The Netherlands main Schipol airport is a massive hub, so there are frequent flights from all over the world. It is well served with a train station on site, and trains to The Hague (or Den Haag) take around 40 minutes.
Den Haag is a city very well served by public transport, and clean efficient trams and buses (and trains) run frequently. A day tram ticket costs 7 euro, you can take the number 9 tram out to the Zuiderpark stop itself (photo opportunity), or number 16 to Loevensteinlaan on the corner of the park. During my visit, there were works happening on the no.16 tram which meant it actually stopped at the Zuiderpark stop, hurrah!
The runners gather near the massive Sportcampus, a stunning circular building with a huge copper collar, glinting purple and bronze in the sunlight.
Facilities:
There are clean loos in the Sportcampus,
and coffee and parkfaff afterwards in the Parkoers cafe. Service is slow here, but there’s a tasty selection of cakes, toasties, and even beer if you fancy it (shout out to the Northern lass behind me in the queue who was having one “because she could” :-))
Crowd:
No surprise, this is a major tourist draw, though numbers are usually manageably around 60-80. Attending the 25th event with me were a hen party some of whom were running, and others who were doing tailwalker and photographer duties.
Others had made a short trip over from the south of England, whilst I also got chatting some Welsh visitors. Those cow cowls come in handy! I was making this a delayed “zixtieth” birthday celebration, and this was one of many trips which had been rescheduled a few times due to travel restrictions and quarantine requirements. So it was an absolute joy to be here on a gloriously sunny Saturday morning.
My goodbyes when leaving the cafe were “safe trip home” “all the best with the wedding” “see you in Belfast sometime” and “Happy Z Day!”
Course:
The Invictus Games were due to take place in the following month, and so an alternative 3 lap course was being used. This is the Netherlands – there are no hills! The paths are good tarmac, but do watch out for other users on bikes and roller blades.
Time:
My running times are still rubbish, so I was hoping for 15 minute laps, and was very pleased when my final time was a tad over 40 minutes. A next target to aim for!
Strangely Appropriate Song On Shuffle:
I’d forgotten to bring my waist belt to hold my phone, so I ran without music, which allowed me to hear a woodpecker in the trees. There is much avian activity here, with ducks, geese and even hens joining the song. Instead of music, in my head I counted from 1 to 100 in English, then French, German and Spanish, with a 1-20 walk break in between. Then backwards from 100 trying to find a song with that number in it. 12 Days of Christmas took some time trying to remember how many lords were a-swimming, and how many gold swans were a-milking.
Gear:
I wore my green 250 shirt (much admired), my warm black running trousers (almost too warm given the beautiful weather), and the aforementioned cow cowl. Forgot my running belt and wrist band. Saucony shoes were perfect for this terrain, and I also travelled in them to save space in my luggage. I had my aqua tourist jacket on against the chilly morning, and lent that to R afterwards while he was on paparazzi duty.
And The Rest:
A few days in Den Haag are very highly recommended, a beautiful friendly city with lots to see and a relaxed vibe. Trip To The Netherlands
Second star on the right, straight on till morning, isn’t it? No, that’s Neverland!
“Trip to the Netherlands” is a Scottish country dance, and a tricksy enough one at that, but we did it at my Tuesday night class the day before I took a….
Trip to the Netherlands!
This was a holiday that had a bit of history of rescheduling and push backs. And Gawd Bless Easyjet. It started with my The London Marathon journey, when we had both booked flights to the capital. Then R couldn’t go, so we re-booked his flights (where d’you wanna go? Amsterdam? Cool I haven’t been there either) and I booked adjacent seats on the same flights in February. All for minimal cost and fuss.
January came, and Covid restrictions were still in place. End of January and restrictions were lifting, including parkruns, so we booked a cancellable hotel in Am’dam, with a lovely Scottish vibe to it. And then we double checked on regulations and found we would still have to quarantine for 5 days. So we pushed the flights back to March. And then found that the hotel prices had literally doubled. So I suggested we look at Den Haag – I knew there was a Scottish dance ceilidh on the Friday night, it has the gallery with the Girl With A Pearl Earring, and most importantly – the parkrun begins with a Z!
We booked a room in the appropriately named Corona Hotel, and the journey began.
Flying from Belfast International (we all still call it Aldergrove) can be a pain, but it does have some good points. Booked parking in the main stay car park, which is very close to the terminal building, is not expensive, and I’ve always found security checks to be friendly and fairly quick. There’s still many outlets not yet reopened but Starbucks provided the necessary seats and caffeine. Our 9-50 flight had meant a reasonable leave the house time.
We’d boarded in good time, and started to taxi, but then halted because of an aviation fuel spill. Seeing fire engines on standby with lights flashing was certainly a worry! But we did get underway, and the flight to the busy hub of Schiphol takes just over an hour. This airport is HUGE, no seriously, you land and then taxi for a few miles until you reach the terminal building. It is also technically 5m below sea level.
There is a train station onsite, where you can get onward journeys to eg Amsterdam, or in our case, The Hague (Den Haag)
Our hotel was a short 15 min walk from the station, and we admired the lovely open squares full of people eating, drinking and laughing, as we passed by. The hotel staff were very welcoming, and we soon had dropped off our bags, had a relaxing drink on the hotel terrace, and set off for an aimless wander (ie to find vodka, wine and the holy grail of diet coke). Some places don’t use mastercard or visa, only maestro, so make sure you have some euro cash with you!
We found a lovely rooftop restaurant for pasta/ steak, and then wandered through the Passage, a vintage shopping mall with some gorgeous little emporia and a bit of history of the building as well.
Day 2
Having passed on our plan to stay in the capital, this was our day to visit Amsterdam. R had found a Flixbus that cost only 16-90 return, a third of the train prices, and which got there a few minutes earlier.
Took a while to find the right stance down at DH Centraal, but we did after a few enquiries find the green Flixbus sign, and a straggle of other travellers joined us. Good clean bus arrived right on time, and there was no trouble finding seats (in front of an annoying talking woman). After 40 minutes we discovered why this option was cheaper and quicker, as it pulled into the park and ride hub at Amsterdam Sloterdijk, just outside the ring road. We bought all day transport tickets at 8-50, and the metro takes another 40 mins to reach Centraal. The train gets there in 5 minutes, so that’s a good alternative option.
But wow, Amsterdam Centraal Station is a hugely impressive jewel of a building, red brick gothic with a clock and a dial showing…wind direction? A busker with a miniature fairground organ was playing Queen songs as we passed, and we went for the easy option of MacDonalds breakfast muffins, before taking a canal cruise boat trip. These are an hour long, there are multiple operators offering the same journey, so the principle of arbitrage means they are all priced at 13 euros.
The tour is a very relaxing way to spend an hour getting some of the history of the city, and the ticket doubles as a postcard! We learned that as there are so few bridges across the Amstel river, the little ferries are free.
We strolled down the waters edge to the Sea Palace, a floating Chinese restaurant that is the replica of the Jumbo in Hong Kong. What a sumptuous interior, and we were fascinated by the robot waiters, which brought orders to the table on mechanised trolleys. Dim sum starters, followed by soup, and then we couldn’t resist trying the salted egg yolk dessert thing…..
A wander round the neighbourhood reminded us of the city’s reputation, which apparently is not the reason the city flag has three Xs on it. I enjoyed sampling cheese in Henri Willig, and bought a mini cheese slicer.
The Flixbus option is good value, but our return bus wasn’t scheduled until 8 pm, so we decided to cut our losses and just get a train back. Unfortunately it was cancelled at Harleem, with a further 40 minute delay, but we did get back , out our feet up, and then set out in search of chips. Ended up by introducing R to Five Guys!
Day 3
The hotel breakfast seemed expensive at 17 euros, so we headed off in search of alternative, finding ourselves at https://hoenderenhop.nl/en/hoender-hop/ a really chilled and relaxing cafe with cool background music on Grote Markt, with super strong coffee, and a delicious yoghurt/granola/fruit dish.
We had tickets for 10 am at the Mauritshuis Musuem, but were distracted by the arrival of a royal (?) at the next door parliament building. The museum itself is in a lovely old building, and contains many fabulous paintings by Vermeer, Rembrandt, and other Dutch masters. The pride of place is the Girl With The Pearl Earring (room 15 upstairs), which was not too mobbed by viewers, though it is protected by a steel circular barrier.
My favourite was the giant detailed painting of a bull.
Of course, the museum shop is a must visit, and I bought some pearl earrings (natch!), a GWTPE face mask, a tulip microfibre cloth and a book about tulipomania. (If you’ve seen me on Weakest Link you’ll understand!)
No, I dont know why I can’t get this image the right way up! But spot the beagle
We then took the no 1 tram out to Scheveningen, the seaside resort just a couple of miles from the centre.
We alighted at the Kurhaus stop, a fairy-tale hotel with fabulous glass dome and porticoed terasses.
R described it as a posh Blackpool! It has the usual seaside elements you’d expect – frites and ice cream kiosks, amusement arcades, as well as a pier boasting upper and lower (covered) decks, with a Ferris wheel, and zip line and bungee jumping at peak times. Some interesting bronze sculptures are dotted on the promenade. There are a number of eating and drinking establishments here – I asked the barman for a Sex on The Pier and he gave me one! (insert own innuendo here).
And I later enjoyed a common menu feature – a 12 o’clock special, consisting of a sandwich, soup, and small salad. The weather was superb, and we agreed to come back tomorrow to watch the sunset.
Scottish Country Dance is a world wide activity, and when I had contacted Margaret, the local co-ordinator, she said there would be a ceilidh on the Friday night. So I was delighted to be able to attend. My day travel ticket got me on the right bus, and I enjoyed a super evening of song, dance, and food with some locals.
Day 4
Saturday is parkrun day. But this was no ordinary parkrun day. This was Letter Z day, getting that final letter in my alphabet, and fulfilling the “thing I want to do” that I said on The Chase. Previously Zs were only in Poland or South Africa, so Zuiderpark (literally Southpark) is a very much appreciated addition to the fold, being easily accessible from much of the UK. My usual parkrun write up is here Zuiderpark parkrun
After the parkfaff in the cafe, we changed back at the hotel, had a stroll around the local shops including the cooks treasure trove that is Dok, a cornucopia of knives, pans, aprons, dish towels, barbecues, recipe books, moulds, piping nozzles and kitchen appliances of every description.
Back out to Scheveningen, where it was much busier being a weekend, with the little blue mini train going from here to the harbour, many dogs having the time of their lives on the beach, and the daredevil activities going strong. I had a celebratory glass of fizz on the Kurhaus terasse, before we strolled on the pier, and then as the sun was already making long golden streaks across the water we found a table with a fire pit (it was still cold, 12 degrees or so) in Golfslag, one of the many cafe restaurants by the shore. We ordered a selection of tapas, and the sun could not have been more stunning as it slid into the ocean.
The tram home was understandably packed, but the crowd was good natured and courteous.
Day 5
On our final day, we returned to Hoender en Hop for breakfast, before strolling through Chinatown,
and then by the canal, to look at the Royal Palace.
We stopped for coffee and bitterballen (breaded deep fried balls of stew) and a final look at the birds around the Buitenhof. Security at Schipol can take some time to get through, so make sure you leave plenty of time at the airport.
But the weather was still lovely on our return flight, giving superb views over the Mourne mountains.
Event #81 parkrun #303 Regionnaire status regained (for now…..)
After “The Great Pause” it’s heartening to see planned new parkruns getting up and running, so to speak. I attended the 4th outing of Norn Irn’s latest, in Derrynoyd Forest near Draperstown, pretty much bang in the centre of the province. Note, the forest is spelled with a Y, but the parkrun with an I. No, I haven’t managed to find out Y just yet, but if you know, do tell!
Getting There:
From my house it was just over 50 miles. Take the M2 and keep going, onto the lovely smooth new bit of the dualled A6 (my sat nav still doesn’t know this road exists, and goes into a minor panic telling me to turn left. No, right. No, straight on.) From the little town of Draperstown, follow the Derrynoyd Road and a mile along you’ll find the forest. There is some parking on the left and right hand sides of the road, but the main forest and parkrun is the one on the right.
Course:
Three laps through the forest, on pretty good paths, but watch out for stones and fallen twigs. It’s a tough enough course, with a chunky hill near the end of the lap. Start and finish are at the same point, but allow yourself time to get there from the car park. The forest is a lovely patch of old woodland, with plenty of birdsong to be heard. It was fantastic to listen to – some twitchers were able to identify a chiff-chaff, and I believe there’s even a woodpecker here.
Facilities:
No loos on site, so make sure you go before you get there! Parking as above, there are a few cafes in town for post parkrun coffee and faffing.
Crowd:
There were just under 50 when I attended, including a few familiar faces who like me were reclaiming the “regionnaire” status. Though I hear there are a few more NI events happening shortly, so this is only a “for now” badge. And also a few people making their parkrun debut, which is always lovely to hear.
Gear:
I wore my green 250 shirt, and there were a few of these on show! I’d also got my apple watch and aftershoks bone conducting headphones with me. Blue hokka trainers – trail shoes would be a good option here. And I managed to find my cow bobble hat, complete with its little flag badge indicating that “I’verunalltheNornIrnparkrunssoIhave”. I must dig out my T shirt and add some suitable buttons.
Time:
I’m really slow at the minute. I’d even offered to be tailwalker, but someone had beaten me to that! But I walk/jogged my way round in 44 minutes, taking time to stop for the odd photo of the beautiful Sperrin mountains.
Course record is at time of writing just under 18 minutes.
Strangely Appropriate Song on Shuffle:
I put the Hamilton soundtrack on as I was setting off- the tailwalker told me he’d been lucky enough to see the show live, that’s still on my bucket list of things to do. “Rise Up” is always appropriate for hills, and I was heading for Coleraine afterwards en route to see my parents, which is where Hercules Mulligan is from.
And the rest:
My Dad’s uncle Bob used to be head forester here, and the area around Tobermore and Draperstown was Dad’s “patch” when he was a sales rep, so he really enjoyed hearing all about my run when I called in for lunch afterwards.
Having had my milestone birthday last year, I’m taking a full year to enjoy various celebrations. BFF Sarah was in town for a revival of Over The Bridge, a Sam Thompson play which in its original version had starred her late actor father. So we spent the Saturday afternoon at the delightful Six By Nico, a restaurant with a set tasting menu of six courses, which changes each six weeks. We opted for the full range of offerings, including an aperitif and the paired wine flight. I had the vegetarian version.
The theme was “Once Upon a Time”, with each course inspired by a fairytale. The menu came in the form of a booklet, with a description of each course as well as recipes to recreate in the comfort of your own kitchen, and a couple of pages to make notes!
The aperitif was Mary Poppins, a cherry and ginger flavoured bright plum cocktail served with a spoonful of sherbet on an ice cream stick, in elegant old fashioned glass coupes. The accompanying snack was a gingerbread spiced donut, and some generous slabs of sourdough bread with whipped butter.
On to Oliver Twist, a confit Hassel back potato with some gloriously creamy mousseline and crispy bits.
Course 2 Paddington Bear was a sourdough bruschetta. My vegetarian version came with a beautiful fried egg, while S had ox cheek ragu, and both came with a mushroom “marmalade”. The accompanying wine was an earthy Pinot Noir, which brought out the intense woodiness of the fungi.
Course 3, Matilda, was a carrot. No seriously, a delicious tandoori spiced poached carrot with pesto made from carrot tops. I’d never had a wine flight before, and I tend to avoid sauvignon blanc, but the French one that came with this dish was absolutely delicious, fresh and crisp.
My next course was the best ever porridge, a lip smacking combination of pearl barley with sharp pecorino cheese and truffles. S had a dish of sea trout with artichoke crisps, and the wine was an Argentinian Pinot Gris.
We loved the wine that came with course 5, an Italian Syrah served in a duck shaped decanter. The wine was velvety, almost port like, and went with S”s duck and pickled walnut.
I had baked pumpkin with gnocchi, and the only think I didn’t like on the whole menu, a tarragon dragoncello, which just tasted like grass.
The dessert was a rose and hibiscus cream, which was presented under a glass dome, lifted to reveal a smoke effect. The accompanying wine was a sweet muscat, honeyed and almost sherry like in its richness.
And then, as we had let slip we were celebrating, we were given a glass of limoncello each.
At £80 each its not a cheap lunch, but it was undoubtedly one of the most memorable meals, let alone experiences, I’ve ever had. I was particularly struck by the advantages of letting a sommelier and chef choose what I was to eat and drink, and I’ll definitely be back in a few weeks when the menu changes!
Dancing At Lunacy 