The participants in an international ‘love story’ that has lasted more than six decades will rendezvous again same time this year.
Thousands of Canadians will head to Holland in early May to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands – and will once again bask in the adulation of the Dutch population.
Canadians looking to feel welcome in a foreign land can find no better place than Holland, especially in a year that ends in ‘5’ or ‘0’ when major celebrations connected to World War Two are held. These visitors to the land of windmills, canals and tulips are treated like family during the festivities – especially veterans, who are often invited to stay in Dutch homes during their visit.
The close friendship between Canada and the Netherlands began in May 1940 after the invasion by Nazi Germany that prompted the Dutch Royal Family, exiled in England, to send the reigning monarch’s only offspring, Princess Juliana, out of harm’s way to Canada.
When the princess gave birth to a daughter, the Canadian government temporarily declared the maternity room at the Ottawa Civic Hospital Dutch soil to preserve the baby’s citizenship.
As if that were not enough to earn Canada a place of honour in the hearts of the Dutch people, Canada’s armed forces played a major part in freeing the beleaguered citizens from near starvation and wartime atrocities at the hands of their conquerors. Thousands of our young Canadians are buried in cemeteries throughout Holland, having laid down their lives to rescue the country from Nazi tyranny.
There will be numerous celebrations in cities, towns and villages across the Netherlands throughout May and, to some extent, for the rest of the year. A number of tour companies offer packages that include airfare, ground transportation and hotel accommodation.
Many Canadians, however, prefer to make their own arrangements. There are several airlines that fly to Holland from major Canadian airports – most notably KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, where Dutch hospitality begins before travellers leave Canadian air space. The Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions or a local travel agent can help with travel plans as well as with a pre- or post-event tour of the Netherlands that will store up enough delightful memories to last for years.
With only a limited time to take in the country, probably the best way to sample what Holland has to offer is to concentrate on two of the three largest cities in the country – Amsterdam and The Hague – conveniently located a short train or car ride from each other.
Amsterdam has more historic buildings, museums and other entertainment sites than it’s possible to take in during a single visit. Luckily, the city is very compact, with most attractions within walking distance of or a short tram ride from the Amsterdam Central Railway Station hub.
An absolute must in these days of world-wide high prices and tight budgets is the purchase of a tourist promotional package – a printed tourist guide called “I Amsterdam” that can be carried in a pocket or purse. It contains a map of the city, a smart card with an electronic chip that can be used for free admission to many attractions, a transport ticket allowing free use of the city’s bus, tram and metro systems and a voucher section giving discounts at a number of restaurants, museums, souvenir shops and car or bike rental agencies.
The guide can be purchased at Amsterdam Tourist & Convention Board outlets, including those at Schiphol Airport and the Amsterdam Central Railway Station, or in advance on-line at www.iamsterdam.com. The cost is €38 for a 24-hour pass, € 48 for 48 hours and € 58 for the use of the guide for 72 hours.
Probably the best way to get to know the city quickly is to take a canal tour. Holland International Canal Cruises offer a one-hour glide through various canals, while Blue Boat Company’s tour lasts 75 minutes. Both feature knowledgeable guides pointing out the various sights that can be visited at leisure after the return to dry land.
Those visitors with an appreciation for art will have a hard time deciding which gallery to visit first. High on everyone’s list is the Van Gogh Museum. The building houses the world’s largest collection of artwork by Vincent Van Gogh, consisting of some 200 paintings, 500 drawings and 700 letters – many of which are illustrated with his sketches.
The nearby Rijksmuseum has more than 400 masterpieces on hand by such artists as Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Vermeer and Jan Steen. Rembrandt aficionados can also tour his 17th Century home and workshop at Museum Het Rembrandthuis.
To be right on the cutting edge of the art scene, visitors can tour the newly-opened Hermitage Amsterdam featuring masterpieces from its namesake in St. Petersburg Russia.
While it’s bound to bring a lump to the throat and a tear to the eye, a visit to the Anne Frank House should be on everyone’s agenda. The little Jewish girl whose family hid from the Nazi in an apartment behind false walls at a downtown factory left a diary that has been reprinted in book form throughout the world and has been the subject of several television docudramas and movies.
To lighten the mood after a tour of the Frank apartment, the nearby Tulip Museum tells the story of this colourful flower, from its discovery in the mountains of Central Asia centuries ago to its place in Dutch culture and its worldwide popularity today.
The Hague, on Holland’s North Sea coast, is the seat of the Dutch legislature, the Dutch Supreme Court, the International Court of Justice, and foreign embassies. The city is the headquarters of numerous commercial entities, including the Royal Dutch Shell petroleum company.
A highlight of a visit to this metropolis involves a tour of Mauritshuis – the Royal Picture Gallery – where crowds congregate around Vermeer’s famous painting Girl With A Pearl Earring. Less appetizing but equally popular is Rembrandt’s massive canvas, The Anatomy Lesson.
Another crowd-pleaser is the Gemeentemuseum, housing the largest collection of works by Mondrian as well as a wide selection of modern art dating back to the early 19th Century. Also featured is an anthology of drawings, prints and posters of the 19th and 20th century, with an emphasis on work by Bresdin, Redon and Lautrec. The fashion section includes historical costumes and contemporary designs along with accessories, jewellery, drawings and prints. The music room contains an extensive collection of instruments, illustrative visual materials and a library of musical documents.
While in The Hague, families with children will want to hop a tram for a fifteen-minute ride to the miniature city of Madurodam where visitors feel like giants strolling along avenues featuring scaled-down replicas of public buildings, a soccer stadium and Schiphol Airport with tiny airplanes taxiing up and down the runways.
A further fifteen-minute tram ride leads to the North Sea resort area of Scheveningen, where a stroll through the Sea Life Centre will bring the visitor up close and personal with living creatures ranging from the razor-toothed piranha to seahorses to tortoises to hammerhead sharks.
A first visit to Holland will illustrate just how much more there is to see. Canadians who make the trip will get the impression that when they return – and they no doubt will – they will be treated like old friends.
Photo by Tom Douglas
This article appeared in East of the City Magazine.
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