Tag Archives: Netherlands

It Takes A Train To Cry

Posted on November 5, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Deutsche Bahn (DB), the German rail operator, recently decided to name twenty-five new high-speed trains after historic figures. They crowdsourced suggestions and received more than 19,000 proposals. A jury then selected the final names, including one that has some folks scratching their heads: Anne … Continue reading →

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Spend Your Money Wisely

Posted on September 15, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Roughly translated: Spend your money wisely, buy a book.  

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Really Big Books

Posted on June 22, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Thanks to the British Library, bibliophiles and map geeks can now view the second largest atlas in the world online. The colossal book was a gift from Dutch merchant Johannes Klencke in 1660 to King Charles II of Great Britain. The massive … Continue reading →

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Airbnb AMS

Posted on May 22, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Earlier this year I rented a terrific Airbnb appartment in the heart of Amsterdam’s Jordaan neighborhood. Before I decided on the flat, I searched dozens of interesting options, but none were as unusual as the “Inkijkbnb”. This unique rental is … Continue reading →

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Amsterdam’s Primordial Soup

Posted on March 4, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

No matter how many times that I’ve visited Amsterdam, there’s always something new and exciting to discover. Just recently the old Beurspassage between the Damrak and Nieuwendijk in the heart of the city underwent an extraordinary transformation. As part of … Continue reading →

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Here Comes The Bloom

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

This week the Netherlands celebrated their annual Nationale Tulpendag, or Tulip Day. Every year, flower growers set up temporary gardens around the country and invite everyone to come and pick bags of tulips. The Tulpenpluktuin in Amsterdam’s Damrak Square offered … Continue reading →

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Animating Paradise

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Brian D. Butler

Earlier this year, I shared a post on the Prado Museums commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the death of the painter Hieronymus Bosch and his masterpiece “The Garden of Earthly Delights”. Now, the Museum of the Image in Breda, … Continue reading →

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City of a Million Bikes

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Brian D. Butler

In my ongoing promotion of print travel guidebooks, I’m happy to recommend the new Carl Goes Amsterdam guide. You may remember previous posts here on Carl Goes London and Carl Goes Berlin.This quirky series focuses on travel for creative types and modern urban nomads who … Continue reading →

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Amsterdam Tails

Posted on October 23, 2016 by Brian D. Butler

Even though I just returned from Amsterdam a few weeks ago, this sweet little film from the Holland Marketing Board has me yearning to return. You may find “The Tale of Kat and Dog” a bit saccharine, but by the … Continue reading →

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Real Time AMS

Posted on July 10, 2016 by Brian D. Butler

Dutch designer Maarten Baas has created a huge suspended clock for Amsterdam’s Schiphol International Airport Lounge Two. Part of an ongoing series of clocks that Baas calls “Real Time”, this amazing clock shows a video performance that takes 12 hours … Continue reading →

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