Girl on an Antwerp mural

I was pretty sure about the location of this mural (in the Lange Nieuwstraat) but unfortunately I haven't been able to find any more information about the girl on the mural, the creator etc.

Still a nice enough piece to show you.

Linking to Monday Mural.

In the Dwingelderveld today

During our hike today in the Dwingelderveld National Park in Drenthe we met this kind gentleman with his carriage and horse. When he saw that I was going to take a photo him he stopped..

..so I could take my time for a few photos. Look at this beautiful horse!

And after a chat they went on to enjoy a wonderful day.

Kitchen entrance

Here we are at the back side of 't Pestengasthuis (literally: 'The Plaque Guest House') at the Weversgildeplein in Zwolle. The building dates from around 1450 and was located outside the city walls to function as a hospital for people who suffered from the plaque. After the plaque epidemic ended, the house was used as a soldiers hospital, an orphanage, a warehouse, and a blacksmith's home.

A few centuries later the city walls were replaced as the city grew bigger. Nowadays 't Pestengasthuis is a restaurant in the heart of the old city centre. I haven't eaten there, but as it is listed in the Michelin Guide it must be good!

During our city walk we passed this somewhat hidden door at the back, and as the label on the door indicates it apparently is the kitchen entrance.

Church ceiling

A detail of the ceiling inside the 15th century Great or St Michael's Church at the Grote Markt in Zwolle.

Flowers on a bridge

One of the canals in the city centre of Leeuwarden.

Restaurant sign

Photographed at the Nieuwe Markt in Deventer, earlier this month.

I'm linking to signs, signs.

Royal manhole cover

Over 400 of these special manhole covers picturing our King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima were produced as a gift for just as many Dutch towns and cities in 2013, when on April 30 former Queen Beatrix abdicated in favour of her son.
I spotted this one in the village of Wedde in Groningen, near the Castle of Wedde.

Whales mural

Today another mural that we spotted in Antwerp, last June. Apparently the find of a whale bone in the Antwerp subsoil inspired street artist Larsen Bervoets (1979) into making this great mural.

The wall is of one of the houses in a small street called Houtenbrug in the Schipperskwartier (Sailor's District).

Linking to Monday Mural.

Hiking in Westerwolde today

Three views from our hike today, which we started in the village of Wedde and brought us through the wonderful region of Westerwolde, in the south east of the province of Groningen. Isn't this field of sunflowers a beautiful sight?

We passed large fields with corn..

..and small villages and farms.

Introduction week

Around now, universities in the Netherlands are starting their official orientation weeks for all first year students to introduce their new studies, the city and of course the student life.
I visited Leeuwarden today and watched these students having fun while floating in one of the canals. Together with other guys and girls on the banks they were all singing loud and clapping hands.

The Story-Boat

During our city walk in and around the centre of Zwolle we also passed De Verhalenboot ('The Story-Boat') in the Thorbeckegracht. It's a unique entertaining as well as training location for both individuals and companies. They offer story telling theatre. give lessons in presentation techniques, organise story telling festivals, etc etc

Folded

This yellow coneflower ('echinacea paradoxa' or 'gele zonnehoed') in our garden had folded its petals as if it was making a surprise package!

Art studio sign

Following up on my post from last Monday with the Daniël Douglas murals in the Papenstraat in Zwolle, this photo shows the artist´s art studio/gallery next to the murals. Here he exhibits his work and he gives workshops as well.

Nice to mention is that across the street is the Celepoortje (Cele Gate) I showed you last Sunday! 

I really like the sign hanging on the wall! I think the word I'd choose for it is stylish. What do you think?

Linking to signs, signs.

Psst! Hey, lady!

A detail from the outside wall of the St Michaëls Church in Zwolle.

Daniel Douglas murals

Next to his art studio/gallery at the Papenstraat 6 in Zwolle you see this wall with 3 murals by Daniel Douglas (1984). This Dutch painter and poet studied at the Florence Academy of Art in Florence. His work contains portraits, nudes, still lifes and landscapes in a realistic style.

I´m linking to Monday Mural.

Celepoortje Zwolle

In the Papenstraat in Zwolle is the Celepoortje (Cele Gate), through which an old courtyard can be reached. In the Middle Ages Johan Cele (1350-1417), headmaster of the Zwolle Latin School and musician in the St Michaël Church. lived here.

View to the small courtyard.

Smile!

I photographed these two doors in Zwolle. Enjoy your weekend! :)

Playing Tantrix

At the book fair in Deventer this gentleman was happily introducing Tantrix to everybody who came by and showed interest. Tantrix, invented by Mike McManaway from New Zealand, is an elegant table strategy puzzle game requesting and offering a mixture of skill and chance. For us it was the first time we heard of it and it was fun to watch!

The 56 hexagonal tiles in a set contain 3 lines each with different colours, and no two tiles are identical. Players place tiles to create the longest line or loop, or any other shape.
Click HERE for its official site if you would like to read more.

Papenstraat Zwolle

This narrow street in Zwolle is named Papenstraat, or Pastor Street, because the home of ´den Pape´ ('de pastoor', 'the Pastor') was located here until 1580. Before that this street was called Keizerstraat, Emperor Street, named after emperor Frederick III who gave Zwolle permission to manufacture coins.

Het Gelezen Boek

Another sign photographed during our visit to the book fair in Deventer, earlier this month. 'Het Gelezen Boek' ('The Read Book') is an antiquarian bookshop in the Walstraat.

I'm linking to signs, signs.

Flower pot

Even though the plant in this flowerpot was in desperate need for water (or maybe not anymore), I still liked to photograph it. The pot was hanging from a tree branch along a canal in Zwolle, an unusal place!

Day care centre mural

The outside wall of this day care centre in Zwolle smiles at you! :)

I'm linking to Monday Mural.

Stolpersteine

Here lived IZAAK DE LEEUWE  born 1908  murdered 27.10.1942 Mauthausen

Here lived FANNI DE LEEUWE-GRüNEBERG  born 1918  murdered 17.9.1943 Auschwitz

Here lived EVELINE MARTHA DE LEEUWE  born 1938  murdered 17.9.1943 Auschwitz

These 3 Stolpersteine ('Stumbling blocks' in English, or 'Struikelstenen' in Dutch) were recently placed on the doorstep of the Luttekestraat no.40 in Zwolle. Stolpersteine are small, cobblestone-sized memorials and part of a monument created by artist Gunter Demnig to commemorate victims of Nazi oppression, including the Holocaust.
They can be found in several countries, and hundreds of cities and towns.

Zwolse Balletjeshuis

This is the 'Zwolse Balletjeshuis' at the Grote Kerkplein in the city of Zwolle. Since 1845 the Van Der Kolk family is making their famous round sweets here called Zwolse Balletjes. They are regarded as a traditional Dutch delicacy, and made according a (of course!) very secret recipe.

Inside there is lots to choose from all kinds of sweets!

Lady in a window

This colourful gable stone on the wall of one of the buildings in the narrow St Jansstraat in Deventer (the alley I showed you yesterday) pictures a lady looking out of a window, and it refers to the presence of prostitution at this location in the past (presumably). I mentioned yesterday that Deventer is one of the oldest cities in our country, however this gable stone is rather 'new' as it was made by sculptor Ton Mooy (1948).

The poetic lines are by J.C. van Schagen (1891-1985), a Dutch poet who died in Deventer. The lines "eens halve kous heet nu St. Jan / maar wat er bleef dat af en an... / wat ik u brom u keert weerom" are really difficult to translate as the first two are hard to understand for me even in Dutch. The bottom line however ("let me tell you, you will return") apparently refers to the fact that the St Jansstraat is a dead-end street.

In an alley

Deventer belongs to the oldest cities in the Netherlands and knows many historical buildings, houses and streets. This is an alley near the central square. Tomorrow I will show you the item that this lady is photographing!

Bicycling sport books

A sign saying ´Wielersport Boeken´ ('Bicycling sport books'), spotted in Deventer last Sunday. And I also like the way how the window above the entrance door has been decorated!


Linking to signs, signs.

Deventer book fair

 We visited the Deventer book fair this weekend, a huge event that takes place each year on the first Sunday of August.

A total of 878 market stalls through the city streets and along the IJssel River were selling books: novels, history books, comic books, thrillers, childrens books etc etc

This photo is from the central square, and taken in the morning when it wasn't very crowded yet. According to the news that we heard later, 130,000 people visited Deventer on this day.

Passage mural

Continuing with the Comic Book Mural Trail in Antwerp we are at the Eiermarkt, where on request a mural was created -called 'Passage'- picturing the relation between nature and the city. The characters painted here are carrying plants and flowers that they just bought.

And this girl with her hair blowing in the wind refers to the 'Boerentoren', a tower and drafty spot in the city.

These murals are created by Jan van der Veken (1975), a Belgian illustrator who specializes in book covers and posters. He works internationally for both large and small clients in the cultural and commercial sector.

I'm linking to Monday Mural.

MusSAILkanaal

Over a hundred cargo-vessels came to Musselkanaal this weekend for 'MusSAILkanaal'. With this event the village in the south of the province of Groningen celebrated 250 years 'Stadskanaal' (by which is meant the actual canal -'Cities Canal'-, not the town Stadskanaal nearby) as well as 400 years 'Semslinie'.
The Semslinie is a part of the border between the provinces of Groningen and Drenthe that runs from Wolfsbarge to Musselkanaal, right through the former Bourtanger Moor.

Both pictures are from yesterday evening. We were very lucky to have such beautiful Summer weather!

Badboot

The ´Badboot´ is a floating swimming pool at the Kattendijkdok in the Antwerp district ´Het Eilandje´. This photo was taken from the panorama roof of the MAS building.

And this is the Badboot seen from the ground. Nobody was swimming when I took this photo (unforturnately!), but it is advised to make a reservation if you want to swim here as a maximum of 160 people are admitted in the pool at the same time. With a ticket you are allowed to swim for an hour.
In Winter the Badboot is used as a skating rink.