On the 5th September, over 4,000 redheads will congregate in the Dutch city of Breda to celebrate Redhead Day – didn’t know it existed? Neither did we! Rosie Khdir finds out more…

Mothers and Fathers Day are the celebrations that honour parents, and Redhead Day in the Dutch calendar is about honouring the world’s redheads!

The fifth edition of this event stretches over two days, starting with “pre-redhead day” activities taking place on the 4th September and ending with the official celebration on 5th September.

So one this day, what can one expect to see? Well the city centre of Breda opens its large square at 12pm where between 3,000 and 5,000 redheads from over 40 countries will participate in a variety of artistic group photo shoots.

Other activities include a cocktail making class, the readhead dinner in Humphreys – costs apply, a movie in the park (Perfume will be played in Valkenbergpark) which is free of chargeas well as an art exhibition!

Entrance to this event is free via email invite when you sign up on the official roodharigen.nl website.

It is easy to get to Breda, so if you are a redhead and want to enjoy a day of celebration for your vibrant hair colour, or you aren’t and want to enjoy the sights the festival has to offer, P&O Ferries can help you get there.

You can get the Hull to Rotterdam overnight ferry service starting from £149 each way and from here it is just a short train or car ride to Breda.

Image by: e³°°°

Tags: History, Lifestyle, Netherlands, P&O Ferries by Rosie Khdir
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Gold is one of earth’s most desirable elements, one that has clearly struck a cord with Dutch designer, artist and performance artist Aziz Bekkaoui. Rosie Khdir looks at his latest creations at the Catharijneconvent Museum in Utrecht.

In the exhibition entitled Gold, which starts this summer, Bekkaoui shows the public his unique vision, and remarkable associative and styling skills. He adds to the Museums collection with beautifully stunning old, modern and contemporary works, on loan for the duration of the exhibition.

The collection itself looks at the importance of gold in themes such as protection, decoration, power, immortality, value and worship; both symbolic and actual.

Visitors can catch a glimpse of the Catharijneconvent Museum’s many gold-embellished sculptures, paintings, manuscripts and chalices. These pieces, however, are not meant solely to astound viewers, they are meant to intrigue you, and make you think where this love for gold came from, and what it represents.

Today we see gold as a commodity and a symbol of luxury – think of all those gold iPods, phones and designer labels. This exhibition contrasts this modern view of gold with previous, more religious elements and makes for a dazzling display.

The exhibition runs from June 13th 2010 until January 6th 2011. P&O Ferries can help you on you way to this golden wonder with its Hull to Rotterdam overnight ferry service starting from £149 each way and there its just a short drive to Utrecht!

Image credit: covilha

Tags: History, Lifestyle, Netherlands, P&O Ferries by Rosie Khdir
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All over Europe countries fight for title of the cheesiest nation, and by that I mean that they have the best cheese! Rosie Khdir puts forward Holland as the land of cheese…

Every land has its cheeses; the British have Stilton, the Italians Mozzarella and the French have Camembert and all these nations are famously associated with the food as a result.

But one coutry that is often overlooked is Holland, the birth place of such dairy delights as Edam and Gouda!

If you are a fan of the big yellow wheel, then you would do well to head over to the Netherlands before the month of August ends, to enjoy the famous Alkmaar Cheese market.

Alkmaar is a city in northern Holland that is well known for its cheese market. The famous cheese carriers, in their crisp white ensembles and coloured hats, have the job of carrying thousands of kilos of cheese into Waagplein square every Friday between 10am and 12pm during the summer.

Cheese has been weighed in Alkmaar since 1635 and you can combine your visit to the market with a tour of the monuments and museums of Alkmaar, such as the Holland Cheese Museum.

There are also cheese markets in Edam and Gouda, no prizes for guessing which cheeses are made in these cities! The cheese market in Edam is open on a Wednesday from 9:30am to 12:30pm throughout the rest of August.

In Gouda there is much more to see, with the Cheese Weighing House where visitors can have their weight measured in cheese, test their knowledge of cheese and even sample some cheese! The markets in Gouda are open until the end of August and take place every Thursday from 9.30am to 12:30pm.

P&O Ferries can help on your way to your cheesy dream, with the Hull to Rotterdam overnight ferry service starting from £149 each way.

Image credit: manuel | MC

Tags: History, Lifestyle, Netherlands, P&O Ferries by Rosie Khdir
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As the Stedelijk Museum undergoes a renovation and expansion, a temporary set of exhibitions will be held in the Stedelijk’s historic building. Rosie Khdir finds out more.

The Temporary Stedelijk, the brainchild of museum director Ann Goldstein, was seen an opportunity to utilise the unfinished historic building while the museum gets a revamp.

The building will offer visitors a preview of its renovation while its galleries serve as a platform for a variety of exhibitions including Taking Place and Monumentalism—History and National Identity in Contemporary Art Proposal for Municipal Art Acquisitions 2010.

Taking Place

This exhibition “reintroduces the Stedelijk Museum by addressing its history, the spatial and temporal conditions of the unfinished building and how artists use, occupy and animate museum spaces,” according to a recent press release.

Some of the renovated gallery areas on the upper floors of the building will be designated spaces for works from of the museum’s collection. This will include 19th to 21st century painting, sculpture, photography, works on paper and applied industrial and graphic design.

Monumentalism

This exhibition will take place on the ground floor galleries of the Temporary Stedelijk and will show works by artists who live and or work in the Netherlands. It will focus on the concepts of history and national identity.

The exhibition is curated by Jelle Bouwhuis, head of Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam, and features the work of 19 artists selected by this year’s Municipal Art Acquisitions jury.

The Temporary Stedelijk at the Stedelijk Museum is open from 28th August 2010 – 9th January 2011.

If you would like to go and take a look around P&O Ferries can help on your way with its Hull to Rotterdam overnight ferry service, starting from £149 each way.

Tags: History, Lifestyle, Netherlands, P&O Ferries by Rosie Khdir
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It all comes down to one day, just 90 minutes on a warm Sunday evening and everyone in the world of football will be on the edge of their seats awaiting the final score. Rosie Khdir tunes in to the World Cup Final 2010.

Two of P&O Ferries beloved destinations are competing for the FIFA World Cup trophy this weekend in South Africa and we have decided to take a look at the chances of both teams.

Spain

Spain has been a strong team throughout the competition, thanks to the one touch technique, or “ticka tacka” as it is more locally known.

They not strangers to winning after the nabbing the trophy in the UEFA European Championship in 2008 and winning the World Cup this year would be another ruby in their crown.

But despite being two-time UEFA champions, winning the European Nations’ Cup in 1964 and qualifying for the World Cup thirteen times, they have never won the much revered title of World Champions.

In terms of individual player, speculators say the Spain have the better team, and obvious have a lot of experience under their boots. Will this be enough to knock out Holland and claim the price they have lusted after for years?

Holland

Holland has surprised everyone this year, thrashing their way through the stages and ending up in the final.

The Netherlands rarely get singled out as one of the top teams of the world, despite winning The UEFA European Championship in 1988 and reaching the World Cup Final twice before (1974 and 1978).

For over 20 years Holland has stayed out of the football headlines, but this year the Oranje (Orange – a tribute to the Dutch Royal Family) are making a come back.

The World Cup Final will take place on Sunday 11th July 2010 at 6.30pm GMT. Who will you be supporting?

Tags: History, Lifestyle, Netherlands, P&O Ferries, Spain by Rosie Khdir
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If you long for a holiday destination undisturbed by the hectic culture that a metropolis brings then why not head to the beautiful beaches of the Wadden Islands. Rosie Khdir takes a look.

The untouched Wadden Islands of the Netherlands attract thousands of visitors every year, thanks to the nature reserves, wildlife, quaint villages and gorgeous beaches.

In June 2009 UNESCO added the Wadden Sea to the World Heritage List due to its unique variety of plants and animal habitats; all you budding David Attenborough’s out there are in for a treat!

Texel is that the largest of the Wadden Islands and is just 30 mins by ferry from Den Helder. There are seven villages on the 20-mile-long island, as well as a beachcomber museum and the EcoMare Seal rehabilitation centre.

Getting around is easy by car, and there is also a great transport system as well as extensive cycle paths.

Vlieland is a little harder to get to, it’s a two hour crossing from Harlingen and cars aren’t allowed on the mainland, but the scenic views and tranquillity you experience are definitely worth the trek.

The island of Ameland has four villages and the fabulous nature reserve Het Oerd which shelters rare flower species. You can also explore high sand dunes and lakes as well as the tidal marshes and sand flats.

There is a beautiful old lighthouse on the Oranjelaan in Hollum was built in 1880 and stands almost 200 feet tall. The island is also home an enchanting 17th century gothic church and a recreational park called De Vleijen.

Ameland also has a thriving bird community and the seagull colony in Het Oerd can be visited on excursions during the breeding season.

Last but not least we have Schiermonnikoog which is a 45 minute boat ride from Lauwersoog. This island has been classified as a National Park by the Dutch Government due to its picturesque woodlands and sand dunes.

Again cars are not permitted on the island but everything is within walking distance and there are cycle paths galore!

If you want to see these beautiful islands for yourself then P&O Ferries can help with its overnight ferry service from Hull to Rotterdam, from £149 each way.

Image credit: vindoe40

Tags: History, Lifestyle, Netherlands, P&O Ferries by Rosie Khdir
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It’s that time again, so get on your bike and cycle to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, where the Tour de France 2010 will commence. Rosie Khdir finds out what is in store for the brave participants.

One of the world’s most prestigious “Grand Tours” will begin this Saturday 3rd July in Rotterdam. Hundreds of cyclists who have gone through gruelling training to battle through 3,600 kilometres of French terrain will be making there way to the Netherlands to begin the first stage of the tour.

This first stage will take the riders to Brussels to celebrate the 65th birthday of professional cyclist and legend, Eddy Merckx. From here, the troupe in Lycra will battle the rolling valleys of the Walloon region and arrive in the Belgian town of Spa.

This race will see them circle the whole of France, stopping in town and cities such as Reims, Chambéry, Revel and Bordeaux before finishing in Paris.

Cyclists will have to endure nine flat stages, six mountain stages and three summit finishes, four medium mountain stages, and one individual time-trial stage of 52 km.

This world renowned race began back in July 1903 when six pioneers set out on their bicycles to complete a 2,500km race across the country. The reception of their six stage journey was one of amazement.

This race had highlighted many towns, cities and mountains that had been previously overlooked and so it became an annual event. It survived the wars and economic downturn and has since evolved, encouraging other nations to participate and even to host the prologue stage.

For more details about the Tour de France 2010 stages visit letour.fr.

If you want to cheer on these courageous cyclists, then there are a number of different P&O Ferries services that will get you to any one of the stages. You can take the Hull to Rotterdam service, from £149 each way for the first stage, or the Hull to Zeebrugge service to Belgium. There is the Dover to Calais service from as little as £30 for a car and up to nine people.

Image credit: myahya

Tags: Belgium, France, History, Lifestyle, Netherlands, P&O Ferries by Rosie Khdir
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Rotterdam is one of the world’s busiest ports, and the busiest port in Europe. Despite this it’s also one of Europe’s greenest cities. Tomas Mowlam checks out Rotterdam’s eco credentials.

For a start they have two new electric buses rolling silently through the streets. Rotterdam authorities today announced the introduction of two e-Traction 384 volt buses, with over 14 hours road time from a charge.

Icecap saving buses aren’t the only green thing about Rotterdam however, for a start it has a brilliant public transport system (like most Dutch cities), with 28 bus lines, nine tram lines, and two subway lines ensuring you can get almost anywhere in the city without starting your car. And if you really need to drive, there are green car rental companies like Greenwheels.

Two wheels are better than four however, and it’s easy to rent a bike from countless stands around the city. Rotterdam is busy but cyclists have plenty of bike paths to keep them safe from motorists.

Rotterdam has several great markets where you can buy good value, local food and should you feel like eco friendly rave then there’s the Sustainable Dance Club, and eco hotels such as Hotel Bazar to sleep it off in.

It’s all part of the Rotterdam Carbon Initiative which aims to slash carbon emissions by 2025, to half of 1990’s levels. Even the Netherland’s favourite sport – football – has been co-opted into this, with demands that Kuip Rotterdam, a new stadium for the Holland Belgium 2018/2022 world cup bid must be eco friendly.

It has earned the city the accolade of World Capital for Carbon Capture Storage, which may all sound a little esoteric, but it’s cheering to see how a huge industrial city like Rotterdam can be such a clean and green place to live or visit.

P&O Ferries sails a daily, overnight ferry service from Hull to Rotterdam, from £149 each way.

Image Credit: Trebaxus on Wiki Commons

Tags: Netherlands by tmowlam
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