Category: Netherlands

Impressions of Today’s 070 Twitterlunch in The Hague by 020

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Location just next to The “New” Church of The Hague which dates back to 1658

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Birdies were necessary to keep the tweeps focussed

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Excellent sandwiches and soup by Pavlov

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KeesBteA had had his hair sharply coiffured for the occasion.

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The Organizing Trio. Thanks!

Twitterlunch The Hague

Yesterday Dutch Government resigned after Geert Wilders withdrew his support for the minority Government led by Mark Rutte. Today there was a big debate in Parliament here in The Hague whether or not to have new elections and before or after the summer holidays…

But for me the most important event of the day was the Twitterlunch in the Hague, organized by Amsterdam Based Event Queen @Puur, together with the The Hague based @filosoof and @1espresso who organized a 070 Twitterlunch in Pavlov

As always when I go to such events, it is good to see that apart from their actual looks or  sizes, the characters of those who act on line – in this case twitter – and who dare to attend such events are generally in line with the impressions they give you online. A nice feel of meeting old friends even with the ones you haven’t met before yet.

The venue Pavlov is excellently located for such event and they did their best to accommodate everyone.

And the best of all? Hardly anyone’s attention distracted by a mobile. Tweeps were communicating In Real Life;-)

The best compliment for The Hague? @Puur commented: “Where can you find a city where surfers are walking in the city center with their surfboard under their arm?”

Interested in the photoset? Here it is on my Flickr Account.

It was an animated event and will certainly be repeated.

Why the by 020?

Oh yes and why the by 020 in the title to this post? The fact that it was someone based in Amsterdam who took the initiative…a telling tale…while there are many people involved in social media and active on Twitter in or from The Hague and many events in the Hague…maybe a bit sleepy mentality? I do agree, but my motto is always: “You should sleep in The Hague and Party in Amsterdam” The exception of a well organized event proves it;-)

The End of the Wilders Era?

Rutte and Verhagens with Wilders Hairdo

The End of the Wilders Era?

As you may know, my hometown The Hague is the center of Dutch Government.

Today Geert Wilders left the coalition talks that lasted already 7 weeks and were aimed to create an acceptable package of cutting expenditure by Dutch Government.

Wilders stated he withdrew his support for the minority Government led by Mark Rutte.

Less than two years, on another platform I presented Rutte (left on the photo) and Maxime Verhagen (right on the photo) as our new Prime Minister and Vice Prime Minister when they started this adventure. Both with the typical Geert Wilders hairdo. An apt and fabulous caricature I found on FB then.

New General Elections expected in September/Ocober 2012

It is expected that new General Elections will be held in September Oktober 2012. Until then Rutte and Verhagen will remain in office and have a difficult task of getting the 2013 budget accepted by a Parliament that is divided an has too many small political parties.

Again Rutte may need his life vest to keep the Dutch Ship of State afloat.

My expectations

I expect Rutte’s VVD (Liberal) party to win the elections, but how the landscape will look after the elections is very unsure. Verhagen’s CDA (Christen Democratic) party most certainly will lose. I do hope Wilders PVV party will lose according to a very old Dutch political wisdom: “He who breaks a Coalition Government, will suffer in the elections” . The darkest horse is the conglomerate of left wing (various Social Democrats and Labour) parties. I believe it is likely a new government will consist of Liberals and some left wing parties.

Sunny Peace Palace

Sunny Peace Palace

To get a photo of the Peace Palace in The Hague with sun on its front you’ll have to be early. Today I was early and the day started gloriously sunny. Hence a sunny front. After all it is the first day of spring 2012 today!

Happy Birthday John Cage

Happy Birthday John Cage from HappyHotelier on Vimeo.

This year the 100th Birthday of a famous American composer, John Cage, will be celebrated.

This Birthday cake installation for John Cage I found in an exhibition in the Museumsquartier of Vienna that I visited quite unexpectedly earlier this week. I made a small piece of video so that you get a feel of why all small loudspeakers were used to decorate the cake.

Featuring more than hundred different works, “MEMBRA DISJECTA FOR JOHN CAGE: Wanting to Say Something About John” is an homage to John Cage, whose hundred birthday is being celebrated around the world in 2012. The Latin term “membra disjecta” in the exhibition title indicates John Cage’s method of working with a scattering of elements from various sources. The subtitle refers to a multiple that John Cage created in Marcel Duchamp’s honor after his death: “Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel.”

If you happen to be in Vienna shortly a must visit exhibition!

Below is a trailer for an memorial of John Cage in The Hague on March 10, 2012:

Birth of the Dutch Cycle Paths

The Netherlands is a bicycle country. This documentary gives a short history of the birth of our cicle paths.