Don't be a Scrooge!

We recently saw this sign hanging in the Valkenburg Christmas Market, which is the largest Christmas Market in a cave!  One can easily make a 'day trip' from Den Haag HS via train.

This market is taking place 7 days a week and it will run through December 23rd, 2012.  The market is very unique and the town is awesome!  You may feel like you're in Austria or Germany.  Wear good walking shoes!

To get there, you simply take one of the many trains from Den Haag HS to Eindhoven.  This will take you approximately 1 hour.  In Eindhoven you make a quick switch onto a train heading for Maastricht, which will take you approximately 1-1/2 hours.  This entire journey can be made using your CV Chipkardt.

Click on the following link below for detailed train schedule information....
http://www.ns.nl/en/travellers/home

From Maastricht you simply board a local tram to Valkenburg, which is perhaps a 15 minute or so ride.  You can, once again, use your CV Chipkardt to travel on this local tram.

Your return home is simply the opposite journey.

*Important Notes:
The connection time in Eindenhoven is only 2-3 minutes, but the tracks are easily accessible from one to the other... so assuming everything is running on time, you should have no problem making this transfer.  However, if you miss it, don't worry since another train will be coming soon. 

Also, be careful!  We learned that only 'one-half', of what appeared to be a single train, went on to Maastricht.  We almost boarded the 'wrong half'!  It was the 'left half' that went to Maastricht.  (Who knows where the 'right half' went.)

When you arrive in Valkenburg simply walk out to the front of the train station and follow the signs.  You will walk through a beautiful shopping area prior to heading up to the caves.  Yes, there are two Christmas Market caves and each are worth exploring!  There is also a third cave, which is called the 'ruins'.  We did not do this and so I cannot tell you anything about it.

Have fun!!!

For more information about the Valkenburg Christmas Market... click here...
http://www.christmasmarkets.com/Holland/valkenburg-christmas-market.html

VVV = Information Center

The Tourist Information Office in The Hague is located in The Hague Public Library in the centre of The Hague.

VVV The Hague
Spui 68
2511 BT The Hague

Telephone: (+31) (0)70 361 88 60
Fax: (+31) (0)70 360 38 57
Email: vvv@denhaag.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/the_hague

OPENING HOURS:    
Monday from 12.00 to 20.00
Tuesday to Friday from 10.00 to 20.00
Saturday from 10.00 to 17.00
Sunday from 12.00 to 17.00  

COURAGE!

Thanksgiving Day in Leiden

Today is Thanksgiving.  "Happy Thanksgiving!"

To celebrate this holiday, I had decided to journey over to Leiden for the Thanksgiving Day church service.  This was an amazing experience and one that I will never forget!

Not only did I walk down the same cobblestone streets that many of the Pilgrims had frequented, but I also attended a church service in the very same place that the Pilgrims had worshiped.  Many of their family members are buried in this church.

The Pilgrims, of which many had to leave their families behind, traveled at great risk and across a vast ocean.  These brave individuals were in search of 'freedom'...

 

Photos taken of the church....

 

 

Sitting inside and waiting for the Thanksgiving service to begin...  

As a side note... many of my students were a part of this service...

the ASH choir and band provided some incredible music...

 

 

 

The 'boy scouts' in Den Haag... 

 

 

 

Very touching speech by a woman who was born and raised in Leiden.... part of her family left on the Mayflower... she had referred to Americans as 'her cousins'... she also expressed how Thanksgiving is her favorite day of the year... because it is a holiday about 'gratitude'...

 

Our U.S. Ambassador for The Netherlands... 

 

Across the street...

 

Outside the church...

 

 

A look back toward the church...

 

The following photos were taken during my walk back to Leiden's Central Station

to catch a train back to Den Haag.

 

One of those moments...

 

 I saw this and simply smiled...

it was both a small reminder of all the 'little things in life' that simply exist around me, but often go unnoticed...

and it was a reflection of the link between where I am today in my life....

and my 'American roots'.

 

 

Today is a beautiful Thanksgiving Day!

 

... and I am, once again, reminded how lucky I am... 

I am ever so grateful!

Sinterklaas arriving into Den Haag...

'Sinterklaas', or also known as 'Saint Nicholas', lives in Madrid Spain.  Every year on December 5th, the eve of his birthday, he brings presents to the children of Holland. 

Sinterklaas is an old, friendly, bishop who rides a white horse.  He has a helper named Zwarte Piet (or Black Peter) who keeps a big book of records to identify the children who are 'good', and those who are not.

Three weeks prior to Sinterklaas's birthday, he and Zwarte Piet leave Spain and set sail for Holland to arrive at one of Holland's many ports.  Kids (and parents too!) anxiously await his arrival.  This is a day filled with lots of celebration!  It is also the day when the children begin leaving a clog or shoe next to the chimney that is filled with carrots and hay for the white horse, and usually a note, poem or artwork that is left there for Sinterklaas.

Zwarte Piet goes around Holland and climbs down each chimney to check on the children.  If he finds 'good' children then he will leave a small present and perhaps some candy.  If he comes across anyone who is 'bad', then he will leave nothing (or perhaps a lump of coal)!  It is also rumored that 'extremely bad' children may be placed in Zwarte Piet's sack and taken (with him and Sinterklaas) back to Spain!

On December 5th many dutch families participate in 'Sinterklaas parties'.  These are festive parties where plenty of sweets are served and fun games are played.  Often the games include 'clues' for the children to find small presents left by Sinterklaas. Sometimes children get very lucky by receiving all of their presents.  There will be a knock on the door followed by the discovery of a sack full of presents!

'Santa Claus' (or 'Christmas man') is someone other than Sinterklaas.  This guy comes from Lapland Finland.

In Holland, Christmas Day is a much quieter day that will likely include attendance at a church service followed by a family meal sometime later that day.

And, yes, dutch families do have Christmas trees in their homes.

'Prettige Kerstfeest' or Happy/Merry Christmas!

Carrie's and my arrival at the port (which happens to be about 3 blocks from our home)....

 

Check out their shoes!

 

Oh, the joy of Christmas!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The anticipation was building!  On the screen is a video showing 'Sinterklaas' on the boat coming from Madrid.  They are getting ready to sail into the Den Haag harbor where Carrie, myself and tons of other people are anxiously waiting to greet them...

 

 

Still waiting...

 

...and the crowd continues to swell....

 

 

... could it be???...

 

 

...Nope, false alarm!

 

 

There he is!

... as the boat begins to round the corner of the channel, which feeds into the harbor.

 

 

Lot's of music... festive music! 

 

'Sinterklaas' must have been exhausted at the end of the day because he seemed to be everywhere!  The following photos were taken hours later when he finally made it down to the city's center.

 

 

Got'ta have plenty of carrots and hay for Sinterklaas's white horse!

 

 

A dutch family taking in the parade from their dutch bicycles.

 

This is a very common sight here. 

 

There he is!  ... finally!

 

The 'magic' of Christmas!