Europa 2013

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The weather for our visit to Scheveningen could not have been more perfect. Clear blue sky and a forecast of 33 degrees which, by Dutch standards, is a very warm day. My cousin Nel collected us from our hotel and we took the tram, which I will say again is 'the' best form of public transport, to this lovely little seaside resort. Scheveningen is just a 15 minute tram ride out of The Hague so we were there in no time . . . along with the rest of the population! Air conditioning is not a given here so for some its the only way to get some respite from the heat.

The changing climate has its effects on the rising of the Scheveningen sea level so to ensure its survival a government project was launched to enlarge the dikes and boulevard in 2009. Work is expected to be completed by the end of 2013. The beach is about 3kms long and is located right before the boulevard and between the harbour channel and the pier. The boulevard itself is lovely, lined with cafes and restaurants and amazing bronze sculptures commissioned especially for the boulevard upgrade. There is the beautiful Steigenberger Kurhaus Hotel, Holland Casino and of course the fishing harbour. Sadly the pier is in a state of disrepair. The restaurants on the pier are closed and the wooden decking is rotting. It's not quite a safety hazard but its getting there. The owners of the pier were declared bankrupt earlier this year and the pier is to be auctioned for major national and international interest to the public. The pier has a fascinating history including its bombing by the Germans during WWII and its subsequent rebuild. Unfortunately the government is not in a position to save the pier. There just isn't any money. The pier may very well be demolished and that part of Scheveningen history will be lost forever. I'm surprised because the Dutch are very good at looking after their historical landmarks.

We stopped at Simonis Fish Restaurant for lunch and I was able to tick off another must do from my list, eating a brodje haring in Holland. You haven't lived until you've eaten Dutch herring, (raw and marinated in a salty brine) with chopped onion in a fresh bread roll. Delicious! For the life of me I can't work out why Clive opted for the smoked salmon?

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Photos

Scheveningen
Bronze sculpture on the boulevard.

Scheveningen
The Pier

Scheveningen
Fishing boats in the harbour.

Scheveningen
Steigenberger Kurhaus Hotel

Scheveningen
Brodje haring!

Comments

[Rikki]

Delish!
That looks so good! Haven't had one in forever, very jealous. Love u!