Category Archives: Utrecht

The Wendi Files – Pet Peeves and Favorite Things

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There are certain experiences in life that no matter how much we desire and long for them they still invariably come up a little short. There is one such experience for Wendi that happens much too infrequently and when it does it’s so small that it leaves her craving more. If you haven’t guessed yet, it’s Ice Cubes. For some reason Europeans seem to have a bad attitude about these frozen little wonders that add so much joy to Wendi’s beverage experiences. If the given establishment even has them at all, which they frequently do not, they are parsed out as if they were recently unearthed hidden treasures. She is yet to see someone actually fill a glass with ice cubes. Wendi finds this particularly unnerving in that they still advertise the drink as “iced tea”. You see “iced” is the operative word here, it brings to mind a frosty glass filled to the brim with a “cold” thirst quenching beverage, not a warm glass half full with weak, cloudy and tepid green tea. Now I know you’re thinking that in a larger context this is a very minor annoyance, just a small bump in the road of life, but then you don’t travel with Wendi.

None at all.

Just three little ones.

See, it makes her crazy.

She also hates excessively long stairs.

Getting the phone to work can be somewhat troubling.

But it’s not all bad. She frequently points out her favorite things.

Her favorite sweater.

Her favorite tree.

Her favorite shoe.

Her favorite stuffed bear.

Her favorite statue.

Her favorite mulled wine.

Pointing out her favorite experience, shopping.

Telling Sabine her favorite story.

Showing me her favorite painting.

And standing in her favorite country, Holland.

 

 

Jittery at Jaarbeurs

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Jaarbeurs

For 2 days each November, completely over the top, massively obsessed collectors of every conceivable stripe converge on Utrecht in the Netherlands to buy, sell, barter and bullshit at Verzamelaars Jaarbeurs, The International Collectors Fair and Europe’s biggest Vintage Event.

We thought it would be a perfect fit for us, but as we approached the building the sky darkened, the clouds began to roil and it all started to feel, you know, funny. A peculiar vibe emanated from the doors and we soon discovered that the hall was filled to capacity with very strange creatures indeed.  I can’t prove it, but I just know, they’re watching us.

“The odds are you’ll find what you’re looking for, but there are even better odds that you’ll find something else, because this happens to be The Twilight Zone…..”

“Marsha White, in her normal and natural state, a wooden lady with a painted face who, one month out of the year, takes on the characteristics of someone as normal and as flesh and blood as you and I. But it makes you wonder, doesn’t it, just how normal are we? Just who are the people we nod our hellos to as we pass on the street? A rather good question to ask . . . particularly in the Twilight Zone……” The After Hours – Season 1 – Episode 34

Collection of Curiosities

To lighten the mood we thought a quick stop at the University Museum might just hit the spot. This small museum has a lovely botanical garden which only serves to hide many curiosities.


The Skeleton Collection

Prepare to quiver with horror as we approach the Bleuland Cabinet.

All these artifacts come from the private collection of professor of medicine Jan Bleuland.

Jan Bleuland (1756-1838)

Jan Bleuland (1756-1838)

I think I may be permanently scarred. There’s also babies in bottles but my partner says they’re just too much.

Utrecht’s Number One Citizen

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Meet Miffy

Holland has produced some amazing characters, both real and imagined, but none more perfect then Miffy. This quiet unassuming gender bending cartoon character has captured the imagination of generations of Dutch children. I say gender bending because there seems to be a bit of a divide out there. Apparently, creator Dick Bruna didn’t dab a flower onto the rabbit’s smock until 1970 and folks born before that were free to assign any gender they chose to the little bunny.

Miffy is a worldwide phenomenon with more than 120 books that have sold over 85 million copies, a feature length film and three television series.

Why so popular? Miffy appeals to children all over the world, but especially here. She, like the Dutch that adore her, is unpretentious, uncomplicated, has a very positive attitude and, even though innocent, is always open to new experiences.

But she’s no push over. Miffy has been forced to duke it out with Miss Kitty over copyright and trademark infringement and has won.

The dismayed creator has simply said, “No, don’t do that. Try to make something that you think of yourself”

She is no more revered then here In Utrecht, Bruna’s hometown. Called Nijntje in Holland, there is a square named after her, the Nijntjepleintje (Little Nijntje Square), the Centraal Museum has opened a permanent exhibition called the dick bruna huis (Dick Bruna house), there is a Nijntje Museum and there are even street lamps shaped like the little bunny.

 

 

 

 

On February 16, 2017, Dick Bruna died at the age of 89. Miffy would be 62 today.

 

 

 

 

 

More Interesting but Useless Facts;

In the Netherlands, Miffy is known as “nijntje”, which derives from the Dutch word “konijntje”, meaning “little bunny”. This is a very logical name for anyone who speaks Dutch, but not in any other language. Because “nijntje” is difficult to pronounce for non-Dutch speakers and because there are so many different words for “bunny” in other languages, the rabbit is simply known as Miffy. The name has no special meaning, but is easy to pronounce in all languages.

See how practical the Dutch are?

Happy Town

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Utrecht

Utrecht is the fastest growing city in The Netherlands and with a population that is the youngest of any Dutch city it is considered by many to be the country’s beating heart. With a very walkable medieval city center small enough to explore on foot, Utrecht is still large enough to enjoy world class festivals, modern architecture and numerous quality museums. It is developing from a medium-sized provincial city into a regional capital of European importance. Public health is first in all fields of public policy. Residents and stakeholders in the city are encouraged to take the initiative and seek to forge partnerships that will help make Utrecht a healthier place to live. According to the United Nations, it is one of the most happy cities on earth.

The Dom

St. Martin’s Cathedral, or Dom Church, is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours. This Gothic church was the cathedral of the Diocese of Utrecht during the Middle Ages and is the country’s only pre-Reformation cathedral. It has been a Protestant church since 1580 when the Utrecht city government took the cathedral away from the Diocese of Utrecht and gave it to the local Calvinists. From then on only Protestant services were held in the building with one brief exception, in 1672 and 1673, during the Franco-Dutch War, when Catholic masses were again held in the cathedral. Following the Reformation, Catholics were legally obliged to worship discreetly in clandestine churches (schuilkerken).Over the subsequent centuries the cathedral fell into a pitiable state. Major renovations are ongoing.

During the 16th century, the influence of the Reformation was growing. The dissatisfaction over the abuses of the Church had become so strong that it resulted in a revolt during which statues, furniture, altar pieces and carvings in the churches were destroyed.

Wijnstraat aan de Werf

The passageway

The passageway

We are staying in a lovely little canal side apartment in the middle of the old city center. You literally have to walk down a small passageway and then along the canal to get here.

Wijnstraat aan de Werf -Our Street

Wijnstraat aan de Werf – Our Street

The Oudegracht - Our Canal

The Oudegracht – Our Canal

Our idyllic little shelter was rocked at 7:30am this morning when the construction crew arrived to begin work on the new canal wall directly in front of our window.

Got to go. I have things to do.