The fireworks show in Weesp that was cancelled on New Year’s Eve because of heavy wind is going to take place on Friday evening and the Nelson Mandelapark were cancelled because of the weather The association Volksfeesten Weesp organized the show in Weesp The construction had only just begun when the show was ordered to be cancelled ahead of expected stormy weather accompanied by severe gusts of wind "This made it possible to immediately pack up the purchased fireworks and they are usable for the show on Friday," according to Weesp but it was not an independent municipality until nearly 450 years later Weesp officially became part of the municipality of Amsterdam in 2022 The cancelled fireworks shows will not be rescheduled at the other locations within Amsterdam Some fireworks were eventually set off during the New Year's show at the Museumplein Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Dr Arthur (Aart) Dolman completed his life’s work on May 16 He survived the Nazi occupation of 1941 to 1945 and with the sponsorship of an American officer who liberated his grandfather’s farm He joined the US army and fought in Korea where he was twice wounded in combat Following a stint as a drill sergeant at Ft Knox he transferred into the US Air Force as a security police officer and was assigned to the radar base north of Havre He met and fell in love with his first wife then a student at Northern Montana College He and his young family were then sent to Washington DC where he served as a member of the Air Force One honor guard protecting both the president and the vice president on numerous national and overseas trips Aart used his GI Bill to get bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Montana in Missoula then served in the Army Reserve while he earned his doctorate from New York University He taught at Wittenberg University in Ohio and St Mary’s University in Texas before working his way back to Havre in 1969 For the next 30 years he taught as full professor at Northern Montana College and his focus was studying the causes of war and peace He believed that individual action could change the world for the better and with his German-born colleague and friend Dr Hans Peterson would take hundreds of northern Montana students to Europe and Asia to show them that peace was possible even between the bitterest of former enemies especially for the conservation of Montana’s precious resources and environment He was a union supporter and strong advocate for social programs for poor and disadvantaged children he was president of Missouri River Citizens for many years active in Citizens for Clean Energy and the Montana Wilderness Association a lobbyist for education in the state legislature and had lifelong association with the Nature Conservancy He spoke seven languages and travelled the world continuously learning including martial arts in which he was a decorated black belt and sharing his deep knowledge with all he met he took great pride and pleasure in a weekly informal breakfast meeting to discuss current events and issues before the legislature.  Aart is survived by his loving wife of 30 years Andreé Deligdisch of Great Falls; his brother John Dolman; daughters Patricia Hurin and Debora Sudan; son Everett Dolman; six grandchildren; ten great grandchildren; and many Post metal-rock band Weesp has finally rewarded its fans – so called sailors – with the first single from a long-awaited new album and presents their brand-new track “Illumination” together with official music video This is the first music video and first release by the band since 2015 and it kicks ass so you don’t want to miss the ship under black sails The band stated that new album will have different surprising and powerful sound that will contain the old vibes but at the same time some unexpected add-ons in terms of instruments and vocals “We start our journey under the black sails with ‘Illumination’ single as it perfectly represents the sound and general feeling of the entire album as well as getting well with whole ‘Black Sails’ philosophy or just felt fucking angry about the world around you telling what is right or wrong so join us and have a great journey full of freedom named ‘Black Sails’ is expected for the beginning of 2018 but guys promise to release at least 2 more single from the album before that So it seems it’s going to be an exciting adventure under the black sails with Weesp at the helm Join the community now before you miss something really worthy “Illumination” single is now available on iTunes and Google Play stores and you can watch the music video below. The track is also available for downloading by this link ALBUM REVIEW: Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society – Grimmest Hits ALBUM REVIEW: Cheap Trick – Christmas Christmas   “‘Who We Are‘ by Weesp: more juicy sounds from the upcoming ‘Black Sails’ album. We’ve already seen two releases by rockers Weesp: ‘illumination’ and ‘Not Over’ singles that clearly showed how the band is […]   Alternative post-metal band Weesp from Belarus has announced its next single release, which is released today. The single is called “Not Over” and the guys are promising it’s going to be one of the […] Weesp, with a population of some 20,000, was granted city rights in 1355. The decision to incorporate Weesp into Amsterdam means the capital now has eight borough councils – Noord, Zuid, West, Oost, Nieuw-West, Zuidoost, Centrum and Weesp. The merger was marked at a modest ceremony in the fortified town on Wednesday evening. ‘Tomorrow we will wake up in a different local authority but in the same city,’ outgoing mayor Bas Jan van Bochove said. ‘We are a proud city on the Vecht river and we will remain so. Weesp is the prettiest city within Amsterdam.’ Despite the doubts about the wisdom of the move by many, city councillors say the merger was inevitable because Weesp missed the ‘administrative power to properly carry out its duties’. We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day. Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days! We could not provide this service without you. If you have not yet made a contribution, you can do so here. Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey. Amsterdam is circulating a new survey to improve the city’s nightlife The survey is being curated in partnership with Amsterdam-based research agency VibeLab and University of Pennsylvania's research arm Residents of Amsterdam and its neighboring city of Weesp can add their take to the survey through March 25 Encouraging people to participate, VibeLab posted a video to Instagram with the following call to action:  over 64 grassroots nightlife projects across Amsterdam received over €957,000 in grants supporting everything from club nights and concerts to artist residencies and experimental events These grants aimed at young creatives and shaped a more diverse and inclusive night culture scene in the city fill out the new survey because your voice matters.” These efforts are supported by Amsterdam's Nightlife Culture Implementation Agenda which was introduced to the city government in 2023 because it shows what’s going well and what can be improved with regard to our night culture,” reads a description within the survey all results will be compiled in a final report which will be officially handed over to the Municipality of Amsterdam All insights from the report will subsequently be used to strengthen and improve Amsterdam’s night culture.” Click here to fill out the survey Watch Rebekah and MeeToo Music's Short Film Why Representation Still Matters for Minorities in Dance MusicArticle Queer Bruk: Celebrating Black and Brown queer joy on the dancefloorArticle Global Dance Music Industry Valued at $11.8 Billion North Africa and the Middle East are Experiencing Major Music Industry Growth Per New ReportArticle International Music SummitIMS Business Report 2025: The Global Electronic Music Industry Hits a Record $12.9 BillionArticle LA Wildfire Relief: Donations & Resources for Music WorkersArticle BeatsourceSerato has been Sold to Canadian Technology Holding Company Bright Spots Appear for UK NightlifeArticle Music Connects Us Aims to Destigmatize Mental Health Issues With New Interactive ReportArticle Money Seized from Liverpool Criminals will Fund DJ and Production WorkshopsArticle BeatportBeatport to Livestream Arcadia's Mexico DebutArticle BeatportJoin the Beatport Campus Reps: Your Ticket to the Ultimate DJ ProgramArticle Ministry of Sound Introduces New Sober Rave Series For 2025Article International Music SummitIMS Ibiza 2025: Highlights from a Powerful Opening DayArticle Three Six Zero RecordingsRanger Trucco Q&A as he debuts on Three Six Zero RecordingsArticle The F-List: Rewriting the Rules of Electronic MusicArticle The Producer SchoolThe Producer School: Nurturing the Next Generation of Music ProducersArticle Watch the Beatport Documentary ‘Off The Record with HE.SHE.THEY.’Video BeatportBeatport & Don Julio Tap Carlita for 'Por Amor Weekender' in Verbier BeatportBeatport Expands Presence in Mexico with Localized Content Pricing and 'Beatport Connect: Mexico City'Article Future Frequency FestivalBeatport Joins Forces with South Africa's Future Frequency FestivalArticle BeatportThe Beatport Awards 2025: Categories & Nominees AnnouncedArticle Miller & Beatport Announce Six Nation Tour + DJ/Producer Competition Dutch dementia facility shows new way of providing long term care It lets residents roam while staff work in village shops to keep an eye on them Living quarters are furnished to reflect a person's younger days Health experts from across Europe and Japan are looking at the Dutch model '+n.escapeExpression("function"==typeof(o=null!=(o=r(e,"eyebrowText")||(null!=l?r(l,"eyebrowText"):l))?o:n.hooks.helperMissing)?o.call(null!=l?l:n.nullContext||{},{name:"eyebrowText",hash:{},data:t,loc:{start:{line:28,column:63},end:{line:28,column:78}}}):o)+" \n '+(null!=(o=c(e,"if").call(r,null!=l?c(l,"cta2PreText"):l,{name:"if",hash:{},fn:n.program(32,t,0),inverse:n.noop,data:t,loc:{start:{line:63,column:20},end:{line:63,column:61}}}))?o:"")+"\n"+(null!=(o=(c(e,"ifAll")||l&&c(l,"ifAll")||n.hooks.helperMissing).call(r,null!=l?c(l,"cta2Text"):l,null!=l?c(l,"cta2Link"):l,{name:"ifAll",hash:{},fn:n.program(34,t,0),inverse:n.noop,data:t,loc:{start:{line:64,column:20},end:{line:70,column:30}}}))?o:"")+" Countries and communities are taking action to change attitudes and keep people safe "I often say the whole world is a dementia village, and we have to include people with special needs in our normal society." So says Frank van Dillen, chief architect of De Hogeweyk an experimental dementia care facility in Weesp As the number of dementia sufferers soars in step with an aging population And so there emerges a global movement of what you might call "citizen dementia care." the government's Orange Plan involves training 12 million people by 2020 in how to recognize and engage with dementia sufferers in the community In Britain, Dementia Friends UK is a massive public education campaign offering both face-to-face information sessions and online videos "It aims to transform the way the nation thinks acts and talks about this condition," its website reads Out of the U.S. comes a Silver Alert broadcast strategy - based on the Amber Alert for missing children. The idea is to create a kind of community dragnet to keep watch for dementia patients who are reported missing. Other countries now have their own variations, such as China's Yellow Bracelet Project In Canada, several communities in Ontario have launched Blue Umbrella programs where free training is offered in dementia education and practical strategies of engagement "In Alberta, we've amended Bill 210 - the missing persons act - to include a section for silver alert protocol," says Lili Liu, a professor in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine and chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy Liu was one expert to supply research to members of the legislative assembly who passed the bill Globally, dementia has been recognized by the United Nations as one of the major health challenges for our generation given aging populations. Guidelines from Alzheimer's Disease International for "dementia-friendly communities" offer a blueprint for how efforts to cope might unfold worldwide The focus of these efforts is to destigmatize dementia encourage inclusiveness and foster compassion The message: be your brother's and sister's keeper Become a subscriber to read more stories like this Robust debate and criticism are encouraged gender or sexual orientation; that include offensive language spam; are fraudulent or defamatory; infringe on copyright or trademarks; and that just generally aren’t very nice Discussion is monitored and violation of these guidelines will result in comments being disabled About us | Advertise with us | Contact us Posted: 13 February 2015 | | No comments yet The OV SAAL project in the Netherlands aims to expand the railway system around Schiphol but not without serious challenges with respect to technique and accessibility Christiaan Caan and Koen Ingels both Managers from construction alliances on behalf of ProRail and OV SAAL’s Senior Communications Consultant provide further information about this huge project… Some people might have forgotten (or some people may just not know) that Flevopolder is a relatively ‘new piece of land’ Its impoldering took place in the 1950s; the Amsterdam region outgrew its location and needed new space for building houses Construction of the Afsluitdijk – a major causeway – was completed in 1932 and resulted in the separation between the North Sea and the Zuiderzee (a shallow bay) The Zuiderzee was from then re-named IJsselmeer dykes were built which allowed the act of impoldering to start southern Flevoland in 1968 and the Province of Flevoland was founded in 1986 This resulted in greater possibilities for work This also meant there was a need for more transport The opening of the Flevolijn between Weesp and Lelystad connected Flevoland with the railway system in the west of the Netherlands in 1987 The Hanzelijn (a railway connection between Lelystad and Zwolle) also connected the ‘new land’ with the north of the Netherlands by railway in 2012 The distance between Almere (Southern Flevoland) and Amsterdam is about 35km The growth of Amsterdam does not only mean there are more houses; the metropolis of Amsterdam is of great economic interest to the Netherlands overall More than half a million people travel daily from and to the metropolis region of Amsterdam The number of households will increase in this region by about 270,000 until the year 2040 Particularly in these times it is also important to have an economic top position and even more so to maintain this These developments make a project like OV SAAL1 (public transport Schiphol and aims to increase the capacity of the existing railway network In our search for increase of capacity we were confronted with a few substantial problems simply two extra railway tracks were built alongside existing ones but now optimisation of the existing track has priority doubling the railway track is taken into consideration The OV SAAL project reflects this way of thinking apart from optimisation of the existing ones This section runs from Riekerpolder (near Schiphol airport) up to Duivendrecht Station the capacity increase is completely established through optimisation of the railway track itself; for instance by building tail tracks by moving signals and by adjusting the layout of switches Apart from the capacity growth there are some less pleasant aspects for the immediate vicinity as well This means that mitigation measures have to be taken along the entire track Working in the very densely built-on area on the south side of the city of Amsterdam is like working on an overcrowded spot Viaducts and railway tracks must be fitted really closely into the space available Working in this area means that this already overcrowded spot becomes even smaller because space is needed just for doing this work the Netherlands’ highway network and waterway network manager works on the same corridor (Schiphol–Amsterdam–Almere) on increasing the capacity for road traffic3 The works on the railway track and on the road have a lot in common They are close together and cause hindrance on highways and railway tracks The activities have a great impact on the vicinity and the underlying road network (especially in and around Amsterdam) Therefore we have opted for a joint approach with respect to smart planning and building communication and environmental management All this together makes the Amsterdam element a unique challenge Between Riekerpolder and Duivendrecht Station on the Zuidtak (the railway track south of Amsterdam) two extra railway tracks covering almost 8km will be constructed Riekerpolder is the junction of the Zuidtak southern section and the Westtak western section (Schiphol–Amsterdam Sloterdijk railway line) The Zuidtak is connected to the Amsterdam–Utrecht railway line at Duivendrecht Station Because of the position of the new tracks between the existing tracks and the highway access to the construction sites is difficult Simultaneously with the construction of the viaducts the highways will also be worked on and a new underground line (the North/South line) will be built Sixteen new viaducts are required for carrying the new railway tracks and two existing bridges will be modernised The construction work on the railway section Riekerpolder–Duivendrecht Station has been divided into two contracts The activities are carried out under two alliance contracts between ProRail and a market party take care of the environmental management and act as delegated client for the contractors The alliances have a risk fund for managing design risks environmental risks and a number of client risks The main task of the alliances is to optimise the design and (the preparation of) the performance of construction work The incentive for the alliances is that at the end of the work the surplus of the alliance fund will be shared between the market parties and ProRail Amsterdam RAI receives an additional platform and a wider concourse The railway infrastructure will be adjusted at a number of locations between Weesp and Lelystad in order to increase the capacity Noise mitigation measures limit the effects of the increase of the number of trains on this section The works will be completed by the beginning of 2017 The Amsterdam–Almere section has two moveable railway bridges over the river De Vecht near Weesp approximately 32 passenger trains per hour pass these bridges These moveable railway bridges are a bottleneck in a good and reliable timetable Measures are required for limiting the noise disturbance for the vicinity caused by the increased railway traffic and bringing this within the standards again Two versions have been worked out: 1) replace the existing ‘noisy’ π-beams of the bridges by so-called ‘quiet’ bridge beams; 2) adjust the existing π-beams with noise-limiting measures such as lining the web plates with sound-proofing materials Although the initial construction costs are higher the first version scores best in reducing the noise nuisance and in the LCC analysis (Life Cycle Cost) The profit is mainly in the future because of lower maintenance costs and less disturbance of the timetable it was decided to replace the present bridge beams it will be possible to reach Almere Centrum by more trains and the railway traffic will be more intense than it presently is Also trains can be positioned before the start of their service without hindering the exploitation of the continuing tracks For this the railway track configuration will be extended on the eastern side with two tail tracks for trains coming from Amsterdam The trains can ‘turn long4’ here and the train driver can walk to the other side of the train using a service platform between the tail tracks Four standard and four diamond crossover switches are required to reach these tail tracks On the western side of the station the connection between the northern track and the middle track will be moved somewhat to the west The switch layout will be adjusted so that ‘turn short5’ turning will be possible and that trains can enter the station at a higher speed Noise mitigation measures will be taken along the railway track and near the station At the station the transparent panels used as noise barriers will be integrated into the existing station roof Noise barriers will be placed along the entire track at various places: The heights will vary between 1m and a maximum of 6m (above track level) and the barriers will be placed about 4.75m from the centre of the railway track Rail dampers will be installed near Almere Buiten Station Koen Ingels has been Alliance Manager on behalf of ProRail of the Amsterdamse WALTZ alliance since 2010 He is a civil engineer (University of Gent 1987) and has over 20 years of experience in the design and the implementation of multidisciplinary rail infrastructure projects in the Netherlands and abroad he was – by order of ProRail – Project Manager for the engineering firm Movares responsible for the plan study the contracting and the guidance of the implementation of the entire reconstruction of the station area in Arnhem (2006–2009) Christiaan Caan has been Alliance Manager on behalf of ProRail of the Amstelspoor alliance since 2010 He is a civil engineer (Delft University of Technology 1996) and has over 15 years of experience in design contracting and contract management in multidisciplinary rail infrastructure projects in the Netherlands he worked for consulting company ARCADIS and was – by order of ProRail – Contract Manager and Rail Systems Engineer responsible for the plan study the contracting and the contract management of the Drontermeer Railway Tunnel in the Hanzelijn (2003–2010) Kitty l’Abee has been Senior Communications Consultant to the OV SAAL project since 2012 the programme will be focused on five geographical areas of attention being two areas at the southern border of Amsterdam the programme will switch to the medium-term vision that is now under development No comments yet All subscriptions include online membership giving you access to the journal and exclusive content By By Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "a298e6ba531ca913c0b2b30a8098fdcc" );document.getElementById("j0f0bb4fb4").setAttribute( "id" Write for us | Advertise with us Global Railway Review is published by: Russell Publishing Ltd.Court LodgeHogtrough HillBrasted © Russell Publishing Limited Website development by e-Motive Media Limited Coiffure le Bird is an interesting collaboration between photographer Rene Mesman and the creative postproduction specialists at Souverein Weesp that features a series of portraits of birds Each feathery fowl–a trio consisting of an owl and a falcon–boasts a voluminous mane the kind meant for shampoo and conditioner commercials The quirky collection allows one to take an objective look at the lengths that people go to look a certain way The images put the tedious task of adding extensions and getting your hair blow dried and styled into perspective How would other animals react to our grooming habits if they could talk Want to advertise with us? Visit My Modern Met Media Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening Alternative post-metal band Weesp from Belarus has announced its next single release The single is called “Not Over” and the guys are promising it’s going to be one of the most heavy sounding songs in the discography of the band Weesp previously released a single single “Illumination” on December 24 and they are already giving more of their new sound to their fans-sailors The new single is included in the “Black Sails” longplay album which is planned to be released in the end of February “Not Over is about the endless struggle with darkness With the darkness that lives inside each of us And in the end it’s about accepting that darkness,coexisting with it That is what gives us strength not to get crazy in that world ‘Not Over’ will be the band’s first release of the year but for sure not the last one Weesp promises to release at least one more single before releasing the ‘Black Sails” album at the end of February check out its teaser and keep in mind that it will not be over on that Accompanying video was filmed during 2017 on summer festivals and “Black Sails” tour which took place in Belarus ALBUM REVIEW: Lycanthrope – Chapters The Southern River Band release ‘Cigarettes (Ain’t Helping Me None)   Post metal-rock band Weesp has finally rewarded its fans – so called sailors – with the first single from a long-awaited new album and presents their brand-new track “Illumination” together with official music video! […] One person was killed and one person was hurt in a residential fire in The Hague. The fire broke out at about 6:45 a.m. on Wednesday on Tenierplantsoen in the city's Schilderswijk district. The fire department confirmed they found two people in the home and began giving them treatment. First responders were unable to revive one person, while the other was taken to a hospital “with serious injuries.” Area residents told local news organization Regio15 that they heard a loud sound like an explosion. They also said they smelled natural gas earlier in the day. First responders said the police were called in to investigate what happened. The fire department response was quickly scaled up, and several ambulances were sent to the scene. Records show that two trauma teams were also dispatched to the location by helicopter.“The fire was quickly under control. The surrounding homes were temporarily evacuated,” the fire department said. Residents were allowed to return to their homes after the buildings were checked for carbon monoxide. Five residents of a senior citizen apartment complex in Weesp were rushed to hospital after a fire broke out in one of the sixty apartments on Tuesday evening. Emergency responders took one of the residents to hospital due to burn wounds. Four other residents were hospitalized due to smoke inhalation. A spokesperson for the fire department said the fire damaged at least 15 homes to such an extent that the residents could not return this evening. The fire brigade responded to the fire at the Wintertuin around 5:40 p.m. Firefighters brought the blaze quickly under control. The cause of the fire is still unknown. Twelve residents were immediately evacuated due to the smoke. They were received at a nearby fire station. The people who had to go outside later stayed in the central area of the building. Some residents were able to return home on Tuesday evening. According to the fire department spokesperson, mainly single elderly people lived in the complex. The condition of the hospitalized residents remains unknown. © 2012-2025, NL Times, All rights reserved. The Oudegracht in Weesp, which would normally see an eight metre tall tree hoisted onto a pontoon this time of year, has remained treeless, and locals are unhappy, the Parool reported ‘It’s a wonderful sight,’ Christmas tree coordinator Kit Miles told the paper ‘We’re talking about a very big tree.’ Miles said the omission by Amsterdam is painful ‘particularly because it is the first Christmas we are celebrating as part of Amsterdam.’ ‘Perhaps we should have included the provision of a Christmas tree in our agreement before we merged with Amsterdam,’ he said efforts by the council to save Christmas in Weesp have led to a promise that all shall be well ‘The central city district organises the provision of trees for Dam square and Museumplein The other districts are organising their own trees and Weesp must have fallen out of the loop I promise you that,’ an Amsterdam council spokesman said Miles said he is pleased but only cautiously optimistic ‘It’s not that easy to find an eight metre tree,’ he said We could not provide the Dutch News service without the generous support of our readers Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days We could not provide this service without you Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey and cancel your plans – The Southern River Band are here and they’re packing the soundtrack to the rest of your life ‘Cigarettes (Ain’t Helping Me None)’ is the brand new banger (see 21st century slang – ‘good song’) by the little old band from Thornlie that could good time rock ’n’ roll music from W.A’s premium proprietors of a damn good time After taking over Queenscliff Festival and smashing the ​Beat Magazine’s festival​review out of the park The Southern River Band will be heading back to Victoria to promote the release of the new single Cigarettes (Ain’t Helping Me None) Belarus alternative post-metal band Weesp release new single/video “Not Over” Sydney act Undercast release new song/Video ‘Let Go’   Come gather round, children, it’s high time ye learned ’bout a hero named Homer and a devil named Burns, as Dan Cribb releases the ninth track in his year-long tribute to The Simpsons, Worst […]   Legs Electric summon the spirit of the golden days of heavy rock – overcharging ’70s blues-based riffs with a full-power vocal attack and a live show worthy of Sunset Strip. In just a few years, the […]   Rock, Blues & Metal media publication The Rockpit is celebrating it’s 10 year anniversary in 2019! The rock media company will kick off celebrations with a special 10th birthday show in Perth on Saturday […] 2024 Photo: DepositphotosTrain operator NS is adding rush-hour trains on its main routes in what it calls the biggest shake-up of the timetable in years while continuing to face problems on its high-speed line Almere and Alkmaar will run every 15 minutes as will trains between Utrecht and Woerden NS will also run eight Sprinter trains an hour on the line from Amsterdam to Schiphol Airport and Hoofddorp to offset the restrictions caused by renovation works at Amsterdam Centraal Extra Intercity services are also being laid on from Groningen to Amsterdam in the morning and from Amsterdam to Almere late at night The new timetable will take effect from Sunday Journey times between Amsterdam and Brussels are being cut by 45 minutes with the introduction of a EuroCity Direct service as well as the EuroCity trains between Brussels and Rotterdam Altogether an extra 1,600 services will be added to the weekly timetable from Sunday NS still faces major problems on the high-speed line, where speeds had to be cut to 80 km/h on some sections earlier this year after cracks were discovered in five viaducts along the route The number of trains on the route between Breda and Amsterdam was cut from five an hour to four in February Track operator ProRail has raised the maximum speed on the vulnerable sections to 120 km/h from this week still well below the line’s capacity of 300 km/h NS was rated one of the worst performers in Europe in a survey of 27 companies by the NGO Transport and Environment earlier this week Dutch rail passengers paid some of the highest ticket prices exceeded only by Eurostar and British trains while reporting some of the lowest levels of customer satisfaction NS also scored poorly on special fares and discounts but was one of the best performers for reliability compensation for passengers and cycling policy The tourist tax rate is increasing from 7 percent over the room charge and 3 euros per person per night to a flat 12.5 percent over the room fee two people staying in a 200 euro per night room would pay 20 euros in tax essentially a tax hike of 25 percent in that scenario Cruise ship passengers who visit Amsterdam will pay 11 euros per person nearly a 38 percent increase from the current fee of 8 euros The new tax hikes put Amsterdam in the top five countries with the highest tourist taxes worldwide. Van Buren expects to raise over 65 million euros extra annually with the tourist tax from 2027. In the spring memorandum, the spring update to the current year’s budget, that amount was still 30 million euros. Amsterdam plans to use that money to tackle the “major tasks” the city faces, Van Buren said. Poverty regulations for locals with an income up to 130 percent of the social minimum will be extended. The city will push money into increasing the number of family schools, which offer help to parents, from 10 to 25. Amsterdam also wants to create 300 to 400 childcare and residential places annually for Amsterdammers at risk of homelessness. All city districts and Weesp will jointly receive 9 million euros over the next two years to tackle local problems in consultation with residents. Nieuw-West, Zuidoost, and Noord will get an additional 21 million euros. “We are investing unevenly in areas. We are having a conversation within the municipality about distributing resources for the city, and it is very different than before,” Van Buren said. The city won’t cut subsidies, makes more money available for water tasks like sewage treatment and rainwater collection, and is pushing 11 million euros into welfare, care, and youth care providers. The budget also includes 15 million euros for the approach to public housing, 500,000 euros for the fight against rats, and a budget bump of 73 to 81 million euros per year for enforcement. Amsterdam will face a budget deficit of 40 million euros in 2027 due to the “financial ravine” - the amounts that the national government transfers to municipalities and provinces every year - decreasing. The city hopes to convince the new Cabinet to increase this amount again. The city’s debt will amount to 8.7 billion euros in 2027. Van Buren pointed out that the supervisory authority of Noord-Holland approved the debt. Borrowing money is necessary for major projects like a bridge over the IJ or the new Meervaart, also noted in the budget. In the coming weeks, the city council will debate the budget with Van Buren and argue for changes they deem necessary. The final budget will be adopted in November. Almost half of the Dutch think that the merger of municipalities is not good for the management of municipalities. In a survey conducted by ANP and Kieskompas, almost half (46 percent) of the Dutch expressed negative opinions about the repartition and merger of municipalities. Only 17 percent of respondents had a positive opinion. Voters of ChristenUnie, PVV and FVD in particular see the redivision and merging of municipalities as a negative development. Of the supporters of these parties, almost 70 percent believe that this measure will be bad for local government. This percentage is significantly lower among VVD voters (37 percent) and voters for GroenLinks (36 percent), D66 (31 percent) and Volt (15 percent). In 2022, the municipality of Weesp in North Holland was merged into the municipality of Amsterdam. Here, the province played an early role in the process. In 2017, the municipality of Weesp was asked to decide which other municipality it wanted to be part of, otherwise the province would make that decision. In a referendum, they then decided to join Amsterdam. A municipal repartition was supposed to lead to more administrative efficiency and cost savings. However, critics, including a study by COELO (University of Groningen), pointed out that this type of merging could also lead to more distance between administration and citizens. Among other things, this would lead to lower voter turnout in municipal elections. In 2023, the Netherlands will have a total of 342 municipalities. In 2019, when the last provincial council elections were held, there were 355. Ten years ago, there were 408 municipalities in the Netherlands. The survey was conducted between February 24 and March 6 and completed by a representative group of over 2,400 Dutch citizens. They've got centuries-old architecture Published: Oct 19, 2024written by Gabriel Kirellos When we speak about the Netherlands, Amsterdam is usually the first city that comes to people’s minds. However, there’s much more to the Dutch country than its capital. And the best thing is that, on top of being steeped in history, the Netherlands is a small country on the European continent which makes it very convenient and easy to explore And what could be better than exploring some of the most historic Dutch small towns all located within a short distance from the City of Canals You’ll find out below that nothing beats such a “polder-perfect” journey If you want to learn about traditional Dutch life then this quaint village is the place to be in the Netherlands Located only about seven and a half miles north of Amsterdam Broek in Waterland boasts around 2,700 residents it’s just a 15-minute short drive away from the Dutch capital The highlights of this peaceful escape are its beautifully preserved wooden houses as well as its charming Wealthy Amsterdam merchants and seafarers started flocking to Broek in Waterland during the 17th and 18th centuries the village itself dates back to the 12th century When visiting Broek in Waterland, you’ll have the chance to marvel at the historic centerpiece of the town, Saint Nicholas Church While this landmark was built before the year 1400 it was destroyed during the Eighty Years’ War the Protestant church was later rebuilt in 1628 Broek in Waterland is also famous for its idyllic setting as well as its cleanliness so you’ll enjoy visiting it if you want to experience the Dutch countryside This small historic Dutch town is also located on the Northern side of the country just around ten miles northeast of Amsterdam Monnickendam dates back to the 14th century when it was founded by monks and its name actually translates to “Monk’s dam.” During its early years the town became a significant port for fishing and shipbuilding visitors enjoy coming to Monnickendam for its picturesque beauty and well-preserved architecture The 17th-century Weigh House (De Waag) should be at the top of your list when in Monnickendam which is a bell tower housing the Netherlands’ oldest playable carillon Don’t forget to head to the 14th-century Protestant church in town which was later restored after it was damaged in the Eighty Years’ War Monnickendam also hosts the annual Monnickendammer Visgaden which is an event that celebrates the historic fishing industry of the town you can experience traditional fish smoking and other local crafts Located on the northern side of the Netherlands this historic town is famous for its star-shaped fortifications These are considered among the best-preserved in Europe Naarden’s defenses are surrounded by formidable walls and a moat which is a unique site to behold and witness with your own eyes 16th-century military architecture If you want to learn in more detail about the role of Naarden in Dutch military strategy, then you’ve got to head to the Netherlands Fortress Museum or Nederlands Vestingmuseum, where you will get plenty of knowledge about the town’s rich history. After all, it’s not only in Amsterdam where you can find noteworthy museums Another amazing thing to do in Naarden is to try the boat tours around the fortifications Many of the buildings of the town date back to the 15th so you’ll be enjoying sights dating back to hundreds of years ago Make sure to visit the Grote of Sint-Vituskerk This historic church is worth the visit only for its iconic painted wooden ceiling You can also take in a panoramic view of Naarden and its star-shaped layout from atop the church’s tower When you stroll through the historic center of this picturesque Dutch town and charming squares that tell stories of the past of Edam The latter was a key hub for trade in the past That’s because ships were able to dock at its ports which allowed the town to grow as a trading center The canal-side homes and their grand facades are an iconic example of the wealth that once flowed through the northern Dutch historic town The name Edam is synonymous with its world-famous cheese The traditional cheese market of the town still draws visitors to this day during the months of July and August It goes without saying that one of the top places that you should add to your bucket list in Edam is the Edam Cheese Museum where you can learn more about the town’s dairy legacy It’s easy for you to get to Edam as it’s reachable with an easy 30-minute bus drive from the Dutch capital Muiderslot, a centuries-old castle, is the main highlight of this historic fortified town located east of Amsterdam. The castle was built in 1285 by Count Floris V and is considered one of the Netherlands’ best-preserved medieval castles Muiderslot also had a major role in protecting the Dutch capital particularly during the Dutch Waterline defenses you can tour the castle (which you should do) and have the chance to marvel at its beautifully restored interiors and gardens Another amazing thing to do in Muiden is to take a boat trip to Pampus Island The latter is a historic quarantine station for ships traveling to Amsterdam Pampus Island once served as a place where vessels were held before they could enter the city’s main port It’s also worth seeing the Great Sea Lock or Groote Zeesluis when you’re in Muiden This sea lock connects Muiden to the IJmeer river so this is where you can watch boats passing on the waterways This is a system of fortifications that was built to protect the Dutch capital This one was a former island in the Zuiderzee so it was separated from the mainland until a causeway was built in 1957 This was when it got connected to the rest of the Dutch nation The interesting thing about Marken is its car-free center filled with traditional wooden houses and clogs displayed outside The town really resembles something from a storybook Due to the fact that this historic Dutch town was isolated for centuries and because of its unique geography its distinct culture has been preserved to this day This includes the traditional clothing as well as the architecture of Marken One of the essential things you need to do in town is to head to the Marker Museum to learn about the history and lifestyle of the village The Paard van Marken lighthouse is another landmark worth witnessing It’s a symbol of Marken’s maritime history You can easily access this town by bus from Amsterdam and it’s the perfect escape if you’re looking to explore Dutch history and charm It’s just a short 15-minute ride from Amsterdam and boasts scenic canals Museum Weesp is housed in the 18th-century town hall and offers you a glimpse into early Iron Age settlements in town as well as Weesp’s contributions to Dutch porcelain and jenever production The Wispe Brewery is also a unique attraction that’s worth visiting This one is set in a historic church and allows you to taste locally brewed beers and dive into the brewing tradition of Weesp On top of the scenic canals and bridges that run through the town make sure to also explore the Ossenmarkt Fortress The Dutch town is located southeast of Amsterdam and became known for its trade and defense It’s actually one of the Netherlands’ fortress towns Weesp also played a major role as part of the Dutch Waterline a defense system that could flood surrounding areas to protect the nation’s major cities This charming Dutch village is home to around 8,000 residents and it’s located in the Green Heart of the Netherlands Abcoude is based just southeast of Amsterdam With a history dating back more than 900 years the town was first mentioned in records from 1085 It was first a modest village with a major focus on fishing and architecture What makes Abcoude so unique is its location at the confluence of the Angstel A must-see historical site in the village is the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Defense Line of Amsterdam which is open to visitors only from May to September It’s the perfect place to learn about the Netherlands’ historical defense system Add to your must-visit list also the 17th-century church tower as well as the old town hall Ouderkerk aan de Amstel offers a tranquil slice of Dutch countryside living It’s located just around seven miles south of Amsterdam You can reach the village from Amsterdam in just 40 minutes by cycling where you can enjoy riding past waterfront homes and open fields or you can opt for a quick 20-minute drive The charming Dutch village is located along the Amstel River so it’s the perfect escape if you want riverside terraces Ouderkerk aan de Amstel is also full of historic churches and it’s famous for housing the Netherlands’ oldest Jewish cemetery (Beth Haim) If you’re looking for some outdoor relaxation where you can enjoy a swim then Ouderkerkerplas lake is located just near the town Ouderkerk aan de Amstel was first mentioned in 1308 and its historical significance stems from its close proximity to Amsterdam 14th-century Volendam has transformed into a popular tourist destination with its colorful wooden fishermen’s houses that serve nowadays as restaurants and photography studios where visitors can dress in national Dutch costumes The fishing village is located about 13 miles north of Amsterdam and is nestled along the shores of the Markermeer the town served as the harbor for the nearby town of Edam it developed into a bustling fishing community Make sure to visit the Volendams Museum to learn about the village’s cultural heritage hit the local eateries for some delish smoked eel and seafood During festivals and special events in this town you’ll have the chance to witness residents dressed in traditional Dutch attire It’s easy to reach Volendam by bus or bike from Amsterdam and the village is usually included in guided tours along with Zaanse Schans and other must-see charming Dutch villages Gabriel is a travel writer and editor with 5 years of experience having authored more than 400 articles on historic sites from medieval castles in France to ancient temples in Asia offering readers in-depth cultural insights With personal travels to over 35 countries he combines firsthand exploration with historical research Gabi is a digital nomad traveling across Europe throughout 2024-25 to bring authentic storytelling to his followers The top part of the Sint Laurentius church tower in Weesp collapsed in a fire on Tuesday night The top 8 meters of the 25 meters high tower toppled The church was built in 1876 and is a municipal monument Firefighters managed to get the fire under control around 10:45 p.m ad extinguished it from outside in the following hours Fighting the fire was troublesome as it was too high up for the fire truck ladder to reach Firefighters sprayed the bottom of the tower with water to keep the fire from spreading So far there is no sign of anyone being injured Several houses and a school building around the church on the Herengracht in the center of the city The residents of five houses could not return to their homes on Tuesday night and were put up in a hotel Local media reports that work was being done in the church earlier on Tuesday But the police could not confirm this to NU Daar ging de toren :( #weesp pic.twitter.com/v8flppFgDy Brand ! #kerk #weesp pic.twitter.com/pyXWlNmJN7 Bijzondere klus in Weesp, kerktoren in brand! pic.twitter.com/fM5BvgTV4d worldDutch couples mark 20th anniversary of world's first same-sex marriagesDutch couple Gert Kasteel and Dolf Pasker pose for Reuters as they look back on their wedding 20 years ago in the world's first legally-recognised same-sex wedding and on the state of LGBT rights two decades on Dutch couple Gert Kasteel and Dolf Pasker made history when they tied the knot in the world’s first legally-recognised same-sex wedding in the Netherlands They were among four gay couples - three male and one female - to be married shortly after midnight by the mayor of Amsterdam on April 1 they celebrated their 20th anniversaries in small groups or at home due to Covid-19 social distancing rules that prevented large gatherings “It’s nicer to say to other people ‘he’s my husband sitting next to Gert as they flipped through an album of photos and newspaper clippings of the wedding All four gay marriages have passed the test of time Those who participated looked back with pride at having made legal history “People told me that the Netherlands would be the first and the last country (to pass same-sex marriages) the rest of the world won’t follow you,” said Henk Krol a lawmaker who supported the bill when it passed the Dutch parliament in 2000 “Almost 30 countries in the world followed the Dutch example,” he said Mexico and South Africa are among 29 nations to have legalised same-sex marriage since 2001 “I’m very proud that it’s possible,” said Gert who before he could complete his sentence had Dolf jump in and finish it: “that we could play a little part of it The fireworks shows that were planned in Amsterdam on New Year's Eve have been called due to the strong wind "Setting off fireworks can lead to unsafe situations because the strong wind can blow the fireworks away endangering the spectators and the environment." This concerns the fireworks shows at Sloterplas Two light shows at Museumplein will take place and a big light show with live music at 10:30 p.m a large clock will count down to the new year from 11:50 p.m This can be followed live on RTL from 11:55 p.m issued a code yellow for Noord-Holland and the Wadden area for New Year’s Eve due to heavy gusts of wind Other events scheduled to take place on New Year’s Eve have also been called off due to the wind the annual bonfires at the beaches in Scheveningen and Duindorp in The Hague were lit on Monday as a precaution and several New Year’s sea swimming events that were set to take place on January 1 have been canceled Amsterdam unveiled the world’s first hockey pitch that doesn’t need water last month — the inaugural FIH certified dry turf — as the sport continues to move towards stopping water cannons at elite internationals and is designed to be “perfectly sustainable and to contribute enormously to water savings” It will also serve as a test pitch for city officials to decide on investing in other municipal areas Unlock ALL our premium content for 3 months for only £1...and get use of our subscriber-only app for a better reading experience Simply select Monthly or Yearly subscription and use coupon 3FOR1 when prompted World’s first hockey pitch that doesn’t need water I don’t think so – there are many pitches out there which don’t need water and are used regularly Maybe you mean pitches which can be certified for FIH international matches I played on pitches that didn’t need watering – they were grass then England hockey should start sponsoring them here Any reports on carpet burn on these pitches This is what I see as water main advantage It would be good to hear what the players honestly think of the field This is one manufacturers solution to the FIH’s ambition to move away from water based fields at global level competitions The clock is ticking to have a suitable surface for LA 2028 My view is that any surface which meets the new FIH non-water standards will fundamentally change the game at the elite level How many other sports are moving away from their reliance on water That may finally be a solution to the dreaded spread of 3G pitches being installed at schools and by local councils They’re installing them because they’re great for football and rugby but unfortunately no good for hockey These new surfaces won’t address the issue of losing hockey pitches to football foundation funded 3G surfaces unfortunately I would suggest the closed loop surface which is being piloted as a solution to non water will be even worse to play football on than sand dressed 3G is a threat even if a community hockey surface is saved where they rely on 5 aside/football income As more 3G surfaces are built hockey pitches are more likely to lose bookings and unless hockey fills the gaps left when a school/leisure operator/council comes to resurface the economics will put hockey at risk Ultimately there are so many sand filled surfaces in state schools which clubs access where hockey is hardly played anymore on the curriculum or as an extra curricular activity The only hope is once the rubber crumb ban comes in (8 years time) schools and facilities prefer sand dressed surfaces compared to the organic infill systems which will be the only infill permitted The drive to non water will have little impact in the UK apart from the Elite end as there are so few water pitches compared to water in Holland and Belgium where sand dressed have never really taken off There are also quite a few clubs who have removed there water based pitches or replaced water with sand dressed and simply kept the water ling system for the top level games Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Dutch national railway NS announced plans to dramatically improve service next year by adding an additional 1,600 trains per week to the timetable in 2025 The improvements include overall increases during rush hour and weekend evenings as well as more trains throughout the day to connect Schiphol with Amsterdam the NS wants increases on the route between The Hague and Rotterdam and a doubling of trains to and from Belgium Because of construction at Amsterdam Centraal Station the Intercity Direct service will move to Amsterdam-Zuid The renovation work happening at and around Amsterdam Central Station in the coming years means that the station will have fewer platforms available and To ensure that this does not affect Schiphol Airport’s accessibility This train will run every 7.5 minutes between Hoofddorp and Amsterdam CS seven days a week and for most of the day NS also plans to run the ten-minute train between Rotterdam and Schiphol and Schiphol and Arnhem all day from Monday to Thursday and restore the 15-minute service with Sprimters between Leiden Central Station and Schiphol on Fridays the Intercity trains on the high-speed line between Breda and Schiphol will run to Amsterdam-Zuid instead of Amsterdam CS There will be more trains running through the city during rush hour NS is returning the 15-minute service between Amsterdam CS The rail company will also run the first train earlier on many routes and the last train later and The Hague will run every 15 minutes until 00:30 a.m “That means significant improvement for travelers in this part of the Randstad in the evening.” Running the 10-minute Rotterdam-Schiphol and Schiphol-Arnhem trains more will also significantly improve the accessibility of Amsterdam Bijlmer Arena station - the thoroughfare for many events in the Johan Cruijff ArenA and Ziggo Dome faster Intercity trains on the high-speed line from Rotterdam to Lelystad and Amersfoort Six sprinters per hour will run between Rotterdam and The Hague and there will be more trains in the early morning and late evening the Intercity trains between Rotterdam and Utrecht and between Utrecht and The Hague will run every 15 minutes from the morning rush hour instead of from noon NS and the Belgian public transport company NMBS are doubling the number of trains running between the Netherlands and Brussels from 16 to 32 per day in the new timetable fast train that will cut about 45 minutes off the current travel time The stations between Amsterdam Zuid and Lelystad will also have a direct connection with Brussels and Antwerp once an hour “Train passengers are currently experiencing inconvenience from less available equipment and personnel Although this new timetable cannot correct all the problems on the track we have still been able to implement a large number of improvements,” NS CEO Wouter Koolmees said ProRail is also planning more work on the track next year, and scarcity in the labor market remains a problem, the rail company said. “We, therefore, continuously recruit new colleagues, especially mechanics.” But housing experts Expat Mortgages say that despite a challenging market there are still investments to be made and beautiful homes in and around the Dutch capital ‘I see something changing,’ says Henk Jansen, founder of Expat Mortgages Amsterdam was divided in areas: you had the city centre What I see happening now is comparable with London: everything within the ring A10 will be called Amsterdam Centrum.’ who has 25 years’ experience as a mortgage adviser is to cast your net wider – think about a commute more like in London and also look at developing areas where students and artists flock rather than ones that are already €10,000 to €15,000 per square metre ‘If you are from London and you have to commute to work ‘If you live in one of those northern parts it takes time to get to the city centre…and I see that happening in Amsterdam as well Amsterdam should not only be for the rich – we need a social element But does everyone need to live within that very small area Do you still need to go to the office every day is your office still in the city centre of Amsterdam Can you commute to the outskirts of the city and then take a bike?’ Areas such as Amsterdam Noord, West and Watergraafsmeer, he says, have already risen in value, but expats could consider new developments like Haven-Stad where the city is investing in building 70,000 homes the south east and Bijlmer are still doable while Nieuw-West is still in development and settling down at the moment with existing and new inhabitants,’ he says It is also well worth sitting down with a map and looking at the towns and villages around Amsterdam Almere or Hoofddorp are good for young families they might be more willing to compromise on space because they like city life but others might look at going west outside the ring or to Bijlmermeer which hasn’t had such a good name but now has a lot of young people.’ Jansen suggests all kinds of towns within commuting distance of the capital city southeast but within the metropolitan area and also convenient and green Amstelveen and Uithoorn ‘I was at a meeting in the former expat centre and they called Zandvoort Amsterdam-on-Sea and Almere ‘Amsterdam-new-land’ where you might buy for €5,000 per square metre Dutch people immediately talk about the disadvantages If you’re an international and have to travel a lot for family or business Hoofddorp is very close to Schiphol and 15 minutes on the train from Amsterdam and the sea Aerdenhout: upper class areas for the Dutch that I see internationals recognising too.’ Kok says that if you do want to buy on the canals this won’t be possible with a budget of under €400,000 and you should factor in at least 10% for overbidding in order to get a house – as well as six months to find one and buy but you need to know a good contractor who has the time,’ she adds Jansen believes that even in a pressured market you should use every resource you can – friends information online and official documents – to research a possible house buy A good estate agent will give advice on what price to bid (and what is no longer a good deal) and be sharp enough to sell you to the buyer plus enough savings or a buildings reserve in your mortgage for urgent repairs and house maintenance over the years Look at the advantages: it’s still possible to buy a property in Amsterdam Don’t compare it with the past: compare it with Paris or London.’ This website has been translated using an AI program Going out in your own country and to the oh so beautiful Gooi and Vechtstreek With this one inside tips you are assured of a lot of hidden information hotspots where you can really leave the busy city life behind lots of delicious (organic) food and drinks (read: the necessary wine) is what awaits you And hey: of course a lot of this is fun too kid proof this beautiful region is less than a half-hour drive from Amsterdam Proves again that holidays don't have to be far away Tip number one: it's useful to have a car so that you are at least mobile When you arrive at this hidden tea garden in Weesp the first thing you notice is the historic rampart Walk past this and you will find a cute blue house – NOTE They put the garden on the table: from the flowers in the restaurant to growing their own herbs in the garden Every season they look at what is blooming and growing and what they can use in the restaurant sit back and enjoy all the beautiful things in life There is also a sandbox and toys for the children check or take a walk through the beautiful flower garden in the meantime Tip: at the end of the garden you can go through a gate which will take you to the dike - here you can take a beautiful walk along the water while the sheep frolic around you Tea garden NOTE  and then you eat five courses for 77,50 instead of 110 euros Aunt Koosje In Hilversum you will feel like you are in France nice seating areas and a welcome that the average Parisian could learn a thing or two from You can start the evening off right with a look at the wine list – ample choice all good – and a few oysters to get you in the mood The menu features classics such as escargots For the main course you can choose from tournedos with fries fish of the day or a tasty vegetarian option Museum Hilversum is located in a beautiful historical building in the middle of the city center various media art and photography exhibitions alternate here This means you won't lose hours in the museum so you really take your time for what is exhibited The museum is also located on a pleasant square where you can sit down on the terrace after your visit Museum Hilversum There is a restaurant in 't Gooi that is the only one ever to have a star Cared for It gives the feeling of a cozy living room restaurant Under the leadership of Dennis de Jong in the kitchen and Frank Velthuyse at the front they serve all kinds of culinary things at Soigné such as their signature dish: smoked eel with eggplant All this accompanied by mainly wines from Portugal Restaurant Soigne Zonnestraal Vineyard Where SEAson Arsenaal in Naarden was first a warehouse for military equipment, then a home furnishings store and showroom for the art and designs of Jan de Bouvrie, it is now a restaurant where they mainly serve fish and shellfish dishes. They call it accessible fine dining themselves, and if you book via tripper (four course dinner for 39,50 euros) it becomes even more caviar; all the goodies (and more) from the sea You will also find meat there (with a lot less focus on it) and there are also options for vegetarians so you can really go there with a whole group and everyone will still have something to choose from The Arsenal the little sister of star restaurant 't Amsterdammertje Bistrotel 't Amsterdammertje on the Vecht in Nieuwersluis but the bistro has no less than eleven rooms So you don't have to call the designated driver because after dinner you can just roll into your (luxury) basket Another great recommendation is the Peking duck It was provided with all kinds of loose ingredients so that you can make your own buns and pancakes Bistrotel 't Amsterdammertje Then last but definitely not least - Harbor Lake Village You can sleep here in an ecological water villa in the middle of a beautiful nature reserve adjacent to the marina The idea is to have a 'home away from home' to create a feeling Decorate your stay with a classic sloop right in front of your villa load up wine and cheese and sail across the Vecht For the sporty ones among us: you can also rent a canoe or SUP You don't have to leave your villa for dinner (of course you are allowed to) because you can do the whole thing à la carte menu full service have it delivered to your own outdoor terrace during the sunset You wake up in ultimate peace with a view of the water after which another breakfast is brought to you Harbor Lake Village A day of walking Blaricum is not a bad idea at all local residents founded all kinds of cozy specialty shops You can get the best cardamom buns Sourdough Bakery Sisters Bakery Then you get an ice cream at the cotton candy pink Ice cream parlor de Hoop where the choice of flavors is huge (yikes!) Get one over-the-top filled snack board for at home Loekie Delicatessen Get your tastiest asparagus during the asparagus season care farm BoerenBlij. And you can have lunch or dinner in the romantic courtyard Bistrôt Chapeau Then last but definitely not least - Restaurant de Tuinman (in the photo on the left) can be found on the grounds of Buitenplaats De Hoorneboeg A vegetarian (with vegan options) restaurant with products from their own vegetable garden under a cozy tent canvas and lamps - nice and fresh in the open air you can also eat inside just as comfortably This light greenhouse (or conservatory, you might also say) is really nice. Tasting room de Serre (in the photo on the right) You drive onto the estate via a forest path – nature all around The menu responds to this: whatever is coming from the land at that moment is on your plate There is also a large vegetable garden and a lovely field with horses and goats You won't get more idyllic than here and both very kid-proof Train traffic on a number of busy routes in the Randstad is heavily disrupted on Tuesday due to a broken overhead line on the tracks between Weesp and Amsterdam-Zuid The problems will persist until at least 5:00 p.m. A train set pulled part of the overhead line between Weesp and Amsterdam-Zuid loose at around 6:00 a.m. seriously damaging a large part of the line We hope that everything will be restored before the evening rush hour but it is difficult to give an exact forecast now." Only one track is currently available on the busy route between Weesp and Amsterdam-Zuid resulting in long delays and many cancelations These also affected countless other routes in the Randstad many trains were canceled around Schiphol and Leiden on Tuesday morning And trains are running far less frequently than usual on the route between Almere and Hilversum Diemen and Amsterdam Muiderpoort until evening rush hour "We advise you to postpone your trip if possible or to use alternative transport keep an eye on the messages at the stations for as up-to-date travel advice as possible" Amsterdam will celebrate New Year’s with a light show on Museumplein and several fireworks shows, the city announced This year will include several programs for kids and young people Professionals can also apply for a permit to light fireworks the lights and fireworks show on Museumplein last year was a great success That is why it will happen again this year “but even bigger.” This year will have a children’s show from 6:45 p.m the children secretly fast forward time to 00:00 and enjoy their own light and fireworks show.” The grownup part of the festivities starts at 10:30 p.m and will include live acts from the city and the largest countdown clock in the Netherlands There will also be professional fireworks shows in Weesp The show in Nieuw-West will include a special youth program in which young people can help set up the fireworks while learning the negative effects of lighting fireworks themselves locals support the city’s decision to ban consumer fireworks - 77 percent of Amsterdam residents think it is important to reduce the problems caused by fireworks and 89 percent don’t care about lighting fireworks themselves “Amsterdam wants to start a new tradition of going to a central New Year’s celebration on New Year’s Eve instead of setting off fireworks yourself.” Working from home is very much a part of life in the Netherlands these days and that has had an impact on the housing market as people move to bigger places with a garden or space for a home office Have you got one of those jobs that allows you to work largely from home are you curious about the rest of the country or have you simply had enough of where you are living now The Netherlands is small enough to let you travel easily and quickly between cities especially if you only have to commute a couple of times a week it's still big enough to feel very different Who can blame you if you are considering buying a house in Amsterdam with plenty going on and a stunning city centre to boot is that so many people want to live there you will need a lot of your own capital to be able to buy a house here – particularly if you want to live on a canal There are many good options outside the ring road – a flat with a view over the lake in Slotermeer could cost as little as 375.000 euros – as long as you don’t mind the 30-minute cycle ride into town café terraces and easy living just a short train trip away as well Check out Weesp – now officially part of the Amsterdam municipality – where you can buy a pretty terraced cottage for under 500.000 euros or a family-sized waterfront apartment for 550.000 euros Buying an apartment in Rotterdam means big and stunning views if you go for a waterfront block The port city has been climbing up international city rankings for years – Time Out put the Witte de Withstraat in 6th place in its ranking of the best streets in the world - and it has built up quite a reputation as a great place to eat And that is not to mention its museums and excellent public transport system you are only 45 minutes away from the wonderful beaches of Zuid-Holland and Zeeland and a handy airport that has escaped the problems Schiphol has had to deal with all summer What more could you want as a first-time buyer Expect to pay around 550.000 euros for a large apartment on the water much less for a terraced house in one of the city’s up-and-coming neighbourhoods The Hague has a reputation for being a bit stuffy and boring but Buying a house in The Hague means modern apartments splendid old mansions and older neighbourhoods that are being upgraded with all the modern facilities you could need so you can travel all over the country quickly and easily an English language theatre group and some fantastic museums; Kunst Museum is a particular favourite close to the courts and the diplomatic district you can pick up a modern apartment with a view of the sea Utrecht is a student city; that means plenty of bars Utrecht also means a small but extremely charming city centre the tallest church spire in the country and a city council which is doing its best to show off its green credentials is home to the Netherlands’ first bus stops with green It is also the centre of the railway network you can pick up a city centre cottage filled with period details for around 600.000 euros while a modern out-of-town apartment will cost upwards of 275.000 euros Utrecht is very big on bikes – it has the world’s biggest underground bike park – so you can whizz to the centre in minutes as the fifth biggest city in the Netherlands Eindhoven is definitely growing in popularity amongst the international community you can still pick up a brick terraced home in a family-friendly street for under 450.000 euros or a spacious starter flat not far from the High Tech Campus for under 300.000 euros Eindhoven is also surrounded by pretty towns and villages such as Waalre and Son en Breugel so you have plenty of choices when looking for more rural charm It’s also only around an hour away from Rotterdam and Amsterdam by train