January 2006 Cover Feature
Hip on Holland
Rembrandt, Tulips, and
a Cool Airport,
add to Holland’s Allure
By Betty Rolston and Herb Silverman
The Dutch take their museums seriously—so seriously in fact that even at Schiphol Airport there’s a Rijksmuseum in case any art lover needs a jump start to the many festivals scheduled throughout Holland this year. There’s also quick and easy tram service from Amsterdam’s Central Train Station to the city’s main Rijksmuseum, the center of an exhibit marking the 400th anniversary of Rembrandt’s birth. Seven airlines in the U.S. effectively connect to Holland’s Schiphol Airport just 20 minutes from the heart of Amsterdam, and arguably one of the world’s most “entertaining” airports. Airlines include KLM, NWA, Delta, United, US Airways, Continental Airlines and Martinair. Called a city within a city, Schiphol also hosts a myriad of low cost airlines connecting throughout Europe and the Mideast.
At the Presspoint digital newspaper kiosk travelers can access up-to-date newspapers. More than 100 international journals are on file.
For information call the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions at 212-370-7360,
For information on Rembrandt visit:
An informative appraisal of the celebration comes from numerous U.S. wholesalers dedicating programs to Holland’s many 2006 events.
For instance, Gate1Travel (
www.gate1travel.com) is promoting a $499 six-day “Art in Amsterdam” package including airfare plus hotel stays during the event. Avanti Destinations (
Conrad van Tiggelen, North American director of the Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions, says with understandable enthusiasm, “Our country has a long standing appeal created by our traditional sites of windmills and tulip fields, even wooden shoes but it is also very much alive in a contemporary world of fashion, architecture and design.” Adds van Tiggelen, “Americans feel welcome here since just about everyone speaks English.”
Tourism from the U.S. is alive and well with double digit increases posted through last year. As noted, there are economical packages to further offset any fears of costly vacations to Amsterdam and environs and a wide range of hotel properties which are part of the NH and Accor chains. Overall, Holland, with its population of 16.2 inhabitants welcomed 9.5 million worldwide visitors in 2004.
“Americans make up a sizeable proportion of visitors to our five-star hotels such as The Grand Amsterdam Sofitel Demeure, NH Barbizon Palace and the more traditional NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky,” says van Tiggelen. “Travel agents are important to us and we know they can easily find the best buys on the website:
The Dutch executive, based in New York, says that Amsterdam’s central continental location makes it appealing for visitors to combine visits not only to other Holland cities but also other European destinations. Paris is only a four-hour train ride away and it is only a 100 euro flight to Naples.
Flowers, Art & More <
The Rijksmuseum will present an impressive group of exhibitions throughout the year along with well known pieces by other artists. In addition to the masterworks and its highlights from The Golden Age, visitors will be able to view Rembrandt’s Night Watch, Jewish Bride and the Syndics of the Cloth Makers Guild. A parallel exhibit in the museum’s Philips Wing presents displays of doll’s houses, silver collections and Delftware along with icons from Holland’s history.As an aside, for the first time the Rijksmuseum will present works that have once been attributed to Rembrandt, but in fact were not real Rembrandts. Really Rembrandt? (March 9- May 31).
In conjunction with the Rijksmuseum the city’s famed Van Gogh Museum will exhibit a special pairing of Rembrandt’s works with those of Caravaggio, two of the most famous baroque artists.Also found in Amsterdam, The Rembrandt House Museum, in which the master lived and worked for more than 20 years, will host four exhibitions, one being "Rembrandt, the Quest of a Genius.”
More than 50 paintings and 50 drawings and etchings shed new light on Rembrandt as a creative genius and his efforts in an extremely productive studio. Visitors to the exhibition will be allowed a peek in Rembrandt’s studio where he enthusiastically supervised the dynamic artistic activity.
In Leiden, Rembrandt’s birthplace, the Lakenhal Museum will display an array of exhibitions such as "Rembrandt's Mother, Myth and Reality." The Dutch have not ignored contemporary artists at work. Mr. van Tiggelen, who is anxious to move visitors around Holland suggests either auto or train transport to the former royal palace in Apeldoorn or a visit to the medieval city of Utrecht where its Centraal Museum opens the dick bruna huis next month.
For the uninitiated, Bruna is the creator of Miffy, “The Little Rabbit,” a children’s character that has become world famous. His books have sold more than 85 million copies worldwide. Documentary films, covering more than 1,200 works, demonstrate Bruna’s working techniques.
While in Utrecht visitors can climb the 367- foot Dom Tower which dominates the city’s skyline or take a boat cruising through 14th-century canals and pass its famous wharves. The Rietveld-Schroder House is an exemplar of 20th century architecture and for the religiously inclined, the Catharijne Convent Museum holds a fascinating collection of religious art dating to the 9th century.
The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) opens on Friday, March 10 through March 19 in Maastricht. Approximately 215 art and antiques dealers from 15 countries including the United States and the UK will be displaying their collections. This year, there will be an impressive participation of specialists in Chinese, Indian and Southeastern Asian art. It is estimated that 75,000 people will attend. One of the most prominent names in the international art world, Wildenstein & Co./Pace Wildenstein will be appearing this year bringing both old masters and modern art to TEFAF.
Art and another Holland specialty, tulips, join hands at Keukenhof in Lisse and are one of the most colorful spring garden attractions in Europe. ]
Approximately 20 children in cooperation with the Keukenhof staff have planted close to 60,000 bulbs, creating a masterpiece, picturing a self portrait of Rembrandt. This very special Rembrandt planting can be admired in mid-April 2006 when in full bloom.
Keukenhof, which translates as kitchen garden, dates to 1401 and was the home and hunting lodge to the Countess Jacoba van Beieren. It provided herbs for the kitchen and today consists of seven themed gardens where bulbs play a major role. The gardens consist of 80 acres of winding paths, gurgling streams, placid ponds, and tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and flowering shrubs. In true tourism fashion, visitors can purchase bulbs along with instructions on plantings when they return home.
Schiphol—Not Just An Airport
Schiphol provides the essential airport services including well-marked drop-off zones, long term parking, taxi reservation services, six international car rental services and dedicated parking for the disabled. It also offers a variety of unique services and comfort facilities. For example, a traveler can visit Ora Oxygen on level 2 Lounge, inhaling oxygen to recover from a long trip.
Throughout the terminal there are “snooze” chairs, and if they don’t provide comfort, there is a meditation centre on top of Lounge 2 ironically next to the Business Class lounge. A “Back to Life” massage is offered as a way to start or end a journey in an ergonomically designed chair while shoulders, head, neck, back, arms and hands are massaged. There is a choice between a 10- and 20-minute massage. Manicures and pedicures are also available And in a tribute to the electronic age, there are internet terminals at the Communications Center in Lounge 2 or at one of the Communications Zones located on Pier C,D or Lounge 1.
The Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Schiphol lends a classic touch to the airport with paintings of the Dutch Master Rembrandt along with d’Hondecoeter and Vermeer on display on Holland Boulevard. Also on Holland Boulevard there are larger-than-life TV screens which feature important live sports events and a sports store which carries shirts of favorite footballers, Ferrari Formula 1 merchandise and the latest in sports clothing.
Shops in the terminal offer a variety of typical Dutch souvenirs including Delft Blue Porcelain and wooden shoes, tulip bulbs and Gouda cheese. No artworks are sold, but if a passenger wants a souvenir of a master painter, he or she might want to purchase an illustrated bottle of Van Gogh Gin or Vodka, the latter available in five flavors.
“We do a flourishing business in the terminal,” says Dutch entrepreneur David van de Velde. Then, there’s Vermeer Dutch Chocolate Cream Liqueur, a sweet tasting liqueur made of Dutch chocolate, cream and vodka in a signature bottle labeled with an image of Johannes Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring.
A unique clutch of installations, 16 groups in all, can be discreetly referred to as comfort stations. These toilet facilities include bathrooms decorated with a range of typical Dutch scenes including canal houses, tulip fields, famous paintings and local landscapes. Sound effects include the call of seagulls and the crash of waves on the beach.
For the convenience of passengers, “The Meeting Place,” normally a standard airport installation, is a series of 28 photo panels designed by Dennis Adams. The panels display red and white objects which can be found in the airport towers and on signposts. The title of each panel points to a place which was once a part of the former Dutch colonies.
Renting a car is convenient and quick. The rental car park is located just below the Arrivals hall. Rental car companies include Avis, Budget, Eurocar, Hertz, National Car Rentals and Sixt.Leaving nothing to chance, the Holland Casino Schiphol offers a resort ambiance with black jack, roulette and other games with entry restricted to those 18 and over holding a valid boarding card.