Tagged: netherlands

Koornbrug 1900

Drawing: Koornbrug ca. 1900 (prints for sale)

Leiden is a magical place, filled with history reaching back well into medieval times. It played an essential role in the war against the Spanish. From May until October 1574, the city was besieged by the Spanish. By cutting the dikes, the geuzen were able to relieve the city and on the 3rd of October, the siege was broken. Nowadays, this feat is still celebrated among the locals, among which I count myself. In the run up to the festivities, I finished my drawing of the Koornbrug, one of the most iconic...

#Storm 0

#Storm

Snowden Requests Asylum in 21 Countries, but why? 2

Snowden Requests Asylum in 21 Countries, but why?

Edward Snowden, the current most famous whistleblower on this blue pearl drifting along the universe, has requested asylum in 21 countries across the globe. Some Latin-American, like Bolivia, Brazil, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Ecuador. Some are major global, antagonistic to the United States, powers, like China, India and Russia. But, he also requested asylum in certain European Union-member countries: Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Poland (source). Why? Some of these requests seem unrealistic. He also requested a safe passage to Iceland, Switzerland, Cuba and Ecuador, countries which...

LIVEBLOG: Dutch Elections 2012 1

LIVEBLOG: Dutch Elections 2012

Today is election day in Holland. The first results are turning up, and I’ll be liveblogging the whole event. The big question is Europe, yes or no. Do we send more money to Greece and other failing economies within the European Union, or do we withdraw? Socialists and Populists both want to exit the EU, while Labour (PvdA) and LibDem (D66) want to further tie our economy with the Union. A little intro on the Dutch Parliament. It has 150 seats. Last election (2010) was won by the ‘VVD’, with...

Our final shot. 0

Our final shot.

Being a Dutchman isn’t something to be proud of, this last week. At least, when you’re talking football. The Danish beat us by surprise with a 0-1 victory, and the Germans walked on our barily living corpse with a 1-2 victory. Only by sheer luck does Holland still have a minute chance of going through to the next round: we would have to beat Portugal with at least a two-goal difference, and Germany would have to beat Denmark.