Issuu

Feature

Issue 17. July/August 2013

Feature

Going Underground •

By Susan Gould

here is a lot of speculation about tunnels under The T Hague and it is felt by some that City Hall purposefully gives little away about them so as to keep them a source of mystery.

Urban Photo Collective for urban-minded photographers rban Photo Collective brings together people U who love photography, stimulates their creativity in photographing city structures and

urban life. Laura Dragulin spoke to Marieke van der Perk and Jeroen Mooijman, hosts of Urban Photo Collective in The Hague, about the manifesto and the history of the community. How did this phenomenon start? Urban Photo Collective started 7 years ago as a group of people wanting to discover more about the wonderful world of photography. This community stimulates and shares creativity, bringing people, visions and ideas together. We all have different backgrounds and interests, but we all share a passion for photography. The reasoning for only urban photos was to experience outdoor wonders, with hardly any indoor studio shoots. Who can join Urban Photo Collective? We are one big community, not separated groups. Besides The Hague, Urban photo collective has monthly meetings in Amsterdam, Athens, Bangkok, Leeuwarden, Rotterdam, São Paulo, Taipei, Tilburg and Utrecht. This community welcomes anyone willing to bring their camera and their imagination. Photography is the glue that keeps us together, all over the world. No membership is required, the only prerequisite of joining UPC is to have fun! We don’t judge each other’s photography skills, gear or approach to a subject, and we learn from and inspire each other. How do these meetings come about? Activities are organized on a monthly basis. We set a meeting and a theme and the host will tell if we have a special scenario or an uncanny location. After this, we set the photographers free to play. When we are done with shooting and sharing, drinks afterwards take care of the ‘socialising’ part and we make new friends and connections. ‘Sharing’ (inspiration, tips and tricks) and ‘socialising’ is just as important to us as ‘shooting’. “Shoot. Share. Socialize.” Urban photo collective also runs a blog with advice and stories, innovative photography ideas and articles of interest. Coincidently, one of your themes is ‘Underground, Discover the deep dark caverns of your city’, so does that mean that you look and encourage specific kind of pictures? We just like to explore our city and together we learn more about the city than alone. Over the years, we have developed a fascination for special, old or vacated buildings, but that’s not our main goal. We are always looking to discover new buildings and places. Where can photo lovers see your work? Exhibitions are not our target because we don’t judge our photos. The most exposure that we get is in photography magazines. Sometimes we are asked to do an interview or participate in an event. At present, we have an exhibition in espresso bar Lungo in Rotterdam; pictures of photographers at work. Is there any remuneration or fees involved in Urban Photo Collective? All activities are run by volunteers. Without this voluntary character we probably wouldn’t be able to organize anything. That’s why we value each and every initiative people take to further stimulate UPC’s growth.

Check out Urban Photos Collective activities and their blog, www.urbanphotocollective.com or www.facebook.com/groups/urbanphotocollective

Some people talk about secret tunnels used by the Royal family, which lead to a Papestraat shop cellar and others about tunnels being haunted by ghosts seeking revenge. One such ghost is said to be Catharina de Chausseur, who was married to Gerrit van Assendelft (a Judge in the Court of Holland). She was convicted for counterfeit in 1541 and killed by drowning rather than the original sentence of going to the stake. However, there may be more stories about tunnels than there are actual tunnels so don’t believe everything that you hear. It is evident though that tunnels do exist underneath The Hague and for various reasons. One such reason was to allow nuns and priests to move safely around from Church or monastery without being seen out on the streets. A more practical reason for tunnels was as a form of cold storage for wine and meat before the time of the fridge or the cool box. Another well known type of tunnel that can still be visited in Scheveningen is the German bunker. There are two places of interest for this underground structure: the Atlantic wall museum (www.atlantikwallmuseum.nl) and F.A.S.T (www.fasthehague.com). The command bunker 608 is located close to the Cremerweg tram stop ( tram 9) and opens on selected dates only. It is a fascinating glimpse of German occupation and has been restored by dedicated volunteers who have set out the rooms as they once would have been lived in and used as a command centre. Display cabinets hold items dug up in the dunes and even today barbed wire cutters can be found under the sand. If you would like to see the communication switch board room and Officers sleeping quarters yourself then look out for the next open day on their web site: www.atlantikwallmuseum.nl.

Today started out grey

Some other tunnels are dug especially for smaller animals. These tunnels are used by toads as well as mice, hedgehogs and rabbits. An “ecoduct”, a viaduct with vegetation and no traffic, enables animals to safely get to the other side of a busy road! Tunnels also feature heavily in The Hague’s canal systems and from April to October you can see The Hague from a different perspective in an open boat. Willemsvaart tour takes you through parts of The Hague, including under bridges and through tunnels along the canal. An English tour is available. For more information visit www.willemsvaart.nl. A word of warning though, from personal experience, some tunnels have very little head room and you need to be able to bend quite low!

Forget “Black Swan” and all the psychodrama preconceptions of how a ballet school should be; lean, hard and mean. As Katja, a 19 year old student of the ballet school, posed for the camera amongst the flora of the Queen’s gardens, Mirella explained to me the kernel at the heart of Ballet. “It’s all about the perfection of the extended line”. Physical graceful quest to achieve poise through movement between essentially five fixed poses.

Take a Tour Peace by law •

By Susan Gould

The Peace Palace opened its doors in 1913 and celebrates 100 years of helping negotiate international peace in August 2013. This stunningly beautiful and unique building and gardens lie behind closed gates for most of the year but tours can be made by booking in advance and by appointment via the official website: www.vredespaleis.nl. Click on the visitors centre information box on the right hand column and then choose the section entitled “Guided Tours”, you can then look at details for tours given in Dutch, English, French, Spanish or German. The tours last approximately 45 minutes and whilst cameras are allowed in the building, only photos of the outside of the building can be taken. It currently costs 8.50 Euro per adult. Inside, the guide takes groups into the various rooms that act as official courts and explains the legal processes that take place in them. While this alone can be the reason for many International visitors, you will also no doubt be amazed by the arts and gifts on display. These gifts were bestowed by the various countries that contributed to the creation of the Peace Palace. Some examples are the fine marble columns and floor that Italy donated, the Jasper vase by the Russian Tsar Nicolas II, and the Japanese wall paintings and jars on display in the Japanese room. Most striking of all though is the gift from Denmark, a huge porcelain fountain from which great white polar bears and seals stand proud. Photos and information on all of these can be found on the official website ( translation from Dutch may be necessary) but it will whet your appetite to see these items first hand and to find out more about the expensive business of helping to keep Peace in this magnificent Palace.

Enjoy a day at the races Every racing day features both Dutch flat and harness (trotting) races. Place a bet on the horse of your choice! Duindigt Race Track also has ample parking available.Opening hours: Races take place from March to December. A detailed programme is available on request. Duindigt Race Track Waalsdorperlaan 29 2244 BN Wassenaar www.renbaanduindigt.nl

There was a gap in the clouds around midday and then the sun began to shine. That’s when Miki de Best and I met Mirella Simoncini from the Summerschool of Ballet in The Hague.

This isn’t for everyone, it is extremely difficult and requires complete dedication, as much as one expect from a top athlete or sportsman. It is hard work, and in classical ballet there are no shortcuts, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t enjoyable and can’t be fun! The studio on the Toussaintkade is a pleasure to be in, light, beautifully detailed and has a genuinely positive vibe. If you do a name check of the people who have passed through its doors either as teachers or pupils it reads like a who’s who of today’s dance scene! Beginning in July, Mirella offers classes from novices to performing artists trough the summer period. So that either students can have their first lessons in Ballet, practice for auditions for performance or to get into school the next year, or so that professional artists are able to hone their skills through the summer months in preparation for the coming season. So if you, or your kids are budding Nijinski’s this summer you know now just were you need to be!

Tip: COUPERUS WALKS The Louis Couperus Museum organises short walks along the houses where Couperus or the characters in his novels lived in the neighbourhood of the museum. Depending on the subjects of the various exhibitions, occasional walks can be announced. Information: info@louiscouperusmuseum.nl or: 070-3640653 The Louis Couperus Genootschap (Society) organises extensive literary walks through The Hague (mail to: wandelingen@louiscouperus.nl). Skilled guides lead the visitor along the houses where the writer himself lived and the locations that feature in his work. A visit to the Louis Couperus Museum is not included but can be arranged. Book a walk by calling mr. P.J. Verhaar at 071-5122237

TOP 5 must see when visiting The Hague recommended by our readers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Escher Museum Panaroma Mesdag Gemeentemuseum Louwman museum Museum Bredius

must see: Park Sorghvliet a peaceful retreat If you are truly looking for peace and tranquillity then a visit to park Sorghvliet is recommended. As you walk through the gates of this walled garden, you leave behind the sound of traffic on the busy Scheveningseweg and a chorus of birdsong immediately greets you. You can meander along the many winding paths and breathe in the wild beauty of the 25 hectares. Birds, bats, butterflies, bees and various wildlife, such as foxes and hedgehogs, roam freely and therefore there are certain rules. Dogs and bikes are not allowed in the park. The park is open in April – October from 09.00 - 18.00 hours and from October to April from 09.00 - 16.00 hours. You need to buy an annual pass from the VVV in the library on the Spui in The Hague which costs 6.70 Euro but this admits one person and two other guests. It is certainly an oasis of calm and yet also an adventure of flora and fauna to be discovered. A park bench awaits your visit….