The second half of the seventeenth century is known, in the Netherlands, as the golden age of the Dutch republic or – more simply – the golden era. But just prior to this period of increased wealth and prosperity, a group of artists and intellectually met regularly at the castle … Continue reading
A long, slow, cold day in the north of England. In the morning, as I walked from my hotel to the train station, the sky was a deep, bruised colour, and as the train pulled out of York snow began to fall. By the time I reached Haworth the fields … Continue reading
Bianca Giaever says: “I asked a six year old what my movie should be about, and this is what he told me.”
I went for a lovely ambling walk in the city of York today, with the charming, ebullient and very engaging local historian, Chris Kelly. I have to make notes for the exam he threatened, but in the meantime, here are some of the very wonderful things I discovered with his … Continue reading
One of my best friends in the whole world taught me about keeping a gratitude journal. It’s not something I do regularly, mostly cos this year I’m too busy keeping my four-minute diary (I learned how from the totally awesome Lynda Barry, who tumblers at The Near-Sighted Monkey). But today, … Continue reading
Today I headed to the movies* to see Steven Spielberg’s latest blockbuster, this time the historical film Lincoln, which concentrates on the last few months of President Abraham Lincoln’s life, and particularly the political machinations surrounding the passing of the 13th amendment (abolishing slavery) and the end of the revolution. … Continue reading
Today is the first day of the endurance cycling season in the Netherlands, so all around the country cycling enthusiasts are hitting the roads. In the Netherlands, endurance cycling is more than a national sport. Everyone knows that Amsterdam is the city of bicycles, that a bicycle is part of … Continue reading
Today’s little entry in the cabinet of curiosities comes from the royal palace in Amsterdam. The palace squats at the edge of the Dam – the large central plein of Amsterdam. It was built in the mid-seventeenth century as a town hall, and its history as a centre of bureaucracy … Continue reading
This very ordinary little wooden plaque with tin triangle advertising the sale of watches played a role in saving hundreds of people’s lives in Haarlem during the Second World War. During the period of the nazi occupation of Holland, the Ten Boom family ran a safe house above their clock … Continue reading
God, I think I’m becoming a museum tragic. All of my letters home are filled with the stories I find in them, and in the conversations I rarely have the courage to strike up with strangers. I’m sure I’m boring all my long-suffering friends to death, so instead I should … Continue reading