King’s Day 2015

In spite of the dire weather forecast King’s Day 2015 was a sunny and bright day. Cold, yes, but very Dutch with billowing clouds and a bright blue sky.  The perfect weather for King’s Day. Even hardened opponents of the monarchy love King’s Day in the Netherlands. Everybody is free, shops are closed, everybody is happy. Villages, towns, neighbourhoods, they all organise events, activities, street parties. Weather permitting everybody is outside. There are “free markets” all over the towns and cities, where not just children but also adults sell things they don’t need or want any more from an improvised spot on the sidewalks. Along the canals, along streets now closed for traffic, everywhere there are children’s games, children selling things as in England they might at car boot sales. This is simpler, because the items are just displayed on an old curtain put on the sidewalks or in cardboard boxes. Children try to raise money, either for pocket money or for a charity, by playing an instrument, be it a simple recorder or a violin, cello or other instrument.

 Dordrecht, the mooring posts already painted in the national colours in honour of the royal visit

People who are not interested in those things and don't like crowds might go for a bicycle ride. It is the time of year when the fruit trees are blossoming, and the trees are coming in leaf. It can be cold as it was today, but we had the most wonderful blue skies and white clouds.

A drawbridge across the inner harbour where historic ships ar moored, eg steamers. The royal party had to pass under this bridge.

The only shops which open for a few hours in the morning are bakeries and cake shops which sell cakes with orange icing. Those cakes are enjoyed while watching the Royal family on tour. They visit a town or city. This year, having a brand new King, the programme was a bit different. The family visited Dordrecht, the oldest Dutch town on a remarkable intersection of three great rivers, the busiest intersection of waterways in Europe! It is a fascinating town with a very rich history, important for the founding of Holland, and also important for the protestant church. The big church, as big as a minster or cathedral, can be seen from far off. The best view is from across the river. It is one of the few churches in Holland with amazing choir stalls and misericords.

The visit of the royal party is broadcast live on television. It usually lasts several hours, from midmorning till after lunch. It is also interesting to see the clothes of our elegant queen and of the other fashion conscious princesses.

 The impressive church

 Inside the church: brass gate between choir and nave, choir stalls and main organ

Dordrecht is very important for shipbuilding and everything related with water and shipping. There was a “grand parade” of all kinds of ships, including an oilrig, ships used for building ports and harbours which this area is famous for all over the world. There was also a huge ship, - considered a replica - of the Arc of Noah, built by convinced Protestants. So an odd one out among the other industrial ships, container ships, and enormous dredgers.

It was followed by a boat trip through the inner ports to the church where the royal family attended a mini Bach concert. And then a long walk to the "Hof van Holland" (Court of Holland), once an Augustinian monastery but also the spot where Holland was “made”. Unthinkable for any American president that a complete royal family can walk through narrow streets lined with people, shaking hands, accepting gifts, posing for pictures with some of the people. Let us hope this will last for years to come.

 "Hof van Holland" Dordrecht

When the programme and the broadcast had come to an end, I decided to drive around a bit through the “green heart” of this part of Holland, which still has small meandering waterways bordered by dikes, old farmhouses and attractive provincial towns, some walled. It is an area just north of the big rivers and also known for its orchards. I hoped and expected they would be festive and in full splendour, but unfortunately they were past their prime although still attractive. Trees were just sprouting their young foliage. The poplars lining the roads displaying a glorious burnt copper colour, which in the bright sunlight looked as if the trees were on fire.

All five photo's above taken along the river Vlist

I drove along several rivers, two of them meandering, the main one canalised. The view from the narrow dikes was and always is wonderful: trees, farms and flags mirrored in the water. The dikes so narrow, with passing places and water on both sides, so that it was near impossible to stop and take pictures. In Schoonhoven, a walled town on the river still with an impressive gate, there was a lot of activity along the main canal in the centre. Although it was later in the day, the sidewalks along the canals were still littered with goods for sale, and the cafes spilling over on the pavements and quays. There were flags everywhere, people dressed in orange clothes, funny hats and scarves, all enjoying the sun and this happy holiday.

 Schoonhoven 

Windmills had flags on top of one of their wings or sails, which were in a special position to indicate a joyful occasion. There is also a different position to indicate mourning. They have a language of their own. An interesting piece of useless knowledge: The sails turn anti-clockwise when one is standing in front of a mill with the wind in one’s back.

In the evening there were fireworks in many places and the fairgrounds and village fairs were all having a great time. It was a wonderful and happy day.

 An old farmhouse near Jaarsveld

Bologna

A few days in Bologna left me with images of miles of galleries - or porticoes as they are also called - , churches, painted ceilings and walls, sun and blue skies.

In Bologna one need not get wet, even if it is pouring with rain. There are some 38 kilometres of galleries, covered walkways, some beautiful and ornamental, some shabby and covered in graffiti, but always fascinating in the early morning and late afternoon light, when the sun throws interesting patterns of shade and light on the pavement. Some galleries are built with ornamental pillars, topped by carved capitals, some are just made of brick. There are square pillars, round and octagonal ones, but all of the galleries are rather mysterious. I loved to go out early, when the historic centre was still quiet and not overrun by tourists. As the centre is traffic free and in other parts cars and trucks have limited access, it is as if one is stepping back in time, till one sees the number of mobile phones and other electronic gimmicks people are using all the time, such a contrast to the age old buildings, the imposing doors and entrances, the spacious courtyards often hidden from view, the plaques on the wall of the “pallazi”, telling us about its famous inhabitants: writers, musicians, composers. The house where Farinelli, the last castrate, got his training – and lost something precious in the bargain.

The Cathedral di San Pietro just after Sunday Mass, the sun shining on the bishop's seat, clouds of incense still visible in the rays of the sun.

 The altar and one part of the big pipe organ in the Basilica of San Petronio

Below, pillars in the San Petronio 

 

The first church I came across, the beautiful Santurio di Santa Maria della Poggia

The barrel vault of this relatively small church is stunningly frescoed

Then there are the myriad churches. Not just small ones, but most of them rather large or even cavernous, with painted ceilings and walls, ornate inlaid wooden choir stalls, tombs, tiny pipe organs, little jewels which are hopelessly neglected and no longer played. Some of the big churches have beautiful and large pipe organs, new and old. Lots of gold and colours, a wealth which is unimaginable. Many of those churches are originally or still connected with a religious order and attached to or part of a monastery; the cloisters oases of peace and quiet in the bustle of the city. There is also still a lot of damage due to an earthquake years ago, and several churches were locked because of that or partly fenced off inside.

The quiet Via Parigi with the two churches (not visible in this picture) which form a museum housing the collection of ancient instruments collected by Luigi Ferdinando Tagliavini 

 The front of the church with frescoes over doors and windows

 Inside: A cellist practising for a concert. A room with part of the collection

Some smaller churches are now used for concerts and venues or as a museum. One of those, in fact a combination of two former churches, the San Colombano, in a sunny and quiet corner in Via Parigi, houses a collection of antique instruments, clavichords and harpsichords, flutes and other instruments. When I happened upon it the last hour I spent in Bologna, a cellist was practising for a concert which would be given in the evening. I was fortunate to hear at least some part of it!

 One of the canals, and a former gate, now in the heart of the city after many expansions

There are the canals, which are mostly hidden under the city streets, with some rare exceptions. Most of the time the street names only betray their existence.

There are parks, markets and public buildings, every one of those with ornate ceilings, every inch of wood and wall covered with paintings.

Santa Maria della Vita

 Two scenes of life size terracotta figures took my breath away. They represented Jesus after his death, taken down from the cross and mourned by the women and his followers. The expression of raw grief and shock on the faces and in the attitude of the figures is striking and so life like.

 The lifesize terracotta figures in the Santa Maria della Vita, by Niccolo da Puglia (15th century)

One such group is found in the Cathedral, the other in a church hidden in one of the narrow alleys leading from the centre, the church of Santa Maria della Vita. In this church there are even two groups of terracotta statues, one in the church itself, and one in the sanctuary on the first floor, a chapel full of gold and colour.

The Sanctuary

And there are the food markets, with delicious smoked hams hanging from the rafters, or from hooks in the ceiling, huge chunks of cheese, parmesan and others, sausages and meats. There are the colourful vegetables, the greens, and yellows and reds, fruits and potatoes. It all looks so fresh and tempting. There are the bakeries and the confectioners, and the many cafes and “trattorie”, where the food is simple but fresh and full of taste, enjoyed with a glass of local wine and a bottle of mineral water.

This weekend the annual antiques market took place, spreading out from the triangular “piazza” in front of the San Stefano, the church of 7 churches, into the streets radiating from it, so quiet and peaceful the day before, so busy and noisy those two days. But very interesting with an enormous variety of real antiques as well as bric-a-brac, its stall holders eating their spaghetti lunches amidst the exhibited junk. Not to forget the weekly goods market on Friday and Saturday, full of clothes and leather, shoes and bags. Among the trash also beautifully made real leather goods, perhaps seconds, but cheap and gorgeous.

 Antiques Market, Piazza San Stefano

Although I saw many churches, I could not see them all and I even missed some important ones, being distracted by the antiques market on my way to one of those churches. Nor did I see all the parks, except for one or two and the park near the station where old and young hippies had their own market stalls smelling of exotic spices and cannabis, the stall holders wearing Rasta hair hidden by knitted caps, the women dressed in flowing flower power skirts, a different world, not hindered by national borders.

 Ceilings and walls,

 vaulted and with wooden beams

Old houses, modern transport in a town where streets are narrow and traffic limited