Windmills are a huge part of Holland’s history and were mostly used for pumping water, as power sources and for grain grinding, but did you know that windmills can talk? Rosie Khdir explains…

For five centuries the windmill has been the primary source of power for the Dutch, earning it its name “land of the windmills”, but these charming buildings were not always used solely for industrial means.

There are currently only 1100 windmills left in Holland, partly due to the modernisation of machinery and also with thanks to the fires, heavy storms and wars that riddled the country. These Dutch icons are seen as a symbol of Hollands “struggle against the water”.

Aside from all the timber sawing and water control, these mills used to have a more social purpose. Millers used to use the sails to communicate messages to their workers and the community in a time when sending and receiving messages wasn’t as easy as picking up a phone.

Windmills are large constructions which can be seen from far away, which was very useful in allowing farmers to get the local gossip while dropping off their grain. Events such as births, marriages and deaths were signaled using the sails in various different positions; this was known as the “windmill language”.

If the miller stopped the sails just before they reached their highest point, it meant there was a cause for celebration, and if they were stopped just after it meant that the miller was mourning. The sails were often decorated with bunting during festivals, or displayed the initials or years of marriage for a bride and groom.

The miller could use this method of communication for more practical reasons too, for example, if he wanted to let people know the mill wasn’t working. If he placed the sails exactly horizontal and vertical it meant he was taking a short break, and if the sails displayed a “X” it meant he was taking a longer one.

One of the most famous windmill sights in Holland is at Kinderijk where 19 mills, dating back to 1740, are aligned side by side in two neat rows. This is a striking site, one that is pictured in almost every tourist book of Holland. These mills are now protected by UNESCO and are on the World Heritage List.

Some of these windmills are open to the public but during weekends only in the winter season.

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Image credit: Jaume Meneses

Tags: History, Lifestyle, Netherlands, P&O Ferries by Rosie Khdir
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Cradled between the waves of the Atlantic and Bay of Biscay you will find a land filled with unbelievable natural beauty. Rosie Khdir explores the natural wonders of Green Spain.

The regions of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque Country boast some of the most diverse landscapes in Europe, and are the perfect places for those of you who love the great outdoors.

Their salt-water rivers, endless forests, almost tropical beaches and rugged mountains are just begging to be explored and one of the best ways to do this is on foot. The old railway lines, cattle trails and Roman roads provide perfect hiking routes and there are some great spots for bird watching. There are visitor centres on all the reserves where you can get an itinerary designed to suit you.

In the Asturias region you can venture through nature reserves such as Somiedo which has the largest population of brown bears in Europe, or visit the Fuentes del Narcea, with one of Europe’s largest oak forests.

Green Spain is also riddled with stunning parks and gardens, most of which are open for public viewing, and are often connected to marvelous old country houses and manors.

La Florida is a particularly nice park situated in the city of Vitoria in the Basque Country. In the summer time this garden, reminiscent of those created in 19th century England, becomes a hot bed for music concerts, while in the winter it transforms into a huge nativity scene.

If it is the sea air you crave then you are certainly spoilt for choice in this part of the world. From the still waters of Barro to the well protected cove of Moràs, you will see a land of diversity, where white sandy beaches are framed by dark rocky mountains.

One reservation that is definitely worth the six hour drive from Bilbao, is the National Park of Atlantic Islands. These are situated between the estuaries of Vigo, Pontevedra and Arousa in the Galicia region and even contain a pre-Roman settlement.

This group of four islands is home to 200 species of different animals including turtles, dolphins, seals, whales and numerous colonies of seagulls. There is restricted access to these islands from Vigo, Baiona and Cangas and only a maximum of 2,200 people can visit per day.

All you would need is to look at the images of places in Green Spain and you’ll be booking your ferry in no time. Visit www.spain.info for a sneaky peak.

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Image credit: rover0

Tags: Lifestyle, P&O Ferries, Spain by Rosie Khdir
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At a famous junction of streets in Brussels, not far from the Town Hall stands a monument that has caused quite a stir amongst tourists. Rosie Khdir introduces the Manneken Pis.

Brussels has many popular attractions such as the beautiful The Cinquantenaire Park, The Palace of Justice and The King’s House, but none are as amusing as this rather small bronze figure.

Manneken Pis is a statue of a young boy who urinates into the fountain bowl below and standing only 61cm high, it is a wonder that he draws such a crowd. He is thought to have originated in the Middle Ages as a mere decoration upon a fountain, but as the boy began to wither, the city ordered a new one to be made by sculptor Jerome Duquesnoy in 1619.

The purpose of this monument has always been a mystery and many interesting legends surround his meaning. One was the story of a young boy who relieved himself against the door of a witch’s house, which was situated on this site. The witch was so angry that she turned the boy to stone.

Another tale is of a two-year-old lord, Duke Godfrey III of Leuven, who in 1142 was placed in a basket in a tree to watch over his men as they fought the Berthouts. Legend has it that the boy then urinated all over the enemy troops who eventually lost the battle.

Similar statues are located in Hasselt, Ghent and Geraadsbergen, a city in Flanders which constantly fights Brussels for the title of the oldest Manneken Pis. In the past, the statue has been stolen several times by residents of the city, and has also had to be hidden during periods of war.

What is so delightful about this particular statue is the fact that he is often dressed up. The Manneken Pis of Brussels has over 600 costumes the first of which he received his on the 1st May 1698, given to him by the governor of the Austrian Netherlands. Since then his wardrobe has expanded enormously, to include outfits based on Elvis Presley, Mickey Mouse and even Santa Claus!

Les Amis de Manneken Pis are a non-profit organisation in charge of changing his attire in a special ceremony, often accompanied by a brass band. This boy was once even rigged to dispense beer during the festivities. You simply cannot visit Brussels without seeing this delightful and highly entertaining statue!

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Image credit: James Cridland

Tags: Belgium, History, P&O Ferries by Rosie Khdir
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At the foot of Montmartre in Paris sits a music hall famous for its can-can dancers and bohemian dreams. Rosie Khdir takes a look at the past and present of Le Moulin Rouge.

Back in 1891, while Victorian Britons were frowning upon all things even remotely risqué, Parisians were bracing themselves for the opening of Le Premier Palais des Femmes (The First Women’s Palace).

When Le Moulin Rouge opened in the Jardin de Paris, the public came in their masses to experience what was then known as the “temple of music and dance”. Gentlemen of all classes entered side by side and enjoyed the delights of the mirrored walls, decadent galleries, a huge dance floor and the ladies of easy virtue.

Many people became captivated by the venue and its entertainments, one particularly well-known fan was was artist Toulouse-Lautrec, made famous by John Leguizamo’s portrayal of him in Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! Lautrec was a regular client who created no less than 17 paintings based on the Le Moulin Rouge, one of the most notorious being Le Goulue, a poster advertising one of the famous can-can dancers.

From the years before WW1 up until the famous dancer Mistiniguett’s departure, Le Moulin Rouge enjoyed a golden age filled with operetta and “Great Revue’s”. But as cinema started to emerge and as the Second World War raged in France the days of all singing, all dancing shows began to decline.

Six years after the war Le Moulin Rouge underwent a revival. A new owner, George France, who acquired the establishment in 1952, set about making it great once again. Charity events and parties were held and the emergence of the ‘dinner show’ saw the music hall’s fame rocket. Dozens of esteemed stars came to perform at the new venue and Elvis Presley was even said to be a regular visitor when in Paris.

Le Moulin Rouge is a very popular tourist attraction today, perhaps with thanks to the Hollywood films made about it. The current show, Féerie consists of a troupe of 100 artists, including 60 Doris Girls, and 1000 costumes made from feathers, rhinestones and sequins in Paris’s finest workshops.

You can have lunch or dinner and a show and tickets vary from 150-180 euros, or you can simply watch late night show for half the price. For further details on how to book, visit the official Moulin Rouge website.

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Image credit: San Sharma

Tags: France, History, Lifestyle, P&O Ferries by Rosie Khdir
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An international phenomenon, design icon and fashion brand; this is Miffy the rabbit. Rosie Khdir takes a look at the exhibition in Utrecht dedicated to her creator, Dick Bruna.

With 85 million copies sold worldwide and translations printed in 40 different languages, Miffy is one of the most famous pieces of art to come out of Utrecht.

Artist Dick Bruna made his name in simple picture books and his most famous character, Miffy, was crafted in 1955. In his career so far Bruna has made 120 picture books, designed more than two thousand book covers, over one hundred posters, postcards and prints and continues to work in Utrecht today.

The Centraal Museum in the city set up the Dick Bruna Huis in 2006 in honour of Bruna’s work, looking at his early career working in his father’s publishing house, right through to his poster commissions for Amnesty International. Documentary films demonstrate his working process and sketches and early designs show the development of characters over the years.

Pencil and ink drawings of Miffy as well as Bruna’s other characters such as the Zwarte Beertjes (Little Black Bears) are on show at the Dick Bruna Huis. There are delightful reading rooms and interactive guides as well as a huge golden Miffy statue! The gift shop is also not to be missed, as it is stocked full of adorable memorabilia.

In this exhibition you will see how Bruna developed simple designs that had high impact, using pictograms rather than illustrations. Simplicity was a Bruna’s main focus in his art and he pursued this within his picture books.

Dick Bruna is one of the few living Dutch artists who has enjoyed worldwide fame; his museum is an ideal afternoon filler whilst visiting Utrecht and is a great experience for children. Utrecht is proud of Bruna’s fluffy creation, so much so, that statues of her have been erected and even the green ‘walk’ signal at certain traffic lights has been changed to her silhouette!

The exhibition is open Tuesday to Sunday 10am- 5pm and guided tours are available for an extra fee.

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Image credit: mark.groves

Tags: History, Lifestyle, Netherlands by Rosie Khdir
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As Halloween approaches and people begin to plan their parties, all of San Sebastian prepare for the ultimate spooky celebration. Rosie Khdir discovers this Spanish city’s Fantasy and Horror Film Festival.

If you like the adrenalin rush of being scared out of your wits then this could be the festival for you as the Semana de Cine Fantástico y de Terror is sure to be full of frights.

Originally set up by the San Sebastian Municipal Board of Culture twenty years ago, the festival was designed to get the youth interested in the horror genre and now attracts audiences of all ages. This is a week filled with street shows, music, comedy performances, exhibitions as well as a variety of horror movies shown at different venues around the city.

This festival also holds competitions for short films including the Audience Award which carries a prize of €6,000. Other awards go out for International Jury Prizes, the Youth Jury Prize and the Nomination for the Golden Méliès for Best European Fantastic Short Film. These films will be no longer than 30 minutes and must be on the subject of fantasy or horror.

The festival also organises showings of various publications on both a national and international basis including a special issue of the fanzine 2000 Maníacos.

The Fantasy and Horror Film Festival is supported by the Ministry of Culture, the Basque Government, Kuxta and Calle 13 as well as other public and private companies. It is a great event for film lovers and is the perfect way to celebrate Halloween.

The festival runs from the 20th October until the 4th November and is only about an hour’s drive from Bilbao!

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Image credit: Rain Rannu

Tags: Lifestyle, P&O Ferries, Spain by Rosie Khdir
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There is one place where you can observe both Art Nouveau and the Ninth Art and that is at the Belgian Comic Strip Center in Brussels. Rosie Khdir finds out how they are celebrating their 20th anniversary.

Belgium has 700 comic strip artists; that’s more per square meter than any other country, which explains why it is the home to so many well loved cartoons.

The Belgian Comic Strip Center was set up in 1989 in the Waucquez warehouse famously designed by Art Nouveau architect Victor Horta in 1906. The two aims of this non-profit organisation are to maintain the building’s integrity and to promote the comic strip as a valuable cultural medium.

Although situated in one of Brussels’ oldest quarters, this building represents two more modern art forms; Art Nouveau architecture and the Ninth Art, the name given to the relatively young art of “drawn strips”. The center is mainly funded by its visitors who now reach over 200,000 annually, who come to observe its creative collections.

Permanent exhibitions at the center include The Birth of the Comic Strip, a look at how it all began, The Museum of Imagination (1929-59), which takes you on a journey through the minds of the comic strip greats and The Gallery, a collection of today’s finest strips.

This month sees the 20th birthday of the Center and there are some interesting temporary exhibitions to celebrate the occasion. Comics…Twenty Years Later is an exhibit which looks at 21 of the best works of the past two decades and gives a panoramic view of the industry today, showing how it has gone from a barely recognized art to one that has grown ten-fold and even inspired blockbuster movies.

The Center will also be showing Amitié ètroite by artist Bastein Vivès, the Winner of the Essential Best Newcomer in Angouleme in January 2009 for his “Le Goût de Chlore”. His latest work, which translates as “Close Relationships”, shows his talent for storytelling as he displays strong emotion through his images.

Other exhibitions include 20 Years of Creation, with 150 original drawings and illustrations as well as work by Daniel Fouss, a witness from the very beginning of the organisation, with his piece The Center through the eye of a photographer.

Belgium has a very rich comic history, turning out cartoon greats such as The Smurfs and The Adventures of Tintin, and the history of these characters and their creators can be discovered at the Belgian Comic Strip Center.

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Image credit: Dylan Parker

Tags: Belgium, History, Lifestyle, P&O Ferries by Rosie Khdir
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The life of 1950s icon Brigitte Bardot is being celebrated at an exhibition held at the Espace Landowski in Paris. Rosie Khdir takes a closer look at an idol that empowered women the world over.

Brigitte Bardot, famous actress, model, feminist and animal rights activist recently celebrated her 75th birthday, and France is hosting the first exhibition of her life and work as a tribute.

The Carefree Years exhibition includes 2,000 photos, films and other mementos donated both by Brigitte herself and her loved ones. The show is comprised of three sections, the first devoted to her early years at home before the fame, then a look at her glamorous years at the height of stardom and her then retired life, when she dedicated her time and money to animal rights campaigns.

Sights not to be missed include the recreation of her bedroom when she was young, completed with original objects and photos, her portrait by Andy Warhol, donated by her first husband millionaire Gunter Sachs and the infamous gingham wedding dress she wore for her second marriage to Jacques Charrier.

Bardot is extremely touched by the tribute and said she felt:

“Like a little child filled with wonder at a big cake – my 75th birthday cake. This touches me tremendously. It is adorable.”

Bardot shot to fame at a very young age after modelling an Elle cover at just 16 and securing her first film role at 18. She went on to star in many films, some notoriously provocative, in more ways than one. Her role as Juliette, a “demon-driven temptress” in And God Created Woman concreted her position as a liberated woman who did away with post-war prudishness.

She embraced her sexuality and even posed nude for Italian Playboy in an edition to celebrate her 40th birthday. Not only was she a sex symbol, she empowered women and is thought to have greatly influenced their liberation movement during the sixties.

The star inspired many people including singer Bob Dylan and artist Christine Motta who created a statue of her in Buzios, Brazil. She popularised the bikini through her modelling and also through many of her early films including Woman without a Veil, 1952. The starlet is still considered one of the most desirable women of all time, a point enhanced by her entry into Empire magazine’s 100 Sexiest Film Stars in 2007.

Since stepping out of the limelight Bardot focuses all her energy and money on helping her beloved animals. This St Tropez party girl has left behind the glitz and glam and turned to a life much more fulfilling to her. She said:

“If I hadn’t had the animals to look after, I think I would’ve quickly stopped enjoying it, like Marilyn (Monroe) or like Romy (Schneider).”

Brigitte Bardot: Les Annees Insouciance runs from now until the January 31st 2010.

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Image credit: mirririr

Tags: France, History, Lifestyle, P&O Ferries by Rosie Khdir
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