Category: The Hague

Prinsjesdag – Budget Day in The Netherlands

Golden-Carriage
Traditionally on the third Tuesday of September our Queen makes a tour through The Hague in her Golden Carriage. Before the two houses of Dutch Parliament, the Second Chamber or House of Representatives (150 representatives) and the Senate or First Chamber (75 senators), in a Joint Meeting, she voices the Speech of The Throne, highlighting the plans of Dutch Government for the coming Parliamentary Year and declares the new Parliamentary Year open. The Dutch Minister of Finance then presents the Budget for the next year. One could compare it with the State of The Union Address in the US or the Speech from The Throne in the UK.

This year the whole ceremony is a bit weird, because we’ve just had General Elections and tomorrow will see a completely different Second Chamber then today. Also the budget has been prepared by a government that is demissionary which means it operates but has resigned. The newly elected Parliament will (hopefully in a short time) form a new Government. Politically sensitive subjects are not handled by a demissionary Government.

The Dutch name for the day is “Prinsjesdag” or Day of the princes, as it is customary the childs of the king (or queen) sit in on the ceremony next to the Queen. In recent years only Crown Prince Willem Alexander sits in.

Here you see the Golden Carriage leaving the Ridderzaal at the “Binnenhof” were Our houses of Parliament have their seat. Photo via Wikimedia by Dutch Ministry of Defense (R J Essink).

Lola Lo-Lo-Lo-Lo Lola – Not what you Think!

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See this Quirky Bicycle?

Rather than resting on its side standard or a back standard, it rests on its front standard in front of a shop in The Noordeinde in The Hague.

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Lola?

Off course when I hear or see “Lola” I associate that immediately with the famous Kinks song “Lola“, but this is not about that Lola and maybe I’m too old for you to remember this;-)

The name of the shop is Lola Bikes and Coffee soon daringly being opened officially in the posh Noordeinde in The Hague directly opposite the Lion’s Den of the huge Dutch coffee brand Douwe Egberts.

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A Combined Bicycle Show Room and Coffee Bar

The owners of a bicycle rental shop a couple of houses away from this new shop have taken the initiative to combine renting bicycles with selling extraordinary nice new bicycles while serving coffee in a trendy bar and also combined with the repair shop in the back of the bar. Clever and daring. I wish them a lot of success!

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Coming Soon

They’ve issue a trendy Bicycle magazine already. Their web presence is limited to a FB page for the moment but will come soon. I had a feeling the owner (left) was discussing the website with the designer….and through the window you can just see the coffee Goliath’s name (Soon to be divested from Sara Lee).

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!