Case study: The Netherlands

Coffee shops, Anna Frank and celebrations

What I would recommend first is the Anne Frank House. This is the actual house of our most famous author hid during World War II, including the revolving bookcase. Second, I would not really want to recommend a place to go to, but give you a timeframe to visit the Netherlands. If you have the choice, try visiting our country between April 30th and May 6th


By CELINE te BRAAKE
ISWiB 2007 Media Workshop

As the Dutch coffee shops are already on most people's lists when they travel to the Netherlands, I am not even going to mention them. You can decide for yourself if you want to get high or not.

What I would recommend first is the Anne Frank House. This is the actual house of our most famous author hid during World War II, including the revolving bookcase. You might have read Anne Frank's diary, and visiting 'her' house is the perfect finishing touch.

Second, I would not really want to recommend a place to go to, but give you a timeframe to visit the Netherlands. If you have the choice, try visiting our country between April 30th and May 6th. This week is filled with happy occasions (and a sad one), coloring the streets orange. April 30th is the former queen's birthday and nowadays still celebrated. The royal family visits two different towns and participates in local festivities like koekhappen (trying to eat traditional Dutch cake that is hanging on a string above your head). Amsterdam is preferred on this day, but is also a challenge as you will most definitely not be the only one there.

May 4th is the day we remember the victims of World War II. The next day we celebrate not only the ending of this war, but also the fact that we live in a free world and together we are responsible to keep it that way. In the capitals of the provinces and in Amsterdam there are so called 'freedom festivals', including many Dutch bands, discussions and cabaret. A useful piece of information: these festivals are free of charge.