Leeuwarden, City of Culture
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Leeuwarden, City of Culture
It has been mentioned before in other threads that Leeuwarden, in Friesland, is one of the two European Cities of Culture this year (the other is Valletta in Malta, and I thought this article from the Guardian was interesting enough to link to, and maybe encourage some of you to venture north away from the usual tourist traps a trails of the Netherlands.
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2...e-with-a-local
The whole province is involved in the year and there are more event than mentioned in the article.
Welcome to Leeuwarden2018.nl - Visit Leeuwarden 2018
https://www.friesland.nl/en/european-capital-of-culture
If you do head north let me know
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2...e-with-a-local
The whole province is involved in the year and there are more event than mentioned in the article.
Welcome to Leeuwarden2018.nl - Visit Leeuwarden 2018
https://www.friesland.nl/en/european-capital-of-culture
If you do head north let me know
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That would be good, the route goes really close to where I live. I think we need a bit more frost for a bit longer though and anyway it's nearly time for spring, not skating! However I han't be packing a way my winter woollies just yet.
But maybe next winter? Not a chance I fear.
We were just looking at the instructions on a tin of beits for our shed - apply when it is warmer than 8C, when the sun isn't shinning, there is no risk of rain and it isn't windy. They've clearly never been to Friesland!
But maybe next winter? Not a chance I fear.
We were just looking at the instructions on a tin of beits for our shed - apply when it is warmer than 8C, when the sun isn't shinning, there is no risk of rain and it isn't windy. They've clearly never been to Friesland!
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I've seen three of them since moving to the Netherlands, though only on TV. My kids began to think winter in the Netherlands was always so cold after the '85 and '86 ones. They were happy as they got Ijsvrij from school, and even went skating with the school a couple of times. The parents provided the koek en zopie.
The winter of '97 they were old enough to go off skating with their friend, along the Eem and in the Loosdrechtse Plasen.
Definitely time for another Elfstedentocht!
Meanwhile I shall enjoy the events around the city of culture
The winter of '97 they were old enough to go off skating with their friend, along the Eem and in the Loosdrechtse Plasen.
Definitely time for another Elfstedentocht!
Meanwhile I shall enjoy the events around the city of culture
Last edited by hetismij2; Feb 20th, 2018 at 06:36 AM. Reason: typo
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At least, and all shipping traffic needs to be stopped at some point. So two weeks won't cut it: at least two weeks of severe frost, then a week when there should be no snow, no thawing and hopefully night temperatures holding at well below zero.
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I did a nice loop this last November- fly into AMS, train to Arnhem for 2 night, train to Groningen for 2 nights, Leeuwarden for 1 night, Alkmaar for 2 nights, finishing in AMS for 3 nights. I had a car from Groningen to Alkmaar.
I love the 'smaller' cities, less expensive, crowded; yet still have the sense of being somewhere definitely else. Canals/river, great public transportation, pedestrian zones, bakeries, ring parks that follow the old town walls. I highly recommend this spot in the world.
My daughter/boyfriend were looking to spend 2 wks in Switzerland and Germany. The details were getting tricky and expensive. Now, they are following most of my November trip and flying down to Zurich for the rest. I've been reliving my trips sending them links and screenshots of google maps satelite view, tilted 3d. Amazing maps of the path from train station, to hotel, to downtown areas, spots that I stopped at.
Thanks for the thread, and all the help you 'locals' have given me through my visits to your country.
I love the 'smaller' cities, less expensive, crowded; yet still have the sense of being somewhere definitely else. Canals/river, great public transportation, pedestrian zones, bakeries, ring parks that follow the old town walls. I highly recommend this spot in the world.
My daughter/boyfriend were looking to spend 2 wks in Switzerland and Germany. The details were getting tricky and expensive. Now, they are following most of my November trip and flying down to Zurich for the rest. I've been reliving my trips sending them links and screenshots of google maps satelite view, tilted 3d. Amazing maps of the path from train station, to hotel, to downtown areas, spots that I stopped at.
Thanks for the thread, and all the help you 'locals' have given me through my visits to your country.
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On behalf of them: thank you. And that was a great loop, even well doable by public transport, also to include Deventer, Zutphen, Zwolle. For those who want to try: train to Arnhem from Amsterdam, train from Arnhem to Deventer, Zutphen, Zwolle, train from Zwolle to Groningen, Train from Groningen to Leeuwarden, Express bus from Leeuwarden to Alkmaar via Afsluitdijk, train from Alkmaar to Amsterdam.