of Wall Street and The Aviator are also some of the films you will see a lot, however, not much is shown from Gangs of New York or Hugo. Nevertheless, the small screens hanging in every corner include clips from almost all his films. You also get the chance to witness his early student work and his documentaries about New York and his Italian-American family that are not so famous. While you enjoy his vast and diverse filmic work, much of his personal stimuli and inspirations prove vital for the full experience of this exhibition. You will discover the incidents and events that shaped young Martin and the ways he conceived his filmic ideas.

His style and touch are present everywhere in the exhibition, which makes everything more personal and somehow more accessible. For this reason, in many parts of this exhibition you hear Scorsese’s own voice narrating a story accompanied by an old movie fragment that functioned as an inspiration. Those clips are short and create the strange feeling that he is there with you, guiding you through what you see. The exhibition knows what it’s offering and how to present it and the director’s guidance creates intimacy, while you stroll around watching, hearing, touching and reading everything he ever made or loved.

Scorsese recognizes his own importance and has created an inspiring and honest exhibition for anyone, either a young filmmaker, a cinephile, or a fan. The exhibition is a personal journey on the director’s work and inspiration that helps you realize his importance, contribution and influence on cinema. The exhibition succeeds that by showing everything in a truthful and simple manner.

While walking through the exhibition – which takes approximately 2 hours – you feel this raw and rough sensation overcoming you, which is soon replaced by a familiar sense that you have been inside Scorsese’s brain. Not because you visually witness his work and life in front of you, but because he allows you to.  And that is a luxury you can’t say no to.

 

 

Additional information: Every written text of the exhibition is offered in English and Dutch, and is at times overwhelming. Nevertheless, it accompanies the visual part quite effectively. Except for the exhibition, you can watch many of Scorsese’s films in the museum’s screening rooms, but also some of his personal favorites. Check the full calendar here. 

How to get there: from the Amsterdam train station, you walk towards the back of the station, you reach the port, and you get one of the ferries that depart frequently. They are for free.

Prices: a full price is 13 euros, a reduced 11.5 euros and if you own a Museumkaart it costs 3 euros extra. Book them here.

The exhibition starts at 10 am and is open till 7pm. The film screenings are till 10pm. For more information, visit the Eye Film Museum website. If you book tickets online, you avoid the queues in the entrance of the museum.

(Photographs are taken with a Samsung phone, that is why the quality is poor)

Het Fries Museum: The pride of Friesland

Walking towards the Frisian Museum, its majestic building is prominent to the visitor’s eye. With its big glass windows and its modern form, the unique building stands out without deviating from the architecture of the rest of the Wilhelminaplein buildings. Located in the center of Leeuwarden, the capital of the Friesland province, the museum is considered to be the personification of real Frisian pride! In its three floors you can explore parts of the history, art and culture of Friesland.

When entering the first part of the museum, sounds of farming life dominate the space. Church bells, sheep, tractors, thunder. In combination with the enormous landscape pictures on the wall, the first impression is totally…Frisian! The first floor is dedicated to history, geography and the Frisian culture, while it offers detailed information over why Friesland is the way it is. You can learn more about the sword of the famous Frisian hero Grutte Pier or the mysterious life and death of the dancer Mata Hari and discover the creation and development of the dikes in Friesland for the last 2000 years, probably the most interesting section of this floor. Explore 19th century paintings, pottery items, costumes, ancient findings and even a replica of the famous Hindeloopen room where you can discover the multicultural decoration style of this iconic Frisian city. There is so much diversity in this section that sometimes the desirable balance is lost and you find yourself struggling with all this information. Perhaps a second visit would be necessary.

The second floor offers a detailed account of the impact the Second World War had in Friesland. From a video installation that shows shortly the course of the war in the Netherlands with archival footage to the fascinating room full of stories from people who survived, this section will cause mixed feelings and force you to spend a considerable time exploring the video interviews of the survivors. There is also a database of every Jewish Frisian who either was killed or survived the war. Other sections of this floor introduce you to the Leeuwarden resistance, but also to other war exhibits. Treated with respect and care, this part can stand on its own, while it takes some distance from the rest of the museum exhibitions.

The entire third floor is dedicated to the fascinating textile work of contemporary artist Claudy Jongstra. You can discover her process and inspiration, but also her newest work: square, carpet-looking textiles that hang prominently from the ceiling. This part of the museum changes frequently, so there is always something new to explore (Alma Tadema’s exhibition is available from the 1st of October).

The personal exhibition of photographer Tjibbe Hooghiemstra, who creates dreamy and poetic photographic sequences, offers more diversity to the museum. Till the 30th of next month you can observe his view on our world via extreme close-ups of nature and multiple photographs of our universe. Repetition and deep blue colors dominate this beautiful exhibition.

Modern and full of pride, this museum aims also for an international audience, not only Frisian or Dutch. Every exhibit is described in Dutch or in Frisian and the portable English catalogs available in every floor prove priceless for internationals. Perhaps a more elaborate section for the Frisian language is what is missing. However, this museum is already a valuable Frisian cultural experience.

(This article was written on September 2016. Repost from the ExoDutch blog. )

A Day in The Hague

Visiting The Hague is probably one of my favorite things to do.

As a multinational city, it is sometimes rare even to find people speaking Dutch. There are many international companies that employ foreigners, and since all embassies are located there, you will find people from all around the world walking the streets of the city.

You will hear French, Italian, Asian languages and so much Spanish that you will wonder where exactly on the planet you are. Well, this is The Hague and this is why we love it!

Every time I visit The Hague, I enjoy this diversity. You might wonder, what is the difference with Amsterdam then? Well, Amsterdam consists of mostly tourists and the people living in the Hague always inspire a different vibe to me. The Hague has more class, – if I can say that – and is definitely less busy. Perhaps this vibe and this class I am talking about comes from the fact that all government facilities are there, plus the King’s Palace and the International Court of Justice. Don’t get me wrong! I love Amsterdam and its atmosphere. The Hague is just different.

I had the opportunity to visit the city since a friend of mine lives there. Every time I go there, I wish I could stay more than just a weekend. Hopefully I can explore more of the city in the future!

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Fountain at Buitenhof

The center of the city is in walking distance from the central train station and you have a great choice between trams and buses if you don’t want to walk or the weather is bad. Also, the OV fiets is a great option for people who want to explore this city the typical Dutch way, by biking through it!

The Hague offers great shopping options. Almost all famous brands and chain stores are located at a walking distance and you can visit shopping malls or even better, explore the local shops for house design, clothing and more. Check here for some extra information for shopping in The Hague.

You can also visit the Nordeinde Palace of the Dutch King, Willem-Alexander. It is the King’s working place, but also where the Dutch Royal family lives. From there, you can visit the Palace Garden which is open to the public every day. The Palace itself is not open for visits, but if you walk a little bit further, you will explore a fantastic little neighborhood with art galleries, small cafes and restaurants, fashion boutiques, jewelry and antique dealers. It is probably the only place I have visited so far that has Dutch flags hanging everywhere in its small streets! It is absolutely beautiful.

When it comes to food, there is always a great restaurant or lunch cafe that you can visit in every neighborhood. I had the pleasure of going to De Bakkerswinkel (Torenstraat 142), a great lunch cafe, where I enjoyed the great weather from their terrace, along with some bio jasmine tea and a fresh courgette soup. Very friendly personnel, decent food prices and a great atmosphere.

As a city, it is great for walking, even if in many parts of it there are constructions happening lately. This made the city a little unattractive to me, but it definitely did not ruin the walking experience.

Stay tuned for my next visit to this fascinating city, where I would like to discover more art, pubs and the famous seaside, Scheveningen!

 

(Photos: taken with my Samsung Galaxy A5, 2016)

Featured image: Willem Van Oranje statue at Buitenhof.