Utrecht

On Saturday evening and all day Sunday, Pam, Tony, Laura, and I trekked all over Utrecht. Laura and I went to Utrecht back in the fall and it quickly became one of our favorite cities in the Netherlands because of its quirky museums and unique canals. This time, Utrecht was bathed in warm sunshine and abundant greenery, so we liked it even more.


The four of us visited many of Utrecht's most notable sights, like the Rietveld Schroderhuis and the Dick Bruna Huis, but we also spent a lot of time just walking around. We greatly enjoyed the weather in Utrecht's parks, such as Wilhelminapark. Below you see some pictures of Pam and Tony from the park running alongside the Stadsbuiten Gracht (a canal).



The best part of Utrecht, of course, is the Oudegracht, the two level canal that runs through the city center. Along this canal there are shops and cafes on the street and within the canal itself one can find shops, restaurants, and even residences. In the residential areas, we saw people playing games and barbecuing, in addition to many mother ducks with their flocks of newborn ducklings in tow. Below you see Laura on the lower level of one such area of the Oudegracht that was colored with springtime flower droppings from the trees.


The Oudegracht is also an irresistible place to stop for a beer, and who are we to argue with that?

More pictures can be found here.

Posted by Matt

A Home for Miffy

Miffy, the star of over 30 children's books, is a simple white rabbit created by Dick Bruna. The books have been translated in over 40 languages, making Dick Bruna the second most read children's author (behind Roald Dahl).

Bruna's hometown, Utrecht, has created the Dick Bruna Huis as a home for Miffy and other works. He was a graphic artist that designed book covers for other authors, most notably the Black Bear and Simenon's Maigret series, and posters for various organizations and businesses. Dick Bruna's work is distinguished by simple lines and bright colors. He takes the three-dimensional world and turns it into a flat page. His straightforward and simple work turns basic shapes and primary colors into icons.

The museum was wonderfully put together, with works hanging at two heights - one for adults and one for children. It was was truly a multimedia experience; you could listen to his books, watch movies of him creating his books, admire his art, use the computer to learn about his life and art, and, of course, play in a child's size Miffy house.

Best of all, Inge got a new bell starring Miffy and her bicycle!