The Dutch Date
In the city Vladimir Putin is least likely to visit on vacation…
I’m writing this from a room with an inflatable pink flamingo on the bed in a tiny hotel room in The Haag, the third-largest city in Holland. So, how did I get here and why? In short: I had a Tinder date. The advantage of being on a longer trip is that conversations can materialize in ways that aren’t always possible when you are constantly on the move. In this case, I met someone online who I was interested in meeting in person. Unfortunately, she was near The Haag, and I was in Cologne. Fortunately, trains in Europe are fast and cheap.
Perhaps it seems odd to travel 135 miles across two countries to go on a date with someone I’ve never met in person. My dating skills are terrible, and at this point with my travel 135 miles on a train doesn’t seem that bad. Also, the Haag looks fun to see.
The Haag is best known as the number one place voted by Vladimir Putin to not visit on vacation. As a frequent NPR listener, I often hear about The Haag as a synonym for the International Criminal Court. The city is much more than the Peace Palace that houses the ICC. It is the capitol of the Netherlands and the residence of the king and queen. The history is fascinating.
The Netherlands is about as liberal as it gets. Unlike other countries in Europe, the Netherlands has found alternative uses for many cathedrals and churches. One in the Haag was turned into a trampoline park. Others are galleries and museums. They are each beautiful and fascinating in their own way.
The Hague Tower can be toured only with a guide, and for good reason. The tour takes approximately one hour and goes through the history of the tower and the church. The history includes the use of the tower as a fire watch and the history of the bells during wartime. The tower is an important part of the history of the city, serving as a landmark in the flat terrain of the Netherlands. As a fire watch, the tower helped protect the city from fire conflagrations by alerting the townspeople to the fire. During wartime, brass bells were frequently used for their brass metal needed for fighting. The largest bell was too big to fit through the door of the tower in the Second World War (thanks to some clever carpentry) and the Nazi’s were under orders not to destroy historic churches. The wonders of war never cease to amaze me.
While the city has a bed ready for Putin whenever he arrives, I must now take leave and enjoy my much cozier bed not provided by the United Nations.
