Amsterdam

Train track, between Leiden – Amsterdam

It never is boring to travel by train especially when you can watch daily vibrant colors passing, during Spring time next to the train track between Leiden and Amsterdam in The Netherlands. While not a daily commuter, there hasn’t been a year gone by that I or many others will take a snapshot and forward it using their smartphone to share or post on a social media platform.

Of course, nothing changes since these bulb fields are there like forever, however upon seeing these colorful flowers starting to bloom everybody knows Spring has begun. It also signifies that Keukenhof has opened its doors for the public attracting busloads of tourists, the Garden of Europe, its fields lying along the train track. This train track scenery shows touristic Holland in a nutshell with the bulb fields, pasture, windmills and waterways.

The photos were taken on the train while travelling back home from Amsterdam to Leiden, you can scroll down or watch the featured photos in the slider here above in the gallery. One of the images shows a common dwelling Dutch houseboats or barge often to be seen along many rivers and canals. Many tourists or adventurers looking at these vessels can not help themselves but just wonder, just if or how’s “living on a Dutch barge” will be.

Why not undertake something adventurous and different by planning your next city trip, rent a Dutch private houseboat in Amsterdam. You don’t need to take a leap but satisfy your curiosity and search for possibilities click on the previous link and here to find out more and who knows where you might end up next.

Train track View

Tulip flower bulb fields.jpg

Tulip flowers bulb fields

Dutch houseboat or barges.jpg

Dutch houseboat or barges along the many rivers and canals in The Netherlands

White flower bulbs galore.jpg

White flower bulbs galore

flower bulb fields red and yellow.jpg

flower bulb fields red and yellow

water ways between flower bulb fields.jpg

Many waterways between the flower bulb fields

vibrant yellow flower landscape.jpg

Vibrant yellow flower landscape

moving on to the next field.jpg

Rapidly changing from one colour moving on to the next field

Tulip field cultivation with new bulbs.jpg

Preparing a new field to sow with a new tulip colour

Train view between the tulip bulb fields.jpg

A view between the fields with small communities

Train track view with water, land, houses and windmills.jpg

Passing by Dutch waters, land, houses and windmills

Variously changing landscape of fields and housing jpg

Train track rotational sight of fields and more fields

country view peek along the train track.jpg

a quick country view peek

Keukenhof 2014 has reached a new record with a total of 1 million visitors and a new tulip named “Cathay” was baptized by Peng Liyuan, the wife of Chinese president Xi Jinping before Xi takes part in the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague. Overnight the Cathay Tulip bulbs demand soared for delivery with new export orders to China. China now boasts its own flower park modelled after Keukenhof, for the Dutch flower industry a booming export business.

Cinemasia Film Festival

Woohoo!! 7th CinemAsia Film festibal is coming at De Balie, Amsterdam, for online purchase click here.

The 7th edition of the CinemAsia film festival will take place on April 1st until 6th at De Balie in Amsterdam. CinemAsia is the gateway to Asian cinema in The Netherlands with films from China, Japan, Korea, India, Indonesia, Philippines and more. The eclectic festival programming runs from the large Asian blockbusters, independent films to inspiring documentaries that have never been seen before in the Netherlands. CinemAsia also acts as a media platform promoting visibility of Asians in film, television and media in The Netherlands.

Cinemasia Who are they?

CinemAsia Film Festival was started in 2003 to stimulate Asian cinema within the Dutch film industry and to offer a creative platform for Asian-Dutch residents and media professionals in the field. CinemAsia focuses on independent Asian diaspora films exploring the multi-facted culture and identities. Through our programming, we try to make Asian immigrants in the film industry more visible in order to resist stereotypical images in the media. CinemAsia is the only festival in the Netherlands and in Europe that works with Asian programmers, employees, volunteers, interns, and filmmakers with a goal to promote Dutch-Asians in leadership and creative positions in the media, film, and television industry.

CinemAsia Mission?

Visibility of Asian diaspora:
In the media as well as in the political realm, Asian immigrants are invisible. And when Asians are visible, they mostly have a stereotypical role. You can think of ‘the Asian nerd’, the Chinese takeaway, et cetera. Through its programming, CinemAsia tries to make Asian immigrants in the film industry more visible in order to resist stereotypical images in the media.

CinemAsia also tries to support filmmakers with an Asian origin in the Netherlands. CinemAsia is the only festival in the Netherlands and in Europe that works with Asian programmers, employees, volunteers, interns and film- makers with a goal to promote Dutch-Asians in leadership and creative positions in the media, film and television industry.

Pan-Asian platform:
CinemAsia is the only pan-Asian festival in the Nether- lands that has as a goal to bring different Asian com- munities together by searching for connections outside the ethnic origin. CinemAsia has developed positive connections with different Asian communities and aims to bring these relationships together through the festival. With this platform CinemAsia offers new networking op- portunities and partnerships for Dutch-Asians and media professionals.

CinemAsia Film Program & Tickets:

Film Program will be available on-line mid-march, ticket sales starts on 20 March 2014 at De Balie or online click here.

This edition CinemAsia opens with the national premiere of the Korean blockbuster SNOWPIERCER (2013) by Bong-Joon Ho, the Korean masterpiece that resembles the growth of Asian cinema on the global arena.

“Save this eccentric masterpiece from Hollywood! It’s the train movie to end all train movies, a dystopic vision full of vivid characters, dark humour, awe-inspiring revelations and surreal imagery” – The Telegraph
“A rare high-end sci-fi/fantasy pic!” – Variety
“Avert your gaze from Hollywood and look to Korea for Snowpiercer!” – Grolsch Filmworks

Traveltip Chinatowns in The Netherlands

Amsterdam

Lonely Planet published, in the travel tips and articles category, some of the World’s best Chinatowns. The Netherlands most famous Chinatown is located in the former Red Light District of the capital city, Amsterdam. For decades, it has been a prominent tourist attraction in Amsterdam. Listed in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel: Top Ten Cities.

Come visit and have a glance at what the City offers in terms of promising upcoming cultural events and more. Click this link, “I Amsterdam” and toggle the language button in the right top corner. Scroll through or click directly on the main top bar for What’s On or See and Do information.

Important events to watch:
Individuals and their historic homes reveal more about a culture’s history. This theme will be essential to the World Interiors Event 2013. The exhibition is titled “Past, Present, andFuture of Interiors.”

The Hague

Next visit is Den Haag and Chinatown in The Hague Take a peek at this album on the Chinatown Den Haag website. It has followed the example of Chinatown, London, with a Chinese Gate. A significant entrance to Chinatown connects directly with The Hague City Centre shopping area and historical sights for leisurely strolls. Throughout the week and on weekends, there are a variety of events to watch and participate in. Aside from various well-known sites, landmarks, and tours. I recommend signing up for the guided tour at the Dutch Parliament building known as Binnenhof. This is where the Dutch Prime Minister resides in the turret at the corner of the Hofvijver. For a concise overview of sightseeing highlights, read the information on the holland-hotel link.

Rotterdam

Katendrecht was the first Chinatown in the famed port of Rotterdam. Residents preferred to call it as de Kaap. Erika Blikman and Yuen Han Lam collaborated on a project to honour the 100-year presence of Chinese in Dutch society. Their aim was to launch ‘China op de Kaap’ with a young group of enthusiastic designers, artists, and cultural specialists. The website is only in Dutch, yet it depicts an active programme clearly. The project received overwhelming enthusiasm and support. The Kaap today, reflects an eclectic blend of arts and traditions from the Chinese community. Established by the neighborhood’s early immigrants.

De Westkruiskade is located in Rotterdam’s city centre and conveniently near Central Station. Due to the neglect of city planning in the past, Katendrecht saw most of its proprietors move out. Due to the loss of business customers and visitors. New entrepreneurs started their businesses closer to the city with a new Chinatown named Kruiskade. However, it is elusive that next to Chinese, this neighbourhood also includes Dutch, Antillian, Surinamese, and African residents. With many Oriental shops, restaurants, and supermarkets catering to multi-cultural shoppers and attracting visitors on City day trips.

Enjoy great Chinese and other Asian cuisines in Chinatowns in Amsterdam, The Hague, and Rotterdam. Discover these Cities and have a great time with their offerings!

Note: Featured image source: Chinatown Den Haag, copyright: ©Arnhem.nl